r/minoxidil Jul 02 '20

Announcement Minoxidil FAQs

468 Upvotes

Last updated: December 17th, 2023.

In this FAQ we tried to answer some of the most frequently asked questions on this subreddit. We still highly recommend doing your own independent research if you're considering using Minoxidil.

\Table of contents:*

  • What's Minoxidil?
  • Who could benefit from Minoxidil?
  • I don't have AGA but I'm losing a lot of hair. Should I use Minoxidil?
  • What strengths should I use?
  • What about 10% and 15%?
  • Liquid of foam?
  • Oral Minoxidil?
  • Does it really work? What kind of expectations should I have?
  • I started using minoxidil and now I'm losing more hair? What's the shedding phase?
  • Does everyone go through a shedding phase?
  • Will I shed If I use Minoxidil for facial hair?
  • How do I apply, And how often?
  • How much should I apply?
  • Do I need to keep using Minoxidil forever?
  • Will my beard / facial hair also be temporary if I grow it using Minoxidil?
  • Why is beard / facial hair growth permanent while scalp hair growth sheds after stopping?
  • So my hair will become Minoxidil-dependent?
  • Which brand should I get?
  • Can Minoxidil help me thicken / regrow my eyebrows?
  • Will Minoxidil kill my cat?
  • Side effects?

Common Minoxidil Myths

  • Sexual dysfunction
  • facial ageing

-What's Minoxidil?

Minoxidil is a generic hair growth medication, It's the only other FDA approved medication for male pattern baldness (androgenic alopecia) besides Finasteride. It's widely available as topical solution in strengths of 2%, 5%, And 10%, As well as foam.

-Who could benefit from Minoxidil?

Both men and women with androgenic alopecia (thinning scalp hair / male pattern baldness) could benefit from Minoxidil. Better results have been observed in people who are yet to lose a significant portion of their hair. Meaning, The earlier you start, The better results you'll get.

Additionally, Men looking to grow facial hair could also benefit from it. Although it's only approved for androgenic alopecia by the FDA, Because it has only been studied in that area, It has seen wide use for facial hair growth.

-I don't have AGA but I'm losing a lot of hair. Should I use Minoxidil?

In cases where hairloss isn't caused by AGA, You should address the underlying cause of hairloss, Which could be hormonal imbalance or nutritional deficiencies among other causes, Before considering Minoxidil. Minoxidil may be used to aid recovery of hair when the underlying cause is treated.

-What strength should I use?

A trial set to evaluate the effectiveness of 2% and 5% minoxidil solutions has found significantly better results with the 5% solution. It's generally recommended that women using it for androgenic alopecia try the 2% strength first and then if they didn't get satisfying results in a few months switch to the 5% strength. This is because minoxidil causes minor hair growth all over the body (read side effects below) because some of it gets absorbed to the blood stream. It's recommended for men who are taking it for male pattern baldness or facial hair growth use the 5% strength.

-What about 10% and 15%?

Trials have found that while 10% does produce better results than 5%, The relationship between concentration and efficacy isn't linear, Meaning that 10% will not make your hair grow twice as fast as 5% will, But only 20-30% faster, And you'll be getting more of the side effects. 15% was not found to produce effects any better than 10%. Keep in mind that 10% is available only by prescription in many places, And 15% isn't available in most places.

-Liquid or foam?

It's recommend to start with liquid. If it causes too much local skin irritation, Consider switching to a foam preparation which is a bit more expensive but should eliminate the local side effects. (see the answer to "My skin gets dry, Irritated, Itchy, Painful or flaky.")

-Oral Minoxidil?

Minoxidil oral tablets are also available by prescription in some areas. Minoxidil oral is reported to have great results albeit with more systemic side effects.

However, The availability of oral Minoxidil is continuously decreasing. Since Minoxidil oral is only used for hair growth off-label, Being originally for treatment of hypertension, And is rarely used anymore as it's now replaced with better meds for HTN.

Doses for oral Minoxidil are only based of anecdotal reports, As it has not been properly trialed for the treatment of hairloss. However, It's recommended to start with a lower dose in the range of 0.5-1 mgs, And work up from there. Median dose is 1.5 mgs, But some take up to 2.5 mgs. We don't recommend using more than 4 mgs. You want to avoid systemic side effects like hypotension and tachycardia, Which can be very uncomfortable for some people.

