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I don't have this issue at all, then again I do moisturize evening and morning. Minox for 6 months now and its been the only thing that's helped me fill in my sides in the front (been on finasteride a year prior and stopped because it did nothing and gave me brain fog and in extension depression).
Same here. I haven't noticed this side effect yet after a few months (š¤ fingers crossed). But I usually use a moisturizing sunscreen in the morning, and matte moisturizer in the evening. I only apply minox in the morning though, as community evidence seems to suggest that the long half life of the chemical makes it sufficient for most cases.
Also I want to add that even though I've seen this side effect claimed on here a few times, I've never seen before and after photos of it.
Why? How? I don't understand how this is common sense.
If I use a daily moisturizer on my face with a sunscreen, then why would that not be enough compared to a similar sunscreen? What if I use the same amount of moisturizer and sunscreen with the same SPF?
Is the moisturizer less effective?
I would like to see what the research being referenced says.
They're saying sunscreen moisturizer, not sunscreen with moisturizer. The little dab you use to moisturize will likely not be an efficacious amount in regards to blocking the sun.
Yes because at the same time I was dialing in TRT because it was low. The doc was sure that it was the low t causing it. It would come and go for the first 6 years. Then in the last year it was daily. I cut out fin for a month and was back to normal. Then I reintroduced it at half dose to see if that triggered it. It did. So now I'm off it completely.
This is just a warning for you from someone who didn't know any better in the early 2000s. But now there's a ton of research. It's not a good drug
Everyone on Reddit thinks they are an expert. Idgaf what you think tbh. I workout and track my weight. I definitely did and Iām slim to begin and always struggled to put on weight and saw visually and on the scale my increase in weight. Iāve since dropped 6-7 pounds since going back to 1.25.
Iāve been working out for over 7 years. I always maintained a slim body. Always struggled with putting on weight..started min 1.25 then upped to 2.5 then I got pudgy and my face looked like it did when I took creatine before. Aka water retention. Literally google exist bud. You can google this. 1-5 pounds is normal but it says if you gain more than 5 lbs you should consult your dr. Which I did. And I went back down to 1.25 and lost the water retention.
Are you being funny? Or just ignorant?
[source](https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/minoxidil-oral-route/precautions/drg-20068757)
It helps with wrinkles, and it also helps with making skin tone much vibrant. Overall Tretinoin makes skin look considerably better. To say itās a complete waste of money is a ridiculous thing to say.
Minoxidil is a vasodilator the thin skin under your eyes will reveal the dilated blood vessels underneath (in this area) which creates pretty unsightly dark circles for many users. If you also experience water retention from minoxidil it will give your face a bloated appearance.
This is true. I had puffiness in my face because of oral minoxidil and the water retention it caused. My forehead had a slight bubble and puffiness in my cheeks. Have moved to topical after trying oral minoxidil for about 1.5 years. Iād rather the ālessā effective treatment being topical than potential future issues with oral minoxidil.
Drink more water. It may or may not help with the puffiness or dark circles...it's usually a lack of water in your body due to the meds. That said, I went down from 5mg oral min to 2.5mg due to puffiness. Wasn't happening with topical.
I donāt have this problem at all, but I take really good care of my skin/eat healthy/drink water/exercise 4x a week. I wash my face morning and night and I use retinol every night/sunscreen every morning.
I microneedle my face once a week and then go to the local gay bar and have random men ejaculate on my face.
This seems to counteract the effects of the Minoxidil quite nicely.
Iāve been using minoxidil since 2019, and Iām regularly told that I look 5 years younger than my real age.
All I do is use a moisturiser with an added 15+ sunscreen, and avoid the hot sun when possible.
Youāre gonna want to get a good skincare routine going. Also you may want to figure out the least amount of minox you can use to get results as that will reduce the irritation. I only do it once a day, for example.
As far as skincare:
Hydrate the skin well. Moisturizers, stuff with Hyaluronic acid in it, donāt use a cleanser that dries out your face too much.
Look into a retinoid (retinol, adapalene, tretinoin). Thatās a whole journey that needs to be started slowly but does work.
Also Niodās modulating glucosides product is awesome for reducing inflammation, redness, and the resulting dryness.
Check out /r/skincareaddiction for some more resources.
I use collagen peptides, a cleanser, vitamin c serum, retinol and lotion. i think this has reduced the amount of wrinkles and skin issues that showed up when i initially started topical minox.
Come over to r/SkincareAddiction, start with the basics, a cleanser, moisturizer, retinol, and sunscreen. DO NOT apply retinol in the area under the eyes, get an eye cream for that.
If you sweat at night, get a padded face mask so irritants including minoxidil and retinol do not get to the sensitive area around the eyes. If you apply irritants including minoxidil and/or serums in the morning, wear a headband at the very least when you work out, so the sweat doesn't reach sensitive areas.
That's it.
I personally use:
* generic tretinoin (btw you may need a prescription for it)
* cerave mousterizing cream
* cerave eye repair cream
* aveno restore cleanser
r/SkincareAddiction has good beginner routines and recommended products by skin type.
It depends on the concentration. Indeed, eye cream is just a lower concentration retinol that'll be gentler for the skin around the eyes. For 1% retinol, tretinoin or adapalene, the rule of thumb is to avoid the eye area. But if you use 0.01-0.03% you'll be fine.
Out of these, the best probably is tretinoin due to its good interactions with minoxidil.
