The truth about Minoxidil - The holy grail or overhyped Looksmin?

[Deleted member 83942]

Ive been using oral minox for a couple of months now and I have noticed 0 side effects and have had very mogger results so far

 

[CEO]

Nice IQ mogging, great post, solid work.

 

[4lt.Real]

this thread is on BOTB @Jonas2k7 congratulations bro!!

 

[sigmamogger]

I disagree because

 

[sigmamogger]

Because

 

[william.]

Stop squinting, then you'll realize you don't need less hooding.

bro what, look at video again

 

[Beniceandkind]

So doing topical minox once a day on scalp bloats me realistically or no? i take it for hair regrowth for ages. And my face is far from being lean/looks bloated. Nothing comes close to minox for that, what would you do if you were me?

 

[Beniceandkind]

Also if it really bloats you significantly even on topical once a day for hair - i do like 7 or so pumps -, i can switch to bimatoprost daily on hair, like 6-7 drops i have enough supply even if it costs a lot. Comes without the bloat or no? what you think

 

[Mid psl]

I never said it works the same, PGE2 is just a part of how Minoxidil works.

i did my own reasch and found that you were a litlle of. PGE2 patway influence doesnt couse the same effect as you think it does. You where talking about PGF2a. Latisse cause fat lose because of PGF2a, not PGE2.

 

[hiji_sr]

high quality post, ty

 

[shiezen]

Heh, atleast I have long eyelashes

View attachment 3682486

Good shit

 

[hybobu]

 

[iblamemygenes]

Thanks bro.

Exactly, primarely because topical Minoxidil increases factors like PGE2 (same one in Latisse) like I mentioned in the thread

No,

Topical minoxidil has been shown to increase PGE2 (prostaglandin E2) in the skin and scalp.
Latisse (bimatoprost) is a prostaglandin F2α analog, not E2. Latisse mimics PGF2α, which has a different profile: It promotes lash/brow growth. But it also reduces orbital fat over time — a well-known and documented side effect. PGE2, which minoxidil upregulates, has not been shown to cause periorbital fat loss. In fact, it’s associated more with skin barrier repair and vasodilation, not lipoatrophy.

Tdlr minox doesn’t cause orbital fat loss

 

[darkromantica]

Obviously yeah. MSM, 1-2ml castor oil orally every day, any oil topically and some other methods.

castor oil orally? thought it was just a topical thing

 

[ngl]

water

 

[Jonasㅤㅤ⠀]

Tdlr minox doesn’t cause orbital fat loss

There is a lot of anecdotal evidence that Minoxidil causes orbital fat loss, just dismissing it because you don't understand the mechanism fully is straight up wrong.

It's also not like prostaglandin subtypes only affect fat cells, there are other downstream effects of Minoxidil that can affect the periorbital fat like VEGF. Mb for mixing up the PG subtypes.

castor oil orally? thought it was just a topical thing

Yes.

@chadisbeingmade @loyolaxavvierretard

 

[aestheticsrespecter]

GTFO with this bullshit. I never claimed it's a PGF2a analogue, it increases PGE2. I even cited a study for this claim, go learn reading.

Activation of cytoprotective prostaglandin synthase-1 by minoxidil as a possible explanation for its hair growth-stimulating effect - PubMed

Data from the literature indicate that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as indomethacin, naproxen, piroxicam, or ibuprofen, induce hair loss in vivo. These NSAIDs are well-known inhibitors of both the cytoprotective isoform of prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase-1 (PGHS-1) and...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

That's the point. PGF2a analogues are responsible for localized fat loss(latisse, etc), not PGE2 upregulators. retard your study concludes nothing about fat loss, just the connection between minox and PGE2. fucking incompetent lol

 

[NVM_Ignacio]

View attachment 3682319
The truth about Minoxidil - Part 1​

Spoiler: Previous Part

The truth about ... - The new thread series, AMA

The truth about ... - Part 0 This thread series will cover compounds/concepts that are discussed daily on here. It's a crossover between @chadisbeingmade and me. Potentially other users too, lmk. The purpose is to shed light on the reality behind these compounds/concepts. The first...

looksmax.org

Growing your eyelashes and eyebrows is one of the best and only true softmaxxes.

