Why not Minoxidil? It worked like magic for me. What's really wrong with Minoxidil?

[AsuraAcademy]

I attached some pictures of me during the minoxidil usage, after the stopping the usage and before minoxidil. I really need some help on understanding minoxidil which is a potassium channel opener which helps like magic in hair growth. I stopped it because I can't find any information about it's safety on long term usage. Hair like a fox by Danny Roddy has no mentions about minoxidil. I really want to your opinion guys. What will be the peaty view on this? Is there anything natural that can mimic these effects? I am afraid about using it. But, man when I look the before pictures, I feel like everything was so better about my looks. My skin looks fresh, my hair is thick, my beard and moustache became dense and dark. How could something that makes us look good be a bad thing?
Dosage: I mainly used 10% Minoxidil gel for three months and Only 5mg oral minoxidil for about a month and slowly tapered it. And stopped for three months.
Image order, before minoxidil

After 4-5 months of minoxidil

After 3 months stopping minoxidil

 

[tallglass13]

Hello, and thanks for the Pics.
Did you have any side effects ?
Minoxidil is a blood pressure drug, and causes a drop in blood pressure, the sides are dizziness and short of breath. This is the MAIN reason I cant use it. However, Minoxidil speeds up the Anagen phase, which is what causes the shed initially. I believe this also speeds up the stem cell and the papilla cells, so your follicles will age faster. Most clinics that use Minoxidil before and after photos, are usually using photos that are within the first year. Because after a couple of years , the results begin to vanish. There is someone on Youtube who go excellent hairline recover. But after 3 years, he is back to square one.
You also exhaust your own Nitric Oxide, since you are applying end product Nitric Oxide to your body every day. Very Anti-Peat. Some people report face ageing with Minoxidil use, because of the toxic effects of continuous use of Nitric Oxide.

 

[AsuraAcademy]

Hello, and thanks for the Pics.
Did you have any side effects ?
Minoxidil is a blood pressure drug, and causes a drop in blood pressure, the sides are dizziness and short of breath. This is the MAIN reason I cant use it. However, Minoxidil speeds up the Anagen phase, which is what causes the shed initially. I believe this also speeds up the stem cell and the papilla cells, so your follicles will age faster. Most clinics that use Minoxidil before and after photos, are usually using photos that are within the first year. Because after a couple of years , the results begin to vanish. There is someone on Youtube who go excellent hairline recover. But after 3 years, he is back to square one.
You also exhaust your own Nitric Oxide, since you are applying end product Nitric Oxide to your body every day. Very Anti-Peat. Some people report face ageing with Minoxidil use, because of the toxic effects of continuous use of Nitric Oxide.

Wow thanks for the detailed immediate response. I never thought about minoxidil is mimicking nitric oxide. I will search about it. It looks like boon from devil. Looks too appealing and convincing at first but with heavy cost. Thanks for clarification. I forgot to mention, I also supplement with D3 - 10000IU and K2 MK7 - 200mcg daily with minoxidil.

 

[AsuraAcademy]

Hello, and thanks for the Pics.
Did you have any side effects ?
Minoxidil is a blood pressure drug, and causes a drop in blood pressure, the sides are dizziness and short of breath. This is the MAIN reason I cant use it. However, Minoxidil speeds up the Anagen phase, which is what causes the shed initially. I believe this also speeds up the stem cell and the papilla cells, so your follicles will age faster. Most clinics that use Minoxidil before and after photos, are usually using photos that are within the first year. Because after a couple of years , the results begin to vanish. There is someone on Youtube who go excellent hairline recover. But after 3 years, he is back to square one.
You also exhaust your own Nitric Oxide, since you are applying end product Nitric Oxide to your body every day. Very Anti-Peat. Some people report face ageing with Minoxidil use, because of the toxic effects of continuous use of Nitric Oxide.

I had side effects when I used 12.5% minoxidil with alcohol as base. (Heart palpitations) Didn't had any side effects with 10% minoxidil gel. Had mild side effects with 5mg oral minoxidil (2.5 in morning and 2.5 before bed). I increased salt intake to increase my blood volume as minoxidil is a vasodilator. I also, don't do anything straining or don't move a lot when I took oral minoxidil. I will try to stay in vajrasana which brings most of the blood to my core region to minimise advers effects of low blood pressure.

 

[Apple]

First flask of topical minoxidil was giving me chest pain but I finished it with no results.
The second flask ( more expensive and from a different manufacturer) was giving me unbearable itching all over, I will never use it again.

 

[AsuraAcademy]

How do you manage your hair loss without minoxidil? Is there anything we can do to mimic minoxidil growth effects without sides? I am thinking of CO2 but except buteyko breathing, I can't find anything that can increase CO2 significantly. And Buteyko breathing is not discussed much here. When I do bag breathing, my parents think I am trying to suicide lol. Does topical sodium bicarbonate help?

 

[bk_]

You responded so well to minoxidil, have you tried the herb He Shou Wu? Ray Peat has also mentioned anecdotes of men having success with low doses of topical progesterone.

 

[AsuraAcademy]

You responded so well to minoxidil, have you tried the herb He Shou Wu? Ray Peat has also mentioned anecdotes of men having success with low doses of topical progesterone.

