Is the minoxidil shedding cycle real? It is shedding again, and worse than ever before.

Shedding is normal and does not occur often but these hairs will grow back and are not accelerating male pattern baldness. Be patient and this should resole soon.

hello,thank you for the inquiry. So to my knowledge there is no such thing as second pass shedding with minoxdil. It may be you have another thing affecting your hair. Maybe an extreme stressful situation or surgery or medical illness, diet changes leading to excessive weight loss that caused hair shedding called telogen effluvium. Maybe you have another underlying medical condition unrelated to scalp as a result is making hair loss occur ex: vitamin d deficieny, anemia. You need to be examined and have your doctor work you up. Everyone does lose a little bit hair hair daily as you grow through hair cycles 100-150 hairs.

This “second shedding” that people talk about as being due to minoxidil has absolutely no basis. (Of course a first shed in the first 2-3 months does have a basis and is normal and expected). If a second shedding happens again at 6-9 months after a period of minimal shedding either (1) the disease itself is moving the hair forward, or (2) another disease has come on scene, or (3) the minoxidil is not being applied in the same manner or is of same quality. A physician expert can sort through these 4 possibilities. A “second shed” that is delayed 9 months is not really on the list. How this concept and myth came to plaque the hair world is not clear.

It is not uncommon to experience hair shedding after initiating minoxidil.  Minoxidil may accelerate hair entering the telogen phase to shed sooner (although they were going to shed irregardless of the medicine).  New hair will growth in the oncoming months after starting minoxidil.  Other caveats about minoxidil is that it can irritate the scalp causing itchiness due to a contact dermatitis.  It is best to use the medication under the guidance of a hair loss expert to make sure you are avoiding side-effects and that the efficacy of the medical treatment can be verified.

It is common for people to have some shedding after starting minoxidil.  You not causing new hair loss however and there is usually no reason for concern.  All hair goes through a hair growth cycle and the temporary acceleration of hair loss only pushes hair through this cycle - in other words you would shed them anyway.  After being on treatment for several weeks you should stabilize and hopefully see new hair growth in about 3 months.