What Is Minoxidil? A Complete Guide to the Product – Mane Addicts

Minoxidil, or the active ingredient in Rogaine, has been billed as a miracle cure for hair loss. But what is it, really? And more importantly, who does it help? Hair thinning can be a painful process so we take special notice when we find something that can stop or reverse it. While weve tried the natural route (hello, rosemary oil) its not every day we find an actually clinically proven solution to hair loss. So, to learn more about this ingredient, we checked in with an expert for a guide on what it is, its side effects, benefits, and how to use it.

About the Expert

Azza Halim, M.D., is a board-certified aesthetic medicine, anti-aging, and regenerative medicine physician.

Minoxidil was originally developed to lower blood pressure in the 1960s, with a happy side effect being hair growth. It was then formulated into a topical treatment to treat hair loss in men as Rogaine, followed by a female-specific product. Board-certified physician Azza Halim, M.D. explains, It is a vasodilator medicationthat canbe taken as a pill or applied topically. This means it expandsbloodvesselsto increase flow, circulation, and add nutrients to the follicles, she continues.

The main benefit of minoxidil is restoring haireven a little bit back can be a huge confidence booster. According to Dr. Halim, minoxidil may expand the hair follicles, especially those that shrunk over time or in response to hormonal changes, which translates to more sustained growth. It also prolongs the growth phase of the hair cycle, aka the anagen phase, she notes. Minoxidil can increase hair thickness, density, and treat hair disorders like androgenetic alopecia and female pattern hair loss.

Ideal candidates are those in early stages of hair loss or thinning, says Dr. Halim. All hair types can take minoxidil, though it may be less effective on women with natural hair who have scarring from alopecia. Pregnant women cant take minoxidil, and it isnt safe for nursing mothers either. It can cause irritation when mixed with hair dye, though it can be used on color-treated hair.

As with everything there are pros and cons/side effects, Dr. Halim tells us. Side effects include scalp dryness, irritation, low blood pressure, allergic reaction, and rarelybut it is possibleto trigger interim hair loss before stimulating hair growth. Other side effects include unwanted hair growth, lightheadedness, and scalp irritation.

Minoxidil must be applied topically twice a day, says Dr. Halim. Dont expect instant gratification, however, as results take three to four months. If you stop minoxidil, be warned that hair will revert to the thickness it would have been if you didnt take it at all, not where it was when you startedthis can be a shocker. The downside is once discontinued, hair then reverts to baseline and new growth will be lost within few months, therefore, it needs maintained use, she continues. Minoxidil giveth and minoxidil taketh away.

This 2% solution is clinically proven to help fight hair loss by activating hair follicles at the scalp and extending your hairs natural growth cycle. You can even subscribe to get this product delivered to your door every month so you wont miss out on a treatment.

With a 4.2 star review from nearly 200 reviews on Ulta, its no wonder this treatment is recommended by so many. Yes, it does take about three to six months for results to show, but once they do, youll realize why it was worth the wait.

A 5% topical treatment, Rogaines four-month supply will take you to the first stages of hair regrowth.

Promote hair growth with minoxidil and refresh follicles naturally with biotin, thanks to this hair growth oil. Youll be happy to know its free of parabens, gluten, sulfates, and any other nasty ingredients that may irritate your scalp. Translation? You likely wont experience any minoxidil side effects.

Minoxidil meets DHT blocker Finasteride and Spironolactone, which slows the production of hair loss-causing hormones. People who have used this treatment have said they noticed hair regrowth in as little as one month.

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What Is Minoxidil? A Complete Guide to the Product - Mane Addicts