Has Rogaine helped on children?

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Permalink Reply by Linsey on May 21, 2008 at 1:10pm

Do Not Do It! I tried it for about a month when I was first diagnosed, and it is proven that Rogaine stops any hair growth once you stop using it, and the hair will fall back out. Not to mention it specifically says on the box that you cannot even get it on your hands if you are pregnant. What the heck kind of doctor would reccomend this for a 4 year old whose immune system is still developing? I think that is radical.
The sun will help the hair to grow back maybe 10% quicker in my opinion, but my dermatologist said, "Don't you dare use this as an excuse to get in the sun!"

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Permalink Reply by Tina on May 21, 2008 at 11:37pm

I totally agree with Linsey! And, I was also told to try using Rogaine, but I stopped after a few weeks. Once you start using it, you can't stop and if you do, your hair will just fall out again. I doubt you want your child having to use it for the rest of his life. And just like Linsey said, you can't get it one your hands or anything! And yeah, it seems a kind of ridiculous that the doctor would recommend that for your 4 year old son.

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Permalink Reply by kastababy on May 24, 2008 at 5:30pm

I remember using Rogaine in the early 1990's, when it was still a prescription only product and it cost $75 for a 30 day supply. I will say this: If you still have growth on your head, then yes, it does work. If you are totally bald, then it doesn't. However, like all current treatments for AA or any other hair loss, once you start using it, you have to continue using it, because otherwise it will just fall right back out again. I would also watch very carefully, should you decide to use it as a treatment option, for signs of your child's body becoming resistant to the minoxidil in the Rogaine. Please be sure to keep us posted and let us know how it turns out!!! I never had a problem with getting it on my hands, but they tell you that because minoxidil was initially developed as a hypertension (high blood pressure) medication. If you get it into your bloodstream via your hands, it can cause your blood pressure to drop.

It's interesting that Linsey would mention sitting in the sun; for years my parents would make me go out for 30 minutes every morning as the sun was coming up and sun my scalp. It helped tremendously -- not only are you getting your body's supply of Vitamin D, but you are getting the UV treatments without paying a doctor for it. I don't know why a dermatologist would recommend against sitting in the sun, but if you do exercise caution I don't see why that would be a problem either.

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Permalink Reply by edie1122 on May 24, 2008 at 8:56pm

My daughter's derm suggested women's stregnth (2%) for my 5 year old daughter on her initial patches along with topical foams (RX). It didn't do any harm and I think it does help it grow back faster. Now, I just use the rogaine and skip the rx as long as it is manageble. I haven't seen any bad effects.

From my own experiences with AA not all therapies work on everyone. You have to try them and see.

Good luck!

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Permalink Reply by Dina on May 27, 2008 at 10:04am

Hi Lisa -

I am not a child but was using Rogaine around 6 years ago as well. I have to say, I did have results with it but as other members have mentioned, once you stop using it you do lose the hair growth very quickly. I also had a side effect from it, which I am told is rare but it did happen to me and that was my heart was racing at times from it. Also, if you are not very careful while you are sleeping as to not roll over too much, you can grow hair on your face. From tossing and turning at night my pillowcase deposited enough of it on my face where I had to go and get my entire face waxed. It stopped as soon as I stopped the Rogaine but it is something to be careful about.

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Permalink Reply by Lori on May 27, 2008 at 1:29pm

My dd8 was seen by a dermatologist who specializes in hairloss. She told me we could try women's 2% rogaine on her eyebrows (being very careful to avoid getting in in the eyes) but cautioned that a few people have had heart problems the same time as using rogaine. Basically she doesn't believe it was the rogaine but said if dd ever complains about a racing heart or anything to immediately stop using it. She also said absolutely not to use it on her scalp because rogaine isn't meant for alopecia areata hairloss but rather male/female pattern baldness. I honestly don't remember the reason why though. We haven't found that the rogaine has helped at all with her eyebrows although overall her patches have improved a bit.

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Permalink Reply by Alex on May 27, 2008 at 1:55pm

I was diagnosed with AA when I was 4. My mom tried everythingggg that was on the market at the time, Rogaine included. I was little, so I don't remember if there were any direct side effects, but there were no long term side effects. This didn't work for me, but neither did any other treatment. Nothing i did stopped my hairloss.
Recently, I've noticed that being in the sun does cause my hair to grow back. I am very fair skinned, and i burn easily. After the initial burn goes away, I have noticed that I have peach fuzz and my hair starts to grow back. I don't know why, but it works. I don't think it's a good idea to let Luke get sunburn, but I think letting him in the sun every once in a while can't hurt.

