It’s been over a year since I slipped into Target and bought my first box of Rogaine, wishing I was wearing a disguise, fearing someone I knew would see me and know (gasp!) that I had thinning hair!
Ha! Like it wasn’t obvious just by looking at me? We can be so silly, can’t we?
I wrote about buying that first box, and the reasons why, in Hair, or the Lack Thereof, and promised I would keep you posted on the results.
Well, over the past year I’ve bought several more boxes of minoxidil, both brand name (Rogaine) and generic from different stores. It doesn’t bother me at all anymore to grab a box off the shelf and toss it in my shopping basket.
I’ve waited to give you a report, though, because minoxidil takes time. I wanted to be sure. But a year is long enough, so here it is, my verdict on minoxidil, aka Rogaine…
(Drumroll, please…)
It works. It really does.
At least, for me, it works. And it’s so cheap and easy… even if you’re buying the name brand! Why didn’t I try it before?
Now, granted, my hair is still thin and baby fine. Minoxidil won’t change the kind of hair you have; it only stimulates growth. But I can see, per square inch of my scalp, there are definitely more hairs growing.
How do I know? When I part my hair, I no longer see a huge amount of scalp. I just see a normal part. I have also watched lots of little baby hairs grow into adult hairs over the past year. It’s pretty dang exciting!
I’m really not sure what I was so embarrassed about now. Thinning hair is such a common problem for both men and women. I had a huge response to my first post on Vibrant Nation. There are so many companies and products out there trying to make money off of this problem without delivering results. We deserve better than that.
So why is there such a stigma over using minoxidil?
Per my doctor’s suggestion, I totally skipped the women’s version and went straight for the men’s extra-strength. If you’re pregnant or breast-feeding, that’s a no-no. But most women experiencing thinning hair are entering perimenopause, and those warnings don’t apply. The only other warning for women is about facial hair, which worried me a little, but I haven’t experienced that at all.
FYI, the solution works better than foam for women. The dropper provides more accurate measurement and better distribution on the scalp. I learned that the hard way.
You should also not apply minoxidil if you’re having your hair colored that day. Again, another hard lesson. It will sting like your head is on fire! (In all fairness, the instructions tell you that… but I had forgotten!)
You have to apply the solution twice a day, once in the morning and once at night, but it only takes a few seconds. The directions say to apply it a couple of hours before going to bed, but I usually do it right before snuggling with Tom, and he hasn’t grown any extra hair on his shoulder.
Because you massage it into your scalp with your fingers, I always, always, always wash my hands thoroughly after applying it. You’re supposed to wait four hours after application before shampooing, so I often wait to apply it after my shower in the morning, and I’ve noticed it seems to add body to my hair.
One of the most common side effects is itching of the scalp. I didn’t experience that until recently, after months of use. I’m pretty sure it was because I forgot that warning about using it on the day you were getting your hair colored…
Sigh.
So, do I now have a head full of lush hair, thanks to minoxidil?
No.
But I do have hair covering my scalp, and I know there are some of you out there who will know… that’s enough.
P.S. I wasn’t paid anything by anyone for this post.
[Read Barbara's first post in this series, Midlife hair (or rather the lack thereof) ~ Eds. ]
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Retta: The ladies represented here are beautiful women who have been through hell and learned the lessons from living in that place. If they do "have it all together" it is only because of what they have been through and the hard work they have h
Wow, didn't realize this was a site for perfect people who have it all figured out and are so well adjusted. I said nothing about denigrating my body or mind. I mentioned nothing about not liking myself or being influenced by silly magazines. My thou
I really appreciated the info. It wasn’t until mine started to thin that I realized, this too can happen as we age.
I am so happy you have found something that works and look forward to reading more about your progession from thinner to thicker and in between,
Thanks, Pammy! I wouldn’t mind my hair getting thicker, but the results have been enough that, even if it doesn’t, I’m satisified! i don’t mind thin, but the sight of so much scalp was starting to bother me!
Thank you so much for posting this!!
I went a couple weeks ago to my dermatologist and she said the same to me,i am 65,have thyroid condition and post menopause too,she said to go get a kit of Rogaine,i was just devastayded over that..i went and seen the price!! wow..there very proud of there product!
Heard on the today show this am about vit D is hepling with thinning hair too…
Thanks for all the information!
Bren
When you consider it’s a 3-month supply, it’s not that bad. But you can also find the generic versions at most stores – our grocery store doesn’t even sell the name brand anymore! And they’re usually only about $20 for the 3-month supply.
I heard the report on Vitamin D, too. Very exciting! I wonder what form they’re using it in.
Good luck on your hair!! Keep me posted!
