Understanding Minoxidil - Your Complete Hair Loss Reversal Guide:
Understanding Minoxidil: An Overview:
What is Minoxidil?
Minoxidil is a wonder drug that encourages good hair growth and successfully deals with early-stage hair loss. It’s perfect to help boost new hair growth in those who are suffering from balding in the initial phase.
Oral as well as topical minoxidil help treat hair loss; they work differently and your body absorbs them differently as well as reacts to each differently.
History and Development of Minoxidil:
Oral Minoxidil was developed in the 1960s to manage hypertension; as a side effect, it was found that Minoxidil stimulated hair growth in the patients!
By the 1980s, topical Minoxidil was developed to treat hair loss in men. In the 1990s, Minoxidil helped treat hair loss in women.
In 1988, the FDA approved 2 % Minoxidil as a topical therapy for hair loss. Today, the drug is extensively used, the world over, to effectively manage hair loss; with formulations available in various potencies.
How does Minoxidil work?
- Minoxidil is a peripheral vasodilator. It works by dilating the small blood vessels in the scalp so that the blood flows through them easily. Since it is a vasodilator, it delivers loads of blood to the hair follicles which brings in a ton of oxygen and vital nutrients, thus boosting wonderful hair growth.
- Minoxidil stops the DHT hair follicle miniaturisation process. DHT is the chief culprit that triggers hair loss. The hormone builds up and attaches to your hair follicles and causes them to shrink; this sets off hair loss and balding.
- The medication increases the size of the hair follicles, which promotes the growth of thicker, stronger, longer hair.
- The drug acts on the hair growth cycle and shortens the resting phase; this helps the hair stay in the growth phase for a longer interval of time, thereby making your hair appear thicker and fuller.
The Benefits of Minoxidil for Hair Loss:
How Minoxidil Promotes Hair Growth:
Reversing Baldness with Minoxidil:
Success Rates and Clinical Studies on Minoxidil:
Clinical studies corroborate the remarkable benefits of Minoxidil in helping deal with hair loss successfully. Studies show that the longer you use Minoxidil, the more notable results you will see. Countless clinical trials and studies have found that with Minoxidil, the hair count and hair diameter increase significantly within 6 months. Photographic assessments by trichologists state a 100 % improvement in practically all the patients; however, Minoxidil works miraculously when one has relatively early phase hair loss. Those with excessive hair loss won’t see radical improvements in the hairline.
Step-by-step Guide on Applying Minoxidil:
- Apply 1 ml of Minoxidil onto your scalp.
- Leave it on for 4 hours.
- Repeat twice daily.
- Before applying Minoxidil, wash your hands well and make sure your scalp and hair are washed and then dried.
- Section your hair, so that it’s easier to apply the medication, and then gently massage the scalp.
- There needs to be an interval of 12 hours between each Minoxidil application.
- Ensure that you follow the instructions outlined by your doctor.
The Importance of Consistency in Using Minoxidil:
Tips and Tricks in Maximizing the Effects of Minoxidil:
Include Finasteride in your treatment regimen
Clinical trials show that combining Minoxidil with Finasteride boosts results substantially. Minoxidil gives your hair follicles a ton of oxygen and vital nutrients by amping up the amount of blood flow to the scalp; whilst Finasteride is a very powerful DHT blocker that prevents miniaturisation of the hair follicles. Hence, they form an amazing partnership and help fight hair loss!
Choose 5 % Minoxidil
Clinical studies demonstrate that 5 % Minoxidil is way more potent at treating hair loss. Regardless, it is always wise to confer with your trichologist as to your specific requirement
Be regular and consistent
Ensure that you apply 1ml of Minoxidil to your scalp, twice daily. Consistency is key. Be sure to not miss applications, skipping doses greatly decreases the efficacy of the medicine.
Have an integrated hair care program
Discuss with your doctor and include supplements, hair care foods, and hair products that will boost your hair growth.
Potential Side Effects and Risks Associated with Minoxidil:
Common Side Effects of Minoxidil:
Serious Side Effects: When to Seek Medical Attention:
Precautions and Contraindications in Using Minoxidil:
- Never apply any other product when using Minoxidil.
- Do not double the dosage if you’ve missed one.
- The scalp should be completely dry before you apply Minoxidil.
- Follow the doctor's instructions to the - how much to apply Minoxidil, how to apply, use the applicator provided, how much to apply and the frequency of application.
- Leave on for 4 hours, thereafter shampoo.
- Wash your hands well after applying Minoxidil.
- Do not use a hair dryer after you’ve applied Minoxidil. Blow drying is counter-effective.
