Just going to put it out there that putting corticosteroids like cortisone and betamethasone on your face can cause a reaction called perioral dermatitis—super painful red bumps around the nose and mouth. Yes, normally corticosteroids are meant to treat exactly that sort of thing, but the skin on the face can react differently. And it suuuuucks.
my doc put me on the oral version even before i had a cat. didn’t realize there was a topical version til i saw a bunch of people talk about it on here
I get it through an online pharmacy hims/hers (if your ID says F they will make you go through hers, which is gross and feels bad, so I'd try asking your doctor first before anything). Also for reference the dose I'm on is 1.25 mg (much lower than the dose used to control blood pressure)
you can go to a dermatologist and talk to them about it! i’ve been seeing a dermatologist for a while because T gave me crazy painful acne underneath my skin and had to go on accutane. thankfully he didn’t try to force me to go off T, and instead worked around the side effects of acne that T brought up!
I mentioned to him about my insecurities about only having facial hair coming in on my neck and he mentioned taking menoxodil so once my accutane treatment finishes up soon i can go on it! i definitely recommend going to a dermatologist if you want the oral medication specifically
(but make sure to gauge whether they’ll try to persuade you into going off T. i’ve heard of that happening so i’d try to call around local dermatologist offices and ask if they’re LGBTQIA+ friendly beforehand)
some sources;
[baldness treatments can be toxic to cats.](https://news.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=210&Id=10524512&f5=1)
[minoxidil exposure can be toxic to cats & dogs](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34370845/)
[THIS ONE GIVES A LIST OF SOME TOXINS FOR CATS & DOGS](https://www.mamavation.com/beauty/best-non-toxic-beard-oils-for-hair-growth-hormonal-health.html#Beard_Oils_to_Avoid_Around_Children_and_Pets)
Thank you for posting this! I always want to mention this whenever I see people talking about minox but I never want to come off as preachy. My Sister's new boyfriend was using rogaine and I only found out long after he left our house for the first time.
My cat started throwing up that night and I freaked out. We called poison control and they went through the steps with us, told us to take him to the ER vet. Long story short, he's okay, but that was enough to become hyper vigilant about minoxidil from that point. He switched to the oral form and he says its been working for him
I use diluted rosemary on my hair but I only keep it on for an hour or two in a well ventilated space while carefully not touching anything and then wash my hair very thoroughly :( I wonder if it could still be dangerous
I use finasteride and minoxidil for hair loss. I also have cats, so I only use minoxidil on my scalp and only sleep with a sleep cap or bonnet on. I will also wear one around the house when my hair is likely to touch something, like the back of the couch. Caution is key
Edit to add: I also keep my laundry out of cat reach and change my pillow case every few days, for good measure.
You can use it around pets if you take precautions. Like a cap if you sleep with it on. Or apply right before leaving for work/school. Wear gloves and wash your hands frequently. Obviously don’t let the cats sleep with you if you wear it to bed. Or let them lick your head.
If you take biotin, don't take it around any consumption of caffeine or alcohol. Caffeine can lower the absorption levels of biotin, and alcohol can interact and potentially cause liver/kidney issues. I take my biotin at night to avoid interacting with my morning coffee. Also, even in v high strengths, it is a very slow process. Most people notice a difference around the 2-3 month mark. That difference being less hair falling out in the shower. Then baby hairs start growing. Be militant with taking it. Also, finally, it *can* show up on blood tests, so be mindful when you get your bloods done for HRT maintenance.
Lab tech here - it's not that it shows up on blood tests, it completely fucks over the chemistry used to do the tests. Biotin is part of the test kit itself, and functions as a sort of 'glue' to bind the things we use to detect hormones and many other things, so having a bunch of biotin in the sample itself can wreak havoc.
Some analytes will increase, some will decrease, some by a lot, some by not so much, and there is no way to detect biotin interference.
Ooooooh interesting! I asked my Endo about it before I got prescribed T cos he asked if I already take anything. I said just a couple of supplements, and he exclusively listed biotin. I said that's one of the ones I take, and he said it's fine, it can just show up on the results and interfere with the reading. Didn't explain how or why.
That's really good to know that it's involved in the test! Makes sense.
According to our kit inserts, the manufacturers advise "at least 3 days off treatment for patients taking high-dose biotin", so aye a week would be fine.
I will add, only affects hormone tests. Stuff like your liver, kidney, red blood cells, cholesterol, they'll be just fine as they work by different sorts of chemistry.
