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Forehead Feels Cool, Seeing Wrinkles After Using Minoxidil

I have used minoxidil for my hair thinning on the vertex and hairline and it is working great! Except I’m noticing a disturbing, growing sensation on my forehead since I have been using it.

Whenever I would apply the minoxidil, my forehead would have a cool, wet sensation for about 20 minutes as if cooled water was running over it but it wasn’t the minoxidil or water. Nevertheless, I have been using it for 2 months and my forehead feels STIFF and I’m noticing wrinkles! I’ve read the 2 archived topics about wrinkles & minoxidil (i.e.”Using Propecia at Temples, Wrinkles From Minoxidil…” ) but I found documented studies about how it effects collagen synthesis (see: Medscape & Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science)

I’m assuming that minoxidil would be the cause of my facial stiffness (so bad, it feels like my forehead is duct taped) and gradual appearance of wrinkles. I’m a 25 year old male. I would greatly appreciate it if you could reply. Thank you so much!

Aside from that previous post from a reader, I’ve never heard complaints about wrinkles being caused by minoxidil. None of my patients have reported that to me. The studies you sent are interesting, but I’m not convinced that minoxidil will cause wrinkles. You might have some kind of allergic skin reaction to an ingredient in your formulation of minoxidil. I’m just speculating, of course.


2008-09-16 15:45:05Forehead Feels Cool, Seeing Wrinkles After Using Minoxidil

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For people with sexual side effects from finasteride, do they go away over time?

In some people who reported initial sexual side effects, these effects went away in a few months. In others, it did not. If it persists, you should consider stopping it because there is a theory that in some of those people those who maintain long term side effects, they may get permanent sexual side effects.


2020-09-26 09:17:00For people with sexual side effects from finasteride, do they go away over time?

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For Hair Transplants should I start with FUE or FUT?

Thank you, so I have longer hair (shoulder length) I usually see that the strip or shaved fue area is somewhat in the middle of the back of head. I’m thinking of getting a minor procedure done as in just a touch up for the hairline. I’m estimating 1500 to 2000 grafts at most (this is based of my research and pics of other results)

My question is that I wouldn’t feel comfortable shaving my whole head, i know with the strip it’s just the area that is cut that’s shaved so it’s not as noticeable, but with fue could it be a lower shave on the head or i there a reason for such a central donor area? I’ve also hear that it’s best to do strip first then fue for later transplants as to keep the donor area in better condition is that true? Sorry for the bombardment of questions, but thank you so much for your time.

In building a Master Plan with my patients, I like to try to predict the final hair loss pattern my patient is likely to develop. Based upon that prediction, I often recommend strip surgeries for men who are likely to get advanced patterns of balding and FUE for those who either are unlikely to go that route, or are not showing it just yet but have frontal hair loss. Most patients who come in already have their minds made up as to what type of procedure to get. Make sure that you are not starting too young (https://baldingblog.com/need-master-plan-think-hair-transplants-photos/). With FUE you don’t have to shave the front or top of your scalp.


2020-12-04 11:54:09For Hair Transplants should I start with FUE or FUT?

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Foltene

In the local pharmacies in the UAE a hair-loss treatment product by the name of Foltene is readily available. What are your thoughts on it’s components and do they hold any merit on it’s effectiveness? foltene.eu

I haven’t heard of Foltene before, but I checked out the site. The ingredients are a bunch of vitamins and something they are calling “Tricosaccaride”, which according to information I can only find on their company site, is something that they discovered in the 60s. Common sense time — If this really worked as claimed, don’t you think in the past 40+ years it would’ve been a little more well known? The vitamins in the ingredients will nourish the hair, but I have no idea how they can assume that means it’ll regrow hair. Looking a little further into what Tricosaccaride is, it seems like it is an acid that helps with blood circulation to the scalp. The idea of poor circulation leading to hair loss is false. See here for more on that.

The product claims to change the number of hairs in the anagen (growth) and telogen (sleep) phases. In other words, it claims to be able to tweak the cycling of your hair growth. Hair cycle is something that is controlled below the skin (genetics) and not above the skin… so a topical treatment that can do as they claim just doesn’t make sense.

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Foltene Study from 1987

What do you think of this published clinical study? Foltene study

They concluded that Foltene is an effective and agent for male pattern baldness, alopecia areata and seborrheic alopecia with pretty good results.

The study you referenced was published almost 25 years ago in the Journal of Korean Medical Science and included only 30 men, ten of which had male pattern baldness. That study is simply too small for me to seriously consider that the results show an effective treatment. Besides, if there was really something to this I would expect in the decades since it was published there would be more information and larger studies available. If they exist, I can’t find them. In particular, the study claims regrowth for patients with alopecia areata, and I know the alopecia areata community would’ve been all over this had it been real.

