alternative to minoxidil

[br111an]

I was at a Kowloon Mannings store to get some minoxidil. It looks like they don't sell it. However, there are many hair loss products available in the store, just none that I am familiar with.

None of these products are FDA approved for hair loss. Three possibilities: the U.S. medical-industrial-complex doesn't want you to know about these (possibly Chinese) alternatives because of their low profit potential, or these are just scam products that the Hong Kong government doesn't feel moved to do anything about, or that they actually work.

It looks like the first and third possibilities may overlap, so the 4th possibility: there's not much business potential in making the product and it also works.

[emx]

What has the FDA got to do with Hong Kong?

[HowardCoombs]

Why would you say "low profit potential"? There are millions of vain humans out there willing to pay princely sums to look "ideal" ...

I vote for scam :-)

If they actually worked, they would be bought by one of the big boys and marketed to hell + heaven and back.

[br111an]

emx: the FDA has nothing to do with Hong Kong. However, if the FDA says rat poison is not effective for treating a headache, avoidance of rat poison is a good idea for people living in Hong Kong even if the FDA doesn't have an office in Kowloon.

[Claire ex-ax]

The FDA is profit driven, certainly not a benchmark provider regarding the safety of medicines.

[hello_there]

You can find Rogaine (minoxidil) products in Hong Kong. I think that I've seen them at Fanda pharmacy in Central, and know that I have seen it around in HK at various pharmacies (local ones not Mannings/ Watsons).

A common response for store clerks (at least in my experience) is that if they don't have something in their shop (or they don't know what it is you are looking for), they will tell you it isn't available in HK. On a number of occasions I have been told that a shop doesn't carry something that I will see on another aisle while walking out of the same shop.

Also, according to the HK deparment of health, there are several registered minoxidil products available in HK:

Drug Office, Department of Health

[br111an]

hello_there: Thanks. It's good to know I will run into minoxidil if I keep looking, in Fanda's, especially. And by the way, is there any chance you would have any experience with the Chinese hair loss products? If they work and are safe, it might be worth switching.

[hello_there]

hello_there: Thanks. It's good to know I will run into minoxidil if I keep looking, in Fanda's, especially. And by the way, is there any chance you would have any experience with the Chinese hair loss products? If they work and are safe, it might be worth switching.

Sorry, no experience - I just recall seeing the products around. I'm a chick and no problem with losing hair. My view on a lot of the Chinese "medical" and beauty products isn't great as there doesn't seem to be much regulation in advertising - at least for beauty products and the like. Many of the claims they make wouldn't be permitted in most other countries, either because they can't be backed up or they are just flat out wrong. I'm not going to get into an argument about the benefits and issues with TCM (but for the record I do think there is probably a lot of truth to some of the stuff), but in terms of consumer protection laws and regulations in HK, there is very little and I therefore prefer to stick with what I know or products a country I trust deems effective and safe under its examining regime.

[Cwbguy]

I vote for scam :-)

If they actually worked, they would be bought by one of the big boys and marketed to hell + heaven and back.

Exactly! If there really was a product that stopped/reversed hairloss it would be like Viagra, a household name, and some company would be making billions of dollars as a result.

There simply is not a product out there that really works. Minoxidil may cause a small amount of regrowth, but what happens when you stop the treatment? It all falls out.

It's the same with slimming/weight loss pills. If there was one that really worked don't you think the multi billion dollar industry would be marketing it?

[Loz_2]

Exactly! If there really was a product that stopped/reversed hairloss it would be like Viagra, a household name, and some company would be making billions of dollars as a result.

There simply is not a product out there that really works. Minoxidil may cause a small amount of regrowth, but what happens when you stop the treatment? It all falls out.

It's the same with slimming/weight loss pills. If there was one that really worked don't you think the multi billion dollar industry would be marketing it?

Hey why not rub some viagra powder on your head and let us know how it goes. Who knows maybe it will be a Eureka moment.

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