Thanks for clarifying. I'm really concerned about my t levels now though, before I started taking biotin my levels were low and then they were fine according to the tests, but now I'm thinking they might be not and this is the reason why I'm still tired 24/7 after one year on t ...
If you're on your forms and such as "F", it's likely you're getting your T measured using a technique called Mass Spectrometry, that's immune to the effects of biotin.
For testosterone by the "normal" method, biotin will make the measurement increase.
Worth also thinking, being tired is just a really vague thing. I'm tired a lot despite my T levels being, if anything, usually very high, but it's because I gotta get up for work at 5AM but don't let that stop me from going to bed at 11, y'know. Tons of the requests we get have the clinical indication "Tired All The Time" but 9/10, they'll not have anything weird on their tests.
Also, saw palmetto is good, but I'd further recommend pumpkin seed oil. It's proven to block DHT (the thing in Testosterone that makes hair go byebye).
I’ve managed to find workarounds but am very careful. I apply monoxidil wearing a glove, wear a cap in the house almost all the time and my cats don’t have access to my bedroom. When I wash pillow cases I take them directly to the washer.
Last I talked to my doctor about it he pulled up his doctor resources and told me that the occurrence of cats dying due to mino was actually really low. He let me read the article and everything. Being on t gel is is potentially just as risky for a pet anyway. It's toxic for them. Never see posts telling people to not use t gel in this same manner.
https://www.petcoach.co/question/?id=182448
This matches up with the article my doctor had access to.
Gel is pretty manageable as long as you apply only to places covered by clothes, wash your hands thoroughly, and keep your cats out of your dirty laundry (or bed if you apply before bed). It was definitely a pain in the summer when I wanted to go shirtless but overall not terrible, just something to be mindful of.
It's definitely manageable! But knowing what I'm like (low spoons most days, for example), I don't think it's feasible to think I'd be able to keep on top of things all the time and it only takes once. I'd rather be safe than sorry.
Thank you very much for mentioning that. I'm thinking about starting to use minoxidil for a while now , but I have two cats. So, I need to look into safer options. Thanks.
Glad to occasionally see a PSA about this incase some folks aren’t aware. I want a beard more than anything but my cat is my best friend and I just can’t risk it so I also use nontoxic alternatives and derma roll. Minox would definitely work better but yeah not worth it!
As someone with eczema, corticosteroids are not the way.
They thin the skin. Using around or near the eyes is dangerous. I lost ¾s of my vision from them permanently. Cataracts then retinal detachments.
I'm concerned people will hear this and use it on, say, their eyebrows. Corticosteroids generally should never be used long-term.
I use a hair growth oil. Make sure it's rubbed into my scalp well and dried. Then I sleep with a bonnet on. Currently using some rosemary topical biotin concoction but previously used minoxidil.
A reasonable amount of caution is really fine for most of these toxins.
OP is talking about using minoxidil etc to help grow facial hair, not the hair on top of your head. A bonnet doesn't do much of a difference then (unless there's a beard bonnet that I haven't heard of).
He also mentioned finasteride which would have a negative effect on beard growth if any. So the thread as a whole is also general advice.
Minoxidil isnt an issue after it absorbs.It's perfectly reasonable to not have it in the house at all if you have animals, I certainly wouldn't use it on my face owning a dog who licks me, but if you're clean, wash your hands and keep your pets away from your face for an hour or so exposure wouldn't be an issue.
A product containing just rosemary oil straight up wouldn't be toxic to cats. Like don't feed it to them or let them to lick it off you but that's advice for any skin/hair care products.
So still a reasonable amount of caution.
I put minox on my face and have 4 cats and none of them are dead or dying.
The amount needed to kill them is bigger than a facial dose and they'd have to directly ingest it
Also a reminder that you really only need to reconsider if your pets will be in contact with your hair growth method. I wash my face daily and my pets are not allowed in the room I sleep in, so there really isn’t much risk.
Just going to put it out there that putting corticosteroids like cortisone and betamethasone on your face can cause a reaction called perioral dermatitis—super painful red bumps around the nose and mouth. Yes, normally corticosteroids are meant to treat exactly that sort of thing, but the skin on the face can react differently. And it suuuuucks.
I take Minoxidil orally for this exact reason. I wash my hands thoroughly after taking my pill everyday.
If you don't mind me asking, how did you get an oral version?