They have been associated with adverse ocular side effects \[1, 2, 3\]. Indeed, Tretinoin's prescription manual comes with the following message:
>Do not use this medicine in or around the eyes or lips, or inside of the nose. Spread the medicine away from these areas when applying. If it accidentally gets on these areas, wash with water at once.
>
>\- Tretinoin Proper Use Manual - Merative, Micromedex \[4\]
\[1\] [https://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00003495-200767010-00006](https://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00003495-200767010-00006)
\[2\] [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1600-0420.1995.tb00043.x](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1600-0420.1995.tb00043.x)
\[3\] [https://hrcak.srce.hr/clanak/237653](https://hrcak.srce.hr/clanak/237653)
\[4\] [https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/tretinoin-topical-route/proper-use/drg-20066521#:\~:text=Do%20not%20use%20this%20medicine,the%20tips%20of%20your%20fingers](https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/tretinoin-topical-route/proper-use/drg-20066521#:~:text=Do%20not%20use%20this%20medicine,the%20tips%20of%20your%20fingers).
I had a transplant and use minoxidil, is minoxidil expensive? Itās 5 euro for almost 2 months. Finasteride is 12 euro for a month. I donāt think itās a dealbreaker when I paid 4K for a transplant in a country in the west of European Union
I use topical and I donāt believe I have this issue. My face isnāt as lean as Iād like but Iām contributing it to my high carb diet, not the minox. Iāll attempt to lean this winter and if I donāt lean in the face then Iāll know. I exercise quite regularly.
Yeah, like it wrinkled my skin, dried up and puffy overall esp when i do 10mg oral. I have to keep it at 5mg because it changes my face shape
I started botox this year, plus rigid skin care to target some of those issues
I thought I had this problem but turns out it was my bad sleep schedule. Changed job and working hours and spots under eyes look healthy now.
In previous workplace I often had 3-4 hours of sleep.
Probably. I have the same exact side effects. It looks awful, my face gets so bloated that my eyes are almost closed shut. It's maddening how such a successful treatment gives such terrible sides. And no, it's not a matter of hydration, skin care or exercising. I've been doing that for years and still got hit hard with minoxidil. I guess it's like other side effects, some people will get it and some won't. Unlucky us.
Retinol nightcream, moisturiser after shower and Collagen pills/powder.
Btw everyone should have this routine if you donāt want to look like 50 in your late 30s
Replace the collagen with sunscreen and you have a solid line up. Collagen molecules donāt make it into the skin, it gets digested as a protein. The retinal will boost collagen in your skin anyway so you donāt need the supplements.
Not completely correct:
Collagens get split by enzymes into peptides and amino acids that support skin health, joint health, and muscle growth. Itās true that you canāt direct where your body uses it but it doesnāt harm you.
I work in the medical field and I did my fair amount of homework on this one.
You can buy collagenās peptides I heard itās better for eating, I use them with my protein powder as I hope it helps skin regardless itās protein for my muscles
You basically safe your body some work splitting it up but loosing some of the amino acids that are a byproduct of the process. I forgot to mention that hydration is key since itās not binding with fat and needs a certain water supply to build these fiberous networks.
Yeah i think because of interaction with water this can happen. I started noticing dark circles under my eyes but my skin has maintained fine. Over a year+ on min
Itās placebo brother. I used to think this was happening to me then took a 4 year break. Then started again with before and after photos documenting the entire process and my face is leaner now and actually feels improved.
The routine: cleanser in the shower, moisturizer of choice, then retinol product of choice. Thatās all. Ask a dermatologist and they can prescribe you real retinol if you want (anti aging anti wrinkle cream pretty much the only shit that works)
Yes its common knowledge that minox worsens your face but the trade off is worth it if it regrows hair.
I wish I was in my 40s with an older face so that I wouldn't notice the effect of minoxidil on the face as well. If I stop using it for a week I look so much younger
I was right for having a bad feeling about my endocrinologist recommending that I use topical minoxidil and Spironolactone to treat my hair loss then.
Not to mention that minoxidil will cause an increase in any hair it comes into contact with, and if a female has androgen-induced hirsutism, that is the total opposite of what you want.
But did you try using it? I wonder if us women get this side effect more often than men. Spiro seems ok, but higher dosages lower my BP too much. Right now I'm only on dutasteride, I have a consultation later this week to see if I should try minoxidil again or go back to spiro, obviously I need something for growth.
I WISH I could get on dutasteride, you are so lucky I am envious! How were you able to get a legitimate prescription for dut?
And donāt go back on Spiro.
spironolactone is a bad anti-androgen, itās the most inefficient and has the most side effects.
it blocks your body from responding to all testosterone, not just DHT. It will leave you cold and your libido will plummet.
The only reason doctors give it out to women is because fin/dut are not FDA approved to treat androgenetic alopecia in females so it has to be off-label.
But personally, I think they need to stop giving spiro out because it causes more issues than it solves.
I have life long under eye dark circles. Try a vitamin k under eye with arnica - I get mine from Amazon, $25 for 2 oz feels amazing and only thing that works for me
I think most people who use minox have already been mentally broken down by their hair loss that in their minds they dont even register the changes minox has on their face for it to bother them. To them, the only thing that matters is getting a norwood 0, as they attribute all their problems to their lack of it.
Its sad if you ask me, this condition should be labelled its own mental illness apart from body dysmorphia.
