I've been worrying about hair thinning and hair loss more than I like to admit lately, whether it's due to pre-wedding beauty anxiety, aging, or having a father who lost his hair in his 20s (sorry, Dad). And sure, my haircare regimen is up to standard, before you ask. Am I treating my scalp with care? Check. Supplements? Check. still, losing hair? Check. So, you can use minoxidil for hair loss if you suffer from hair disorders.
I started to question about Rogaine and its main ingredient, minoxidil, as a result of all of this. I decided to look into it after seeing some millennial-targeted advertisements for updated iterations of the original formula (like Keeps and Hers). I want to get all the information before using a new product, especially one with such a strong active ingredient. First off, how does minoxidil function? Does baldness have to be present to reap the benefits? Are there any unfavorable side effects as well? To learn more, we talked to a variety of experts.
How Does it Work
A brief Google search will reveal that minoxidil is also an oral blood pressure drug, which is how its ability to promote hair growth was first identified. According to Kim D. Edhegard, MD, a dermatologist in Virginia, "minoxidil was initially created in the early 1960s as an oral medication for high blood pressure, a disease for which it is still, albeit seldom, used." "The unusual side effect of hair growth was reported in one of the early trials for the treatment of high blood pressure." After several decades of study, the FDA approved topical minoxidil for the treatment of male hair loss (giving rise to the product Rogaine), and later for the treatment of female hair loss as well.
Interestingly enough, researchers disagree on the exact mechanism through which minoxidil encourages hair growth. Board-certified dermatologist Divya Shokeen hypothesizes that minoxidil's ability to dilate the blood vessels in the scalp may be the reason for this hair growth. Another theory, supported by evidence from 2017, contends that minoxidil lengthens the growth phase of the hair follicle by increasing an enzyme known as ATP.
Benefits of Minoxidil
All hair types, including natural hair, can safely use minoxidil, while people with color-treated hair may have increased sensitivity. Certain types of hair loss, such as forms of scarring alopecia that are more prevalent in Black women, may be less responsive to minoxidil. 3 Results vary because everyone is unique, but generally speaking, "...hair density will often begin to stabilize two to three months into therapy, with fewer and fewer hairs being shed each day," according to Edhegard. This will go on as long as each person can tolerate it during the course of treatment. You must maintain treatment if you want to keep seeing the results.
Minoxidil should be safe for you to use unless you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant. 4 Rogaine, the original minoxidil product, is available in female-specific formulations with two percent and five percent of the ingredient in both liquid and foam forms. Hers sells minoxidil hair growth drops with a two percent concentration. While both items are very identical, Hers is slightly less expensive and has a more appealing appearance overall. While Hers needs be obtained directly from the brand online, Rogaine is more commonly accessible at pharmacies and on Amazon.
Given that hair loss is complicated and that a variety of causes, including stress, hormone changes, a recent illness, vegetarian or low-protein diets, and rapid weight reduction, can cause it, 5—Virginia dermatologist Brenda Dintiman says it's a good idea to see a doctor if you're going through significant hair loss. In order to restore your hair's lustre, growth, and fullness, she explains, a board-certified dermatologist can determine what is causing your hair loss and mix topical minoxidil with dietary suggestions and supplements like vitamin D.
Side Effects of Minoxidil
Because minoxidil improves blood flow to the scalp, according to Gretchen Friese, a trichologist certified by BosleyMD, you can notice some redness or mild irritation. According to Friese, minoxidil has no adverse effects on all hair types because it affects the hair follicle.
Ensure that you are applying minoxidil at the proper concentration. According to Friese, the suggested strengths for men and women are different—men should use a 5 percent strength, while women should use a 2 percent strength.
Oral Minoxidil Use for Hair Loss
The negative effects of the high-dose version of the medication, which is used to treat high blood pressure, are what led to the development of low-dose oral minoxidil for hair loss.
About 80% of patients in clinical trials for Loniten had hypertrichosis, or "elongation, thickness, and heightened pigmentation of body hair," three to six weeks after starting the medication.
However, the hair growth was not long-lasting; one to six months after treatment was stopped, the hair growth ceased, and the patients' appearances returned to normal.
Rodney Sinclair, MD, a professor of dermatology at the University of Melbourne, pioneered the discovery of utilizing low-dose minoxidil pills exclusively for hair loss, and he published pilot research on the subject in 2017.
The hair growth, however, was not long-lasting; one to six months after treatment was terminated, the patients' appearances returned to how they had been before the treatment.
That finding was established by Rodney Sinclair, MD, a professor of dermatology at the University of Melbourne, who released a pilot research on the subject in 2017. He discovered the use of low-dose minoxidil pills specifically for hair loss.