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Permalink Reply by Janine-Connor's mom on May 27, 2008 at 7:57pm

Connor sees a pediatric dermatologist at Yale and when we saw him in March-he recommended Rogaine-full strength-since Connor is having regrowth. I decided against it as he is only 3 years old. We are using Phyto brand Phytoaxil-plant extracts,etc (it is $50 at Sephora) and I give him one chewable Moducare a day- they are plant sterols. I bought those from Vitacost.com they are about $30. He is still having regrowth with larger areas filling in. I don;t know if the treatment is helping, but they are natural from plants and have no side effects. FYI- he was totally bald with no lashes or brows in December- the picture shown was taken today.

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Permalink Reply by Carol on May 28, 2008 at 8:22am

I tried Rogaine while it was still experimental when I was about 13 years old (1990) and it did absolutely nothing but I was going AT at that point. It stinks really bad and there were no results and so I wouldn't recommend it but different things work for different people if it isn't just coincidence altogether. Although I've been told sitting in the sun isn't worthwhile, I have found (in myself) that it does actually stimulate something but again it is not a cure and I doubt anyone's grown their hair back just from sitting in the sun. If you have any doubts there's no harm in getting a second opinion.

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Permalink Reply by Helen's Mommy on May 28, 2008 at 10:16am

Hi Lisa,

Interesting, my pediatric dermatologist recommended the same exact thing, except she also recommended 3 steriod shots ( 1 x month) of Kenalog. We started in mid-February. She received a shot of Kenalog ( to her buttocks not her head) and then we started the Rogaine for men (2 x daily). Her eyebrows and eyelashes started to come back almost immediately. Although much less and very light in color. She has also begun to have small patches of white hair and fuzz. It is sporadic and there is still lots of area that is smooth. She had her last shot a couple weeks ago. The doctor wants us to continue with Rogaine and getting outside for sun exposure daily. It is hard to know what to attribute the growth too. We are to go back to the Dr. in 3 mths so she can assess the progress. I was/am nervous about using these type of product on kids. Especially when it has all these warnings. I couldn't even buy it- my husband had to. I worry my daughter won't be able to identify and describe side effects she might be having, etc. Our doctor assured us it was safe and she has used it for years (but still the thought lingers she could be wrong). The Dr. said the steriod shots were a way to help jump start the body and try to get it in the growth stage. She won't do more than 3 injections as she doesn't feel the potential side effects of long term steriod use in children is worth it. After reading the replies to this post I feel like stopping the rogaine too. I don't want to keep her on it forever but if it will help stimulate her body to get in the growth cycle then I am more inclined to use it for now. I will probably do it until we go back to the doctor in 2 1/2 months. I know we won't use it indefinitely. After reading the various posts about different treatments- I find myself torn about what to do. Some are successful and if we don't try we won't ever know. But at the same time, I don't want to keep trying everything and make the search for the cure worse than dealing with the condition itself especially if the outcome is still no growth. I don't want her to think something is "wrong" with her but want to try and remedy the disorder if we can. These are our first treatment attempts. I guess we will wait and see what happens over the next few months to decide what to do next.

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Permalink Reply by Carla on June 11, 2008 at 10:42pm

We used Clobetasol and Rogaine on my daughter for about 6 months. She didn't like the cream, so we stopped that but continued with the Rogaine.

Melissa had lost nearly 40% of her hair and regrew nearly all of it, almost at the rate she lost it. After it appeared she was not losing anymore and regrowing, we discontinued the Rogaine in 2007?
It has been more than a year and she still has most of her hair she regrew. We did notice 2 new spots on the back of her head. Melissa does not want me to treat them, of course after I went out and bought a 3 pack of Rogaine. Seriously, I will do what she wants to do. We did treat it oh, about 6 times since March of this year(when we found the spots). She seems to be regrowing in those spots and not losing anywhere else. One spot is about the size of a quarter, the other a nickel.

That's our experience with Rogaine. By all means, we know it's not a cure. Did it help Melissa grow faster(the 1st time she lost hair)? Maybe. We weren't always consistent with application though, even though the derm recommended applying 2-3 times a day.

Just our experience, hope the info. helps.

Carla

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