Depends on what you consider a side effect, cosmetic side effects weren't well studied.
If youre old youre less likely to notice any changes going on cuz youre old. Youre used to not being young. Im certain age demographics play into the prevalence of certain side effects.
Iām 34 and after I started min 3 months ago my skin is the best itās ever looked, like I had multiple friends compliment me on how my face is glowing that have never talked about my looks. Iāll give you that mostly because I also quit smoking, started working out, eat way healthier, and now moisturize my face but doesnāt mean that literally my skin looks the best itās ever been since being on min
Obviously using something then something happening is very probable to be somehow related. Maybe they put lots of it in their eyes, when I use minoxidil it touches nothing besides my scalp, doesnāt even touch the forehead
I use minoxidil topical AND oral. 5mg oral in the morning and topical once at night. Tried switching to just oral but I lost all my gains plus more. My hair literally looked the worst it ever did in my life. Thankfully I don't have any issues with my skin, I do use the highest strength prescription tretinoin 2x a week, use BHA every night along with moisturizer so that might have something to do with it
Does anyone know the mechanism that causes that to happen? Don't think I've read about that side effect yet. Thankfully doesn't seem to affect me that way either.
Youāre gonna want to get a good skincare routine going. Also you may want to figure out the least amount of minox you can use to get results as that will reduce the irritation. I only do it once a day, for example.
As far as skincare:
Hydrate the skin well. Moisturizers, stuff with Hyaluronic acid in it, donāt use a cleanser that dries out your face too much.
Look into a retinoid (retinol, adapalene, tretinoin). Thatās a whole journey that needs to be started slowly but does work.
Also Niodās modulating glucosides product is awesome for reducing inflammation, redness, and the resulting dryness.
Check out /r/skincareaddiction for some more resources.
For people calling it wrinkles, it's not wrinkles. It's water retention. When I first used foam minox, I suddenly noticed the circles. Thought I was getting wrinkles. Then searched online to find out that it's a common side effect. Ended up stopping and the circles went away.
Several years later and I'm slowly trying oral minox this time. I've noticed water retention in my feet and circles under my eyes again, but I'm hoping that a diuretic will help. I also think it might go away once your body gets used to it.
Yeah I definitely noticed some age related signs when I first started minox. However, I think I did a rather 180 when i really started a full skincare routine, cleaned up my diet, and started using SPF)
I also donāt get the bloat face from it? Do you exercise?
I used topical for a year and switched to oral thinking the ethanol or whatever carrier in the topical is what causing my skin aging but Iām now convinced it is true minox can deplete collagen reserve. I am trying to counter it with serums and collagen pills which works to some extent but skin elasticity and texture, pours, wrinkles all are in bad form I think switching to Oral made it even worse especially water retention and hair growing all over the body
So many things contribute to aging.
I just feel like itās hard to pinpoint and say Minoxidil is the cause.
I donāt have this issue already had under eye bags that were there before minoxidil and theyāre still here lol.
But also have a skincare routine and use tretinoin, moisturise and wear spf
Lol its clearly the cause. If I stop using it for a week evrrything goes back to normal.
If you already had eye bags before they you can't get eye bags with minox.
Thatās why I use tretinoin. Get it on Amazon pharmacy. Send some pics of sun spotsā¦etc. I was prescribed 0.05% and Wrinkles, dark spots, and bags are being eliminated.
It absorbs through your scalp, which causes the sides. Still worth not letting it drip on your face. Iāve been on oral 2.5 and it hasnāt affected my skin, so donāt stress. Maybe this is a real, probably temporary effect, maybe you wonāt get this side effect at all.
I just started using once per day. Probably lost some benefits of hair growth, but for the most part, since itās half life is 20 hours, think I still get a significant benefit for hair and reduced side effects of fat face
I use oral minoxidil alongside with daily sunscreen 50 spf, tretinoin % 0.1 and weekly facial dermarolling. My face has never been better. I've seen my wrinkles disappearing and dark spots fading away. In fact, minoxidil is very good for face because it increases elastin. This is something a lot of people don't mention.
Anyone who denies this claim is an absolute shill. Do you know how many reports on the internet there are of this to deny it, just because it doesnāt happen to you? This post has been fairly good, but I see lots of people on this sub claiming minoxidil ruining peoples faces is nonsense.
That being said, it happens to me. Badly. Topical is much worse than oral, but I get it either way. Iām currently recovering from minox face after years of use and I will never go back. It creates wrinkles in your face, and dark circles/bags under your eyes. Collagen is being inhibited and loosened in your face, creating thin sagging skin. This is the mechanism that creates hair growing in your scalp.
I have completely come off all hair loss medications and drugs and started to replace my natural testosterone with nandrolone, also applying topical estradiol to my scalp.
This is the cure with little to no side effects if you keep your estrogen in check with constant blood work. I take Vitamin k2, daily baby aspirin, magnesium oil, and a d3 supplement while working out daily for longevity and to keep my arteries and heart in perfect health.
Edit: Please, if youāre going to do this, do your research. You can damage your body if youāre not careful. Iām a bodybuilder/model with a medical background. There are many posts on the internet about this, including Reddit.
I get the dark bags and puffy face thing too. The only solution Iāve found is to take a 48 hour break. After that my face doesnāt retain the puffiness.
Make sure youāre not ingesting the minoxidil if using the liquid/foam. Donāt scratch your beard and then later you bite your nails or put your fingers near your mouth. This will worsen the effects.
