About Male Pattern Baldness
It is a hereditary condition in which hair follicles is likely to become over sensitive to the activity of an androgen called DHT or dihydrotestosterone. In men with pattern baldness, DHT can affect the growing phase of their hair follicles.
Male pattern baldness usually begins with front hairline or hair on the temple of both sides that recedes. However this varies, too. Some men may first experience thinning of hair on the crown.
As the name suggests, pattern hair loss means that there is usually unique pattern of how it progresses. Hairline that recedes may cause M shape. And if there is also thinning hair on the crown, these thinning spots eventually may form horseshoe shape or U shape .
How long does it take to lead to baldness can vary. If the baldness does occur, it could be partial or complete baldness.
What Is Rogaine And How Does Rogaine Work
How does rogaine work?
Answer: Rogaine is basically minoxidil, which is one of the most popular hair loss treatments in the world for men and women. They have rogaine for men and rogaine for women.
The main ingredient is called minoxidil which is an FDA approved treatment that is available over the counter and sold inside drugstores nation wide as well as sold online world wide.
Rogaine is available in liquid form as well as a foam application form.
Rogaine only works for certain types of hair loss and that is only if you never miss a beat in applying the application onto the scalp where it is needed most. Sadly rogaine does not work for everyone.
Results show up in 4 to 6 months of consistent application as directed.
For those of who rogaine does work for, you might not grow back the entire head of hair that was lost even if used regularly. This is based on clinical studies.
Why or how rogaine works to grow hair in the first place is very unclear it could be due to blood circulation improved on the scalp to the hair follicles that will help to produce hair regrowth.
Another reason could very well be due to rogaine stimulating the scalp to keep the hair growth phase for a longer period of time than usual and that rogaine is very capable of enlarging the hair follicles to create more scalp coverage helping in the appearance of hair growth.
Is There An Increased Risk Of Side Effects
Alongside dose-response is the concept of diminishing returns. That is, side effects increase without enough of a benefit return.
This may not necessarily happen with the 5% formula. After all, many individuals use it without ill effects. However, as dose increases, so too does risk of side effects. This is especially true in female users of the product, as studies show them to be more sensitive to minoxidils systemic effects .
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Does Minoxidil Work For A Receding Hairline
Medically reviewed by Kristin Hall, FNP
Like finasteride, minoxidil is scientifically proven to improve hair growth and potentially help men with male pattern baldness regrow lost hair.
However, theres some debate online about whether or not minoxidil works on the hairs around the hairline. In the tests used to secure FDA approval, minoxidil was primarily tested on the top of the scalp and crown, resulting in a common belief that it only works on these areas.
Despite this, theres lots of evidence that minoxidil is effective at promoting hair growth on the entire scalp, including the hairline.
In this guide, well look at the science behind minoxidil to give you a deeper understanding of how it works, why its effective and why its worth considering if youve noticed your hairline starting to thin and recede.
What Should I Tell My Healthcare Provider Before Taking Finasteride
Before taking finasteride, tell your healthcare provider if you:
- have any other medical conditions, including problems with your prostate or liver
- Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of them to show your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine.
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Does Rogaine Stop Hair Loss
Rogaine® is statistically proven to be moderately effective as a hair loss treatment in clinical studies and trials. The results are moderate because participants in trials may be experiencing different types of hair loss. Rogaine® is most effective at treating men and women with Androgenetic Alopecia, a genetic hair loss issue, who have the essential SULT1A1 enzyme to respond to Minoxidil.
Does Rogaine Work On Thinning Hair Loss
You can quite possible regrow hair in areas on the scalp such as at the back of the crown head under the crown for men and at the top of the crown of head for women that are thinning.
Rogaine is NOT for people who:
- Are completely bald headed
- Have an itchy red irritated scalp
- If scalp is infected
- If hair loss is due to chemicals such as from perms, hair products or hair color bleach
- Other types of alopecia hair loss
- Nutritional hair loss causes
But you can use rogaine if it is for family hereditary hair loss reasons.
