I Stopped Using Minoxidil — Too Late To Restart?
I used Minoxidil 2% for about two years, then –through bad advice — stopped using it for about 4 months now. I just started realising the reoccurance of my hair loss. I will re-start immediately but am wondering if it is too late and whether I will lose all the hair that had regrown during the past two years?
Thank you very much.
Hair that is being lost or miniaturized, or new hair that grows from the drug does get minoxidil dependent so when the drug is stopped, the dependent hair often falls out. Minoxidil is thought to increase the length of the hair growth cycle, but can bring on new hair where there was none. If the hair fell out upon stopping the minoxidil, then a new cycle must kick in and that might take months. I would hope that some of the hair will return to the level before you stopped taking minoxidil, but I can not give you the assurance you are looking for.
I’ve started and stopped minoxidil several times. Every time I initiate treatment I experience an increase in hair loss (good, thick hairs) exclusively from the area where I apply the minoxidil. Is this normal and will it stop eventually? I have not gone over 2-3 months of treatment, this is about how much I can take before the increased loss begins to completely freak me out.
I found one reference once of minoxidil causing telogen effluvium of its own. Any info on that? Thanks.