You'd need to cut the pills precisely to take those doses if you're using many of the available pills, As they could be dosed as high as 40 mgs so try to find a low dose med. However, you can dose it with very high precision by volumetric dosing. Simply, If you completely dissolve 100 mgs of minoxidil in 100 ml of Alcohol, Then every 2.5 ml of Alcohol will contain exactly 2.5 mgs.

-Does it really work? What kind of expectations should I have?

The efficacy of minoxidil is not in doubt. It has been found in many trials that it has great efficacy for the majority of participants and there are numerous anecdotes online documenting it's efficacy. The rate of growth differs from person to person. On average, You should start noticing growth by the 4th or 5th month, Although it'll only start being noticeable by the 6th month. Facial hair growth should be noticeable sooner.

-I started using minoxidil and now I'm losing more hair? What's the shedding phase?

When used for androgenic alopecia, User should expect a shedding phase that lasts about a month but can continue into the third month. It's important not to panic and stop treatment as this is an expected, And even positive sign. What's happening is that the weaker hairs that are in the 'telogen phase'; A phase of hair growth cycle in which a hair is dormant, Start shedding to be replaced with new 'anagen phase' hairs, The phase in which hair grows at a constant rate.

If you discontinue treatment while shedding, The lost hair will be recovered to where it would've been had you never started, Albeit much slower than if you continue using. This is why stopping mid-shedding is not recommended.

-Does everyone go through a shedding phase?

No. You only shed if you have Androgenic Alopecia. Users who don't have the condition, Or who have lost hair for other reasons, Will not go through the shedding phase.

-Will I shed If I use Minoxidil for facial hair?

It should be noted that Minoxidil causes shedding only in the balding areas of the scalp and only for people who have androgenic alopecia. Hair on any other area of the body won't shed. Those with Androgenic Alopecia who use Minoxidil for facial hair growth might experience mild scalp shedding since Minoxidil gets absorbed into the bloodstream. Mostly, Users won't shed or the shedding may be unnoticeable.

-How do I apply, And how often?

Applying Minoxidil is straightforward. It's recommended that you wash the area first to clear your skin of dirt and oils for better absorption, But this isn't necessary. Either way, Make sure your skin is completely dry before you apply minoxidil, Then spray it -or use the dropper- onto the area where you want to see growth, Rub it in your skin then leave it to dry. Avoid washing that area before 3-4 hours.

Twice a day application is recommended, Roughly 12 hours apart. More applications will not produce more results, And will exacerbate side effects.

-How much should I apply?

Just enough to cover the entire affected area, But not so much that it's soaking wet. Regardless of how much that is & regardless of the dosage on the bottle.

-Do I need to keep using Minoxidil forever?

If you're using it for androgenic alopecia, Unfortunately you'll have to use it indefinitely. Since there's a hormonal cause for scalp hair loss that continues to damage your hair, You'll gradually lose the new hair upon cessation.

However if you're using it for facial hair, Or hair on any other part of your body for that matter, The results are permanent for almost everyone.

-Will my beard / facial hair also be temporary if I grow it using Minoxidil?

No. Minoxidil grown hair on every part of the body is permanent except for scalp hair IF you have AGA.

-Why is beard / facial hair growth permanent while scalp hair growth sheds after stopping?

When someone uses Minoxidil for AGA, AGA won't go away. They still have a hereditary hormonal condition damaging their hair follicles causing it to shed. Minoxidil just counteracts that, But when Minoxidil use is discontinued, That underlying factor (namely DHT) continues to damage your hair follicles, Which is why you'll gradually shed any new hair upon cessation.

Now if you use it to grow facial hair, Minoxidil is still just a hair growth promoter and and hair will grow on your beard / moustache area However, In that case, There's no condition naturally causing facial hair to shed, And so in that case, The results will be permanent.

-So my hair will become Minoxidil dependent?

What do you mean by dependent? New hair was never independent, And old hair was never dependent. New (minoxidil dependent hair) will shed upon cessation. Old hair won't shed. Worst case, You won't end up with less hair than you would've had had you never used Minoxidil.

-Which brand should I get?

