Anti Aging Products

HGH Articles

Minoxidil for Hair Loss: Mechanism, Effectiveness, Side Effects, and Alternatives

Without doubt, minoxidil ranks among the most popular treatments for hair loss. Chances are that your doctor will recommend this if you are experiencing significant hair shedding. It's that popular. The drug has been on the market for several decades.

Will this treatment work for you? What are the side effects you need to know about? We provide answers to the questions and more, including possibly safer alternatives to the medication.

Minoxidil Overview

Minoxidil is a vasodilator that is now popularly used for the treatment of hair loss. It was initially approved for treatment of androgenic alopecia in men before it was later approved for use in women. It is widely available, both on prescription and over-the-counter, in the United States and several other countries.

The medication has the reputation of being the only non-prescription drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treatment of hair loss.

But minoxidil hasn't always been for hair loss. It was originally developed in the late 1950s by a company that would become part of Pfizer as a treatment for ulcer. However, findings in laboratory studies showed that it was not effective for that purpose.

It was, however, observed that the drug was a powerful vasodilator. The FDA would approve it for treatment of high blood pressure because of this. Minoxidil was approved for this purpose under the trade name "Loniten" in 1979.

The FDA granted approval for use in treatment of hair loss in the late 1980s, with the trade name "Rogaine." An earlier request to use the name "Regain" was turned down because it was thought misleading, with regards to what it can do.

Although it is the most popular, Rogaine is not the only trade name for minoxidil. It is sold under numerous others across the world, including Hairgaine, Minovital, Minoxidilum, and Regaine. Kirkland Minoxidil appears to be an especially popular alternative to Rogaine.

Minoxidil for hair loss was originally sold as a 5% topical solution, available exclusively for men. Approval was later granted for a foam variant that can be used by both men and women. Rogaine is available as tablets for oral use as well, according to Healthline.

How Does It Treat Hair Loss?

It is not exactly clear how minoxidil can fight hair loss. But some experts think that it helps to promote hair growth by reviving shrunken hair follicles. This, it is believed, can help to extend how long your hair stays in the growth phase.

The medication is a potassium channel opener. It opens up potassium channels and widens the blood vessels. This action can make it easier for more nutrients and oxygen to get to hair follicles, possibly promoting hair growth.

The sulfotransferase enzyme converts minoxidil into the active form minoxidil sulfate in the body. Research suggests that the activity level of these enzymes determines the efficacy of the drug.

Through the effects it produces, it is believed minoxidil can cause hair follicles in the telogen phase of hair growth cycle to shed. This hypothetically allows for promotion of thicker hair in the following anagen phase.

How Effective Is Minoxidil For Hair Loss?

Over the years, several studies have been done to examine the efficacy of minoxidil. Positive findings from some of these are responsible for the FDA granting approval for use as hair loss treatment.

For example, it was reported in a 16-week study that about 85 percent of subjects, who were bald, noticed hair growth following the use of minoxidil.

Research also confirms that women who are experiencing hair loss may also find it beneficial.

However, the drug will not work for all types of hair loss. It is best for treatment of vertex, or central, hair loss. It may not help much in cases where the area of hair loss is sizeable. This likely explains why some people find it to be less effective for treatment.

An important observation from studies is that minoxidil appears to be more helpful for persons younger than 40 years. It has been shown to be mostly effective in men who have had their hair loss issues for less than five years.

Side Effects of Minoxidil

One common concern with hair loss drugs is their ability to produce adverse effects. This is why it is not uncommon to see suggestions to use natural, safer alternatives instead.

Side effects that you may experience from using minoxidil differ in terms of severity. The common ones include:

Burning or irritation of the eye
Itching
Irritation at treated area
Unwanted hair growth
Acne at treated area

Whether you have these problems, or not, partly depends on how careful you are with application.

Side effects may also include dizziness, difficulty breathing, chest pain, and unusual weight gain. Dark circles and bags under the eye have also been reported.

You may be surprised to learn that minoxidil may cause temporary hair loss. What an irony!

In some severe cases, users have experienced inflammation of the membrane around the heart, the pericardium. Laboratory studies suggest that minoxidil may also have effect on the liver and kidney.

Does Minoxidil Cause Erectile Dysfunction?

There is the controversy of this hair loss drug leading to erection problems. What's even scarier is that some claim that the resulting impotence can persist even after you stop the treatment. How true is this?

It was found in a 2014 study that Rogaine produced an effect on androgen receptor activity. But the researchers noted that this effect had to do with hair follicles only. It was not believed to be of a sexual nature.

The seeming consensus in the medical community is that minoxidil does not cause erectile dysfunction. Research, however, continues to better establish if there is a link.

Medical experts say men who report erection, libido, or performance issue from use have other factors to explain such.

For instance, minoxidil is often used together with finasteride (Propecia). Researchers have found that the other drug can cause sexual dysfunction that may persist long after stopping usage.

You should be very observant of any undesirable changes when using minoxidil. This way, you will be able to keep it from doing significant harm.

What to Note Before Use

There are some things you need to take note of before using minoxidil. This will help you determine if usage will be a good decision or one to avoid.

You can only get help from this medication in treating androgenic alopecia or pattern hair loss. It is not likely to help with other forms of alopecia.

It is important to note that the drug mainly help to promote hair growth. There is no assurance that it will stop the balding process or keep your hairlines from receding.

Individuals younger than 18 years are not to use minoxidil for promotion of hair growth. Pregnant and nursing women should also not use it because of possible adverse effects on their babies. People on certain medications will need to discuss with their doctor before use.

Natural Alternatives to Minoxidil

Owing to safety concerns on minoxidil use, it is common to find people wishing to have natural alternatives. Another reason for interest in something else is the seeming inefficacy of the drug in preventing balding.

Why is it that minoxidil doesn't help much, on its own, in fighting balding? This is down to its inability to block the production of dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This androgen hormone is the major factor responsible for hair loss. You can easily see why it is not of much help in fighting hair loss, especially in men.

This also explains why some people use minoxidil with finasteride, a DHT blocker. But again, the other drug is well known for its side effects, including erection problems.

The best alternatives that are thought capable of delivering the benefits of both drugs are natural DHT blockers. Good examples of these are Procerin and Profollica.

Each of these products comes in tablet and topical solution. This two-step approach ensures more thorough improvement in hair health. The hair treatments work on the inside and outside to deliver better results.

Procerin or Profollica may be a better choice than minoxidil because they not only promote availability of nutrients to follicles, but also block DHT. This ensures a more effective means of fighting hair loss. They contain natural ingredients, which potentially make them safer than the drug.

Is it Advisable to Use Minoxidil?

Minoxidil is a proven drug for hair loss. Research backs its efficacy in promoting hair growth. It can be used by both men and women and is widely available nationwide. The drug does have side effects you need to watch out for, though.

It does not seem like your best choice for guarding against balding, as it does not block DHT. This means natural DHT blockers, such as Procerin and Profollica, may be better options. These products are assumed to be safer as well.

=>Profollica Official Website!<=

REFERENCES

Minoxidil - Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minoxidil)

16 Minoxidil Side Effects Revealed (https://www.hairlossrevolution.com/minoxidil-side-effects/)

Rogaine and Low Libido: What Are the Facts? (https://www.healthline.com/health/mens-health/rogaine-and-low-libido)

Profollica vs Rogaine - why Rograine reviews recommend Profollica (http://www.menssupplements.org/profollica-vs-rogaine-rograine-reviews-recommend-profollica/)

Compare Procerin with Rogaine - Hair Loss Treatment for Men (www.procerin.com/compare_rogaine.html)