Because of that, many people choose compounds like Minoxidil to grow hairs in their eye area or even on the scalp.

View attachment 3682324View attachment 3682326
​

This thread will reveal why you should be cautious with Minoxidil - And how it could actually harm your looks.

---

History

Spoiler: History

Minoxidil was developed for antihypertensive and vasodilative purposes.

View attachment 3682339

Though this use case was later dropped as even the developing scientists figured out that it isn't efficient at what it does.

It's the last resort when it comes to hypertension - Only being used when two agents and/or a diuretic aren't enough.

Minoxidil: An Underused Vasodilator for Resistant or Severe Hypertension - PMC

Minoxidil is a direct vasodilator introduced in the early 1970s for the treatment of hypertension. It is capable of reducing blood pressure in most persons with resistant hypertension where therapy has failed with multidrug regimens. Minoxidil's ...

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

And not even monotherapy is a valid option. It has to be combined with a loop diuretic either way because of the sodium and potassium retention it causes.

Appeal in PSL-Spaces

Spoiler: Appeal in PSL-Spaces

The other use case beside hypertension is hair growth.

Unfortunately it's not the best option for stopping scalp hair loss as that is a mainly AR-mediated pathway.

That means it won't prevent any miniaturization of the hair follicle, @chadisbeingmade is going to make a thread covering the topic of 5ARIs.

The other use case is like I mentioned previously, growing the hairs in your eye area.

View attachment 3682266

It's an exaggerated example removing the hair completely obviously, but I hope you can see how important they are.

There are two ways you can grow them via Minoxidil: Topical and Oral.

Topical

Spoiler: Topical

Topical Minoxidil is pretty harsh on your eyes, that's why you should only apply it on your eyebrows.

Another thing is that Minoxidil can cause fat loss in your upper eyelid as Minoxidil stimulates factors like PGE2 (The active ingredient in Latisse).

HMGB1 promotes hair growth via the modulation of prostaglandin metabolism - PMC

Unexpected hair growth can occur after tissue injury. The pathogenic mechanism for this phenomenon is unknown but is likely related to inflammatory mediators. One such mediator is high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), a ubiquitous nuclear protein that ...

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Oral

Spoiler: Oral

Oral Minoxidil is very effective in growing your eyelashes, but more of that in the biology section.

[Brutal UEE right there, just look at the lashes duh ]
View attachment 3682288

Biology

Spoiler: Biology

The unfortunate truth is, if you are using Minoxidil you are going to retain a ton more water and be bloated.

This is primarely mediated by the activation of the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone-System.

View attachment 3682292

I'll try to keep it short:

1. Minoxidil vasodilates blood vessels
2. Activation of RAAS
3. Aldosterone increase
4. Sodium, potassium and water retention

In short, this means your Aldosterone skyrockets making you retain a ton more sodium/potassium and consequently more water.

This means it's a big trade off, hair growth or bloat. What do you choose, no water retention or mogger eyelashes?

View attachment 3682392

Conclusion

Spoiler: Conclusion

The only possible solution to solve the bloat is using an aldosterone-antagonist.

View attachment 3682299

In theory using an aldosterone-antagonist like Eplerenone or Spironolactone should work, but even then there is quite some anecdotal evidence that this doesn't work.



TL;DR: There are only two viable options now:

• Topical Minoxidil on eyebrows, which also affects your lashes.
• Oral Minoxidil only in combination with an aldosterone-antagonist.

---

I hope you learned something new today.

Feel free to AMA.

Spoiler: Tags

@halloweed @menas @Zagro @Drugsmaxxer

Does applying topically also bloats u?

 

[Jonasㅤㅤ⠀]

Does applying topically also bloats u?

No, but it can cause fat loss in your upper eyelid.

@loyolaxavvierretard

 

[NVM_Ignacio]

No, but it can cause fat loss in your upper eyelid.

@loyolaxavvierretard

Are they worth it if I have 0 uee?

