Minoxidil and HRT- When do you hit the point of dimished returns?

[CharlotteK]

Howdy all!

Once I came out to myself and determined I needed to start transition I started using minoxidil about 7 months to combat moderate baldness I have at my temples. The minoxidil did indeed help some regrowth during the initial 6 months. I started HRT just under 3 months ago. I religiously apply minoxidil x 2 a day but at this point, it appears that no further hair has started growing and , and further recession appears to have stopped completely.

My question is- should I keep using minoxidil and is there a point where it is no longer going to have any further effect? I intend to get hair transplants in the next year (as part of the FFS approach used by the Facial Team) and certainly want as much of my natural hair available before the hair transplants, but right now, it just does not seem like I am getting any real additional benefit from smearing foam in to my head twice a day!

[JLT1]

Try cutting down to once a day but use more foam to spread it around.  You should probably plan on keeping doing it for 9 months post hair transplant.

Hugs

Jen

[katrinaw]

Have you thought about Finasteride?
If suitable it could be worked with your HRT plan, it stops DHT forming, less messy than Minoxidil...

I have severe MPB, but things are improving now, been on it for just about a year now, and things are a turning around 

Just a thought tho...

Katy xx

[Rachel]

I have been on hrt for 2.5 years, take finasteride and use minoxidil. I continue to have regrowth although very slow. I will eventually have transplants.

[StillAnonymous]

I am on Estradiol and Spiro for HRT, but I was taking finasteride alone prior to this.  Just to be safe: Everyone reacts to the medication differently, but this is my story.

I took finasteride alone to stop and possibly reverse the effects of balding, and it worked!  We aren't allowed to talk about doses here, but to compare from what I have mostly read about, I was only taking 20% of the dose compared to most people including it in their HRT regime or for medical reasons (regarding their prostate).

When I began Estradiol, my physician asked me to stop the finasteride to see how the Estradiol alone may affect me.  During that first month, the Estradiol and minoxidil did not do the trick for me, and a lot of my hair fell out revealing balding spots and thinning.  In the follow up with my physician, we were going to discuss including finasteride again, but I asked if I could begin the Spiro.  Now I am on Estradiol and Spiro, but I have been taking the minoxidil just in case, and some of the thin areas are noticeable if you look for it.  I have been on HRT for about two months now.

I was wondering the same question as you, and I was either going to wait for the 8 month mark, or wait for the SRS/GRS.  Why the 8 month mark?  It's because of the many Youtube videos and posts I have seen, and I am thinking 8 months seems to be reasonably good threshold for many people -- I'm just eye-balling this number, so I have no scientific proof of it, but I'd be willing to test it for myself; if it doesn't work, I'll simply buy another cheap 3-mo supply of the foamy stuff off Amazon.

To Summarize:

• Finasteride alone worked.
• Estradiol alone didn't work.
• Estradiol and minoxidil helped, but not as good as Finasteride.
• Estradiol and Spiro, with minoxidil seems to be working; I haven't tried without minoxidil so I can't say if it helps.
• I'm waiting for the 8 month mark based on a non-scientific observation I have made.