Using Minoxidil to Promote Hair Growth & Reduce Hair Loss

Pattern hair baldness can be problematic for both men and women, and you may be looking at how to deal with it. Minoxidil can help, but it’s wise to understand how minoxidil can be used to treat hair loss, as well as its side effects.

What is Minoxidil?

Minoxidil is a medication that is widely used for treating pattern hair loss for both men and women. It is an antihypertensive vasodilator. Those with androgenic alopecia, more commonly known as hair loss, will benefit most from minoxidil due to it promoting hair growth. Men and women under the age of 40 will see the best results from using minoxidil.

In the past, minoxidil was introduced as a medication to lower blood pressure, and its discovery of its common side effect, hypertrichosis, led to the development of a topical formulation to promote hair growth.

It should be noted that minoxidil does not cure baldness, and has no effect on receding hairlines. In addition, it is not intended to treat loss of hair resulting from stress, illness, malnutrition, or cancer treatment.

To this day, scientists and doctors still do not understand the exact mechanism of action of minoxidil.

Regaine - Minoxidil

The over-the-counter product Regaine, which contains the only clinically proven ingredient, minoxidil, is widely used to stop and reverse women's and men's hereditary hair loss.

People may lose their hair for various reasons, but hereditary hair loss is one of the most common causes.

By increasing blood flow to the hair follicles of the scalp, Regaine enhances the size and diameter of the hair shaft. In clinical studies, Regaine has been proven effective for 90% of men and 80% of women in preventing further hair loss.

Everybody is different, and results will vary from person to person when using Regaine. Studies show that hair regrowth can start as early as 8 weeks from using Regaine, but people should allow around 16 weeks to start seeing results from the treatment.

Minoxidil After a Hair Transplant

After having a hair transplant, it is possible your doctor will recommend that you use minoxidil, as it will help the hair grafts grow faster.

Using minoxidil will also help to eliminate shock loss, which is the shedding of non-transplanted hair. The majority of the time it is temporary, and the hair does eventually grow back, but by using minoxidil, it can help to remove the shock loss phase following the hair transplant surgery.

It is usually recommended that you use minoxidil one week after the hair transplant procedure to allow the hair grafts to settle in. Be sure to speak to your doctor for advice before using minoxidil.

Side Effects of Minoxidil

Although minoxidil is seen as a safe drug and is recommended by doctors, there are known side effects to using it and as with any drug, caution should be taken.

Known side effects include:

• Redness and irritation where minoxidil is applied.
• Hair may grow elsewhere on the body, even though minoxidil might be applied on the scalp.
• Headaches.
• Severe skin irritation from the solution version of minoxidil. This is due to more alcohol within the mixture.
• Heart, kidney, and brain vessels can be affected after using minoxidil for long periods of time.
• A high concentration of minoxidil can lead to chest pains, face flushes, and fainting.
• Can increase hair loss. This is a common side effect and is a result of the hair follicles rapidly moving through the hair growth cycle and shedding before an anagen phase.

It is advised to consult your GP for guidance on how long minoxidil should be used for treating hair loss.

Regaine Your Hair with Weldricks Pharmacy

You can purchase a range of hair loss products including minoxidil and Regaine products from Weldricks Pharmacy to help treat hereditary hair loss directly from our website. 

The Regaine Extra Strength for Men comes in a Triple Pack so you can stay stocked up and maintain your use to help prevent hair thinning and improve hair growth long-term. Shop it below. 

For additional information and helpful advice on how to deal with any hair loss issues and how you can manage your symptoms, you can visit the Regaine website here.

You can also visit your local branch or get in touch with the team for further advice on hair loss treatments.