 

[warcriminal003]

View attachment 3682319
The truth about Minoxidil - Part 1​

Spoiler: Previous Part

The truth about ... - The new thread series, AMA

The truth about ... - Part 0 This thread series will cover compounds/concepts that are discussed daily on here. It's a crossover between @chadisbeingmade and me. Potentially other users too, lmk. The purpose is to shed light on the reality behind these compounds/concepts. The first...

looksmax.org

Growing your eyelashes and eyebrows is one of the best and only true softmaxxes.

Because of that, many people choose compounds like Minoxidil to grow hairs in their eye area or even on the scalp.

View attachment 3682324View attachment 3682326
​

This thread will reveal why you should be cautious with Minoxidil - And how it could actually harm your looks.

---

History

Spoiler: History

Minoxidil was developed for antihypertensive and vasodilative purposes.

View attachment 3682339

Though this use case was later dropped as even the developing scientists figured out that it isn't efficient at what it does.

It's the last resort when it comes to hypertension - Only being used when two agents and/or a diuretic aren't enough.

Minoxidil: An Underused Vasodilator for Resistant or Severe Hypertension - PMC

Minoxidil is a direct vasodilator introduced in the early 1970s for the treatment of hypertension. It is capable of reducing blood pressure in most persons with resistant hypertension where therapy has failed with multidrug regimens. Minoxidil's ...

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

And not even monotherapy is a valid option. It has to be combined with a loop diuretic either way because of the sodium and potassium retention it causes.

Appeal in PSL-Spaces

Spoiler: Appeal in PSL-Spaces

The other use case beside hypertension is hair growth.

Unfortunately it's not the best option for stopping scalp hair loss as that is a mainly AR-mediated pathway.

That means it won't prevent any miniaturization of the hair follicle, @chadisbeingmade is going to make a thread covering the topic of 5ARIs.

The other use case is like I mentioned previously, growing the hairs in your eye area.

View attachment 3682266

It's an exaggerated example removing the hair completely obviously, but I hope you can see how important they are.

There are two ways you can grow them via Minoxidil: Topical and Oral.

Topical

Spoiler: Topical

Topical Minoxidil is pretty harsh on your eyes, that's why you should only apply it on your eyebrows.

Another thing is that Minoxidil can cause fat loss in your upper eyelid as Minoxidil stimulates factors like PGE2 (The active ingredient in Latisse).

HMGB1 promotes hair growth via the modulation of prostaglandin metabolism - PMC

Unexpected hair growth can occur after tissue injury. The pathogenic mechanism for this phenomenon is unknown but is likely related to inflammatory mediators. One such mediator is high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), a ubiquitous nuclear protein that ...

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Oral

Spoiler: Oral

Oral Minoxidil is very effective in growing your eyelashes, but more of that in the biology section.

[Brutal UEE right there, just look at the lashes duh ]
View attachment 3682288

Biology

Spoiler: Biology

The unfortunate truth is, if you are using Minoxidil you are going to retain a ton more water and be bloated.

This is primarely mediated by the activation of the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone-System.

View attachment 3682292

I'll try to keep it short:

1. Minoxidil vasodilates blood vessels
2. Activation of RAAS
3. Aldosterone increase
4. Sodium, potassium and water retention

In short, this means your Aldosterone skyrockets making you retain a ton more sodium/potassium and consequently more water.

This means it's a big trade off, hair growth or bloat. What do you choose, no water retention or mogger eyelashes?

View attachment 3682392

Conclusion

Spoiler: Conclusion

The only possible solution to solve the bloat is using an aldosterone-antagonist.

View attachment 3682299

In theory using an aldosterone-antagonist like Eplerenone or Spironolactone should work, but even then there is quite some anecdotal evidence that this doesn't work.



TL;DR: There are only two viable options now:

• Topical Minoxidil on eyebrows, which also affects your lashes.
• Oral Minoxidil only in combination with an aldosterone-antagonist.

---

I hope you learned something new today.

Feel free to AMA.

