How Long Before I Know if Minoxidil (Rogaine) is Working?
This question comes from a member of our [tag]hair loss[/tag] social community and discussion forums:
I recently starting taking [tag]minoxidil[/tag] ([tag]Rogaine[/tag]) for my hair loss. It’s been a few months now, and all I notice is an increase in the amount of shedding hair (which I know happens at first). I’m wondering, however, how long do I wait before determining whether or not minoxidil is working?
It generally takes 6 months to determine whether or not you are a responder. This represents the time it takes for the now “resting” or telogen phase follicles to transition into an anagen – or “growth” – state (this is where the initial 3-4 month increased shedding comes into play) and produce visible hairs. However, most [tag]hair restoration[/tag] experts recommend taking the medication for a full 12 months before determining whether or not it works for you. This obviously does not take intolerance from side effects into account.
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Blake Bloxham – formerly “Future_HT_Doc”
Editorial Assistant and Forum Co-Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Hair Loss Learning
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