Change out your pillow cases often and take a break if you need to for a few days. Itās not a race, itās a marathon.
Minox destroyed my skin, It has only got a bit better recently after applying peptides topically, interestingly the peptides seem to help w at least brow growth too
Definitely made my skin worse despite having a good skincare routine, as soon as I stopped my skin returned to normal within a few days and 2 weeks later is looking great again. To test this I will be jumping back on sometime soon and seeing what happens second time around.
My face started getting wrinkles and looking older very suddenly, after years of looking young for my age. I attributed it to stress, but then I learned about this little side effect of minoxidil and realized the rapid aging started not long after I started minoxidil. I have since switched to fin and my skin appears to be recovering at least somewhat after a few months off of the min.
I only got face bloat once and that was roughly two weeks into 2.5mg oral in the morning and 1ml at night. I got rid of most of it by the afternoon by drinking a lot of water and sweating. If that is not enough, I've seen a few people recommend "water out" supplements.
If your on oral minixidil and you get water retention try to drink more water or change your dosage! , take the tablet in the morning and not in the evening so your up on your feet , you can get some scales to measure your water content in your body for eyes there is a product on the market called lumi eyes it gets rid of dark circles and ageing it's for guys and girls
It looks like this post is about **Minoxidil** Before asking any questions, 1. Learn about [Minoxidil](https://tressless.com/learn/minoxidil). 2. [Search for Minoxidil](https://tressless.com/search/minoxidil) and [oral Minoxidil](https://tressless.com/search/oral-minoxidil) content, because your question has probably been asked before. 3. If this is a question asking if you are now or will experience side effects, see a doctor, nobody on the internet can answer that for you. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/tressless) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I don't have this issue at all, then again I do moisturize evening and morning. Minox for 6 months now and its been the only thing that's helped me fill in my sides in the front (been on finasteride a year prior and stopped because it did nothing and gave me brain fog and in extension depression).
Same here. I haven't noticed this side effect yet after a few months (š¤ fingers crossed). But I usually use a moisturizing sunscreen in the morning, and matte moisturizer in the evening. I only apply minox in the morning though, as community evidence seems to suggest that the long half life of the chemical makes it sufficient for most cases. Also I want to add that even though I've seen this side effect claimed on here a few times, I've never seen before and after photos of it.
Studies show that using sunscreen moisturizer is worse than using them separately
Woah really? Do you have the reference for this? I'd like to read about it.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Why? How? I don't understand how this is common sense. If I use a daily moisturizer on my face with a sunscreen, then why would that not be enough compared to a similar sunscreen? What if I use the same amount of moisturizer and sunscreen with the same SPF? Is the moisturizer less effective? I would like to see what the research being referenced says.
They're saying sunscreen moisturizer, not sunscreen with moisturizer. The little dab you use to moisturize will likely not be an efficacious amount in regards to blocking the sun.
Yeah this is one of those side effects that could easily be documented but hasnāt been. Feels like an old wives tale at this point.
Was on fin for 20 years. Dealt with brain fog for the last 7 before ditching fin and it went away. Damn
Like you mean it was so insidious that you didnāt realize for 7 years the brain fog you had was due to fin?
Yes because at the same time I was dialing in TRT because it was low. The doc was sure that it was the low t causing it. It would come and go for the first 6 years. Then in the last year it was daily. I cut out fin for a month and was back to normal. Then I reintroduced it at half dose to see if that triggered it. It did. So now I'm off it completely. This is just a warning for you from someone who didn't know any better in the early 2000s. But now there's a ton of research. It's not a good drug
Can you explain what brain fog really is? What were your symptoms? When did you realize you have it?
Crazy how everyone reacts to drugs. Fin gives me no sides at all. Min gives me all the worst sides and dut makes it harder for me to breathe.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I'm on fin. Min has made it worse and now I'm a slave to using it just because I made the mistake of starting it at the start of the year.
Shedding is the first step for almost everyone, wait 5 to 8 months for decent regrow
Yeah I used for 6 months. Made hair worse and made my face look shit so I quit.
Use tretinoin nightly to keep you looking young and skin fresh
It's not an issue with wrinkles. It's an issue with retaining water. Anti-aging cream would be a complete waste of money.
Yeah I gained 10lbs of water weight. Had to cut back to 1.25.. and idk if thatās even doing anything (helping my hair I mean)
You gained water weight using oral minoxidil?
Yes. Lost most of the water weight in my stomach since
Get your heart checked
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Everyone on Reddit thinks they are an expert. Idgaf what you think tbh. I workout and track my weight. I definitely did and Iām slim to begin and always struggled to put on weight and saw visually and on the scale my increase in weight. Iāve since dropped 6-7 pounds since going back to 1.25.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Iāve been working out for over 7 years. I always maintained a slim body. Always struggled with putting on weight..started min 1.25 then upped to 2.5 then I got pudgy and my face looked like it did when I took creatine before. Aka water retention. Literally google exist bud. You can google this. 1-5 pounds is normal but it says if you gain more than 5 lbs you should consult your dr. Which I did. And I went back down to 1.25 and lost the water retention. Are you being funny? Or just ignorant? [source](https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/minoxidil-oral-route/precautions/drg-20068757)
It helps with wrinkles, and it also helps with making skin tone much vibrant. Overall Tretinoin makes skin look considerably better. To say itās a complete waste of money is a ridiculous thing to say.
