Rogaine vs. Nutrafol vs. Hers (or others)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I use topical women's (2%) Rogaine - generic. it's about $15/month and has been highly effective for me with no side effects.

NP here, I have a few questions for you, please-

is it otc or prescription?

does it regrow hair, or just stop new loss?

is it more helpful for receding hairline, or all-over thinning?

thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I searched through archives but wanted to start a new thread.

Usual story: 46, thinning hair, early stage perimenopause.

I am overwhelmed by options for hair loss. Which brand to go with? Oral pill or scalp application? Do I need an Rx or to talk to a derm before starting? I would love some recent first person feedback if anyone can share. Thank you.

If you go on low dose birth control hormones then perimenopause would be easier and you can seamlessly switch to HRT once you've no periods for 12 months.

You don't have to wait until no periods to go on HRT. I started in peri and I started getting hair regrowth about 6-8months in. I don't think HRT alone works for everyone, but it's worth a try if you're also experiencing other symptoms of low estrogen.

[Anonymous]

Nutrafol Balance worked amazingly well for me. Quit due to $$$

Oral minoxidil is well within my price range but can’t decide to try or not. Topical gave me a horrid rash each time I tried; I have really sensitive skin — and I have pets, so not worth it.

[Anonymous]

I use topical men's liquid rogaine, generic, from Costco and it's worked really well for me over the past two years. Maybe $30 for a 6 month supply. It made my scalp itch (more concentrated formula than the women's version) but I apply 1x/day roughly 5 days a week and have no issues anymore and my hair looks so much better.

[Anonymous]

I'm on low dose spironolactone + oral minoxidil. Sloooowly working. Supplements won't help unless you are actually deficient in something. Go to a dermatologist, get the bloodwork done, identify the root cause, then they will provide you with the solution.

[Anonymous]

Nutrafol - for me, it was a waste of money
Topical minoxidil - I think you have to try it and decide if the process works for you. I was inconsistent with application so it didn’t yield results
Oral minoxidil - this was just the easiest way for me to be consistent. Hair loss in shower stopped immediately. I saw hair regrowth in 60 days - lots of new baby hairs around my face and at my part. My biggest regret is not starting it sooner, because I spent 6 months on nutrafol and topical minox and my hair thinned out considerably.

I used Musely, which was a telemed call with a doctor. I asked for the minoxidil only formula (they offer other formulas with spirolactone and other growth products). Due to some other meds I have to take (which cause hair loss), I wanted it as simple as possible.

[Anonymous]

You really cannot fight genetics. I would suggest looking into wigs and toppers.

[Anonymous]

Seeing a derm may help you figure out the cause of your hair loss, which in turn will help you decide the best way to address it.

BTDT, and for me it was telogen effluvium . . . which sounds scary but is pretty common and resolves on its own. It happens when a stressful event disrupts hair growth cycles and you shed a lot of hair at once months later. We think mine was caused by a virus, but other things can bring it on. I was advised that I could take supplements or try topical minoxidil, but that it was best just to wait it out because the hair does grow back. I shed heavily for four months, lost about 25% of my hair, and then it just suddenly stopped shedding one day.

[Anonymous]

For all saying that a derm can help determine the cause of the hair loss, how do they do this? Is there something they actually inspect on your scalp that helps determine it? Do they do bloodwork to check hormone levels?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You really cannot fight genetics. I would suggest looking into wigs and toppers.

OMFG, give it a rest!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You really cannot fight genetics. I would suggest looking into wigs and toppers.

Every. Single. Thread.

You really need to get over this. Just because you gave up and went bald doesn't mean the rest of us have to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For all saying that a derm can help determine the cause of the hair loss, how do they do this? Is there something they actually inspect on your scalp that helps determine it? Do they do bloodwork to check hormone levels?

They can do a manual inspection to see the pattern of hair loss, they can use a microscope to look at your scalp, they can do a scalp biopsy, and they can draw blood to determine if it's a hormone or nutritional deficiency.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nutrafol - for me, it was a waste of money
Topical minoxidil - I think you have to try it and decide if the process works for you. I was inconsistent with application so it didn’t yield results
Oral minoxidil - this was just the easiest way for me to be consistent. Hair loss in shower stopped immediately. I saw hair regrowth in 60 days - lots of new baby hairs around my face and at my part. My biggest regret is not starting it sooner, because I spent 6 months on nutrafol and topical minox and my hair thinned out considerably.

I used Musely, which was a telemed call with a doctor. I asked for the minoxidil only formula (they offer other formulas with spirolactone and other growth products). Due to some other meds I have to take (which cause hair loss), I wanted it as simple as possible.

Has the oral minoxidil caused hair growth on other parts of your body? I was a hairy teen, and I've enjoyed not having to wax my upper lip the last few years

[Anonymous]

Derm ex-bf tells me that OTC Rogaine is the best place to start. He also says don't pay for the "women's" branding; it's just a pink tax.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nutrafol - for me, it was a waste of money
Topical minoxidil - I think you have to try it and decide if the process works for you. I was inconsistent with application so it didn’t yield results
Oral minoxidil - this was just the easiest way for me to be consistent. Hair loss in shower stopped immediately. I saw hair regrowth in 60 days - lots of new baby hairs around my face and at my part. My biggest regret is not starting it sooner, because I spent 6 months on nutrafol and topical minox and my hair thinned out considerably.

I used Musely, which was a telemed call with a doctor. I asked for the minoxidil only formula (they offer other formulas with spirolactone and other growth products). Due to some other meds I have to take (which cause hair loss), I wanted it as simple as possible.

Has the oral minoxidil caused hair growth on other parts of your body? I was a hairy teen, and I've enjoyed not having to wax my upper lip the last few years

In my case, yes, it causes more upper lip hair growth also, so I need to wax my upper lip more often. So, it is a no-win situation.

For people who are trying the topical rogaine, I found the foam version to be extremely itchy, but the liquid version did not make me itchy (and from Google searches, this is a common complaint). I hated having to wash my hair out every day though (can't stand any type of stuff dried onto my scalp) so I switched to the oral minoxidil, which I like better anyway.