There’s a product sold in Europe by that name, but I’m not sure it has the same ingredients that the study mentioned. We’ve written about that Foltene before here.

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Following your balding genetic tree

The nice thing is my great grandpa didn’t even need it. Since his stopped in a decent NW3 position. My uncles on the other hand, lost more over time. From what I can tell my uncles didn’t have crown loss, so I either have my grandfather’s or great grandfather’s hairline. My cousin has our grandfather’s full-on baldness. If I can get a clue as to how early it happened for him and in which pattern. I think I might be able to crack this.

You are going about trying to find out your final pattern of balding correctly!

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Following ones father’s hair loss pattern, how often does that happen?

I am a 24 years old guy with a clear cut norwood 3. My hairline receded obviously, I am not so sure about all around density but I guess the hair are thinner (cannot tell visually but it feels off). So it is pretty clear that I will follow my father’s pattern of balding which means I am headed to norwood 7. The thing is, my father only lost hair on top at 35-37. Also , he had an afro which means his density loss was hard to notice until it really advanced. My hair were always thinner than his, they are straight so I feel I might be noticebly bald faster.

Just out of curiosity, does on follow your father’s pattern and timeline regarding baldness? Would be nice to know if it is wise to look at when my pops lost his hair.

Some people do and some don’t, I just saw a man yesterday who has a very bald father and brother who were bald before they were 28, but he was like you with a Class 3 pattern at 30 years old. He was worried he might go like his dad, but I told him that very bald men are always bald by the time they are 30, so not to worry.

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I followed your advice on my brain fog from finasteride

My condition with “brain fog” was able to improve by lowering my dose to 0.5mg every day in the mornings. I still experience some mild effects upon initially taking the pill that taper off throughout the day. My question for you is, after a month of taking the medication and still experiencing mild side effects, would you recommend dropping down to 0.25mg or staying at 0.5mg and taking the medication before bedtime in the evening instead?

If you reduce the dose to 1/4 pill, it will still be half as effective as the full dose. Try it


2017-12-21 20:27:27I followed your advice on my brain fog from finasteride

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Follow-Up: Patient Results – Amazing Change in 9 Months

We received a few comments and a bunch of emails from people with questions about the patient results we posted late last week, so I wanted to provide some follow-up info. Here’s a before/after (2781 grafts):

 

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The hairlines are always chosen by the patient in conjunction with the doctor performing the surgery. In this particular patient, I was the surgeon and we bonded well. His hairline was chosen to reflect my own individual hairline, a mature hairline in the truest sense of the meaning. I would put the hairline anywhere he chose, provided that it was a reasonable placement. In this case, the hairline was placed one fingerbreadth above the highest wrinkle of his furrowed brow. This man is in his 50s, but even if he was 25 years old this would not be an unreasonable hairline location. Hairlines should always stand the test of time.

Also, the fact that no one noticed the hair grow out is important. It is like watching grass grow — you never see it grow, but you see the change when you look back on the brown dirt where you placed the grass seeds. Hair is no different.

His results are typical for individuals with hair that is medium coarse character. He had no problem showing off his results, because he knew that he would be a good educational example for us. When he came to one of our Open House events prior to his surgery, he met with many patients who had results like he had, so a result like this was his expectation. Those expectations were clearly met.


2012-10-23 13:38:17Follow-Up: Patient Results – Amazing Change in 9 Months

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Follow-Up From an NHI Patient, ProCede Question

Dr. Rassman,
I had undergone a surgery at NHI, San Jose in 2003. I must say the transplant has been one of the best decisions I’ve taken in life. Thank you and your awesome staff! I could see my photograph is now featured in the NHI website. Wow!

After the holiday season, I am going to seek an appointment to evaluate the present state of scalp. However, I just came across a “cosmetic” hair-product called Procede that claims to “increase diameter of hair shaft”. However, they also say it’s “not going to work for persons who already had undergone Hair Transplantation”. That, frankly, sounds a bit weird to me.

Do you have any idea what this is?

I am happy to hear about your nice results. Your photos are very impressive and the change must make you quite happy. It certainly made my day reading your email. For those interested, this patient’s photos can be seen on the NHI site as Patient NO.

I’ve written previously about Procede here. As to why they say the product is not suitable for people who have had hair transplantation, I can not imagine why it would be harmful. However, if that is their warning it suggests to me that there may be something toxic about the product. I have no inside knowledge about this product or its potential toxicity.