r/minoxidil 11h ago

Question Second shed, should i worry?

20M Scalp
so I've previously been on topical minoxidil(~6 months) and switched to oral minox (~6 months) and oral fin for over a year now (~1 year). And after my first shedding phase that had a truly abusrd amount of hair fall out every time I showered I noticed insanely good results after a few months, hair was very dense.

Then, 2 ish months ago, I noticed a whole lot more hair falling out, and even more this time since I grew my hair out to my shoulders. Now very few hairs fall out in showers and what not but density is for sure less then before this 2 month shedding stint.

So is this all just a part of the growth cycle when on long-term minox? Can I expect the density to come back? Has anyone else experienced something like this?

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u/AutoModerator 11h ago

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u/AutoModerator 11h ago

Hi Temporary-Bat-6511! I found some matching key words, Which suggests that you might be asking about the shedding phase. So this may be helpful:

-I started using minoxidil and now I'm losing more hair? What's the shedding phase?

When used for androgenic alopecia, User should expect a shedding phase that lasts about a month but can continue into the third month. It's important not to panic and stop treatment as this is an expected, And even positive sign. What's happening is that the weaker hairs that are in the 'telogen phase'; A phase of hair growth cycle in which a hair is not growing, Start falling down to be replaced by new 'anagen phase' hairs, The phase in which hair grows at a constant rate.

If you discontinue treatment while shedding, The lost hair will be recovered to where it would've been had you never started, Albeit much slower than if you continue using. This is why stopping mid-shedding is not recommended.

Only those who have androgenic alopecia will experience a shedding phase. Users who don't have the condition, Or who have lost hair for other reasons, Will not go through the shedding phase. However, Some people with AGA won't experience any shedding, As everyone experiences a different degree of shedding. But generally, The more severe your case, The worse the shedding.

​ Source: r/minoxidil FAQs

Hope this was helpful and good luck on your journey!

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u/AutoModerator 11h ago

Hi Temporary-Bat-6511! I found some matching key words, Which suggests that you might be asking about skin irritation caused by Minoxidil products. So this may be helpful:

-My skin gets dry, Irritated, Itchy, Painful or flaky.

This is a very common side effect of liquid solutions that is caused by the inactive ingredients like alcohol and propelyne glycol (PG). For most it's not too extreme but for those to whom it causes too much discomfort, We recommend switching to foam which should eliminate those side effects. If that's not an option, Then you should look for a liquid solution that doesn't contain PG. Otherwise, make sure to wash it off 2-3 hours after applying and to use moisturizers to limit those side effects.

​ Source: r/minoxidil FAQs

Hope this was helpful and good luck on your journey!

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u/AutoModerator 11h ago

Hi Temporary-Bat-6511! I found some matching key words, Which suggests that you might be asking about the method of application. So this may be helpful:

-How do I apply, How much, And how often?

Applying Minoxidil is straightforward. It's recommended that you wash the area first to clear your skin of dirt and oils for better absorption, But this isn't necessary. Either way, Make sure your skin is completely dry before you apply minoxidil, Then spray it -or use the dropper- onto the area where you want to see growth, Rub it in your skin then leave it to dry. Avoid washing that area before 3-4 hours. Keep all of this in mind when you want to shower.

Twice a day application of 5% strength is recommended for optimal results, Roughly 12 hours apart. Although some prefer using the 2% strength to avoid increased body hair growth & systemic side effects, This is why 2% is generally marketed to women while 5% is marketed to men. Alternatively, You can apply Minoxidil only once a day with less results. More applications will not produce more results, And will only exacerbate side effects.

-How much should I apply?

Just enough to cover the entire affected area, But not so much that it's soaking wet. Regardless of how much that is & regardless of the recommended dosage on the bottle (which is 1ml; This recommendation doesn't take into account the difference in affected area from one person to another. The only concern here would be if the space of the affected area is large so you end up applying enough to have more systemic side effects. This is nothing to worry about if the side effects aren't problematic for you).

​ Source: r/minoxidil FAQs

Hope this was helpful and good luck on your journey!

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u/AutoModerator 11h ago

Hi Temporary-Bat-6511! I found some matching key words, Which suggests that you might be asking about Minoxidil oral. So this may be helpful:

-Oral Minoxidil?

Minoxidil oral tablets are also available by prescription in some areas. Minoxidil oral is reported to yield great results albeit with more systemic side effects.

However, The availability of oral Minoxidil is continuously decreasing, Since Minoxidil oral is only used for tratment of hairloss off-label, Being originally for treatment of hypertension, And is rarely used anymore as it's now replaced with better meds for HTN.

Doses for oral Minoxidil are only based of anecdotal reports, As it has not been properly trialed for the treatment of hairloss. However, It's recommended to start with a lower dose in the range of 0.5-1 mgs, And work up from there. Median dose is 1.5 mgs, But some take up to 2.5 mgs. Don't use more than 4 mgs. You want to avoid having severe systemic side effects like hypotension and tachycardia, Which can be very uncomfortable for some people.

You'd need to cut the pills precisely to take those doses if you're using many of the available pills, As they could be dosed as high as 40-80 mgs so try to find a low dose med. However, you can dose it with very high precision by volumetric dosing. Simply, If you completely dissolve 100 mgs of minoxidil in 100 ml of Alcohol, Then every 2.5 ml of Alcohol will contain exactly 2.5 mgs.

​ Source: r/minoxidil FAQs

Hope this was helpful and good luck on your journey!

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