But there is a cheap treatment, he and other dermatologists say, costing pennies a day, that restores hair in many patients. It is minoxidil, an old and well-known hair-loss treatment drug used in a very different way. Rather than being applied directly to the scalp, it is being prescribed in very low-dose pills.
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I’ve been considering this for a while for beard growth. Lots of anecdotal evidence.
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Dr. Rodney Sinclair, a professor of dermatology at the University of Melbourne in Australia, says he has 10.000 instances of anecdotal evidence.
He published those results in 2017, noting that rigorous studies were needed, in which some patients would be randomly assigned to take minoxidil and others a sugar pill. But that has not happened. He said he has now treated more than 10,000 patients.
I read a post on Twitter that oral minoxidil has deleterious effects on heart/ cardiovascular health. I have no idea if this is true. Does anyone have any knowledge of this?
Nope. See research below says It is good. I have used 5 mg Oral Minoxidil with my hair tonic. Great hair gains in 3-months. Only issue is pedal edema - ankle swelling which based on the article resolves in 2-3 months. Will see!
Pedal edema was present in three patients (10%) at 1–2 months into treatment, which spontaneously resolved after 2–3 months. Focusing on patients with pedal edema, two patients had obesity (body mass index > 30 kg/m2) without abnormal physical or laboratory abnormalities and one patient with hypertension was being treated with calcium channel blocker. The edema decreased after salt intake was rigorously restricted.
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Related, more detailed discussion in the Rapamycin for Hair thread:
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Interesting - the prices for tablet minoxidil are really low in the USA. Cut the tablets in half, and you have a years supply of 1.25mg doses for about $20.
Here is pricing from Costco:
Costco pharmacy - 90 tablets of 2.5mg for $11.
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I use oral minoxidil and oral finasteride to reverse hair loss. In both cases I began with topical and switched to oral. 1.5 mg Minoxidil is half a 3mg pill. I use a quarter of the 1mg finasteride pill ecause any more causes sexual side effects. Both are working great for maintenance.
For those considering this, be aware that both cause your hair folliculs to start a new fall-out-regrow cycle. This means you’ll temporarily have thinner hair — maybe for 2-4 months. But it comes back much thicker. (For the in-between time I recommend “Magic Root” spray, which is what television professionals use to hide thin hair. It’s cheap and truly magic.)
As for sexual side effects of finasteride, it changes the workings of your prostrate, changing the mix of your semen. If it makes it too much different you can have trouble actually finishing, if you catch my drift. You just don’t quite get there. Less finasteride lessens the effect for me.
I’m curious if anyone has seen effects on hair regrowth from oral rapa? Or on hair maintenance?
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Minoxidil lowers blood pressure and promotes hair growth everywhere on body which may not work well for women.
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My naturally straight hair became curly on Rapa.
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I’d like to give a shout out to Pumpkin Seed oil as a finasteride substitute.
The idea was from an @Agetron post from some months ago, where he shared a study that found pumpkin seed oil worked as well as finasteride in blocking the production of DHT.
I was having side effects with even a quarter pill of finasteride, so I decided to try pumpkin seed oil. The study suggested that 3-4 drops a day would be sufficient. I ordered from Amazon and received a bottle with a foil tamper seal. Using a toothpick I popped a hole in the middle of the seal to make it a dropper.
At first I used 5-7 drops. I experienced the same side effects as finasteride, which I figured was a good sign. I’ve settled on 2-3 drops as the sweet spot where the side effects seem to significantly diminish.
I’ve been using the pumpkin seed oil and a half pill of minoxidil for 2-3 months. Longer for the minoxidil, but that long for both together. I have not noticed any thinning of my hair in this time.
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Excellent… I am regularly using the actual pumpkin seed oil and capsules.
I agree… seems to be good for…
A study found that supplementing the diet with pumpkin seed oil could increase levels of nitric oxide generation, which improves heart health by expanding the blood vessels, reducing plaque growth in the arteries, and improving blood flow.Oct 12, 2020
Hahaha…sexual function too… blood flow…
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In doing a bit of follow-up from the ideas in this thread I found this from “Keeps” (I guess it’s the new “hair club for men”?) (Finasteride's Side Effects: What You Should Know About the Hair Loss Treatment):
“
Finasteride’s side effects
Yes, like any drug, there might be side effects. Some of the possible side effects of taking finasteride 1mg include:
- depression or anxiety
- dizziness, weakness, or feeling like you might pass out
- headache
- inability to urinate
- pain in the testicles
- runny nose
- rash
- signs of an allergic reaction like skin rash, itching, difficulty breathing, swelling of the face, lips, or tongue
- sexual side effects (more on that below)
- swelling in your hands or feet
- swelling, pain, or tenderness in the breasts, or fluids leaking from the nipple
“
(And there’s more, including a detailed section on erectile disfunction and sexual issues)
Pain in the testicles?!?!?! Fluids leaking from the nipple?!?!? Erectile disfunction?!?!? — going bald is sounding better and better!
@HigoMe33 : if I may ask, what side effects did you find using pumpkin seed oil which suggested it is working (obviously not the two I mentioned or I assume you’d have stopped treatment…)?
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Finasteride does not really tempt me. I was not really worried about going bald and my main reason for looking at biochemical changes was general improved health. I am quite pleased that a side effect is a very very gradual reversal of hair loss. However, I don’t think I would take finasteride to achieve that.
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Good God if either of those side effects showed up I would repent in sackcloth and ashes and burn the phone I used to place the order.
I was trying to keep it classy, but essentially the main side effect was the same I have mentioned elsewhere: namely, a sudden sense of nothing in the moment when there should be an orgasm.
The libido is diminished too, but still present enough. The experience of the sex act is normal and enjoyable, but then nothing.
This is precisely what I experienced on finasteride. It has never caused erectile dysfunction for me — neither finasteride nor pumpkin seed oil did that. Just somewhat less libido and the big zero.
I did get my testosterone tested and it came up as 515 in a normal range of 175 - 718 according to the test results. I lift weights twice a week very hard and am shy of 50.
Reducing pumpkin seed oil to 2-3 drops restores the normal feeling of orgasm. Increasing it above 5 drops brings the side effects back.
I believe sex is an important part of relationship and I’m not willing to trade it for hair. But the half pill of minoxidil has zero side effects and the minimal pumpkin seed oil also has zero side effects. So I plan to continue with both.
Actually I’m considering seeing if India will sell me a boatload of minoxidil next time I order rapa so I don’t have to keep pestering my doctor. I’m considering getting some Acarbose too, given the reports on this site. How cool to have a global pharmacy.
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And they are right. Been using topical minoxidil twice daily for the last 4 decades. Consistency is the key here. While I have not seen any regrowth, I have not lost any hair either. Which means a full head of hair…
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