Minoxidil
Minoxidil is the primary ingredient found in Rogaine and other hair loss solutions. It is known for helping hair to re-grow and to stop hair loss from occurring. Minoxidil does not require a prescription; you can purchase it over-the-counter at practically every drug and grocery store. Minoxidil only works if you use it as a long-term approach. It will not be effective if you use it for 2-3 months and then discontinue using it. Originally Minoxidil was designed to help treat high blood pressure. Year's later scientist found that it had an ability to slow down hair loss and to reverse the balding cycle. Minoxidil was first introduced as Rogaine to everyone in the United States and Canada. In Europe and other countries, Minoxidil is known as Regaine.
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Minoxidil is available as a solution form and as a foam form. You can purchase it as generic brands for as little as $15.99. The expensive brands like Rogaine can cost upwards of $49.99.
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Minoxidil versus Finasteride
There are numerous hair loss treatment programs on the market. Many of them are informing people they are the "cure" to their hair loss problems. Sadly, several people are disappointed when they do not see any results from using the products. This is because some of the products do not contain enough Minoxidil or Finasteride. Your body may also not respond to one of the drugs, which is why you have not seen any results. In order to determine if a hair loss treatment product works, you need to use it for at least a year. Most products claim you will see results within 3-4 months, while this may be true, you need to give the product at least 12 months to see real results. You also need to follow the directions precisely as they are written. So what is the difference between some of the leading hair loss products? Well, Rogaine contains Minoxidil, which has been shown to stimulate hair growth. Propecia contains Finasteride. Finasteride also stimulates hair growth. So what is the difference? Men can use Finasteride or Propecia and both men and women can use Minoxidil or Rogaine. Finasteride is a pill that has been used to treat prostate cancer. Researchers also found a connection to hair growth in men. If you are a male, Propecia may work better for you than Minoxidil alone. However, you do have the option of combing Finasteride and Minoxidil. As long as you are taking the Propecia pill and then using the Rogaine solution on your scalp, you should be just fine. This may actually increase your results of hair growth. Minoxidil is a solution that needs to be applied directly to the scalp twice a day. The ointment must be allowed to soak into the scalp and you cannot get it wet for at least 3 hours after applying it. Finasteride must be orally taken at the same time each day with a large glass of water. If you miss a dosage of either drug, simply wait until your next dosage. Never double-dose as this can actually cause problems. |
Understanding Hair Loss
In order to purchase the right type of hair loss treatment, you need to understand hair loss. Normally hair loss begins with a receding hair line or a bald spot on the crown of the head. When this happens, you need to start hair loss treatment immediately in order to keep the hair you currently have and to re-grow some of the hair that has fallen out.
Both males and females carry a hormone known as Dihydrotestosterone or DHT. DHT will essentially kill off your existing hair follicles by cutting them off from the essential nutrients they need in order to survive. The hair follicles will begin to shrink and the hair starts to become thinner and thinner. Eventually the hair will fall out and the hair follicle will die.
Hair loss treatments use drugs like Minoxidil to stop the hair follicle from shrinking. If they can keep the hair follicle larger, more nutrients will be passed to the hair follicle and the hair will be stronger and much healthier.
How does Minoxidil work?
Minoxidil works by targeting the frontal areas of the scalp where most baldness starts to occur is also targets the crown of the head where bald spots occur. No one really knows for sure how Minoxidil stops the hair follicles from closing up, they only know that people that use Minoxidil see an increase in hair within 6 months. Minoxidil contains certain chemicals like nitric oxide and this may be linked to the possibility of stimulating hair growth. Research is still being done on Minoxidil to understand exactly how it works.
Does Minoxidil work?
Since so many hair loss treatments are available, you really need to do your research before you buy into one. While Rogaine may work for your brother, it may not have the same results for you. Minoxidil is less effective if there is a large area that needs to be treated. If you have lost more than 50 percent of your hair, you may need to look into other hair restoration options like hair transplant surgery.
Studies done on Minoxidil have also shown that the group with the highest success rate is between the ages of 18-41. The younger the individual, the higher the success rate they will have. Patients that have a bald spot on the top of their head almost always see it fill in with new hair within a few months.