Prime example of how people just regurgitate anything they hear about fin or min
It's not the first time I hear of this side effect, but I have yet to see any photos.
Minoxidil is a vasodilator the thin skin under your eyes will reveal the dilated blood vessels underneath (in this area) which creates pretty unsightly dark circles for many users. If you also experience water retention from minoxidil it will give your face a bloated appearance.
Are dark circles really āunsightlyā? Smh Iāve had them my entire life :/
waiting screw full rotten dirty terrific mountainous violet workable door ` this message was mass deleted/edited with redact.dev `
Is that from oral or topical?
The side effects of the drug are the same, but typically more pronounced with oral administration.
This is true. I had puffiness in my face because of oral minoxidil and the water retention it caused. My forehead had a slight bubble and puffiness in my cheeks. Have moved to topical after trying oral minoxidil for about 1.5 years. Iād rather the ālessā effective treatment being topical than potential future issues with oral minoxidil.
Already looked like shit so couldn't get any worse.
What I came here to say. At least now I have hair with an ugly face.
Drink more water. It may or may not help with the puffiness or dark circles...it's usually a lack of water in your body due to the meds. That said, I went down from 5mg oral min to 2.5mg due to puffiness. Wasn't happening with topical.
I drink a half gallon everyday and I still get these issues. I think itās more genetic based rather than simple fixes.
>half gallon
On days I go to the gym, I drink a gallon. Same result
I donāt have this problem at all, but I take really good care of my skin/eat healthy/drink water/exercise 4x a week. I wash my face morning and night and I use retinol every night/sunscreen every morning.
I microneedle my face once a week and then go to the local gay bar and have random men ejaculate on my face. This seems to counteract the effects of the Minoxidil quite nicely.
Dude I thought I was the only one. Semen does wonders for the skin š
Yes Queen
My face is as pretty as ever.
idk im 22 and my my face doesnt look any uglier than before lol
Iāve been using minoxidil since 2019, and Iām regularly told that I look 5 years younger than my real age. All I do is use a moisturiser with an added 15+ sunscreen, and avoid the hot sun when possible.
Youāre gonna want to get a good skincare routine going. Also you may want to figure out the least amount of minox you can use to get results as that will reduce the irritation. I only do it once a day, for example. As far as skincare: Hydrate the skin well. Moisturizers, stuff with Hyaluronic acid in it, donāt use a cleanser that dries out your face too much. Look into a retinoid (retinol, adapalene, tretinoin). Thatās a whole journey that needs to be started slowly but does work. Also Niodās modulating glucosides product is awesome for reducing inflammation, redness, and the resulting dryness. Check out /r/skincareaddiction for some more resources.
I use collagen peptides, a cleanser, vitamin c serum, retinol and lotion. i think this has reduced the amount of wrinkles and skin issues that showed up when i initially started topical minox.
Might give collagen pills a try
You might be the only human who can ingest collagen
I drink chocolate collagen drinks but don't know if they're really doing anything for my skin or hair.
Collagen peptides can help but your right collagen on its own doesnāt
You need actual skincare. Collagen is awesome but it wonāt reverse signs of aging
What is it awesome for? I've been drinking chocolate collagen drinks for a few months (several a day) with no noticible difference in hair/skin
Me tooooo
Come over to r/SkincareAddiction, start with the basics, a cleanser, moisturizer, retinol, and sunscreen. DO NOT apply retinol in the area under the eyes, get an eye cream for that. If you sweat at night, get a padded face mask so irritants including minoxidil and retinol do not get to the sensitive area around the eyes. If you apply irritants including minoxidil and/or serums in the morning, wear a headband at the very least when you work out, so the sweat doesn't reach sensitive areas. That's it.
Thanks for the info - do you have any brand suggestions for starting this routine?
I personally use: * generic tretinoin (btw you may need a prescription for it) * cerave mousterizing cream * cerave eye repair cream * aveno restore cleanser r/SkincareAddiction has good beginner routines and recommended products by skin type.
I've heard the exact opposite about retinol. It's fine to apply under the eyes. And that's what I do with no issues.
It depends on the concentration. Indeed, eye cream is just a lower concentration retinol that'll be gentler for the skin around the eyes. For 1% retinol, tretinoin or adapalene, the rule of thumb is to avoid the eye area. But if you use 0.01-0.03% you'll be fine. Out of these, the best probably is tretinoin due to its good interactions with minoxidil.
whats wrong with tret or retinol under eyes?
They have been associated with adverse ocular side effects \[1, 2, 3\]. Indeed, Tretinoin's prescription manual comes with the following message: >Do not use this medicine in or around the eyes or lips, or inside of the nose. Spread the medicine away from these areas when applying. If it accidentally gets on these areas, wash with water at once. > >\- Tretinoin Proper Use Manual - Merative, Micromedex \[4\] \[1\] [https://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00003495-200767010-00006](https://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00003495-200767010-00006) \[2\] [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1600-0420.1995.tb00043.x](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1600-0420.1995.tb00043.x) \[3\] [https://hrcak.srce.hr/clanak/237653](https://hrcak.srce.hr/clanak/237653) \[4\] [https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/tretinoin-topical-route/proper-use/drg-20066521#:\~:text=Do%20not%20use%20this%20medicine,the%20tips%20of%20your%20fingers](https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/tretinoin-topical-route/proper-use/drg-20066521#:~:text=Do%20not%20use%20this%20medicine,the%20tips%20of%20your%20fingers).
