questions about purchasing/using minoxidil, and tips on facial hair

[virtualverny]

hey everyone! i've really wanted to grow a beard for the past couple of years, but i won't be able to start t until at least may of next year. i've decided to look into hair growth creams and alternate ways of growing my facial hair out. one way i've considered is by buying minoxidil online, as i have no idea where i'd buy it irl i'm slightly concerned about buying it from amazon/ebay though - i'm on a budget right now, and ebay appears to sell legitimate 5% minoxidil solution from a respectable brand for a low price with good reviews. have any of you guys bought stuff online like this, and is it worth the risk? another thing i've considered is starting to take non-prescription testosterone boosters (like horny goat weed) and maybe using hair growth shampoo on my face. i've looked around for people discussing these methods, but i have yet to find anywhere with trans guys who've tried them out. any thoughts/suggestions?

[widdershins]

Is minoxidil actually restricted at all where you live? Because in the US the topical stuff is sold over the counter at literally every pharmacy, and buying the store brand in person is pretty much always cheaper than buying online once you factor in shipping. People who read you as a woman will just assume you're buying it for a partner or something.

I'd avoid going the herbal supplements route, since those aren't regulated very well, aren't consistent with the dose you get, and can be unsafe in terms of interactions with other drugs. Dysphoria sucks, but it would suck more having to delay your transition because you poisoned yourself with a questionable herbal treatment.

[Kylo]

I got my 5% minox from ebay and it works great. The brand is Kirkland.

You have to use it twice a day. One off applications don't work. Has to be a regime for results. I had great growth improvement after 1 month continuous use.

[rorythedinosaur]

i'm interested in this topic, too!

are the "only" side effects topical/skin ones? is it dangerous?

i suffered from itchy and dry skin and i am a little concerned about using this, but i need a beard T alone does not help...

[Kylo]

I had no side effects so far.

It stings when you put it on for a few seconds. That's it.

[Roll]

As an mtf using it for head... First, just to reiterate what others said, don't buy Rogaine itself if you don't have to, it is significantly more expensive for the same product. Kirkland is probably the most commonly bought off brand (it's Costco's), and I buy the liquid on Amazon for 20-25 for packs of 6(supposed to be 6 months worth, but mileage varies). That being said, be aware there are two delivery mediums: liquid with eyedropper, and foam. The foam is more expensive, but is generally just all around better and has more consistently effective application. It's difficult to work with the liquid without going overboard and using like three doses at once just to ensure highest coverage. Using it on your face where gravity is a bigger issue, I feel like you might want to shell out the extra money for the foam version as the liquid is really, really hard to keep in place (even on scalp it just runs off my head in all directions). Maybe someone using it for beard can offer their insight on the liquid on face though, maybe it works just fine if done right.

[widdershins]

For a face with no substantial beard growth yet, I agree the foam is probably better. But as someone with thick hair on my scalp I actually kind of preferred using the liquid up there. It's hard to get the foam onto your actual scalp and not all in your hair. It dries a lot faster than shampoo so you don't have time to work it in down to the roots the same way.

I have really sensitive skin, to the point where I can only use one brand of detergent, but the brands of minoxidil I tried didn't cause any reaction. Obviously, it does happen to some people though. Another possible side effect, and the reason I eventually had to stop, is migraines. I was getting them literally every other day towards the end. But overall it's pretty low-risk, hence being over the counter.

[Julia1996]

Oh wow. I have heard minoxidil will grow facial and body hair but I didn't know it was actually a real thing. My brother always tells me he is going to put minoxidil in my body lotion when he gets annoyed with me. If I start getting body hair now I know who to hurt. Now I'm tempted to put it in some hand cream and give it to Tyler. It would be funny if he grew hair on his palms like my dad used to tell him would happen from too much self gratification.  I'm laughing just thinking about that. Lol

[sarah1972]

Now I'm tempted to put it in some hand cream and give it to Tyler. It would be funny if he grew hair on his palms like my dad used to tell him would happen from too much self gratification.  I'm laughing just thinking about that. Lol

Given some of your earlier reports about Tyler I am surprised he does not look like a bear yet [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

[TransAm]

It's been working great for me. I have a long thread about it in the Testosterone forum.

[jagfel]

I have a minoxidil thread going as well (though mine doesn't look as impressive as TransAm's) but I started not long into T so you can see a more gradual reaction which would be closer to your situation if you're taking it pre-T.

I get mine from an Australian online store that always seems a bit sketchy to me but it gets me the product and it works. I started off with the liquid and changed to foam later on which seems to have worked well for me, it just depends on what you can afford.