I tend to look for more natural alternative remedies. This last summer my hair was falling out in chunks. Having taken medical classes I already knew that there are aspects of the body that begin to go into slow decline when we are in our twenties! One of the biggest natural challenges for seniors is that the body no longer absorbs vitamins the way it did when we were younger. A good friend in her mid 60s who’d experienced major hair loss and another in her 50s, who’d just finished chemo told me about their return to a full head of hair. It too approximately 6 months of following what their wellness doctor had proscribed. Biotin and upping their monthly Vitamin B intake. Biotin is referred to as vitamin H or vitamin B7. It is one of the eight vitamins in the vitamin B-complex. The B vitamins, in general, help in promoting healthy nerves, skin, eyes, hair, liver and a healthy mouth. Studies show they also can help with depression and energy loss. Within two weeks of beginning the biotin and additional B regime, I’m no longer losing hair.
My scalp doesn’t itch or burn, a symptom I personally find worrisome. Whatever chemicals go on your head seep through the pores!
A footnote: There is a wonderful new line of organic shampoo and conditioner that is not expensive and can be found at many supermarkets and drugstores. My hair loves it!! It’s called Organix and is made in Brazil.
Thank you for this post!!!
I have been taking Biotin for a few weeks now,as i did not get the Rogain,my hair is not falling out like it did,and i am hoping new hair will grow back,but just stopping the fallout is great too!
Thanks!
Bren
I believe Biotin does help, and if that’s all you need to do, that’s great! Good luck!
Sam, you are very right. The first step is to make sure it’s not a nutrition problem or vitamin deficiency. In Part 1, I explained that I tried all of those, with no effect on my hair loss…but I did lose weight and feel better. My hair was just thinning, though, not falling out in chunks. I tried organic shampoos – those just weighed my hair down. The special thinning products make your hair look thicker, but don’t really address the problem. Thanks for the information, though, because it truly is the first step to take!
Barbara, the vitamins worked for my friends. Perhaps, this is a problem that varies individual by individual. Another remedy has come to my attention: Keratinique, which contains vit. B.
Another thing I learned from two famous hairdressers to maintain healthy hair was to shampoo 1x per week. In the course of the same week, rinse dirty hair and condition, but don’t use shampoo.
I wish I could get by with just shampooing once a week, but I work out every day and sweat a lot. No way I could skip shampooing afterward!
While it is growing back, Toppix hair powder has worked wonders for me to cover and the GNC Beautiful Skin, hair and nails friut chews seemed to make a big difference – my stylist asked what I was doing different
the good thing about the GNC is the “berry” one tastes like a treat! If you use the Toppix select the color closest to your own, and I tap it onto the bare spots (from the container) like I was sprinkling salt onto food. I found I didn’t need to apply it with a brush or use the special “fixative” spray. It is not noticeable and covers well! I curl it, tap the bare spots, comb through then spray using Matrix volumizing hair spray. It’s probably as good as it’s going to get.
I’ve seen the Toppix advertised but wasn’t sure how well it worked. Thanks. And I haven’t heard about the GNC product. I wonder what’s in it? Thanks for sharing your experience!
Barbara, Thank you for your great report. I have been using the 2% over a few months and am pleased to say I have new hairs growing. Having had a very thick head of wavy hair, it was so upsetting to go through periods of heavy hair loss until it is now “see through” and, of all things, very curly. I buy with coupons or on sale and, as you said, is very reasonable when you consider it lasts 3 months. As for the “natural” way, vitamins, shampoos, etc., this may work for women who don’t have the genetic propensity to lose hair. Every woman should be checked thoroughly by their doctor for medical causes and/or vitamin or hormonal deficiencies. However, as my dermatologist said, you cannot change your genetics. Take a look at your mother, grandmother, etc. if they had thinning hair, chances are you will too. Minoxidil is safe when used as recommended. One word of caution, if you stop, all your new hair will fall out (experience talking here).
I’m so glad it’s working for you, too! I’ve already resigned myself to the fact that I’ll be using it for the rest of my life. But I also use deodorant and moisturizer every day, so what’s one more thing, right?
Mine is due to my thyroid,as it is hypo,and i do take synthyroid for that,but i am also on blood pressure meds too,and for the last few months,i was seeing my hair tine out..but now i am seeing new growth around the forehead and temples,i am taking biotin and vitimens to help,and i only shampoo my hair 2 times a week,other times,i use conditioner and rinse….
I definitely believe nutrition is the first step. I’m glad the vitamins are making a difference for you!
Getting older is about a gradual letting go of a number of things and focusing more on what’s inside. At the same time, it’s definitely great to have HAIR!!!
I want to do a slow walk to less, enjoy every luscious possibility that is offered.. bringing along the laughs, and the wisdom of aging..
That is so true. I’m willing to accept things I can’t change, but if I can change something so simply and inexpensively, I’ll do it!
Biotin works the best I find….and alot cheaper and less time consuming. Just take with your vitamins every day and you will definitely see a difference in a short time frame.
