I didn't know there was a thread for this
I've been using minoxidil for about 6 months now and I can tell you it works. At least it's working for me.
Before, I was able to grow hair on the neck, jawline and moustache but nothing to write home about. Hair on my chin was patchy and it was nonexistent on my cheeks. The hair on the areas where it already grew is now much darker and dense too, it also grows faster.
After the first month I started noticing a lot of new vellus hairs growing on my chin. As time passes by it's becoming much darker and thicker.
After 4 months new hair started growing on my cheeks and just like the chin hair, it's now darker and more abundant.
Now that 6 months have passed I made a lot of "gains". I have an ok beard now except for the hair that usually connects the moustache to the rest of the beard, that is still in "baby phase".
The goal now is to keep growing as much new hair on the cheeks as possible as well as keep stimulating the folicules until all the vellus hair becomes terminal, which is the process that takes the longest from what I've read.
As for side effects, no, I haven't lost hair from my head and I've not experienced low blood preasure whatsoever.
I did grow more hair on my forearms and hands, but not to the level that it becomes bothersome. Also new vellus hair on my chest, which I might as well keep. Something interesting is that my eyelashes grew as well, now girls compliment me on them lol.
Aside from that, the normal dry, itchy skin in the areas where minoxidil is applied, but it's tolerable.