The use of minoxidil for hair is a very common treatment for those suffering from androgenetic alopecia and other types of baldness.
This is because it has been shown to stimulate hair growth and slow hair loss, achieving very significant results.
However, despite its popularity, many questions remain about this drug.
Minoxidil: What is it?
Minoxidil is a drug that improves hair density. Therefore, it is often the first-line medication for hair loss treatment.
Minoxidil for hair works in the following way. On the one hand, it stimulates hair follicles to produce a substance key to hair growth called prostaglandin E2. On the other hand, it induces hair follicles to prolong their growth phase and shorten their shedding phase.
All of this has a positive effect on hair health and slows the loss that occurs in different types of alopecia.
In addition, minoxidil has a vasodilatory effect, increasing blood flow to the scalp.
Minoxidil: What is it for?
The use of minoxidil to stop hair loss was discovered by chance in the 1950s.
Initially, it was investigated to treat stomach ulcers and later used to treat high blood pressure.
Given its impact on hair growth, researchers began exploring its topical application for hair loss.
It was in 1979 that a topical minoxidil treatment was first marketed, and it remains the drug of choice for baldness today.
Minoxidil for hair is primarily used for androgenic or androgenetic alopecia, but also other cases of hair loss.
- Androgenetic alopecia
Androgenetic alopecia causes hair loss on the upper part of the scalp. It is typical in men, but can also occur in women.
The main difference between male and female pattern androgenetic alopecia is the type of baldness it causes.
In women, hair loss along the hairline (where the hair grows on the forehead) doesn’t occur. In men, however, it does occur, and what is popularly known as a “receding hairline” is common.
Another difference is that women rarely experience complete hair loss.
- Telogen effluvium
Beyond androgenetic alopecia, minoxidil for hair can also be indicated in other cases of diffuse alopecia.
Among them, there is what is known as telogen effluvium , which consists of a type of imbalance in the normal phases of hair growth and loss.
This is what often happens, for example, with hair loss caused by stress. However, it can also be due to other causes, such as illness, surgery, postpartum, or seasonal changes.
- Alopecia areata
Minoxidil for hair can also be part of the treatment for alopecia areata , although it has a more discreet effect.
- Hair loss
In addition to the hair, this medicine can also be applied to other parts to stimulate hair growth.
Specifically, minoxidil can be used for beards in case of bald spots or eyebrow alopecia.
Minoxidil for hair is an effective and safe treatment for androgenetic alopecia and other types of hair loss.
For what types of alopecia is it not indicated?
Minoxidil for hair is not as effective in cases of scarring alopecia.
This medication is used to stop or delay hair loss while it’s being used. However, it can’t regrow hair where there wasn’t any hair before.
However, minoxidil may stimulate the growth of healthy follicles and improve hair density in the treated area. This has been observed in the case of frontal fibrosing alopecia, a type of scarring alopecia more common in women.
This is characterized by a recession of the hairline and is often accompanied by eyebrow alopecia.
Minoxidil is also not recommended for preventative hair care. However, studies are beginning to investigate whether it could help slow hair aging.
It’s known that every time hair renews itself (completes a growth-loss cycle), it loses some of its quality. Therefore, if longer growth cycles were achieved, hair would renew itself fewer times throughout life and would age less or more slowly.
Minoxidil in women: Can they use it?
Minoxidil for hair was initially used only by men. It wasn’t until the 1990s that minoxidil was approved for use in women.
It is now widely proven to be an effective and safe treatment for women as well.
However, its use is not recommended during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
When does it start to take effect?
Minoxidil for hair can achieve up to 45% hair regrowth, with peak growth at 16 weeks.
This means that it’s not an immediate treatment. In fact, during the first two months, hair loss may be more noticeable. This is because the follicles in a resting phase shed and re-enter a growth phase (telogen effluvium).
This is expected, so treatment should not be discontinued if this effect is observed.
At 24 weeks after application, it is estimated that hair thickness increases by 30%.
Treatment should be continued indefinitely or until the person so desires.
Once the application is discontinued, its effect tends to disappear between 3 and 6 months later.
How is minoxidil applied?
Minoxidil is applied directly to the dry scalp with the fingertips, starting in the center of the area to be treated.
Wash your hands thoroughly before and after applying minoxidil to your hair to avoid touching other parts of your body with the solution.
One application is usually indicated in the morning and one at night, but the instructions given by the specialist must always be followed.
Oral or topical minoxidil?
Topical minoxidil for hair at 2% and 5%, in solution or foam, has been the classic form of presentation of this drug.
It is a drug with high tolerability, optimal dosage, and a strong safety profile. In this regard, it has extensive scientific evidence and no systemic side effects.
However, in recent years, low-dose oral minoxidil has also begun to be used. Specifically, 0.25 to 1 mg daily for women and 0.25 to 5 mg for men.
This formulation may be more convenient for some people and promote better treatment adherence. It also has a good safety profile, but there is a risk of systemic adverse effects.
Currently, oral Minoxidil is not approved as a medicine for alopecia in any country.
As for effectiveness, the latest publications in this regard suggest that it would be the same in both presentations.
Minoxidil: Side Effects
The risk of side effects from minoxidil is low.
In the case of topical minoxidil, these side effects are local in nature. The most common are irritation and itching of the scalp .
Hypertrichosis (excessive hair growth) may also occur in the areas surrounding the application. This is most common on the face, especially the temples and around the ears.
Telogen effluvium is another side effect of minoxidil, but it is temporary.
In the case of oral minoxidil, the main difference is that side effects can occur systemically.
Although the risk remains low, it can cause generalized hypertrichosis, hypotension, postural dizziness, headache, heart problems, and ankle edema (swelling in the lower legs or feet). This means it may be contraindicated for some people.
Other treatments for alopecia
Minoxidil is very effective for hair loss. However, in men, it can be used alongside other oral medications such as finasteride or dutasteride for greater long-term benefits.
These medications, however, are contraindicated in women of childbearing age.
Minoxidil can also be combined with other hair treatments such as platelet-rich plasma or hair mesotherapy.
At the same time, there are various tips for preventing hair loss by adopting good hair health habits.
In this sense, diet can play an important role. Therefore, it’s important to know the best vitamins for healthy hair and foods to prevent hair loss.
It’s important to always consult a specialist if you experience significant hair loss. Only then can the most appropriate treatment be initiated.
There are various reasons why you may experience hair loss, and treating the cause can reverse it. For example, alopecia due to iron deficiency.