Patient: Are there any negative effects if I quit minoxidil 2% after only 2 months (once a day) of use?

 

Dr. Anderson: It would be a better idea if instead of stopping cold turkey, I suggest you “taper” off the medication. This week, use it 6 days a week. Next week use it 5. The following week use it 4 times and so on. This will impact the follicles the least, and you minimize the chance for any adverse effects.

Also, please remember that Rogaine and most other treatments and medications for hair loss (eg: propecia, finasteride, Revivogen scalp therapy, laser therapy) take 8-12 months to have any effect, so I would definitely not expect you to see great (or any) results after just 2 months.

A different method of showing your hair loss and perhaps regrowing your hair is with low level laser therapy (LLLT). It is approved by the FDA, and has been scientifically proven to slow/reverse hair loss and re-grow hair in most (but not all) patients. You just use a laser cap device 3 times a week for half an hour. It comes with a 3 year warranty.

Bottom line: there is no cure for hair loss. Just like there is no cure for acne. Some of my patients are looking for a “fix” to the problem; a pill or a procedure or product that will just fix the problem. With acne, people usually grow out of it, say if they have it during the teenage years. Unfortunately, hair loss is not something people grow out of. The various products to control hair loss have a much higher effectiveness than any acne medication available. There is no guarantee, but there are proven technologies and products that have been proven to work on many, many patients.

Hair loss is a progressive, permanent phenomenon. It has to be addressed on a week-to-week basis, just like brushing your teeth. You will need to use the laser cap, minoxidil or other non-surgical treatment for as long as you care about having hair. Just like you need to brush your teeth as long as you care about having teeth.

Give us a call to schedule a virtual consult if you’d like.