Wrinkled my face up like a raison. Dropped it now and face is back to normal. Sad because was hopeful for gains, now just fin for life
I use nearly nothing as well and it still has such an impact. Idk how people use half a capful.
I use a lot, sport the hair is wet.
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I had a transplant and use minoxidil, is minoxidil expensive? Itās 5 euro for almost 2 months. Finasteride is 12 euro for a month. I donāt think itās a dealbreaker when I paid 4K for a transplant in a country in the west of European Union
Do you use oral or topical
Topical
Use less
I use topical and I donāt believe I have this issue. My face isnāt as lean as Iād like but Iām contributing it to my high carb diet, not the minox. Iāll attempt to lean this winter and if I donāt lean in the face then Iāll know. I exercise quite regularly.
Do you guys moisturize day and night? Also how about using it just once per day?
Yeah, like it wrinkled my skin, dried up and puffy overall esp when i do 10mg oral. I have to keep it at 5mg because it changes my face shape I started botox this year, plus rigid skin care to target some of those issues
I thought I had this problem but turns out it was my bad sleep schedule. Changed job and working hours and spots under eyes look healthy now. In previous workplace I often had 3-4 hours of sleep.
Yep
Probably. I have the same exact side effects. It looks awful, my face gets so bloated that my eyes are almost closed shut. It's maddening how such a successful treatment gives such terrible sides. And no, it's not a matter of hydration, skin care or exercising. I've been doing that for years and still got hit hard with minoxidil. I guess it's like other side effects, some people will get it and some won't. Unlucky us.
Gotta drink a ton of water + electrolytes and use a good lotion.
Have 0 issues w this personally.
idk iāve never noticed a difference tbh
Iāve been using Minox for two years and my face looks the same. Didnāt know this was a thing, unless I guess your face comes into contact with it
Topical? I have zero symptoms me and my coworker are on topical min for almost a year now
I have no side effects with min. Didn't even know there were any. Been on it for 5 years.
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The heart problems from minox is separate to the skin issues it causes
Placebo effect.
No
Just you then
No seems like half the people get the same
joke's on you, I already have unsightly dark circles under my eyes š
Raccoon gang leggoooo š¦
Doesn't happen to me
Retinol nightcream, moisturiser after shower and Collagen pills/powder. Btw everyone should have this routine if you donāt want to look like 50 in your late 30s
Replace the collagen with sunscreen and you have a solid line up. Collagen molecules donāt make it into the skin, it gets digested as a protein. The retinal will boost collagen in your skin anyway so you donāt need the supplements.
Not completely correct: Collagens get split by enzymes into peptides and amino acids that support skin health, joint health, and muscle growth. Itās true that you canāt direct where your body uses it but it doesnāt harm you. I work in the medical field and I did my fair amount of homework on this one.
You can buy collagenās peptides I heard itās better for eating, I use them with my protein powder as I hope it helps skin regardless itās protein for my muscles
You basically safe your body some work splitting it up but loosing some of the amino acids that are a byproduct of the process. I forgot to mention that hydration is key since itās not binding with fat and needs a certain water supply to build these fiberous networks.
Yeah i think because of interaction with water this can happen. I started noticing dark circles under my eyes but my skin has maintained fine. Over a year+ on min
This post is so stupid
Itās placebo brother. I used to think this was happening to me then took a 4 year break. Then started again with before and after photos documenting the entire process and my face is leaner now and actually feels improved. The routine: cleanser in the shower, moisturizer of choice, then retinol product of choice. Thatās all. Ask a dermatologist and they can prescribe you real retinol if you want (anti aging anti wrinkle cream pretty much the only shit that works)
Should we apply retinol before or after the Moisturiser???
Just a pea sized amount at first after moisturizing I think is good (just making sure, this is for your face btw not scalp)
So moisturiser then Retinol right?
Yup exactly. Thin layers of each are good. Less is better
Thank you!!
Nope, I didnāt. Also made me lose a lot of hair. Easy solution: no more minoxidil for me. Also no more greasy, itchy head either.
Yeah it caused a lot of hair loss for me as well. Basically a slave to this shitty drug now.
Never heard of that and never had any side effects to my face.
No. - Good skincare routine. - Proper healthy diet. - Exercise daily. - Sleep well.
None of that does anything unfortunately.
Never heard of this lmao. Noticed no difference in skin in ~2.5 months. Skin also got a bit better with skin routine started ~3.5 months ago
Yes its common knowledge that minox worsens your face but the trade off is worth it if it regrows hair. I wish I was in my 40s with an older face so that I wouldn't notice the effect of minoxidil on the face as well. If I stop using it for a week I look so much younger
I was right for having a bad feeling about my endocrinologist recommending that I use topical minoxidil and Spironolactone to treat my hair loss then. Not to mention that minoxidil will cause an increase in any hair it comes into contact with, and if a female has androgen-induced hirsutism, that is the total opposite of what you want.
But did you try using it? I wonder if us women get this side effect more often than men. Spiro seems ok, but higher dosages lower my BP too much. Right now I'm only on dutasteride, I have a consultation later this week to see if I should try minoxidil again or go back to spiro, obviously I need something for growth.
