The Bottom Line On Minoxidil For Hair Growth
Thanks to its availability, ease of use, mild side effects and effectiveness, minoxidil is often the first medication men turn to when they start to notice the early signs of hair loss.
Minoxidil starts working right away, but it usually wont produce any noticeable results when it comes to hair growth for the first two to four months.
After four months, you should be able to see a difference in your hair thickness and enhanced hair regrowth, with the “final” results from minoxidil usually visible after approximately one year of continuous use.
In the meantime, you may notice that your hair shedding gets slightly worse. This is a common, normal effect of minoxidil that will get better with time. Be patient and keep using minoxidil — as time passes, youll likely notice the shedding develop into steady, consistent hair growth.
Other Medical Hair Loss Treatment Options
In addition to Rogaine , there are other medical/topical treatment options that can help slow down your hair loss and help to improve hair growth.
Finasteride is another very popular topical hair loss treatment option.
Unlike minoxidil, which does not target the hormones in your body, Finasteride works by preventing testosterone from being converted into DHT in the prostate, hair follicles and glands. DHT is the active form of testosterone that causes hair loss. By inhibiting DHT, the goal is to help slow down and prevent future hair loss from occurring.
While each of these medicinal hair loss treatments is different, its important to discuss with your doctor about which one is right for you. While Minoxidil and Finasteride both have a common end goal, they both work in completely different ways. And while one may work for someone else, it may not be as effective for you. Which is why it is always important to discuss all of the options with your doctor before making a decision.
If youre losing hair and choose not to do medical therapy, like Rogaine, you will most certainly continue to experience hair loss. Dont hesitate to contact the Limmer Hair Transplant Center to discuss starting Rogaine today. Its important to monitor your hair regrowth progress with an experienced hair restoration professional to ensure that Rogaine is working for you.
Which Hair Loss Medication Is More Effective: Rogaine Or Propecia
If youve been investigating your options for fighting hair loss, youve probably heard that the medications Rogaine and Propecia have been clinically proven to help fight hair loss. The question is: Which one is a better option for treating hair loss?
While these medications both work to improve the fullness of your hair and treat hair loss, one isnt necessarily better than the other. Rogaine and Propecia work in different ways, and the effectiveness of each medication depends on your stage and type of hair loss.
Hair loss never stops, but Rogaine and Propecia are excellent, medically proven ways to slow down hair loss. In fact, in your battle against hair loss, a comprehensive treatment plan that includes Rogaine and Propecia might be more effective than using either one alone.
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How To Use Minoxidil Effectively
Minoxidil is available in the market in concentrations of 2% and 5% topical solutions. While the original trade name of minoxidil was Rogaine, later different versions of minoxidil have been available in the hair care industry. A clinical trial comparing the effectiveness of 5% and 2% minoxidil concluded that men using 5% concentrated minoxidil experienced 45% better than the 2% group.
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Besides medications, the treatment for hair loss can also include a hair transplant. In this procedure, small pieces of the scalp containing hair follicles are transferred to the bald areas. The surgery can be risky because it involves the usual risks of surgery, including shock and pain. Furthermore, it is expensive and is often not covered by insurance. But if you dont want to live with a bald area thats affecting your confidence and your appearance, hair transplant surgery may be the right option.
If the baldness is caused by a fungal infection, you can consider undergoing a hair transplant. In this procedure, tiny pieces of scalp are removed and moved to the bald spots. Despite the risks, this procedure is highly effective and is often covered by health insurance plans. A hair transplant can cost thousands of dollars, and you will most likely need to pay a large part of it out of pocket. The only downside to hair transplant surgery is the high cost.
Although alopecia is an embarrassing problem for many people, it can also be caused by trauma. People who undergo painful procedures on their hair may be at risk for traumatizing alopecia. This condition often results in thinning or falling hair. In some cases, the scalp becomes red and the scalp can even become inflamed. Antibiotics and antimalarial drugs may also be prescribed to help treat this disorder.
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Rogaine For Women Review
Womens Rogaine products are specifically made for the fairer sex. The brand cautions women against using the other versions due to the higher concentration of ingredients. However, the same ingredients and concentrations are displayed in both men and women package leaflets.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, minoxidil is effective, safe, and usually well tolerated. However, if you are pregnant, planning to be pregnant or breastfeeding, you should not use this product.
This Rogaine review will feature the brands highest-selling womens products below in regular and unscented versions, available in 1, 2, 3, and 6-month quantities.