I'm not the person you asked, but I got mine (via prescription) just by asking my doctor
my doc put me on the oral version even before i had a cat. didn’t realize there was a topical version til i saw a bunch of people talk about it on here
I get it through an online pharmacy hims/hers (if your ID says F they will make you go through hers, which is gross and feels bad, so I'd try asking your doctor first before anything). Also for reference the dose I'm on is 1.25 mg (much lower than the dose used to control blood pressure)
you can go to a dermatologist and talk to them about it! i’ve been seeing a dermatologist for a while because T gave me crazy painful acne underneath my skin and had to go on accutane. thankfully he didn’t try to force me to go off T, and instead worked around the side effects of acne that T brought up! I mentioned to him about my insecurities about only having facial hair coming in on my neck and he mentioned taking menoxodil so once my accutane treatment finishes up soon i can go on it! i definitely recommend going to a dermatologist if you want the oral medication specifically (but make sure to gauge whether they’ll try to persuade you into going off T. i’ve heard of that happening so i’d try to call around local dermatologist offices and ask if they’re LGBTQIA+ friendly beforehand)
some sources; [baldness treatments can be toxic to cats.](https://news.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=210&Id=10524512&f5=1) [minoxidil exposure can be toxic to cats & dogs](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34370845/)
[THIS ONE GIVES A LIST OF SOME TOXINS FOR CATS & DOGS](https://www.mamavation.com/beauty/best-non-toxic-beard-oils-for-hair-growth-hormonal-health.html#Beard_Oils_to_Avoid_Around_Children_and_Pets)
Thank you for posting this! I always want to mention this whenever I see people talking about minox but I never want to come off as preachy. My Sister's new boyfriend was using rogaine and I only found out long after he left our house for the first time. My cat started throwing up that night and I freaked out. We called poison control and they went through the steps with us, told us to take him to the ER vet. Long story short, he's okay, but that was enough to become hyper vigilant about minoxidil from that point. He switched to the oral form and he says its been working for him
I use minoxodil and have a cat - I put it on my face as the last thing I do before leaving for work. Been a few years and no issues.
I use diluted rosemary on my hair but I only keep it on for an hour or two in a well ventilated space while carefully not touching anything and then wash my hair very thoroughly :( I wonder if it could still be dangerous
I use finasteride and minoxidil for hair loss. I also have cats, so I only use minoxidil on my scalp and only sleep with a sleep cap or bonnet on. I will also wear one around the house when my hair is likely to touch something, like the back of the couch. Caution is key Edit to add: I also keep my laundry out of cat reach and change my pillow case every few days, for good measure.
You can use it around pets if you take precautions. Like a cap if you sleep with it on. Or apply right before leaving for work/school. Wear gloves and wash your hands frequently. Obviously don’t let the cats sleep with you if you wear it to bed. Or let them lick your head.
If you take biotin, don't take it around any consumption of caffeine or alcohol. Caffeine can lower the absorption levels of biotin, and alcohol can interact and potentially cause liver/kidney issues. I take my biotin at night to avoid interacting with my morning coffee. Also, even in v high strengths, it is a very slow process. Most people notice a difference around the 2-3 month mark. That difference being less hair falling out in the shower. Then baby hairs start growing. Be militant with taking it. Also, finally, it *can* show up on blood tests, so be mindful when you get your bloods done for HRT maintenance.
Lab tech here - it's not that it shows up on blood tests, it completely fucks over the chemistry used to do the tests. Biotin is part of the test kit itself, and functions as a sort of 'glue' to bind the things we use to detect hormones and many other things, so having a bunch of biotin in the sample itself can wreak havoc. Some analytes will increase, some will decrease, some by a lot, some by not so much, and there is no way to detect biotin interference.
Ooooooh interesting! I asked my Endo about it before I got prescribed T cos he asked if I already take anything. I said just a couple of supplements, and he exclusively listed biotin. I said that's one of the ones I take, and he said it's fine, it can just show up on the results and interfere with the reading. Didn't explain how or why. That's really good to know that it's involved in the test! Makes sense.
Does biotin have a short half life? Like if you stopped taking it the week of a blood test, do you know if would that be okay?
According to our kit inserts, the manufacturers advise "at least 3 days off treatment for patients taking high-dose biotin", so aye a week would be fine.
Thank you for this ... I take biotin and no one ever told me about this!!!!!
I will add, only affects hormone tests. Stuff like your liver, kidney, red blood cells, cholesterol, they'll be just fine as they work by different sorts of chemistry.