How do I use Minoxidil?
Minoxidil comes in 2 different types, a topical solution or foam solution and a pill. You must use Minoxidil exactly as your doctor recommends or as the packaging states if you want to see results. If you have broken skin on your scalp, do not use Minoxidil until it has healed. If your skin is sunburned or damaged in any way, you must wait until it has returned to normal before you can use it.
To use Minoxidil, you must dry your hair and scalp before you can apply it. You must use the required amount which is normally about 1 ml. Apply the topical solution to the affected areas on your scalp. You must use Minoxidil every morning and night. Always wash your hands after you have applied Minoxidil. If Minoxidil is absorbed into more areas of your body, it could cause some severe medical problems.
If you miss a dose of Minoxidil, do not double-up your next dose. Simply skip the dose you missed and move on to your next schedule dose. Some hair loss treatments also include a pill that must be taken at the same time each day. The pill will aid the ointment in preventing future hair loss from occurring and strengthening the hair you already have. The pill is completely natural so you should not experience any side effects.
Never use Minoxidil on other parts of your body besides your head. It can be absorbed through the skin and cause severe allergic reactions and other problems. You should always store Minoxidil in a locked cabinet out of the way from children. It needs to be kept in an area that is free from heat and moisture, so the bathroom really isn't a good place for it.
How long does it take Minoxidil to work?
It will take about 4 months before you see new hair growth. The new hair is actually very fine and it may be hard to see. It may look like "peach fuzz" initially but it will start to grow longer within a few months. With 6 months or longer of treatment, you will notice the hair is thicker, longer, and matches the color of the rest of your hair.
If you do not notice any results from Minoxidil within 4 months, you should discontinue using it and try another hair loss treatment option. Rogaine also sells a foam version of Minoxidil. The foam version works similar to the topical treatment. The topical treatment can take an hour or longer to completely soak into the scalp. The foam actually absorbs much quicker and it normally takes a few minutes to dry. People that use the foam will see results quicker than the individuals that stick to the regular Minoxidil treatments.
When you use Minoxidil, you will see the initial hairs actually shed, which may make you look bald for a few weeks. After the initial shedding, you will start to grow more hair and it will be thicker and stronger.
Other Important Facts about Minoxidil
There is not a cure for hair loss, only prevention methods. If you are completely bald, your only hope is to use hair transplants to restore your hair. Even with hair transplants, you must still use a hair loss treatment program if you wish to keep this new hair healthy and strong. Minoxidil has been around since the 1980's and most people that use it are able to keep their current amount of hair and some even see some new hair growth occur.
Minoxidil is moderately effective at treating hair loss. There are two solutions, a 2 percent solution and a 5 percent solution. The 2 percent solution is commonly used by women that have thinning hair. Individuals with significant hair loss need to use the 5 percent solution. The 5 percent solution has been proven more effective at stimulating new hair growth in men and women. It has also proven that it is able to prevent future hair loss from occurring.
If you use topical Minoxidil in conjunction with the pills, you will have a greater response rate. Most patients see their results improve by at least 30 percent when they use the pill along with the topical Minoxidil. Early use of Minoxidil is the best way to stop your hair loss from worsening. Young patients always respond better to Minoxidil than the older patients. Once you pass a certain age, you will not be able to stop your hair loss.
Patients that see a strong improvement rate normally have a bald spot or have lost hair in the central areas of the scalp. If your hairline starts to recede, it will take longer for Minoxidil to work. On some patients, Minoxidil will not work at all and you may need to try another hair loss solution like Finasteride.
Using Minoxidil is a lifetime commitment. This is not something you can try for a year and expect the results to stay. You may not need to use it daily like you did initially, but you still need to use the product regularly if you want to keep your hair. If you stop using Minoxidil, the therapy will go backwards and you will lose all the new hair you gained. This hair loss will probably take 3-6 months, much faster than the amount of time it took for you to grow the hair.
The only side effects to Minoxidil are minor skin irritation like itching or reddening of the skin. Some people have experienced a dry, flaky scalp from using Minoxidil. You also need to be careful about where you apply Minoxidil, if you accidentally apply some of it to your face, you may start to grow some unwanted facial hair.