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Who Gets The Best Results From Rogaine
Rogaine is applied to the scalp to help grow hair and prevent hair loss caused by male or female pattern baldness. This is the most common type of hair loss and runs in families.
Rogaine works best in people with hereditary hair loss at the vertex of the scalp or for women with general thinning of hair on the top of the scalp. Rogaine isnt meant for a receding hairline or baldness at the front of your scalp.
Rogaine has been shown to be most effective in people under 40 years old and for those who start using it at the first signs of hair loss. It wont help people whove already gone completely bald.
Dont use Rogaine if any of the following apply:
- You dont have a family history of hair loss.
- Your hair loss comes on suddenly and falls out in patches.
- Youre under the age of 18.
- Your scalp is red, itchy, infected, or painful to touch.
- Your hair loss is caused by hair products, chemicals, or hair grooming methods like cornrowing.
- Your hair loss is caused by another condition, like a thyroid disease or alopecia areata, nutritional deficiencies, scarring of the scalp, or medications, such as chemotherapy.
If you have heart disease, see your doctor before trying Rogaine.
How Long Until You See Minoxidil Results
Because of minoxidils mechanism of action, you wont experience immediate hair growth after you start using this medication.
Instead, as we mentioned earlier, you may shed slightly more hair than normal during the first few weeks of treatment with minoxidil as your hairs rapidly move through their growth cycle to begin a new anagen phase.
Most research shows that it takes a few months before youll notice any improvements in your hair after you start using minoxidil.
For example, the studies featured above — all of which showed positive outcomes — looked at the results of minoxidil after at least three months of regular use.
Although results can vary from one person to another, you should generally expect to see some improvement from minoxidil after about three to six months, with more significant results after a full year of treatment.
In the meantime, its important to be patient and continue using minoxidil even if you dont notice any day-to-day change in your hairline.
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What Does Women’s Rogaine Claim To Do
Hair loss starts when your hair follicles begin to shrink and die. There are many shampoos out there that claim to prevent hair follicles dying, but Women’s Rogaine claims to do that and also to grow new hair follicles.
That may sound like a bold claim but Women’s Rogaine is the only topical solution for hair loss, recommended by Dermatologists for hair regrowth treatment.
What Are The Side Effect Of Using Rogaine
Common side effects of Rogaine include dry scalp, irritation on the scalp, sunlight sensitivity, scalp burning, itching, scaling, and flaking. 5% Rogaine® solutions may cause hair growth in non-targeted areas like the cheeks or chin. Women with color-treated hair may experience more intense side effects, including lightheadedness and scalp irritation. If you experience extreme symptoms like nausea, weight gain, facial swelling, dizziness, chest pain, or heart palpitations, immediately stop using Rogaine® and see your doctor.
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Vitamins Minerals And Other Supplements
If your blood test reveals that youre not getting enough biotin, iron, or zinc, your dermatologist may recommend taking a supplement. If youre not getting enough protein, your dermatologist can tell you how to boost your intake.
You should only take biotin, iron, or zinc when your blood test shows that you have a deficiency. If your levels are normal, taking a supplement can be harmful. For example, if you take too much iron, you can develop iron poisoning. Early signs of this include stomach pain and vomiting.
Other supplements meant to help with hair loss tend to contain a lot of one nutrient. Because this can cause you to get too much of the nutrient, many dermatologists recommend taking a multivitamin instead.
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Does It Work For Beards
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, minoxidil is safe to use on the beard and eyebrows, as well as on the scalp.
Researchers in Thailand conducted a study to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a 3% minoxidil lotion for people striving to grow beards.
Some 46 participants applied a minoxidil lotion twice a day. Based on doctor evaluation and the participantsâ self-assessment, this treatment resulted in a noticeably thicker, fuller beard. Side effects were reported to be mild and not statistically significant.
Female pattern hair loss is not as rare as some people might think. Many females may experience hair thinning or hair loss at some point in their lives, and more do so after menopause.