Spoiler: Tags

@halloweed @menas @Zagro @Drugsmaxxer

im not reading this shit, should i let my father use this? he is getting old and he’s starting to bald but i dont want him to get bad side effects

 

[Alexander Sorgers]

W

 

[Alexander Sorgers]

good thread

 

[psl8mogger]

great thread man

 

[SoNotFunny]

I have NW 2.5 diffuse thinning. I was a non responder to topical minoxidil, so I switched to oral 2 months ago. The bloat is so hard for me to handle. Will applying tretinoin on my scalp before topical minoxidil make me a responder? I’ve come across this a few times and have read that it turns non responders into responders, especially with micro needling on the side. I have a fairly nice bone structure that could be seen even at my 18% bf before hopping on oral minoxidil. However, now I look so much older and fat while being the same bf and weight. Thoughts?
@chadisbeingmade

 

[chadisbeingmade]

I have NW 2.5 diffuse thinning. I was a non responder to topical minoxidil, so I switched to oral 2 months ago. The bloat is so hard for me to handle. Will applying tretinoin on my scalp before topical minoxidil make me a responder? I’ve come across this a few times and have read that it turns non responders into responders, especially with micro needling on the side. I have a fairly nice bone structure that could be seen even at my 18% bf before hopping on oral minoxidil. However, now I look so much older and fat while being the same bf and weight. Thoughts?
@chadisbeingmade

I had the same experience on Minox. I stopped its usage. Your first step would be getting on a 5ARi. This is ALWAYS step one with hair loss. At NW2.5 get on Duta. 2.5mg every day if you want the best chance of regrowth.

The Cure For Hair Loss - The Truth About 5α-Reductase Inhibitors and Topical Anti-Androgens

The Cure For Hair Loss - The Truth about 5α-Reductase Inhibitors and Topical Anti-Androgens - Part 2 (excuse the shit formatting, I don't normally write threads, so I can't format for shit) What does this thread include? Introduction. Why are you balding in the first place? What can we...

looksmax.org

 

[SoNotFunny]

I had the same experience on Minox. I stopped its usage. Your first step would be getting on a 5ARi. This is ALWAYS step one with hair loss. At NW2.5 get on Duta. 2.5mg every day if you want the best chance of regrowth.

The Cure For Hair Loss - The Truth About 5α-Reductase Inhibitors and Topical Anti-Androgens

The Cure For Hair Loss - The Truth about 5α-Reductase Inhibitors and Topical Anti-Androgens - Part 2 (excuse the shit formatting, I don't normally write threads, so I can't format for shit) What does this thread include? Introduction. Why are you balding in the first place? What can we...

looksmax.org

Yeah, I’ve been on 0.5 dut daily for the same amount of time. Would taking three 0.5 dut capsules do the trick? Was on fin 1 mg for 2 years prior to switching

 

[chadisbeingmade]

Yeah, I’ve been on 0.5 dut daily for the same amount of time. Would taking three 0.5 dut capsules do the trick? Was on fin 1 mg for 2 years prior to switching

Yes you can up your Dut dosage and should IMO. 2.5mg is ideal. Get off oral minox. 90% of the bloat will be gone in the first month. Without growth stimulants HT is your only way to recover. If the area is slick bald (no vellus hairs) minox will not regrow the hair their anyway. Adding RU can help with regrowth if there are vellus hairs still there, instead of minox, since there will be 0 androgens at the scalp allowing follicles to unminaturise.

 

[UtahParentCenterPSL]

can i do this to get less hooding

im gonna try. it ill let you know

 

[william.]

im gonna try. it ill let you know

nice

 

[RecessedCel5]

No, but it can cause fat loss in your upper eyelid.

@loyolaxavvierretard

@chadisbeingmade. I am pretty sure topical application goes systematic as well due to the molecular weight, just like topical fin

 

[chadisbeingmade]

@chadisbeingmade. I am pretty sure topical application goes systematic as well due to the molecular weight, just like topical fin

Yup, you’re 100% right. No matter what you do that shit is going to go systematic to some extent.

 

[RecessedCel5]

Pretty sure my body hair returned to normal after discontinuing, or only a slight increase.

Yes I retained my gains, but I also used for almost 2 years (I didn’t notice the bloat until I looked back like you said).

that's actually interesting. i thought you shed the hair you gained from minox once you stop.

