December 19 2008, 12:34 pm PT | Posted in: Drugs
I recently received topical generic minoxidil solution and it says that it is only to be used on the vertex and is not for frontal hair loss. Is this true, will applying it to the front hairline be useless, if so, why?
Also, i would like to use a non-finasteride supplement in addition to the minoxidil, can you recommend one, or which ones are most popular??
The FDA only approved claims for crown benefits for minoxidil so the manufacturer complies with the FDA ruling. I don’t think it’ll be completely useless in the front, but the success rates are likely higher in the vertex than in the hairline.
There is no good substitute for finasteride in my opinion, but a popular natural supplement is saw palmetto. Popularity and reliability are too different things, however.
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Balding Forum
I’m 26, have been using generic minox and finasteride for years now. This is a long post but I can give insight into using minoxidil on the hairline.
Finasteride has shown no growth at all. Stopped taking it due to severe and obvious side effects, sexual problems, loss of libido, soft erections, aching groin, mood swings and mood ‘bubbles’ where I’d laugh or cry uncontrollably for no reason. Went off it and problems disappeared within the month but I started to shed - a LOT - going back on it stopped the shed after 2-3 weeks. So I can assume finasteride is either retaining some hair or causing loss when going off it - which imo is far more likely due to all that new finasteride-dependent hair, and the fact that this only happened several months in. I’m now on 0.25mg and haven’t seen loss yet - but am yet to discover if side effects are lessened or not. I am positive about recovery.
Rogaine however seems to be the key here. It has proven far more effective than propecia ever was with next to no side effects (minor itching).
I started rogaine nearly 3 years ago, and switched to the foam 2 years ago (before I started propecia). The foam DOES NOT WORK. I started shedding. Switching to generic rogaine liquid eventually returned the hair.
The reason I mention all of this is that during the shed from rogaine foam, I noticed hair was thinning on the frontal hairline - somewhere it had never thinned before. I thought ‘what do I have to lose’ and put minox on the frontal hairline. I wasn’t sure if it would work but a few weeks later I started to notice the thinned hair was ’spiky’ when I ran my fingers over it. Several weeks later and it started growing back even more, first fluffy vellus at the front, then thicker.
In fact, I’d say the rogaine has worked far better on the frontal hairline than the crown - which has shown little improvement at all. So - if you are young, and show minimal loss on the front - give it a go because I believe it has worked for me. Remember: liquid not foam…
Having said that, if I had the few years over I would NEVER have gone on propecia. It terrifies me and I strongly doubt the <1% side effect rate, it’s under investigation by the swiss medical board and I hate what it’s done to my body.
I agree whole-heartedly with the previous poster:
Minox works with virtually no side-effects besides occasional itch/flaking.
Propecia (finasteride) absolutely has intense sexual side-effects that are permanent for some.
It does slow/stop/reverse hair loss but you’re messing with the same hormones that control libido and erections.
Good luck.