Last Updated on August 11, 2023 by Robert Price
I’m back after yet another extended hiatus, and a fair amount has happened since the last time I posted an update on this site. In 2021, I started writing my first book, a memoir (more on that later, perhaps), and I realized I was losing my hair.
It happened not long after I moved cross-country from Washington State to Florida. The lighting is harsher down here, and as I used a standard hand mirror to style the back side of my head one day, I realized that the “cowlick” at my crown was more than just a cowlick. It was the beginning of a thinning spot (not a bald spot, at least not at that point). There was just a little less hair in that area than there had been in the past. . . .
I should’ve documented the event/experience for the site. But I’m shy and averse to publicity and sort of an anti-influencer because, seriously, is there anything more insufferable in the year 2023 than an influencer? I don’t think so. No offense to any influencers reading this…
How Did It Feel to Realize I Was Going Bald?
Honestly, I’d been mentally preparing for the moment since I began producing content for this blog in 2016, so it wasn’t really that big of a deal for me. Plus, I was 36 years old at the time, for God sake! Roughly two-thirds of men start losing hair by that age, so I considered myself lucky, overall, that I was able to avoid baldness and/or treatments for baldness at least through the early part of my middle ages.
What Did I Do About It?
After evaluating and obsessing over the issue for a few days, I skipped the “denial” stage of the grieving process, beamed up Amazon on my computer, and ordered a three-pack of liquid minoxidil. I started rubbing the stuff in my head–just once per night, using double the recommended dose (2 milliliters). Topical minoxidil has a half life of approximately 22 hours, so applying twice the standard dose once per day yields nearly the same benefit as applying a single dose two times per day.
I’m not advising you to follow my treatment protocol, but it’s a fairly popular protocol that’s frequently recommended by doctors and other hair loss experts. I knew myself and that compliance would be an issue for me if I had to rub that stuff into my head twice per day, but the prospect of once-daily treatments seemed manageable to me.
Any Side Effects?
No, zero side effects for me. I observed no skin irritation or other dermatological issues. There was a brief period where I experienced heart palpitations in 2021, but that was during a stressful time in my life as I began working on my book, and I don’t believe those palpitations were related to the minoxidil. Interestingly, this blog is featured in my book, ha. Maybe I’ll tell you more about that later, and maybe I won’t (because I’m an anti-social anti-influencer, as I said earlier). In the meantime, if you’re interested, you can check out this recent short story I wrote, which is completely irrelevant to the main subject of this site.
Did Minoxidil Work for me?
Yes, I’d say the results have been favorable so far. I’ve been a faithful minoxidil user for about a year and a half. There’s still a touch of thinning around the crown, but that area has filled in for the most part and the thinning isn’t noticeable unless it’s viewed under harsh lighting. And most importantly, I haven’t lost any ground since beginning the treatment.
I apply the product at my hairline too, as a preventative measure more than anything, because I don’t have any significant thinning at the hairline at this time.
What’s Next?
I’ll continue with the minoxidil for the time being. If my hair loss progresses significantly, which is possible, I’ll re-evaluate my situation and consider adding low-dose finasteride to my regimen. That’s all I have for you for now. Happy New Year to you and yours! I hope 2023 is a blessed year for you, follicly and otherwise.
Next → The Minoxidil Chronicles Part I – Low Expectations and Pleasant Surprises
Robert Price is a writer, consumer advocate, and hair loss researcher with thousands of hours of experience in the field. His goal is to keep you out of the hair loss rabbit hole, underworld, or whatever you want to call it. He founded Hair Loss Daily, the unbiased hair loss blog, in 2016. You can learn more about Robert in the my story section of this website.