Biotin works for a lot of people, but for me and others, it’s not enough, unfortunately. I took it for several years but my hair continued to thin. I still have terrible nails, too!
My hair dresser recommended pre-natal vits. I took them for a year, not even every day. A half one day and half a couple of days later, but regularly for a couple of years now, and my hair grows like a weed and is thicker. I’ve never had super thick hair and my 83 yr. old mom has bold patches, so it’s my biggest fear. The pre-natal vits are helping, I’ve tried Biotin, Panothenic Acid, B12, you name it in vitamins, the pre-natals from Trader Joe’s are doing the trick and are inexpensive too. Oh and I started shampooing every other day. I do Kenpo karate 3x a week so I sweat too, but still don’t shampoo every day anymore, it’s just to harsh on the hair and scalp. Good luck!
Hello….I have read your posts with great interest as I also have very thin, baby-fine hair. My father had the same texture hair as I do but my mom had thicker hair. I have an older brother who has the same thick hair as my mom so I think, for the most part, boys inherit from the female side; the girls inherit from their fathers.
My question for you…I am using the Rogaine (for women) regularly but since I work, I can only use it at night. If I put it on before I prepare my hair for the day…it leaves a residue. I am surprised that your doctor told you that you could use the Rogaine for men because of the warnings on the box…I am in my early 60′s so do you really think that the Rogaine for men would work more quickly for me? If so,…I would gladly give it a try!
The main problem side-effect with Rogaine has to do with blood pressure, I believe, so I would recommend checking with your doctor. But if you don’t have a history of heart problems, I would suggest looking into it.
I’m surprised you have a residue, though. I often apply the Rogaine/minoxidil after my shower before styling my hair, and I haven’t had that experience. In fact, it seems to give my hair more body. I always wait several minutes before applying any other hair product and styling it, though. I would say try it again using it twice a day for awhile if you aren’t getting results with it once a day before switching to the men’s. Even with the men’s you’ll probably need it twice a day. Good luck!
Thank you Barbara for your comments. I too have been using Rogaine for women for several years and YES i totally agree it does work. I have not tried the Men’s version, do you think it makes your hair even thicker?
I didn’t stay on the women’s very long, so I’m not sure. But I think if Rogaine for women is working for you, there’s no reason to use the Men’s. I’m not sure it would make it thicker or not. But then, I guess it wouldn’t hurt to try. Let me know if you get different results!
Hi barbara…thanx for posting this… my age was 25 now and im not sure im having female baldness or wat as im losing half of my hair (crown area) when i was 12 years old. The hair was thin.. so thin until can see my front scalp and this was putting me down everytime i go on public.
here my question :
a) do i fit for using rogaine 2% as i see some review said that it can cause sterility for womens. This actually kinda worried me out.
b) I’m having fringe/short layer front hair, so if i let rogaine dry up after putting on my crown area in the morning , will it cause ”hairs grow on my forehead”?
c) Is it true that when starting using rogaine, our hairs will falls out more before the follicles start to grow hair?
d) btw, how to order it? PS: im from malaysia
I’m sorry for asking too much question and i do hope that u will reply mine. Thanx
Josephine, there are so many medical issues that could cause thinning hair. Have you seen a doctor about this? If I were you, I wouldn’t use Rogaine unless it was under the advice/supervision of a doctor. I didn’t even start using it until a doctor recommended it because all other medical issues had been ruled out.
Hi..thanx for replying… the doc u mention above izzit healthcare centre (specialized on hair problem ) or any doc / clinic we could refer to? because in malaysia, the biggest haircare was oni few that was YUN NAM and they was using herbs which is their product n i heard many scam about it… im not sure whether i can go in any clinic n ask for hair problem.. but i do rely wanted my hair to grow back as i try many herbs before including putting onion on scalp.. but the remedy like no improvement..
The doctor I went to was an internist. She did bloodwork to see if my thyroid was functioning and to check for deficiencies in vitamins, etc. There are a lot of health problems that could cause thinning hair. If you can, go to a clinic and let them know your hair is thinning and that you’re concerned it might be caused by some health issue. Yes, there are a lot of scams out there and they can get expensive!
Thanx… i used to do blood test for overall n cancer probability but i never asked the cause for my hair thinning.. Never across in my mind to ask that….i shall visit again clinic or lab soon to found out whats wrong with me. Thanx so much
my parents even planning wanna bring me to singapore for hair transplant but if can choose i dun wanna go through that… kinda scary… scars…
just wonder…. if i ve no problem with rogaine after seek doc, 2% rogaine the chance of getting facial hairs will high? n do will effect fertility? im planning having baby before my age reach 28 which is 3 years from now.. hehehe
Gud to hear that all of u was having great hair! ^_^
I haven’t had a problem with facial hair – and since I’m in menopause I don’t have to worry about fertility issues. But I just did a quick google search and fertility problems aren’t listed. Only that pregnant or nursing women shouldn’t use it.