Can Hair Loss Be Cured Or Reversed
There is no cure for hair loss. Some hair loss is temporary and the hair will grow back. For those experiencing male pattern baldness, treatments like Finasteride and Propecia can help halt hair loss and in some cases stimulate regrowth. However its worth bearing in mind, as soon as you stop treatment the hair loss will begin again.
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What Should I Know About Storage And Disposal Of This Medication
Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture .
It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily. To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location â one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach.
Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist or contact your local garbage/recycling department to learn about take-back programs in your community. See the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medicines website for more information if you do not have access to a take-back program.
Limitations To The Effectiveness Of Topical Minoxidil
But the effectiveness of topical minoxidil in inducing hair growth and treating androgenic alopecia only lasts during the period of continued application. In other words, this medication must be used indefinitely to continuously support existing hair follicles and maintenance of continued hair growth. A study by V. H. Price, E. Menefee, and P. C. Strauss concluded that cessation of topical minoxidil treatment resulted in reduction of hair weight and number count after 28 weeks, with levels similar to placebo group.
Olsen et al. also made an interesting study that followed patients who underwent topical minoxidil treatment within a period of five years. The study revealed that hair regrowth peaked at one year before slowing down over subsequent years. Note that during the mid fourth and fifth years, hair regrowth remained evident albeit at a slowed phase. The study concluded that topical minoxidil is effective in maintaining non-vellus or terminal hair in men with androgenic alopecia.
A literature review by T. Scow, R. S. Nolte, and A. F. Shaughnessy revealed another setback. Their review revealed that the effectiveness of topical minoxidil in treating hair loss has been largely demonstrated in men aged 18 to 41. In addition, this medication is mostly effective on men who have experienced hair loss for less than five years. Further studies are needed to assess its effects on middle-aged to late-aged men and women.
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Pharmacology Of Topical Minoxidil
Minoxidil is a piperidino-pyrimidine derivative, with the following chemical structure: 2,6-diamino-4-piperidinopyrimidine-1-oxide .2 Minoxidil solution contains inactive ingredients, including water, as well as ethanol and propylene glycol , which are used as vehicles to enhance the solubility of minoxidil.3 PG facilitates efficient drug delivery into the hair follicles however, its frequent induction of local irritation led to the development of a PG-free minoxidil foam . The non-medical ingredients in the foam formulation include cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, and butylated hydroxytoluene.4
Chemical structure of minoxidil.
Compared to MS, MF allows for increased delivery of the active ingredient to the target site and easy penetration of the drug with less irritation hence, the US Food and Drug Administration has granted approval for 5% MF for the treatment of AGA. MF is also more convenient to use, because it dries quicker and spreads less to the peripheral region.5
What Is A Post
Post-marketing studies-also called post-marketing surveillance or Phase IV studies-are studies that pharmaceutical firms are required to conduct after a drug has been approved and has been in use by patients. Post-marketing studies are called Phase IV to indicate that they follow Phase I, II, and III clinical trials that precede drug approval-in the U.S., approval by the Food and Drug Administration .
Phase I, II and III clinical trials evaluate the safety and efficacy of drugs for their intended use in an intended patient population. Phase I and II clinical trials include laboratory and animal studies Phase III clinical trials are conducted in patients. Phase III clinical trials are randomized, placebo-controlled studies involving up to several thousand patients over a designated period of time. If the drug is approved and goes into distribution with advertising and marketing, it will eventually be used by hundreds, thousands, tens of thousand or even hundreds of thousands of patients, depending on the type and purpose of the drug.
As usage of the drug occurs in growing numbers of patients, post-marketing surveillance studies are carried out to monitor safety and efficacy in this growing number of patients. The FDA points out that Phase IV post-marketing surveillance has particular value because:
Pharmaceutical firms also may use positive data from post-marketing studies to strengthen advertising and marketing claims.
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Rogaine Reviews: What Do Customers Think
You may have heard about Rogaine and are wondering if it really works. The brands website says it does, but you might still be skeptical. Dont stress, as this Rogaine review will fill you in on real customer experiences with the product.
Ahead, youll find buyer testimonials sourced from the brands website, Amazon, and Influenster, all revealing if Rogaine really works.
Below, weve compiled ratings for Rogaines customer favorites:
- Womens ROGAINE 5% Minoxidil Unscented Foam: 4/5 stars from over 1000 ratings
- Womens ROGAINE 2% Minoxidil Solution: 4.3/5 stars from over 100+ ratings
- Mens ROGAINE 5% Minoxidil Solution: 4/5 stars from nearly 90 ratings
- Mens ROGAINE 5% Minoxidil Unscented Foam: 3.8/5 stars from close to 400 ratings
We were surprised to see that more women have reviewed Rogaine on the brands website than men have. This doesnt necessarily mean more women use the product than men, they may prefer to talkabout their experiences more often.