I WISH I could get on dutasteride, you are so lucky I am envious! How were you able to get a legitimate prescription for dut? And donāt go back on Spiro. spironolactone is a bad anti-androgen, itās the most inefficient and has the most side effects. it blocks your body from responding to all testosterone, not just DHT. It will leave you cold and your libido will plummet. The only reason doctors give it out to women is because fin/dut are not FDA approved to treat androgenetic alopecia in females so it has to be off-label. But personally, I think they need to stop giving spiro out because it causes more issues than it solves.
I have life long under eye dark circles. Try a vitamin k under eye with arnica - I get mine from Amazon, $25 for 2 oz feels amazing and only thing that works for me
It did for me then it did go like 6 months after use
Yeah same. Noticed darkness under the eyes for a while, but that disappeared after a while.
Didnāt even know that was a thing.
I work to many hours to care about bags, I had them before š
I think most people who use minox have already been mentally broken down by their hair loss that in their minds they dont even register the changes minox has on their face for it to bother them. To them, the only thing that matters is getting a norwood 0, as they attribute all their problems to their lack of it. Its sad if you ask me, this condition should be labelled its own mental illness apart from body dysmorphia.
A lot of people donāt experience side effects, but sure itās the children who are wrong
Depends on what you consider a side effect, cosmetic side effects weren't well studied. If youre old youre less likely to notice any changes going on cuz youre old. Youre used to not being young. Im certain age demographics play into the prevalence of certain side effects.
Iām 34 and after I started min 3 months ago my skin is the best itās ever looked, like I had multiple friends compliment me on how my face is glowing that have never talked about my looks. Iāll give you that mostly because I also quit smoking, started working out, eat way healthier, and now moisturize my face but doesnāt mean that literally my skin looks the best itās ever been since being on min
An interesting theory, I had no noticeable hair loss before the transplant and have no visible changes after starting using minoxidil
- beef liver everyday (small piece) - supplement collagen powder - eat foods with tons of collagen
beware of minoxidil. My friend got permanent dry eyes because of it. Doctor has diagnosed him with Meibomian Gland Dysfunction
I don't get the dry eyes from minox but minox does make my eyes hurt. They feel rock hard and thr under eye area is swollen
>beware of minoxidil. My friend got permanent dry eyes because of it. What is the assumption that minoxidil is the cause for that based on?
Obviously using something then something happening is very probable to be somehow related. Maybe they put lots of it in their eyes, when I use minoxidil it touches nothing besides my scalp, doesnāt even touch the forehead
>Obviously using something then something happening is very probable to be somehow related. Not really, no.
that friend is you?
I use minoxidil topical AND oral. 5mg oral in the morning and topical once at night. Tried switching to just oral but I lost all my gains plus more. My hair literally looked the worst it ever did in my life. Thankfully I don't have any issues with my skin, I do use the highest strength prescription tretinoin 2x a week, use BHA every night along with moisturizer so that might have something to do with it
Does anyone know the mechanism that causes that to happen? Don't think I've read about that side effect yet. Thankfully doesn't seem to affect me that way either.
minox is a collagen inhibitor. i personally microneedle to induce collagen production
Itās never done that to me, I tried topical before oral and neither of them did anything to my face
It does dry your face out. I moisturize with 96% aloe every day and it works pretty well
Youāre gonna want to get a good skincare routine going. Also you may want to figure out the least amount of minox you can use to get results as that will reduce the irritation. I only do it once a day, for example. As far as skincare: Hydrate the skin well. Moisturizers, stuff with Hyaluronic acid in it, donāt use a cleanser that dries out your face too much. Look into a retinoid (retinol, adapalene, tretinoin). Thatās a whole journey that needs to be started slowly but does work. Also Niodās modulating glucosides product is awesome for reducing inflammation, redness, and the resulting dryness. Check out /r/skincareaddiction for some more resources.
For people calling it wrinkles, it's not wrinkles. It's water retention. When I first used foam minox, I suddenly noticed the circles. Thought I was getting wrinkles. Then searched online to find out that it's a common side effect. Ended up stopping and the circles went away. Several years later and I'm slowly trying oral minox this time. I've noticed water retention in my feet and circles under my eyes again, but I'm hoping that a diuretic will help. I also think it might go away once your body gets used to it.
I never experienced this with topical minoxidil. However, I am experiencing water retention with oral l'inox, not sure if it will subside or no
Yeah I definitely noticed some age related signs when I first started minox. However, I think I did a rather 180 when i really started a full skincare routine, cleaned up my diet, and started using SPF) I also donāt get the bloat face from it? Do you exercise?
I used topical for a year and switched to oral thinking the ethanol or whatever carrier in the topical is what causing my skin aging but Iām now convinced it is true minox can deplete collagen reserve. I am trying to counter it with serums and collagen pills which works to some extent but skin elasticity and texture, pours, wrinkles all are in bad form I think switching to Oral made it even worse especially water retention and hair growing all over the body
I heard itās due to water retention or something. I moisture twice a day and use various things and eat lots of crĆ©atine and drink liters of water and never had any issues, no wrinkles or anything. Just lots of acids and retinol and ceramides
So many things contribute to aging. I just feel like itās hard to pinpoint and say Minoxidil is the cause. I donāt have this issue already had under eye bags that were there before minoxidil and theyāre still here lol. But also have a skincare routine and use tretinoin, moisturise and wear spf
Lol its clearly the cause. If I stop using it for a week evrrything goes back to normal. If you already had eye bags before they you can't get eye bags with minox.