Minoxidil: Pros and Cons
Pros of Minoxidil:
- Minoxidil is a rather affordable treatment option.
- There have been hardly any cases of side effects associated with the treatment.
Cons of Minoxidil:
- It may not work for everyone.
- Hair loss returns when you stop applying the medicine.
- It is effective only in the early stages of hair loss
- Twice a day, everyday applications are required.
Conclusions: Is Minoxidil Worth Trying?
Here’s your takeaway! Hair loss is very complex and is triggered because of a host of reasons – changes in your hormone profile, stress, long drawn-out illness, a low protein diet, your lifestyle and your hair care routine. In case you are experiencing severe hair loss, it would be prudent to confer with a doctor. Minoxidil is considered the guiding principle when it comes to hair regrowth, and it usually is the first line of treatment by trichologists. Your trichologist will give you the prescription, tell you the dosage and monitor your treatment routine.
Making the Personal Decision to Try Minoxidil:
Minoxidil is a non-invasive treatment to deal with hair loss. It is fairly easy to integrate into your daily routine but does need a lot of dedication from you. There’s no downtime associated with the therapy; nor does it need expensive in-clinic procedures. Minoxidil is a safe, convenient, and effective treatment to restore hair in those suffering from male or female hair loss and balding. Your trichologist will ascertain what’s causing your hair loss and structure a plan for you integrating minoxidil, and supplements along with dietary recommendations to ensure you have long, thick, glossy hair!
FAQs:
An aloe vera shampoo is gentle and moisturizing and cleanses out any Minoxidil residue that’s stuck to the scalp. It is extremely important that you do not let Minoxidil build up; if you aren’t careful, layers of Minoxidil will accumulate and that will be counter-effective, triggering more hair loss, since the build-up prevents absorption of Minoxidil.
Massage Minoxidil into the scalp and leave it for 4 hours, before you shampoo. It takes 4 hours for the medicine to get completely absorbed into the scalp.
Simply rinsing Minoxidil off with water and not using a shampoo is not recommended. Water can not get rid of all the Minoxidil and it will cause a build-up, thereby decreasing its effectiveness. Use a mild shampoo 4 hours after you’ve applied Minoxidil.
After you’ve massaged Minoxidil into your scalp, let the medicine sit for at least half an hour. This allows time for some medicine to get absorbed and it won’t get removed by the comb when you comb your hair.
You can leave Minoxidil overnight; however, make sure that the scalp is dry and all the medicine has been absorbed before you lie down to prevent the Minoxidil from rubbing off onto the pillow.
It is essential that you follow the doctor’s instructions as to the dosage of the application of Minoxidil. Stopping the medicine abruptly, even for a short period of time can trigger extreme hair fall. Minoxidil makes the hair follicles transition from the resting stage to the growth stage; however, if you stop the medicine, the hair follicles go back to the resting stage, triggering hair loss. Minoxidil works only while it is applied; once you stop using the drug, the follicles return to the previous growth pattern.
Minoxidil starts acting promptly; however, results become apparent 3 to 6 months later. At 9 months, Minoxidil will be working at its peak.
Minoxidil is a vasodilator, thus bringing in loads of blood and consequently oxygen and nutrients to the hair roots. The drug also increases the size of the hair follicles; both these encourage good hair growth and the strands are thicker and stronger. Furthermore, Minoxidil shortens the resting stage, hence, the hair remains in the growth stage for a longer time.
- Those in the initial phase of hair loss respond well to Minoxidil.
- Minoxidil shows quick results in those who do not have severe hair follicle miniaturisation.
- Works well in people under 40 years old.
- People who are losing hair on the crown of the head.
No, Minoxidil shouldn’t be used during pregnancy. There are too many side effects and risks involved and you need to stop minoxidil immediately. Research says there is a huge risk of birth defects in the fetus. During pregnancy, when you stop Minoxidil, you expect hair loss to set in again; however, because of the changes in the hormone profile that have been triggered by pregnancy, hair loss won’t be noticeable at all. On the other hand, after the delivery, the hormone levels swing back to normal, alongside, the stress of pregnancy and childbirth causes most of the hair to go into the resting phase triggering extreme hair loss. Furthermore, if you are breastfeeding, you have to wait till you stop nursing; thereafter, you can start Minoxidil again.
Combining Minoxidil with derma roller promises you a double whammy! Dema rolling after applying Minoxidil to the scalp enhances the effect of Minoxidil tremendously. Integrating the two-in-one therapy reduces the time before you see brilliant results!