Rogaine: Is it worth it?

Has anyone on this forum had experience using Rogaine? I'm this close to pulling the trigger and begin using it but I've had wildly differing opinions on whether to do so (mostly related to Rogaine's efficacy). If anyone has personal (or close at hand) experience, could you share them? If you feel more comfortable, feel free to PM me. Darn it, I most be losing more than my hair. I meant to post this in Body Consciousness, not Social Life. If a mod could move it, I would appreciate it.

Propecia (proscar)
Avodart

are the best treatments assuming you tolerate them well.

Rogaine is messy, not user friendly and has limited and short term benefits IMO

It doesn't work for everybody but it's working well for me. Propecia has potential bad side effects. I'm thinking about doing mini plug transplants.

I'm in my late fifties and have been using minoxidil for the last 6-7 years. (In my case, the 5% strength generic available from Eckerd drugs rather than the pricier brand-name Rogaine). At least accoring to my barber, it certainly seems to have arrested a pattern of thinning on the crown that caused me to start in the first place.

Originally Posted by gorgekko

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Has anyone on this forum had experience using Rogaine? I'm this close to pulling the trigger and begin using it but I've had wildly differing opinions on whether to do so (mostly related to Rogaine's efficacy).

If anyone has personal (or close at hand) experience, could you share them? If you feel more comfortable, feel free to PM me.

I don't think it's that big of a deal. I have used Rogaine for the crown of my head because my hair is starting to get a little thin. I used the spray (5%) and it brought back some hair and covered the thinning spot. My hair never really grew back fully but it grew back slightly. In other words, the hair that grew back wasn't as thick but it still came back. This seems to be normal with Rogaine.

The 5% is too strong for me and I started to get an irritation on my scalp. I switched to 2% and that has worked better. I don't really follow the directions very well. I typically don't use it twice per day but it still seems to work.

Propecia is supposed to be much better but at $40 to $50 per month, it isn't worth it to me. Rogaine knock offs are like $12 a month and if you use it sporadically or don't have a very big spot to spray, you'll get a longer period of time out of each bottle.

In very general terms, think of Rogaine as just keeping the follicles pushing out hair even though DHT is trying to destroy it. Propecia fights DHT (bad testosterone) and keeps the follicles normal and healthy and lets them continue their natural cycle of hair growth. (you can do lots of reading about this on the internet)

If your hairloss is due to excessive DHT (which most people's hair loss is) then Propecia should work well. Also, you can use both Rogaine and Propecia together if you have the money and really want some results. (doing this will also make ********** grow an additional 1-3 inches )

I don't know why I bother at all but I guess my vanity gets in the way .

The best price I have found for generic minoxidil is at Costco. House brand.

It's a pity that Canada is a little more retrograde when it comes to selling things like this. I don't believe one can buy generic monoxidil anywhere in this country -- at least over the counter. Thus I am forced to buy the expensive brand name.

$12 a bottle? Damn, at that price I would bathe in the stuff.

I've been using it for 6 months now and it seems to have stopped the shedding, but has not sparked any significant regrowth.

The stuff is oily and messy to use, and I started to have itchy scalp and dandruf 3 months in. I'm thinking now of discontinuing, but am too afraid...

gorge I got started when they were having a half price sale at a local drug store chain, and each box I bought had a $5.00 off coupon for your next purchase so I got my first years supply that way. If you keep your eye out you will see better prices. Good luck!

Originally Posted by Associate

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I've been using it for 6 months now and it seems to have stopped the shedding, but has not sparked any significant regrowth.

The stuff is oily and messy to use, and I started to have itchy scalp and dandruf 3 months in. I'm thinking now of discontinuing, but am too afraid...

You might want to try the 2% as opposed to the 5% strength. It may help. Also, do you use the spray? I don't understand how it can be messy?

Originally Posted by Tck13

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You might want to try the 2% as opposed to the 5% strength. It may help. Also, do you use the spray? I don't understand how it can be messy?

I've been using the stuuf from the Rogaine website, and it comes with a dripper. The solution itself is sort of oily and not unlike using a hair product, which I usually try to avoid, having thinnish hair. How can a spray make it better? Is it possible that store brands have a different consistency?

The first units I bought had the spray applicator, then they switched to the dripper, and finally to some kind of applicator that you would find on a rubber cement jar. I like the spray the best.

Originally Posted by Associate

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I've been using the stuuf from the Rogaine website, and it comes with a dripper. The solution itself is sort of oily and not unlike using a hair product, which I usually try to avoid, having thinnish hair. How can a spray make it better? Is it possible that store brands have a different consistency?

Hmmm. That's weird. I always bought Rogaine (and the generic stuff) at the grocery store and they have the consistency of water. They usually come with a spray cap and a dropper (which, I agree, is messy).

Has anyone tried the new Rogaine foam instead of the dripper? It seems a bit easier and neater.

I've tried Rogaine back in the day. It made my pillowcases a weird yellowy color. Don't really know if it helps that much. It was more expensive then, so when I didn't get a fuller head o' hair after maybe 6 months, I stopped taking it.

My sister says it works for her husband, but I think it's not that significant as well, as he's still a lot closer to bald than me.

The foam looks promising.