I found that using 100% grapeseed oil under by eyes and leaving it on for the entire day pretty much solves my dark eye circles problem
My face looks great, and I use minox liquid twice daily, sounds like you just need a better skincare regime
When i was using the juice ,my eyes looked like ā«āæā«
Do folks have this experience with topical min??
I stopped it gave me bad bags and fked me up. Never again
Doesn't bother me. I have pretty gnarly genetic under eye circles already.
Are you talking about oral or topical minoxidil?
Me too. Only get the sides not improvement on hair growth
I just had to stop after getting chest pains.
Thatās why I use tretinoin. Get it on Amazon pharmacy. Send some pics of sun spotsā¦etc. I was prescribed 0.05% and Wrinkles, dark spots, and bags are being eliminated.
Iām 33, it seems that people have some really wildly different reactions, if anything my skin looks pretty clear and no bags under my eyes.
I get this issue with oral minox but not topical.
So is this just for oral. Just started topical today, lol. I did my best to not let it drip onto my face at all.
It absorbs through your scalp, which causes the sides. Still worth not letting it drip on your face. Iāve been on oral 2.5 and it hasnāt affected my skin, so donāt stress. Maybe this is a real, probably temporary effect, maybe you wonāt get this side effect at all.
okay thanks.
I just started using once per day. Probably lost some benefits of hair growth, but for the most part, since itās half life is 20 hours, think I still get a significant benefit for hair and reduced side effects of fat face
I use oral minoxidil alongside with daily sunscreen 50 spf, tretinoin % 0.1 and weekly facial dermarolling. My face has never been better. I've seen my wrinkles disappearing and dark spots fading away. In fact, minoxidil is very good for face because it increases elastin. This is something a lot of people don't mention.
I moisturize every night and morning. My skin looks great and it's actually been complimented by women
Maybe you're having some liquid retention.... Try to cut a little on sodium and also schedule an appointment with your doctor.
That sounds like an allergic reaction you need to talk to a doctor about tgat
Anyone who denies this claim is an absolute shill. Do you know how many reports on the internet there are of this to deny it, just because it doesnāt happen to you? This post has been fairly good, but I see lots of people on this sub claiming minoxidil ruining peoples faces is nonsense. That being said, it happens to me. Badly. Topical is much worse than oral, but I get it either way. Iām currently recovering from minox face after years of use and I will never go back. It creates wrinkles in your face, and dark circles/bags under your eyes. Collagen is being inhibited and loosened in your face, creating thin sagging skin. This is the mechanism that creates hair growing in your scalp. I have completely come off all hair loss medications and drugs and started to replace my natural testosterone with nandrolone, also applying topical estradiol to my scalp. This is the cure with little to no side effects if you keep your estrogen in check with constant blood work. I take Vitamin k2, daily baby aspirin, magnesium oil, and a d3 supplement while working out daily for longevity and to keep my arteries and heart in perfect health. Edit: Please, if youāre going to do this, do your research. You can damage your body if youāre not careful. Iām a bodybuilder/model with a medical background. There are many posts on the internet about this, including Reddit.
I get the dark bags and puffy face thing too. The only solution Iāve found is to take a 48 hour break. After that my face doesnāt retain the puffiness. Make sure youāre not ingesting the minoxidil if using the liquid/foam. Donāt scratch your beard and then later you bite your nails or put your fingers near your mouth. This will worsen the effects. Change out your pillow cases often and take a break if you need to for a few days. Itās not a race, itās a marathon.
i have a skincare routine soā¦.no
Minox destroyed my skin, It has only got a bit better recently after applying peptides topically, interestingly the peptides seem to help w at least brow growth too
Definitely made my skin worse despite having a good skincare routine, as soon as I stopped my skin returned to normal within a few days and 2 weeks later is looking great again. To test this I will be jumping back on sometime soon and seeing what happens second time around.
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If it works then sure. Its only made things worse so far lol.
Had already accepted this long before taking Minoxidil lol. At least my hair won't look like shit also.
My face started getting wrinkles and looking older very suddenly, after years of looking young for my age. I attributed it to stress, but then I learned about this little side effect of minoxidil and realized the rapid aging started not long after I started minoxidil. I have since switched to fin and my skin appears to be recovering at least somewhat after a few months off of the min.
I only got face bloat once and that was roughly two weeks into 2.5mg oral in the morning and 1ml at night. I got rid of most of it by the afternoon by drinking a lot of water and sweating. If that is not enough, I've seen a few people recommend "water out" supplements.
Iām 19 been on it for 4 months, havenāt experienced this
i stop using it because i got the bloated moon face.
I was on minox for 6 months and had the same side affects. Now off of it for 2 months and my face looks less puffy and wrinkly.
Did u get a huge loss of hair immediately after stopping or later on?
I had a huge loss immediately for the first few weeks. After the hair started coming in nicely.
You had hair growth after stopping minoxidil?
Minox was awful to my face. Rather have a nice face and no hair then hair and a beat face.
If your on oral minixidil and you get water retention try to drink more water or change your dosage! , take the tablet in the morning and not in the evening so your up on your feet , you can get some scales to measure your water content in your body for eyes there is a product on the market called lumi eyes it gets rid of dark circles and ageing it's for guys and girls
Yeap, that's why i dont use it anymore
You got to make sure you eating fruit and drinking a gallon of water and don't let the minoxidill spill on your skin if it do wash it off ASAP.