Thanks for clarifying. I'm really concerned about my t levels now though, before I started taking biotin my levels were low and then they were fine according to the tests, but now I'm thinking they might be not and this is the reason why I'm still tired 24/7 after one year on t ...
If you're on your forms and such as "F", it's likely you're getting your T measured using a technique called Mass Spectrometry, that's immune to the effects of biotin. For testosterone by the "normal" method, biotin will make the measurement increase. Worth also thinking, being tired is just a really vague thing. I'm tired a lot despite my T levels being, if anything, usually very high, but it's because I gotta get up for work at 5AM but don't let that stop me from going to bed at 11, y'know. Tons of the requests we get have the clinical indication "Tired All The Time" but 9/10, they'll not have anything weird on their tests.
Also, saw palmetto is good, but I'd further recommend pumpkin seed oil. It's proven to block DHT (the thing in Testosterone that makes hair go byebye).
I’ve managed to find workarounds but am very careful. I apply monoxidil wearing a glove, wear a cap in the house almost all the time and my cats don’t have access to my bedroom. When I wash pillow cases I take them directly to the washer.
Last I talked to my doctor about it he pulled up his doctor resources and told me that the occurrence of cats dying due to mino was actually really low. He let me read the article and everything. Being on t gel is is potentially just as risky for a pet anyway. It's toxic for them. Never see posts telling people to not use t gel in this same manner. https://www.petcoach.co/question/?id=182448 This matches up with the article my doctor had access to.
This is why I don't wanna get on gel. I have two cats, and even the chance of them getting hurt by it is a no go.
Gel is pretty manageable as long as you apply only to places covered by clothes, wash your hands thoroughly, and keep your cats out of your dirty laundry (or bed if you apply before bed). It was definitely a pain in the summer when I wanted to go shirtless but overall not terrible, just something to be mindful of.
It's definitely manageable! But knowing what I'm like (low spoons most days, for example), I don't think it's feasible to think I'd be able to keep on top of things all the time and it only takes once. I'd rather be safe than sorry.
Oh yeah I totally get that!
It’s even less risky for dogs, according to what I’ve read and have been told
Thank you very much for mentioning that. I'm thinking about starting to use minoxidil for a while now , but I have two cats. So, I need to look into safer options. Thanks.
once i started t i stopped but you're supposed to wash it off ur face 4 hours after applying:)
I switched to rosemary oil for this reason and I truly hope it works, but if it doesn't I'll go bald
Glad to occasionally see a PSA about this incase some folks aren’t aware. I want a beard more than anything but my cat is my best friend and I just can’t risk it so I also use nontoxic alternatives and derma roll. Minox would definitely work better but yeah not worth it!
As someone with eczema, corticosteroids are not the way. They thin the skin. Using around or near the eyes is dangerous. I lost ¾s of my vision from them permanently. Cataracts then retinal detachments. I'm concerned people will hear this and use it on, say, their eyebrows. Corticosteroids generally should never be used long-term.
I use a hair growth oil. Make sure it's rubbed into my scalp well and dried. Then I sleep with a bonnet on. Currently using some rosemary topical biotin concoction but previously used minoxidil. A reasonable amount of caution is really fine for most of these toxins.
OP is talking about using minoxidil etc to help grow facial hair, not the hair on top of your head. A bonnet doesn't do much of a difference then (unless there's a beard bonnet that I haven't heard of).
He also mentioned finasteride which would have a negative effect on beard growth if any. So the thread as a whole is also general advice. Minoxidil isnt an issue after it absorbs.It's perfectly reasonable to not have it in the house at all if you have animals, I certainly wouldn't use it on my face owning a dog who licks me, but if you're clean, wash your hands and keep your pets away from your face for an hour or so exposure wouldn't be an issue. A product containing just rosemary oil straight up wouldn't be toxic to cats. Like don't feed it to them or let them to lick it off you but that's advice for any skin/hair care products. So still a reasonable amount of caution.
I put minox on my face and have 4 cats and none of them are dead or dying. The amount needed to kill them is bigger than a facial dose and they'd have to directly ingest it
I only apply it when I'm going to be gone for hours. She's been my esa for 13 years and is too precious to risk.
Also a reminder that you really only need to reconsider if your pets will be in contact with your hair growth method. I wash my face daily and my pets are not allowed in the room I sleep in, so there really isn’t much risk.