Scratching My Head Over Rogain

January 2, 2010 · Posted in baldness · Comment 

As the only FDA approved, over the counter hair loss treatment, Rogaine has become a household name. It has also been the subject of many scientific studies. But is it the right choice for you when you are experiencing thinning hair? Let’s look into the facts about Rogaine.

Rogaine has been shown to produce some hair growth in 33% of men. This was the result of a survey conducted by the makers of Rogaine. A fascinating point of the survey was that the placebo treatment (the fake treatment with no Rogaine) produced hair growth in 20% of those in the study. Does this mean that people will regrow hair when they believe that they will? Is hair loss partially controlled by our attitude? Who knows. But it is certainly interesting that Rogaine is only 13% more successful than the fake treatment.

So you’re interested. You’ve got a one in three chance of seeing some hair growth. The next thing to consider is the cost of Rogaine. Monthly, you’re looking at around $40-$50. Maybe less if you go for the generic Rogaine that some stores offer. So now you have to consider whether a yearly cost of over $500 for a 33% chance of some hair regrowth is worth it. Rogaine says it may take 2 years of treatment before you see your hair grow back. So that’s around $1000 for your one in three chance.

Let’s say you drop the grand and turn out to be that lucky one in three. Guess what? Rogaine only works as long as you keep using it. So you have to continue your $500 a year treatment to keep your hair going. But here’s the catch, Rogaine won’t work forever. You can get about two years of growth out of it before your hair resumes its thinning.

So before investing that first $50 into a bottle of Rogaine, consider the long term possibilities. Several thousand dollars for a one in three chance at two years of hair growth. Is it worth it? You have to decide for yourself, but make sure you are making an educated choice.

Author: Ben Bird
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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My Experience With Rogaine

November 24, 2009 · Posted in baldness · Comment 

Rogaine is perhaps the best known balding solution. It’s scientific name is Minoxidi, Rogaine is the brand name produced by the company Upjohn. In studies, Rogaine has been shown to stimulate hair growth in about one third of those experiencing male balding.

Rogaine is a liquid and is applied topically to the balding areas on your scalp. It comes with a dropper as well as a spray for those who have experienced significant balding. You apply it twice daily to your scalp every day. One bottle of this balding solutions costs $50-$60 and is supposed to last for a month.

I tried Rogaine in the first year I realized I was experiencing male balding. My efforts were not consistent or long lasting enough to warrant a judgment on Rogaine as a balding solution, but what I experienced was enough to make me stop using it. There are several characteristics of Rogaine that I never read about, and I’d like to share them with you so you can make a better decision.

First, Rogaine is pretty expensive. Especially for me, $55 is a lot to spend on something every month. I was buying it as a college student and really had some trouble justifying the cost. But perhaps $55 a month isn’t a big deal for you. Just realize that you’ll be spending that every month for the rest of your life if you want to keep using Rogaine.

Once I started using Rogaine, I discovered that it has a very unpleasant smell and feel to it. I would drop it into my balding areas after showering as instructed and would immediately feel itchy and slimy. Since it is a liquid, it drips down your scalp too and I would often feel it sliding down my neck or across my scalp.

Then, once Rogaine dried, my scalp would get very itchy. The balding solution formed a flaky mess on my head, making it appear that I had a terrible case of dandruff. I guess it makes sense, but I had no idea this would be happening. It caused a couple embarrassing moments at parties when people would ask what was in my hair (thanks Rogaine for drawing more attention to my balding head). Rogaine also gets in your hair and dries, sort of like an unwanted hair gel.

I don’t really know if Rogaine caused my hair loss to slow down. You are supposed to use it for at least six months before you see any effects and a year may be more realistic depending on how long you have been balding. For me, the cost of this treatment combined with the uncomfortable effects that came along with it convinced me that I didn’t want to continue treatment. I know Rogaine has been successful with many men and women, but for me it just wasn’t worth it.

Author: Ben Bird
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

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