# Hey, FUCK YOU, Rogaine! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 5, 2001, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-fuck-you-rogaine/91652 "2001-11-05T19:19:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tygr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df788c/32.png) [@Tygr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tygr)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2001, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-fuck-you-rogaine/91652/1 "2001-11-05T19:19:26Z")
Your latest commercial starts thusly: > [@](#): > > Voice-over: If you started losing your hair, would your girlfriend still feel the same way? > > Guy: Yeah. She’d just feel it about somebody else. Okay. I understand your revenue comes from selling your product to men who are insecure about their hair loss, the way I’ve been for the past decade or more. But now you fuckwits are actually _creating_ insecurity, preying on men’s fears of losing someone they care about over a natural process they have no control over. I had tried your product, but no longer. You’ve lost a customer forever. Now that you mung-for-brains put this commercial on the air I’d rather deal with the way my hair loss lowers my own self image than give you any more money. So fuck your ass with a rusty corkscrew, and further, I hope the Art Director for the ad agency that came up with, pitched and sold you such a foul evil piece of mule-tripe winds up with an untreatable debilitating dose of Polynesian Swine Clap. ---
**Author:** ![LiquidLobotomy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/898d66/32.png) [@LiquidLobotomy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiquidLobotomy)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2001, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-fuck-you-rogaine/91652/2 "2001-11-05T19:33:06Z")
While I do not suffer from a loss of hair (maybe premature whitening in the future) I have to agree with Tygr on this one. I have yet to see that commercial, but I cannot imagine what the producers were thinking when they sponsored it. Just how low do you have to go to sell your product? Damn. That’s cold. ---
**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2001, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-fuck-you-rogaine/91652/3 "2001-11-05T20:56:06Z")
For what it’s worth, I agree completely and so do many others: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=94583](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=94583) [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=65057](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=65057) These commercials do the same thing to men that advertisers have done to women for years. Take a situation and turn it into a self esteem killer. I love my bald husband and wouldn’t trade him for anyone on Gods green earth. Fuck you, Rogaine! Zette ---
**Author:** ![Orbifold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orbifold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orbifold)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2001, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-fuck-you-rogaine/91652/4 "2001-11-05T21:21:41Z")
Anyone else notice that they’ve updated that ad recently? Before, the girlfriend in question just smiled, like she found her boyfriend’s insecurities to be incredibly amusing. Now, she actually speaks: she says something along the lines of “Relax, honey, I love you!”. It makes the ad suck marginally less, IMO. They’re still preying on insecurities, but at least now they’re acknowledging that those insecurities might not be well-founded. Note my use of the word “marginally”, however. ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2001, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-fuck-you-rogaine/91652/5 "2001-11-05T21:32:38Z")
Just shave your head **Tyger** , baby. Bald is _sexy_ ! ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2001, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-fuck-you-rogaine/91652/6 "2001-11-05T21:40:56Z")
Grrr…:rolleyes: **Tygr** , have an ‘e’. One can never have too many ‘e’s’. Happy Birthday. ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2001, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-fuck-you-rogaine/91652/7 "2001-11-05T21:46:21Z")
**Arden Ranger** : > [@](#): > > Just shave your head **Tygr** , baby. > > Bald is _sexy_ ! [Hear, hear!](http://www.mindspring.com/~glenn5/images/glennbart.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![THespos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@THespos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/THespos)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2001, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-fuck-you-rogaine/91652/8 "2001-11-05T22:23:16Z")
This new thread on this topic just shows anecdotal evidence of my argument in the first thread that **Zette** quoted. I was trying to argue to **Jonathan Chance** that even if this ad generate sales for the people who make Rogaine, it’s only a short-term sales solution and they’re doing damage to their brand. If/when I’m ready to look into options for my thinning hair, I’m not even going to consider Rogaine, for the reasons I stated in my OP and because, as **Tygr** pointed out, the fact that they’re creating anxiety. Of course, widespread damage to the brand couldn’t be definitively proven until someone wants to pony up $20,000 for a brand study or such. But when you notice people complaining about the ad regularly, you’ve gotta think that there’s SOME damage being done. ---