 

[chadisbeingmade]

that's actually interesting. i thought you shed the hair you gained from minox once you stop.

Yes, any scalp gain you have made will shed one you stop. That’s why i’m not a fan of minox, if you use it, you cannot stop if you want to keep what gains you have. If you use topical, then it’s just a pain in the ass to keep applying on your head.

 

[UtahParentCenterPSL]

nice

Does not work

 

[william.]

Does not work

u tried it one time? you need to do it over time

 

[UtahParentCenterPSL]

u tried it one time? you need to do it over time

bro idk I feel like id see the most minor result for one use. but alas

 

[william.]

bro idk I feel like id see the most minor result for one use. but alas

uptade me when the bottle is empty

 

[Nerozine]

Yes, any scalp gain you have made will shed one you stop. That’s why i’m not a fan of minox, if you use it, you cannot stop if you want to keep what gains you have. If you use topical, then it’s just a pain in the ass to keep applying on your head.

Does topical minoxidil cause your skin to age due to decreasing collagen?

 

[UtahParentCenterPSL]

uptade me when the bottle is empty

k will do. you should try it yourself too

 

[william.]

k will do. you should try it yourself too

if it works, the current situation is pretty good though.

 

[hud127]

View attachment 3682319
The truth about Minoxidil - Part 1​

Spoiler: Previous Part

The truth about ... - The new thread series, AMA

The truth about ... - Part 0 This thread series will cover compounds/concepts that are discussed daily on here. It's a crossover between @chadisbeingmade and me. Potentially other users too, lmk. The purpose is to shed light on the reality behind these compounds/concepts. The first...

looksmax.org

Growing your eyelashes and eyebrows is one of the best and only true softmaxxes.

Because of that, many people choose compounds like Minoxidil to grow hairs in their eye area or even on the scalp.

View attachment 3682324View attachment 3682326
​

This thread will reveal why you should be cautious with Minoxidil - And how it could actually harm your looks.

---

History

Spoiler: History

Minoxidil was developed for antihypertensive and vasodilative purposes.

View attachment 3682339

Though this use case was later dropped as even the developing scientists figured out that it isn't efficient at what it does.

It's the last resort when it comes to hypertension - Only being used when two agents and/or a diuretic aren't enough.

Minoxidil: An Underused Vasodilator for Resistant or Severe Hypertension - PMC

Minoxidil is a direct vasodilator introduced in the early 1970s for the treatment of hypertension. It is capable of reducing blood pressure in most persons with resistant hypertension where therapy has failed with multidrug regimens. Minoxidil's ...

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

And not even monotherapy is a valid option. It has to be combined with a loop diuretic either way because of the sodium and potassium retention it causes.

Appeal in PSL-Spaces

Spoiler: Appeal in PSL-Spaces

The other use case beside hypertension is hair growth.

Unfortunately it's not the best option for stopping scalp hair loss as that is a mainly AR-mediated pathway.

That means it won't prevent any miniaturization of the hair follicle, @chadisbeingmade is going to make a thread covering the topic of 5ARIs.

The other use case is like I mentioned previously, growing the hairs in your eye area.

View attachment 3682266

It's an exaggerated example removing the hair completely obviously, but I hope you can see how important they are.

There are two ways you can grow them via Minoxidil: Topical and Oral.

Topical

Spoiler: Topical

Topical Minoxidil is pretty harsh on your eyes, that's why you should only apply it on your eyebrows.

Another thing is that Minoxidil can cause fat loss in your upper eyelid as Minoxidil stimulates factors like PGE2 (The active ingredient in Latisse).

HMGB1 promotes hair growth via the modulation of prostaglandin metabolism - PMC

Unexpected hair growth can occur after tissue injury. The pathogenic mechanism for this phenomenon is unknown but is likely related to inflammatory mediators. One such mediator is high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), a ubiquitous nuclear protein that ...

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Oral

Spoiler: Oral

Oral Minoxidil is very effective in growing your eyelashes, but more of that in the biology section.

