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Shedding Hair After Using Minoxidil. How Long It Will Take To Get Back The Hair Already Shedded?

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Posted on Sat, 27 Apr 2013
Question: i am 34 and i had decent hair . i saw my friend who is balding using minoxidil and i also started using it as a precaution against balding on my own without seeking advise from a doctor . Does one shed hair when one starts using minoxidil . i lost quite a bit of hair in the fourth week upon using coverit (minox) 5 % , after the shed i went to a local doctor and told her what i did . she bluntly told me that minoxidil does not induce any shed . i am worried also how long will it take to get back what i shed due to minoxidil.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Polash Sannigrahi (49 minutes later)
Hello XXXXXXX

Causes of hair fall are:
1. Environmental factors
2. Stress
3. Deficiency of certain minerals, vitamins & amino acids in diet. e.g. Iron, zinc, Vit B complex, lysine.
4. Hormonal factors. e.g. Thyroxine
5. Any incidence of surgery, shock, etc.

Management includes:
1. Treating the underlying cause
2. Avoidance of stress
3. Dietary modifications
4. Minoxidil solution to be applied locally to stimulate the hair follicles
5. Multivitamin & multi mineral supplementation

Minoxidil has vasodilator property, it increases the blood flow and provides more Oxygen & nutrients to the hair follicle, stimulating the growth of hair.

However, application of Minoxidil is not a preventive method and should be used only when advised.
Its use when not required, may cause hair loss by shedding of the hairs which are in the resting phase.

So, it will be better to consult a Dermatologist to find out the underlying cause & start treatment accordingly.

It is believed that it is normal to shed 100 hairs each day, which is based on the assumption that the average scalp has 100,000 hairs, and 10% of these are in the resting phase.

So, there is no need to worry.
Your hairs will grow back again.

Wishing you a Good Health.
Thanks & take care.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Polash Sannigrahi (21 minutes later)
i am on minoxidil since 1 st january 13 and using it 1 ml every alternate day . I made a mistake by using . I think since i already had a minoxidil shed , I should use it till i get back what i shed and then probabaly stop it later .this is what i feel . i stay in a small town and there is only one dermatologists here who confused me by saying there is no initial shedding associated with minoxidil use . pls let me know is minox induces initial shed for few weeks as lot of sites say that shedding is involved in minox treatment . I am in a confusion as sites say minox leads to initial shed and my local dermatologist says no minox does not induce shed . what is the fact . i am confused .

i must also mention that shed has also stopped and i can see around 30&% recovery . also my dermatologist said i need not use minox as i have good amount of hair . I want a strategy to deal with the shed i had with minoxidil . really confused .

pls clear my doubts .
doctor
Answered by Dr. Polash Sannigrahi (9 hours later)
Hello XXXXXXX

Thanks for your follow up query,

As I have already mentioned in my previous answer that application of Minoxidil may cause hair loss by shedding of the hairs which are in the resting phase.
This shedding will revert back to normal within one month of stoppage of Minoxidil application, as the new hairs need some time to grow back.

So, your Dermatologist is right in advising you to stop applying Minoxidil.
Please follow it.
And don't take stress as stress is also one of the cause of hair fall.

Hope I have been able to answer your question.

Please let me know if you have any further queries.

Take care.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Polash Sannigrahi (13 minutes later)
thanks ....


doctor
Answered by Dr. Polash Sannigrahi (1 hour later)
You are most welcome XXXXXXX

Take care.
Note: Hope the answers resolves your concerns, however for further guidance of skin related queries consult our Dermatologist.Click here to book a consultation

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Polash Sannigrahi

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2011

Answered : 3353 Questions

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Shedding Hair After Using Minoxidil. How Long It Will Take To Get Back The Hair Already Shedded?

Hello XXXXXXX

Causes of hair fall are:
1. Environmental factors
2. Stress
3. Deficiency of certain minerals, vitamins & amino acids in diet. e.g. Iron, zinc, Vit B complex, lysine.
4. Hormonal factors. e.g. Thyroxine
5. Any incidence of surgery, shock, etc.

Management includes:
1. Treating the underlying cause
2. Avoidance of stress
3. Dietary modifications
4. Minoxidil solution to be applied locally to stimulate the hair follicles
5. Multivitamin & multi mineral supplementation

Minoxidil has vasodilator property, it increases the blood flow and provides more Oxygen & nutrients to the hair follicle, stimulating the growth of hair.

However, application of Minoxidil is not a preventive method and should be used only when advised.
Its use when not required, may cause hair loss by shedding of the hairs which are in the resting phase.

So, it will be better to consult a Dermatologist to find out the underlying cause & start treatment accordingly.

It is believed that it is normal to shed 100 hairs each day, which is based on the assumption that the average scalp has 100,000 hairs, and 10% of these are in the resting phase.

So, there is no need to worry.
Your hairs will grow back again.

Wishing you a Good Health.
Thanks & take care.