3 ways to tell Minoxidil is working on hair growth

[@Samfrancis0000]

I wasn’t responding to 2.5mg oral minox after 6 months so I upped the dose to 5mg now I’m seeing hairs I haven’t seen since I was 17

[@mousetrapjones8463]

Man, the shed you get from switching from topical to oral min is no joke. Finally seeing some growth come back from the Oral Min. Question for you. Have you heard of anyone using oral min at a higher dose to establish regrowth, then titrating down slightly in dosage and maintaining that initial growth?

[@MedicalSchoolJourney]

It is indeed. Unfortunately, maintenance is proportional to concentration. So dropping will also result in a drop.

[@razvanik]

Topical is not same effective?

[@mousetrapjones8463]

@ for some it might be, but in most cases, oral min, or fin for that matter are always going to be more effective than topical.

[@MedicalSchoolJourney]

​@@razvanikit is less effective due to percutaneous and hair shaft barriers. Needs to reach stratum cornium. Requires bioactivation from follicular SULT1A1 which is expressed at varying concentration from one person to the next. Bioavailability is less in topical.

[@kamlaky]

I used Hairy Pill (Australian Product and with 10mg Minoxidil and .75mg Finasteride ) for almost 3 years but the truth is its not what it says, the growth is there but not as thick they say, so I am confused by the facts this guys says. Now I am going for a Haire transplant.

[@user-rm8by9fm]

When does it peak?

[@musaahmed7515]

Yeah I want to know that too, how many years until it stops working.

[@kaisersoze851]

What you said about eyebrows and eyelashes mainly applies to oral correct? Topical would probably have to be applied directly to eyebrows for a similar effect?

[@MedicalSchoolJourney]

Indeed. SULT1A1 is significantly lower in eyebrows and eyelashes, rendering topical minoxidil less effective here. www.researchgate.net/publication/379739073_Comparison_of_minoxidil_sulfotransferase_activity_between_scalp_hair_eyebrows_and_eyelashes_Implication_for_minoxidil_efficacy_for_off-label_use

[@guythat1185]

Do you have any recommendations of manufacturers / brands for Oral Minox and also for Finasteride (UK accessible)? I saw on one of your Lives you recommended sticking to one company so want to get this right first time. Amazing videos by the way!

[@MedicalSchoolJourney]

For Minoxidil I would go with Loniten. For finasteride: Accord, Propecia, or Proscar.

[@guythat1185]

@TheHairChemist you're the best thanks man

[@MedicalSchoolJourney]

My pleasure

[@AbdulRaheem-yn6wo]

I have a question i have been using finasteride and minoxidil for almost three year's but few months ago i started to lose ground again 6 months ago and i am still shedding i feel like i have developed a tolerance to it should i switch to dutasteride? Please guide me as im really stressed because of seeing my treatments effectivenes going away

[@MedicalSchoolJourney]

I am sorry to hear that, and feel your pain. I too noticed this. Have you changed manufacturers? Have you undergone stress which raises cortisol? Have you noticed an increase in scalp "greasiness" where sebum harbors DHT. I upped my dose of Minoxidil to 5mg recently after the drop-off.

[@xxo5294]

@@AbdulRaheem-yn6wo perhaps look into other factors that may be happening? DHT is of course the main cause but it is also true that prolonged stress, surgery, smoking, dramatic weight loss and nutritional deficiencies also contribute to hair thinning and loss.

[@MedicalSchoolJourney]

Weight loss is a huge one, great shout.

[@xxo5294]

I’ve been in oral min for 2 weeks and my hair shedding has reduced significantly already. Is it working? I guess too soon to tell

[@MedicalSchoolJourney]

Too soon to tell :) give it a few months and you should noticed a thickening at the roots

[@xxo5294]

@ hopefully I have some positive result. I’m already encouraged that my hair is shedding a lot less. I know I have to give it a year anyway :) we shall see. I’m upping my dose to 5mg a day per my hair doctors instructions

[@MedicalSchoolJourney]

Great, but be careful to titrate it to avoid potential side effects/effluvium

[@xxo5294]

@@MedicalSchoolJourney thank you 🙏🏻 will do. I monitor my pulse rate and BP and have not had any side effects. Also am a nursing student and one of my instructors is an experienced cardiologist and have had a deeper understanding about anti hypertensive drugs and why these side effects occur when they do fortunately, and so far I feel comfortable increasing in about a week. I’m excited for it :)

[@MedicalSchoolJourney]

It's good to wait a year or 2 to increase dosage to 5mg, that way you'll get another big increase in hair growth, as 2.5 starts to decrease in benefit by this time. It is also not a good idea to increase dosage so soon as you risk an increase in fluid retention at this stage. It takes many months for you to become conditioned to the product, especially at 2.5mg.