I Haven’t Consistently Used Minoxidil — Is It OK to Just Stop Completely?

I’ve been using minoxidil on and off for about 8 months now. I apply it once a day and quite often miss days or a few days. At one point I missed two weeks. I don’t think it has done much for my hair and have recently started propecia. With regards to stopping minoxidil (if you think I should), should I come off it gradually or will stopping it suddenly have no serious effects i.e. instant/prolonged shedding? If it helps, i’m 19 and in the early stages of hair loss.

It seems like you’re asking me for permission to stop minoxidil, and that’s really a decision you’ll need to make on your own. I cannot guarantee anything, but as I have said many times here, you may potentially lose whatever you gained from minoxidil. Stopping it cold turkey or limiting use over time will ultimately result in the same thing if you saw benefits from the drug. You’ve used the medication irregularly for only 8 months, so I’m not sure that you’ve given it a fair chance. Starting Propecia is a good idea for someone with early genetic hair loss, but it unfortunately won’t retain any benefits you got from the minoxidil.