[Brutal UEE right there, just look at the lashes duh ]
View attachment 3682288

Biology

Spoiler: Biology

The unfortunate truth is, if you are using Minoxidil you are going to retain a ton more water and be bloated.

This is primarely mediated by the activation of the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone-System.

View attachment 3682292

I'll try to keep it short:

1. Minoxidil vasodilates blood vessels
2. Activation of RAAS
3. Aldosterone increase
4. Sodium, potassium and water retention

In short, this means your Aldosterone skyrockets making you retain a ton more sodium/potassium and consequently more water.

This means it's a big trade off, hair growth or bloat. What do you choose, no water retention or mogger eyelashes?

View attachment 3682392

Conclusion

Spoiler: Conclusion

The only possible solution to solve the bloat is using an aldosterone-antagonist.

View attachment 3682299

In theory using an aldosterone-antagonist like Eplerenone or Spironolactone should work, but even then there is quite some anecdotal evidence that this doesn't work.



TL;DR: There are only two viable options now:

• Topical Minoxidil on eyebrows, which also affects your lashes.
• Oral Minoxidil only in combination with an aldosterone-antagonist.

---

I hope you learned something new today.

Feel free to AMA.

Spoiler: Tags

@halloweed @menas @Zagro @Drugsmaxxer

So topical minoxidil dosent help with eye brow growth?

 

[Nerozine]

View attachment 3682319
The truth about Minoxidil - Part 1​

Spoiler: Previous Part

The truth about ... - The new thread series, AMA

The truth about ... - Part 0 This thread series will cover compounds/concepts that are discussed daily on here. It's a crossover between @chadisbeingmade and me. Potentially other users too, lmk. The purpose is to shed light on the reality behind these compounds/concepts. The first...

looksmax.org

Growing your eyelashes and eyebrows is one of the best and only true softmaxxes.

Because of that, many people choose compounds like Minoxidil to grow hairs in their eye area or even on the scalp.

View attachment 3682324View attachment 3682326
​

This thread will reveal why you should be cautious with Minoxidil - And how it could actually harm your looks.

---

History

Spoiler: History

Minoxidil was developed for antihypertensive and vasodilative purposes.

View attachment 3682339

Though this use case was later dropped as even the developing scientists figured out that it isn't efficient at what it does.

It's the last resort when it comes to hypertension - Only being used when two agents and/or a diuretic aren't enough.

Minoxidil: An Underused Vasodilator for Resistant or Severe Hypertension - PMC

Minoxidil is a direct vasodilator introduced in the early 1970s for the treatment of hypertension. It is capable of reducing blood pressure in most persons with resistant hypertension where therapy has failed with multidrug regimens. Minoxidil's ...

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

And not even monotherapy is a valid option. It has to be combined with a loop diuretic either way because of the sodium and potassium retention it causes.

Appeal in PSL-Spaces

Spoiler: Appeal in PSL-Spaces

The other use case beside hypertension is hair growth.

Unfortunately it's not the best option for stopping scalp hair loss as that is a mainly AR-mediated pathway.

That means it won't prevent any miniaturization of the hair follicle, @chadisbeingmade is going to make a thread covering the topic of 5ARIs.

The other use case is like I mentioned previously, growing the hairs in your eye area.

View attachment 3682266

It's an exaggerated example removing the hair completely obviously, but I hope you can see how important they are.

There are two ways you can grow them via Minoxidil: Topical and Oral.

Topical

Spoiler: Topical

Topical Minoxidil is pretty harsh on your eyes, that's why you should only apply it on your eyebrows.

Another thing is that Minoxidil can cause fat loss in your upper eyelid as Minoxidil stimulates factors like PGE2 (The active ingredient in Latisse).

HMGB1 promotes hair growth via the modulation of prostaglandin metabolism - PMC

Unexpected hair growth can occur after tissue injury. The pathogenic mechanism for this phenomenon is unknown but is likely related to inflammatory mediators. One such mediator is high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), a ubiquitous nuclear protein that ...

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Oral

Spoiler: Oral

Oral Minoxidil is very effective in growing your eyelashes, but more of that in the biology section.

