August 27 2007, 11:33 am PT | Posted in: Drugs
I received 2 recent emails relating to the same thing, so I’ve combined them into one post…
Email 1:
Hi here is my question. I have been using rogaine from costco for the past 2 years, during that time regrew alot of hair and was very happy with the result. However 3 months ago i started using the Rogaine Foam and my hair started falling, now i can clearly see my scalp it’s horrible and very stressful, if the content of the foam is thesame minox 5%, why am i loosing more and more hair. Thanks.
Email 2:
I tried liquid minoxidil 5% and Rogaine Foam. I think I had better results with the liquid. Is it possible? Everyone is raving about the Foam!?
Honestly, I don’t know. It is the same medication, just in a different formulation. There is no medical reason why you would be noticing more hair loss. It may be just coincidental.
If any other readers want to discuss their experiences between the liquid and foam (positive or negative), please feel free to leave a comment.
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Balding Forum
I’ve noticed the same thing. I switched to Rogaine Foam about 4 -6 months ago and I’ve experienced a noticeable increase in hair loss.
I also switched to the Rogaine foam from the regular liquid and have experienced drastic hair loss within three months. Measures should be taken to remove this product from the market.
Ive noticed more hair loss as well and ive been using rogaine foam. on my second 4 pack from costco should i stop?
There is a good reason for this, it is not as effective as the liquid. They just released the Rogaine Foam clinical trials and the hair count is a fraction of Rogaine liquid, it only grew 20 hairs per 1 inch, way below the liquid. Its junk.
The liquid caused mild heart palpitations in me, and slightly hot scalp and mild itchiness. It was mild, so nothing to worry about, but particularly the palpitations were a side effect of the minoxidil in the rogaine.
None of these occur with the foam, and I encountered heavy loss - coincidence? More likely that the minoxidil isn’t properly being absorbed by my scalp, probably not at all.
I’m so sick of hair loss and everything to do with it… the industry so full of scams and liars.
The 2 main differences b/w the foam and liquid are that one is thicker and harder to apply directly to the scalp and the liquid contains propylene glycol, an excipient that allows for transport of the drug to its receptor/site of action. Because of these 2 reasons, it seems the liquid rogaine works better than the foam. The only prob is that I get like a layer of propylene glycol?/dead skin cells?/??? wherever I applied the liquid rogaine. If I try to remove these, ie. through scrubbing/whatever/scratching, more hair falls out—undesirable. So, I’ll have to contact my dermatologist next week to see if I should:
1. Use T/Sal w/ this but ONLY IF SALICYLIC ACID WON’T TRAMATIZE HAIR FOLLICLES/GROWTH.
2. I also use > than the recommended dose so maybe another technique etc. would work, ie. pat/rub as apply or use correct dose, although what I use is not much more.
3. Talk to derm and see other options…..any ideas from other readers would also be appreciated.
Thank you and hope this helps someone else. God bless.
I also experienced the same thing. Using liquid for 5 years and then switched to foam. Experienced significantly more hair loss (noticeable to gf and family). I have switched back to liquid and I am noticing fine hairs growing back. I hope its not just my imagination. Hopefully I can regrow the hair lost due to foam.
The problem with the liquid (that I did not experience with the foam) is the constant build up on my scalp (due to propylene glycol, according to Jessica).
It’s the lesser of two evils: 1. less hair, no flakes 2. more hair, flaky scalp.
I wouldn’t recommend foam to anyone. 1. Hard to put on (gets stuck in hairs - doesn’t reach scalp) 2. You use more than you should because there is no easy way to measure it 3. HAIR LOSS! Stick with liquid. Hopefully in a few months I can write that the little fuzz hair turned into good strong hairs (keep your fingers crossed)
I also experience the hair loss problem with the foam which has never happened with my use of liquid.
I want to say that I use a different way to apply the foam, because I think Rogaine would reach my scalp rather than reach my hairs. I simply put a small amount of foam into a capful , and then it quickly turns into liquid (as the room temperture in HONG KONG now is high enough). Then I use the “liquid form” of the foam in the same way as I do with the normal liquid Rogaine.
The result is a very noticetable hair loss within a month of use.
I guess the problem is that the formulation DECREASES the absorption rate of minoxidil.
I hope a new formulation WITHOUT propylene glycol which really works will be released soon
I also want to remind you all that, recently the FDA has approved a product which use laser technology to solve the hair loss problem, I think I may need to try. All of you may try to find out more information about it.
To the above commenter –
We’ve written about the laser many, many times. It is not FDA approved. It has clearance from the FDA for marketing, but not FDA approval. http://www.baldingblog.com/2008/05/02/reader-adds-to-the-lasercomb-fda-debate/