I going to try oral progesterone it's cheaply available in India. There are intravaginal pills available too. I guess, I can pop a pill and apply that liquid over my scalp. But, I am afraid of using it alone. Can you tell me whether pairing it with pregnenolone and DHEA crucial? Both are expensive but DHEA is cheaper than pregnenolone in India.

 

[Jack Earth]

Interesting you bring this up as Rob from phh recently started prescribing minoxidil to certain clients. The before and afters are amazing.
I was surprised since he always took the natural approach but obviously hes changed his mind

 

[Jack Earth]

I going to try oral progesterone it's cheaply available in India. There are intravaginal pills available too. I guess, I can pop a pill and apply that liquid over my scalp. But, I am afraid of using it alone. Can you tell me whether pairing it with pregnenolone and DHEA crucial? Both are expensive but DHEA is cheaper than pregnenolone in India.

Never seen anyone here actually regrow hair with progesterone. It wont even come close to the results you got in minoxidil. Plus you have to worry about penis shrinkage.

Interesting what tallglass is saying though I'm curious how the results on minox will hold up after 3 years

 

[bk_]

I going to try oral progesterone it's cheaply available in India. There are intravaginal pills available too. I guess, I can pop a pill and apply that liquid over my scalp. But, I am afraid of using it alone. Can you tell me whether pairing it with pregnenolone and DHEA crucial? Both are expensive but DHEA is cheaper than pregnenolone in India.

Be careful with the progesterone pills given to women, many are not true progesterone but typically a toxic chemical analogue or have toxic ingredients mixed with it. He shou wu is likely a safer alternative, see the reviews of men claiming hair growth.

 

[tallglass13]

I tried to copy and paste the link but go to YouTube, MATTDOMINANCE, TITLE IS "CRAZY MINOXIDIL 5 percent REGROWTH IN 2.5 MONTHS, REGROWTH FAILS AFTER 2.5 YEARS.

 

[tallglass13]

After re-reading some of Ray's emails, it seems that when using natural substances like thyroid, progesterone, vitamin d, and basically getting your metabolic rate high.. this is a developmental progression, and not some quick fix, obviously. This makes a lot more sense because you are revising your whole body, and with things like MINOXIDIL that supplies so much nitric oxide all at once, hair regrowth is quick, but fails after a while. I think people should take more time with RP advice, and not expect results so quickly like we do with drugs.

 

[Jack Earth]

After re-reading some of Ray's emails, it seems that when using natural substances like thyroid, progesterone, vitamin d, and basically getting your metabolic rate high.. this is a developmental progression, and not some quick fix, obviously. This makes a lot more sense because you are revising your whole body, and with things like MINOXIDIL that supplies so much nitric oxide all at once, hair regrowth is quick, but fails after a while. I think people should take more time with RP advice, and not expect results so quickly like we do with drugs.

Theoretically that makes sense... but in reality has anybody here really fixed their hair loss that way? Roddy didnt even have mpb to begin with and we have members here for years... has anyone shown results in all their years trying?

 

[Jack Earth]

Be careful with the progesterone pills given to women, many are not true progesterone but typically a toxic chemical analogue or have toxic ingredients mixed with it. He shou wu is likely a safer alternative, see the reviews of men claiming hair growth.

Why do you suggest he shou wu have you tried it?
Yea no man should be taking progesterone for hair the potential sides are terrible and nobody here has regrown hair on it.

 

[Jack Earth]

Be careful with the progesterone pills given to women, many are not true progesterone but typically a toxic chemical analogue or have toxic ingredients mixed with it. He shou wu is likely a safer alternative, see the reviews of men claiming hair growth.

Hey did you ever see this thread I made?

Why was my best hair on anti DHT protocol?

I just recently learned how anti dht my diet supplements really were prior to finding RP. I've already mentioned in past threads about the diet (soy/tofu, sushi, seaweed, and green tea, zero dairy products). But yesterday I went back to my parents house and found my old vitamins that I used...

raypeatforum.com

I didn't even realize that the herb I was using called Foti is another name for he shou wu.
Notice how everyone was quick to dismiss that my supplements or diet had anything to do with my hair.
Let me know more about your experience with this herb, I had great hair during the time I was taking it.

 

[Ignoramus]

Look at these crazy results of using oral minox:


View: https://www.reddit.com/r/tressless/comments/udjq9q/15_week_update_of_oral_consumption_of_topical/


I was wondering what people's thoughts are about using minox orally? Obviously seems retarded from a health perspective, but maybe less retarded than finasteride?

 

[johnwester130]

Interesting

But doesn't this contradict the DHT theory?

From my understanding - it lowers blood pressure and maybe ACE 2.

losartan, or maybe even spironolactone/eplerenone would be better

Both have been discussed on the forum

Antihypertensive drug - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[johnwester130]

Would topical Losartan work?

 

[Ingenol]

I've used topical minoxidil daily for over 10 years as a preventative measure; that is, at the first sign of increased shedding. It has allowed me to maintain my hairline so far (age 40), whereas my brother who is 3 years younger has very significant recession and vertex thinning.