Lets take a closer look at the highly-rated Womens ROGAINE 5% Minoxidil Unscented Foam.
For many women, this product has been a life-changer. Comments report thickerhair, not to mention more of it overall.
One ecstatic customer wrote, My part had filled in quite a bit and the scalp was no longer quite as noticeable! I nearly cried with happiness. Its always wonderful to hear success stories like this.
- 5/5 stars: 63%
- 2/5 stars: 4%
- 1/5 stars: 7%
Studies: How Effective Is Topical Minoxidil For Hair Loss
Androgenic alopecia is hair loss resulting from androgenic miniaturization of hair follicles. It is also known as male-pattern hair loss when it affects men or female-pattern hair loss when it affects women. Nonetheless, this condition can lead to psychological distress due to diminished body image satisfaction.
There are several treatment options aimed at managing androgenic alopecia. One of which is the topical application of minoxidil: an over-the-counter antihypertensive vasodilator medication used for slowing or stopping hair loss and promoting hair regrowth.
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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 it 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 is most effective for people who start using it at the first signs of hair loss. It wont help people whove already gone completely bald.
Will You Join Thousands Of Happy Customers
4.5 average rating
I tried several different options before but Hims combined approach of all four methods by far created the best results.
– Brian
Hims has been the greatest confidence boost, no more bald jokes! I look and feel so much younger!
– Mike
When I show my barber my progress, he is always in disbelief. I have to recommend Hims to any guy whos experiencing thinning.
– KJ
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Will Minoxidil Work If Im Totally Bald
Minoxidil is also unlikely to regrow hair on a completely bald scalp. Once male-pattern baldness has progressed to the point of complete baldness, that suggests that your hair follicles are no longer functional and hair regrowth is not likely. Remember, minoxidil works by encouraging your hair follicle to growif the follicle is not functional anymore, there is not much for minoxidil to work with .
Evidence Supporting The Use Of Minoxidil
For several decades now, studies have shown that androgenetic alopecia is mainly a factor of hormonal imbalance, usually influenced by genetic predisposition. It is one of the most common causes of hair loss. This is the type of hair loss with the classic presentation of a receding hairline in men or central thinning on the scalp for women.
The major culprit for causing pattern hair loss is dihydrotestosterone, abbreviated as DHT. It is a metabolite of testosterone and has been implicated as the major cause of pattern hair loss due to three main reasons.
- Balding scalps contain higher levels of DHT than the non-balding scalp.
- Men who are deficient in DHT have lesser tendencies to go bald.
- Men who do not produce testosterone have only a 5% chance of going bald, as evidenced by a 1951 study on castrated prisoners. However, it is worth noticing, that women secrete less testosterone than men, but still are subjects to androgenetic alopecia.
Thus, any medication that can reduce the levels of DHT in the body is a potential treatment option for hair loss. This is where medications such as Propecia® or topical finasteride, and supplements such as saw palmetto come in. But like all drugs, finasteride and saw palmetto have their shortcomings.
Minoxidil, on the other hand, has no influence on DHT and does not impact hormone production but is one of the most effective treatment options for hair loss. So, how does it work? What is its mechanism according to studies?
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Rogaine Foam Vs Liquid For Long Hair
If you have long hair and youre trying to choose between foam and liquid, you may want to consider the application logistics. While none of the studies states which preparation is better, you may find that liquid is more comfortable to use.
As the last study we cited mentioned that some people prefer the foam preparation because it doesnt drip everywhere, this could work to your advantage if your hair is long. Applying foam to your scalp relies on you being able to visualize where the preparation goes. If your hair is long, it may be easier to achieve an even distribution with liquid Rogaine.
On the other side of the argument, if you have long hair and you want to style it in the morning, you may find that foam is easier to work with. It doesnt take as long to soak in. If you want to have the best of both worlds, consider using a foam preparation in the morning for convenience and liquid in the evening to achieve even distribution.
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How To Use Minoxidil
Minoxidil is often used together with finasteride, which is a dihydrotestosterone blocker. MPB is caused when testosterone converts to DHT, which shrinks hair follicles. A study conducted in 2015 found that Minoxidil used together with finasteride was more effective in treating MPB.
It is also common practice to use a derma roller as part of a treatment routine. The tiny needles on the end of the roller are thought to improve circulation and produce collagen, stimulating hair growth. Whilst many men find this to be effective, scientific research is limited and the science behind using a derma roller is theoretical.
You should not use minoxidil if:
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