**Author:** ![Bossk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7feea3/32.png) [@Bossk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bossk)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2001, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-fuck-you-rogaine/91652/9 "2001-11-06T11:44:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tygr \* > \*\*Okay. I understand your revenue comes from selling your product to men who are insecure about their hair loss, the way I’ve been for the past decade or more. > > But now you fuckwits are actually _creating_ insecurity, preying on men’s fears of losing someone they care about over a natural process they have no control over. > > \*\* Oh, grow the hell up. Advertisers have been doing this forever. Making you think you have bad breath, so you buy mouthwash. Making you think you have BO, so you buy deodorant. See a pattern here? I’m sorry the Rogaine ad hit a little too close to home, but that’s life. Get over it, or give Sy Sperling a call. There’s always other options. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2001, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-fuck-you-rogaine/91652/10 "2001-11-06T11:59:30Z")
So they’re preying on poor self esteem about physical appearance? Ho hum. Been happening for years. But wait! What’s that you say? they’re doing it to _men_ now? Good Lord! ---
**Author:** ![Venoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c4cdca/32.png) [@Venoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Venoma)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2001, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-fuck-you-rogaine/91652/11 "2001-11-06T14:45:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bossk \* > \*\* > Making you think you have bad breath, so you buy mouthwash. Making you think you have BO, so you buy deodorant. See a pattern here? > \*\* No, some people really DO have bad breath and BO (thank god for mouthwash and deodorant. Halitosis is the bane of my existance… or something) Baldness does not necessarily make people unattractive, though. [end nitpick] ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2001, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-fuck-you-rogaine/91652/12 "2001-11-06T16:24:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Arden Ranger \* > \*\*Just shave your head **Tyger** , baby. > > Bald is _sexy_ ! \*\* Hey Arden? [How YOU doin’?](http://www.yarbrough.org/Todd.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Tygr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df788c/32.png) [@Tygr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tygr)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2001, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-fuck-you-rogaine/91652/13 "2001-11-06T18:26:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Arden Ranger \* > \*\*Just shave your head **Tyger** , baby. > > Bald is _sexy_ ! \*\* B’leeve me, I been contemplating it for the past year or so. I actually do cut it short, but haven’t gone the full monty yet. But this enthusiastic endorsement from The Sexiest Doper™ just might be enough to shove me forward. One question, though, Arden. Would I have to grow a goatee, like Fiver and Lightnin? It seems to be part of the ‘look’, but that’s got its own challenges. See, the one time I tried growing my facial hair out, I discovered that I’d been the victim of one of Nature’s cruel jokes twice over. My chin is bald, too. _overly-dramatic sigh_ Hey, maybe if I rub some minoxidil on it… [sub](And thanks for the ‘e’! Now I have the full set and I can finally trade them in for that One-Tenth Scale Die Cast Replica of the Battle of Hastings!)[/sub] > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zette \* > **For what it’s worth, I agree completely and so do many others: \** Sigh. Goes to show there’s nothing new under the sun. Actually these ads have been pissing me off so bad I didn’t bother doing a search. I’ve been formulating my own rant for a few weeks and I wanted to shout it loud. Now that I think of it, though, I guess that’s really not how one is supposed to do things on the Boards. Ah, well. I’ll do better next time. ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2001, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-fuck-you-rogaine/91652/14 "2001-11-06T21:35:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lightnin’ \* > \*\*Hey Arden? [How YOU doin’?](http://www.yarbrough.org/Todd.jpg) \*\* ::checks link:: _rowl_! > [@](#): > > **Tygr** \*says:\*One question, though, Arden. Would I have to grow a goatee, like Fiver and Lightnin? It seems to be part of the ‘look’, but that’s got its own challenges. > > See, the one time I tried growing my facial hair out, I discovered that I’d been the victim of one of Nature’s cruel jokes twice over. My chin is bald, too. _overly-dramatic sigh_ Babycakes, goatees, while smokin’ hot, are optional. Patrick Stewart, one of the world’s sexiest men, is bald and goatee-less. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2001, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-fuck-you-rogaine/91652/15 "2001-11-07T03:26:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Arden Ranger \* > \*\*Just shave your head **Tyger** , baby. > > Bald is _sexy_ ! \*\* Yes, indeed! I like the bald look. And a goatee is just the icing on the cake! Don’t go trying Rogaine on my account. ---
**Author:** ![YWalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/6f9a4e/32.png) [@YWalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YWalker)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2001, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-fuck-you-rogaine/91652/16 "2001-11-07T03:51:04Z")
Ah, gentlemen, welcome to the world of cosmetics! They SAY that they’re there to help you to feel better about yourself. Of course, they do this by attempting to make you feel like crap if you DON’T use their stuff. Guys, it ain’t what’s on TOP of your head that makes you sexy. I’ve discussed the topic with loads of other women over the years, and there was essentially 100% agreement: There’s nothing wrong with going bald. (As **Arden** pointed out, many women find it more sexy.) One exception, however: The comb-over is a **definite** no-no. If it’s going, let it go; you’re not going to fool anyone with a comb-over. It just looks pitiful. The most pitiful “I don’t wanna go bald” guy I’ve ever seen, though, is a gynecologist I used to go to. Instead of a comb-over, he had had hair plugs implanted on his scalp. His head looked like a neat little pink plantation with X’s at 1" intervals that had plugs of hair attached. Note to balding gynecologists: You aren’t going to hide your baldness from your patients. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2001, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-fuck-you-rogaine/91652/17 "2001-11-07T05:42:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by YWalker \* > \*\*Note to balding gynecologists: You aren’t going to hide your baldness from your patients. \*\* Funniest. Quote. Ever. ---
**Author:** ![Suo\_Na](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@Suo\_Na](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suo_Na)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2001, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-fuck-you-rogaine/91652/18 "2001-11-07T18:20:21Z")
Have you noticed the Rogaine for women ads? They go something like: “Millions of people are losing their hair. It’s a perfectly normal process. (et cetera, et cetera, sappy crap)” “But we’re women.” Yes. As if a woman losing her hair is more traumatized than a man. Come on. A woman can go out and buy a great, natural-looking wig and no one will ever know. Can a man? Not likely. Frankly, I’d rather go bald than be told I have to take drugs for the rest of my life in order not to. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2001, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-fuck-you-rogaine/91652/19 "2001-11-08T05:17:28Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by YWalker \* > Guys, it ain’t what’s on TOP of your head that makes you sexy. I’ve discussed the topic with loads of other women over the years, and there was essentially 100% agreement: There’s nothing wrong with going bald. (As **Arden** pointed out, many women find it more sexy.) One exception, however: The comb-over is a **definite** no-no. If it’s going, let it go; you’re not going to fool anyone with a comb-over. It just looks pitiful._\* Yeah, that ol’ comb over bit can be tricky; I always told myself I wouldn’t do it; but when I _did_ start to thin up top I found myself in the mirror trying all kinds of tricky stuff untill finally I realized what I was doing. Thats when I looked into the mirror and said: [kid from sixth sense voice]_ **I see old perople!** _[kid from sixth sense voice] After that I shaved my head completely and its been that way ever since ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2001, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-fuck-you-rogaine/91652/20 "2001-11-08T05:27:37Z")
I’m considering shaving my head. My hairline has receded quite a bit ([here’s](http://rampages.onramp.net/~daryls/tiger.jpg) a fairly recent picture) and you can see skin through the hair on top of my head when you can see the top of my head (luckily this is pretty rare since I’m almost six and a half feet tall). I think I’d look better, especially since I have a goattee now, but my wife says I should wait until I get a bald spot.