I just started Rogaine today. My dermatologist recommended the men’s version due to my kind of hair loss. I am 63, post-menopausal, and shampoo my short fine hair daily. Besides feeling like crying, I find I really dislike the smell of minoxidil, and it makes my hair feel greasy. Am reading conflicting info on applying it. Some sources say to a wet head, others to a dry head. I also thought about drying my hair, applying it, then using the hair dryer on a cool/low setting with the diffuser to more thoroughly dry the scalp before trying to style it….hopefully with more success than I had this morning. Did you try that with any success? Am also worried about the recommendation to apply 2 – 4 hours before bed. With my schedule, I get home late and rarely have that much time between arriving home and hitting the hay. Do you think I could apply, dry with a cool hair dryer, then go to bed? I appreciate any thoughts from the voice of experience.
FireMom, you’re the second person to tell me it made your hair feel greasy, but I never have noticed that. And I haven’t really noticed a smell. (I probably will now that you mentioned it! lol) I confess I do ignore that warning about applying it 2-4 hours before bed. I usually do it right before my head hits the pillow and haven’t had any issue with hair growing on my face or on my husband’s arm, which I’m guessing is the cause for concern. I just apply it, comb it, and go to bed. It dries pretty quick on its own.
I shower every day, too, in the morning. What I do is apply it right after getting out of the shower and just rub it around. Then I do the other stuff – moisturizer, etc., which takes about 5 minutes. Then I put a little leave-in conditioner in my hair (make sure you wash your hands after touching your hair with fresh Rogaine in it), comb it, and blow dry it. I find the Rogaine acts as a volumizer and not greasy at all for me. Are you using the solution or the foam? I use the solution. It seems to cover more area. Good luck!
Thanks for your info, input and understanding. I’ll try your method tomorrow morning. Am using the solution.
You’re welcome. I just want to help others who are going through the same frustration. Remember it usually takes time to see results, so be patient!
I ve been check with doc and ters nothing wrong with me… about the thinning hair, blood test also shown nothing problem occurred in health and i dono wats is the problem y my front hairs not growing… :’(
they just gv me some hormone med… im worry my hair follicles had been block, after so many years… or maybe even dead ody… haih :’( so sad….
i asked about rogaine, they said rogaine (minoxidil) are not allowing export in malaysia here… another sad case….
Ah, that’s a shame, Josephine. Well, maybe the hormones will work. If you haven’t tried it already, and it’s available, try taking Biotin. Some people say it helps. Also I’ve heard organic coconut lotion might help. Most important is to make sure you’re taking care of yourself – exercising enough to get your blood flowing throughout your body and eating a good variety of food, especially fruit and vegetables. Good luck!
thanx ：）
biotin… hmm i ve seen it sold in pharmacy before, 2mg biotin per day…. yeah, i think the only things i could try now was adjust back my meals n get as much vitamins as i could… Evening primrose oil gud or not?? i dun wanna keep depend on doc’s med (hormones) wonder EPO could help onot… my period circle was more than 40 days… and not heavier lik oters.
Let me know if you try the evening primrose oil and how it works!
Just wanted to say that I am 34 years old and I have been experiencing hair loss for the past few years. I had every blood test you could imagine and it would all come back normal. The Doctors would tell me that it might just run in the family but I didn’t want to hear that.. I tried vitamins, biotin and different kinds of shampoo. However, nothing seemed to work I was even thinking about hair transplant. My hair was really thin and I was so embarrassed to go to a salon or even do my hair a certain way. My friend then told me about this topical powder that you can get from Sally’s and it comes in different hair colors and I’ve been using that ever since to hide the thinning spots. It works and not noticeable if you apply it correctly. But I was still unhappy. I then started using Rogain and I have been using it for about two months now twice a day and I have to say, I can see a difference. It’s not looking like Kim Kardashian hair but it looks much better, can’t wait to see what it will look like in 8 months. When I finish this supply I will buy the men version to see the difference. I just wanted to share my story.
I’m glad it’s working for you, too! I hope you continue to have progress! Mine seems to have reached its maximum, but it’s much better than it was before, so I’m happy I finally tried it and will continue applying it.
i’m so envy for u all that could having the rogain supply and its sound cheap at ur place … i wish that Malaysia custom would allowed that… ** sigh ** so far i asked my fren they do not hv purchase rogain from Amazon… but from China Product, yes China hv import rogain to malaysia… just worry, original or scam product…
Just found out…. one supplier (intro by fren) have sold 2% rogaine in myr 100 which is $29 US per bottle one month use…. I dono that one was original as he dun wan reveal from where he get.