[Brutal UEE right there, just look at the lashes duh ]
View attachment 3682288

Biology

Spoiler: Biology

The unfortunate truth is, if you are using Minoxidil you are going to retain a ton more water and be bloated.

This is primarely mediated by the activation of the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone-System.

View attachment 3682292

I'll try to keep it short:

1. Minoxidil vasodilates blood vessels
2. Activation of RAAS
3. Aldosterone increase
4. Sodium, potassium and water retention

In short, this means your Aldosterone skyrockets making you retain a ton more sodium/potassium and consequently more water.

This means it's a big trade off, hair growth or bloat. What do you choose, no water retention or mogger eyelashes?

View attachment 3682392

Conclusion

Spoiler: Conclusion

The only possible solution to solve the bloat is using an aldosterone-antagonist.

View attachment 3682299

In theory using an aldosterone-antagonist like Eplerenone or Spironolactone should work, but even then there is quite some anecdotal evidence that this doesn't work.



TL;DR: There are only two viable options now:

• Topical Minoxidil on eyebrows, which also affects your lashes.
• Oral Minoxidil only in combination with an aldosterone-antagonist.

---

I hope you learned something new today.

Feel free to AMA.

Spoiler: Tags

@halloweed @menas @Zagro @Drugsmaxxer

Will minoxidil affect collagen, oral or topical?

 

[Dradacel]

View attachment 3682319
The truth about Minoxidil - Part 1​

Spoiler: Previous Part

The truth about ... - The new thread series, AMA

The truth about ... - Part 0 This thread series will cover compounds/concepts that are discussed daily on here. It's a crossover between @chadisbeingmade and me. Potentially other users too, lmk. The purpose is to shed light on the reality behind these compounds/concepts. The first...

looksmax.org

Growing your eyelashes and eyebrows is one of the best and only true softmaxxes.

Because of that, many people choose compounds like Minoxidil to grow hairs in their eye area or even on the scalp.

View attachment 3682324View attachment 3682326
​

This thread will reveal why you should be cautious with Minoxidil - And how it could actually harm your looks.

---

History

Spoiler: History

Minoxidil was developed for antihypertensive and vasodilative purposes.

View attachment 3682339

Though this use case was later dropped as even the developing scientists figured out that it isn't efficient at what it does.

It's the last resort when it comes to hypertension - Only being used when two agents and/or a diuretic aren't enough.

Minoxidil: An Underused Vasodilator for Resistant or Severe Hypertension - PMC

Minoxidil is a direct vasodilator introduced in the early 1970s for the treatment of hypertension. It is capable of reducing blood pressure in most persons with resistant hypertension where therapy has failed with multidrug regimens. Minoxidil's ...

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

And not even monotherapy is a valid option. It has to be combined with a loop diuretic either way because of the sodium and potassium retention it causes.

Appeal in PSL-Spaces

Spoiler: Appeal in PSL-Spaces

The other use case beside hypertension is hair growth.

Unfortunately it's not the best option for stopping scalp hair loss as that is a mainly AR-mediated pathway.

That means it won't prevent any miniaturization of the hair follicle, @chadisbeingmade is going to make a thread covering the topic of 5ARIs.

The other use case is like I mentioned previously, growing the hairs in your eye area.

View attachment 3682266

It's an exaggerated example removing the hair completely obviously, but I hope you can see how important they are.

There are two ways you can grow them via Minoxidil: Topical and Oral.

Topical

Spoiler: Topical

Topical Minoxidil is pretty harsh on your eyes, that's why you should only apply it on your eyebrows.

Another thing is that Minoxidil can cause fat loss in your upper eyelid as Minoxidil stimulates factors like PGE2 (The active ingredient in Latisse).

HMGB1 promotes hair growth via the modulation of prostaglandin metabolism - PMC

Unexpected hair growth can occur after tissue injury. The pathogenic mechanism for this phenomenon is unknown but is likely related to inflammatory mediators. One such mediator is high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), a ubiquitous nuclear protein that ...

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Oral

Spoiler: Oral

Oral Minoxidil is very effective in growing your eyelashes, but more of that in the biology section.