After clinical trials and a few years on the market as a medication for male pattern baldness, the FDA approved Rogaine for use by females experiencing hair loss.
Rogaine can help stimulate the growth of new hair in women, although this new growth tends to be fine hair. It also takes time to develop, and experts recommend females take Rogaine for 6 months to 1 year to see if it is effective.
Experts do not recommend Rogaine for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding as there is insufficient information on how the medication could affect the fetus. Side effects tend to be rare, and Rogaine is generally considered safe.
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Does Rogaine Work On Facial Hair Such As Eyebrows Or Beards
I would say yes, it should cause hair growth for your beard and eye brows because one of the side effects is that rogaine may cause hair to grow on the forehead and ears if it drips down. Yet this is strictly up to you to try, if you should choose.
I only recommend that rogaine should be used only as directed even though rogaine can cause you to have a fuller thicker beard and eyebrows.
One of the reasons I recommend to use rogaine only as directed is due to the fact that if it gets into your eyes it may cause some serious problems such as blurred vision.
How To Use Minoxidil For Hair Loss
Before applying minoxidil, make sure your scalp is dry. If you intend to apply the product after a shower, it may be best to wait for a few minutes. However, you dont need to wait for your hair to dry the scalp must be dry, but the hair does not have to be.
If using the liquid solution, fill the eyedropper with 1ml of liquid and apply directly to thinning areas of the scalp, making sure to part hair to expose the scalp as much as possible. Gently rub the solution into your scalp. Make sure the solution has been completely absorbed and your scalp is completely dry before laying down for bed or adding product to your hair for styling.
If using the foam, the instructions are the same, except the dosage. Use a half-capful of foam and gently rub into the scalp. Again, the hair does not have to be dry before applying.
Regardless of whether youre using the foam or the solution, be sure to thoroughly wash your hands after applying the medication.
If you stop using minoxidil, any effects youve noticed will disappear. Much like finasteride, efficacy depends upon consistency, so it will be important to apply the medication twice daily. However, you should not apply minoxidil to damaged skin .
Doing so could cause too much of the medication to be absorbed and increase the likelihood of more serious side effects. Allowing the scalp to heal should take priority over minoxidil treatments, which can resume once the skin is back to normal.
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Does Rogaine Work For Thinning Hair
Premature hair loss can be a distressing issue. Thinning hair is often the first sign of hair loss, and it can happen to anyone at any age.
So does Rogaine work for thinning hair? Short answer, yes it does. When it was introduced to the market a little over 20 years ago, it took the world by storm. Its nearly instant success was primarily due to one thing it worked! Rogaine is a liquid or foam solution that you apply directly to your scalp by rubbing it in the affected area. It is one of the few hair loss treatments that has been approved by the FDA. It reduces hair thinning and slows down hair loss.
It is true that Rogaine works for thinning hair. However, it comes with a few caveats. Here is everything you need to know about Rogaine and how it works for thinning hair.
What To Realistically Expect From Minoxidil
The above is not cause for despair. It only means that users should have realistic expectations.
First, a user should understand he has a 50% chance of responding to minoxidil. If he does respond, the crown is likely to respond best.
This does not mean that minoxidil is always ineffective for the front. It sometimes gives results, but within limits.
The most important distinction in frontal baldness is between a) scalp that has gone completely bald and b) thinning scalp. For areas in the front that have thinned but still have some hair minoxidil can give regrowth. For those parts of the front that are completely bald, minoxidil will not give regrowth.
This means that minoxidil cannot restore a receded hairline. What it can do is increase density in the areas behind the hairline that are in the process of thinning.
For men who respond positively, minoxidil regrowth peaks at the 1-year mark. The positive effects of minoxidil then starts to slowly decline . By the 5-year treatment mark, most men who continue treatment will still be better off compared to baseline. But for some men, hair loss might resume again after some years. In this sense minoxidil is like most other medications: some users eventually develop tolerance, but this varies from person to person.
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