[Brutal UEE right there, just look at the lashes duh ]
View attachment 3682288

Biology

Spoiler: Biology

The unfortunate truth is, if you are using Minoxidil you are going to retain a ton more water and be bloated.

This is primarely mediated by the activation of the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone-System.

View attachment 3682292

I'll try to keep it short:

1. Minoxidil vasodilates blood vessels
2. Activation of RAAS
3. Aldosterone increase
4. Sodium, potassium and water retention

In short, this means your Aldosterone skyrockets making you retain a ton more sodium/potassium and consequently more water.

This means it's a big trade off, hair growth or bloat. What do you choose, no water retention or mogger eyelashes?

View attachment 3682392

Conclusion

Spoiler: Conclusion

The only possible solution to solve the bloat is using an aldosterone-antagonist.

View attachment 3682299

In theory using an aldosterone-antagonist like Eplerenone or Spironolactone should work, but even then there is quite some anecdotal evidence that this doesn't work.



TL;DR: There are only two viable options now:

• Topical Minoxidil on eyebrows, which also affects your lashes.
• Oral Minoxidil only in combination with an aldosterone-antagonist.

---

I hope you learned something new today.

Feel free to AMA.

Spoiler: Tags

@halloweed @menas @Zagro @Drugsmaxxer

mirin

 

[Dradacel]

So topical minoxidil dosent help with eye brow growth?

it does bro

 

[RecessedCel5]

Yes, any scalp gain you have made will shed one you stop. That’s why i’m not a fan of minox, if you use it, you cannot stop if you want to keep what gains you have. If you use topical, then it’s just a pain in the ass to keep applying on your head.

btw what was the dose you ran. i have seen trials that say 0.25 mg of minox is effective. it could be that doses of 2.5mg and higher contribute to higher water retention

 

[chadisbeingmade]

btw what was the dose you ran. i have seen trials that say 0.25 mg of minox is effective. it could be that doses of 2.5mg and higher contribute to higher water retention

I ran 2.5mg. However i’ve seen many people that even applying it topically on eyebrows caused them significant bloat and that after stopping for 3 days it’s already a night in day difference in therm of bloat. Not a lot would have gone systematic from eyebrow application, yet they still bloat.

Minoxidil bloats you because the hyperpolarization induces an increase in sodium retention through increased aldosterone biosynthesis in order to reduce intracellular potassium.

Apart from desire for lashes and brow gains, I can see many reasons to run minox. If the hairs haven’t fully miniaturised a 5ARi + RU will en enough to bring them back IMO.

 

[RecessedCel5]

I ran 2.5mg. However i’ve seen many people that even applying it topically on eyebrows caused them significant bloat and that after stopping for 3 days it’s already a night in day difference in therm of bloat. Not a lot would have gone systematic from eyebrow application, yet they still bloat.

Minoxidil bloats you because the hyperpolarization induces an increase in sodium retention through increased aldosterone biosynthesis in order to reduce intracellular potassium.

Apart from desire for lashes and brow gains, I can see many reasons to run minox. If the hairs haven’t fully miniaturised a 5ARi + RU will en enough to bring them back IMO.

hmm, i am gonna test 1mg a day. i am on 0.5mg dut twice a week. my hairline is like norwood 1 to 1.5, but i used to have norwood 0.5, like a very square hairline, when i was 18. Although this could be "maturing hairline, i don't want to risk it. my dad is bald and my male relatives on both sides are almost all bald(my older brother isn't funnily enough).

 

[chadisbeingmade]

hmm, i am gonna test 1mg a day. i am on 0.5mg dut twice a week. my hairline is like norwood 1 to 1.5, but i used to have norwood 0.5, like a very square hairline, when i was 18. Although this could be "maturing hairline, i don't want to risk it. my dad is bald and my male relatives on both sides are almost all bald(my older brother isn't funnily enough).

Is the receded area slick bald? As in, are there small hairs in the area like vellus or nothing at all?

 

[RecessedCel5]

Is the receded area slick bald? As in, are there small hairs in the area like vellus or nothing at all?

they look like my arm's hair