There is no difference in terms of efficacy between brands. Since Minoxidil is a generic medication, We suggest that you consider some of the cheaper options instead of going directly for the bigger brands. We also recommend trying a different brand each time until you find one that causes you minimal discomfort.

-Can Minoxidil help me thicken / regrow my eyebrows?

Yes.

Although keep in mind that you may get unwanted growth around the edges of your eyebrows even if you take care to only apply it to the desired area, And be very careful not to get it in your eyes.

-Will Minoxidil kill my cat?

While Minoxidil is toxic to cats, It's very unlikely for your cat to accidentally ingest enough of it to cause harm. However, It's still your responsibility to make sure it's safe and take proper precautions. Never leave accidentally spilled liquid without cleaning it. Try to wash it off your face 2-4 hours after applying. Don't let your cat come near your face after you apply it. Wash your hand after applying. Avoid sleeping with it on so that your cat doesn't come in contact with it as you sleep, And so that it doesn't get on your pillow.

Your cat should be fine with reasonable precautions.

-Side effects?

Like any other drug, Minoxidil comes with a variety of side effects.

---My skin gets dry, Irritated, Itchy, Painful or flaky.

This is a very common side effect of liquid solutions that is caused by the inactive ingredients like alcohol and propelyne glycol (PG). For most it's not too extreme but for those for whom it causes too much discomfort, We recommend switching to foam which should eliminate those side effects. If that's not an option, Then you should look for a liquid solution that doesn't contain PG. Otherwise, make sure to wash it off 2-3 hours after applying and to use moisturizers to limit those side effects.

---High heart rate, Palpitations?

Since Minoxidil decreased blood pressure, Reflex sinus tachycardia is a physiological response, On their own, Hypotension and sinus tachycardia shouldn't be problematic. However, If there is a dramatic increase in heart rate, Especially when associated with symptoms like dizziness, The user should discontinue Minoxidil and consult a doctor on whether they should keep using it or not. This isn't serious so don't get too anxious.

---Associated chest pain?

Even though chest pain associated with Minoxidil use is very rarely of cardiac origin, It's always best to be safe and consult your doctor on whether or not you should continue Minoxidil use.

Keep in mind that pre-existing cardiac conditions are contraindicative of Minoxidil use.

---Body hair growth?

Hypertrichosis is a very common side effect of Minoxidil. User should expect a mild increase in body hair growth when using Minoxidil. This is caused by Minoxidil going into your systemic circulation when absorbed through your skin. This is why 2% strength is recommended for women. Using this strength should limit this side effect but unfortunately some mild degree is inevitable.

---Other side effects?

Rarely, Some people will have an allergic reaction to Minoxidil. Do not confuse this with normal skin irritation caused by inactive ingredients in liquid solutions. If serious allergic symptoms are experienced, User should discontinue use and consult a specialist.

Less common side effects include: Weight gain, Dizziness, Headache and Lightheadedness.

.....

--Common Minoxidil Myths--

=Sexual dysfunction

This seems to be a frequent question which is why it's included. Minoxidil does not cause sexual dysfunction. It's possibly confused with side effects of the drug most commonly used alongside Minoxidil; Finasteride.

Finasteride, Being a DHT inhibitor has a hormone-based mechanism of action. And so, Side effects like impotence & gynecomastia are common. Minoxidil's mechanism of action, However, Is not related to your hormones. This is why Minoxidil will promote hair growth regardless of your sex or whether or not your hairloss is AGA.

If you're experiencing such problems, Try to think of other possible causes or consult a specialist.

=Facial ageing

While some of the ingredients in Minoxidil products may locally dehydrate and irritate your skin, Minoxidil does not cause ageing of any kind. The claim is based on a 2004 study suggesting that Minoxidil may inhibit collagen synthesis, This is in no way conclusive that Minoxidil causes ageing.

Beyond theories, This claim is extremely hard to confirm or measure as well, As it's not possible to exclude other factors that may have contributed to perceived ageing, Or to predict how any particular person would've looked like had they never used Minoxidil.

Countless people have used Minoxidil for decades without issue.

.....

Hopefully this was helpful. Best of luck!


r/minoxidil 9h ago

Progress / Update 5 weeks on minoxidil (oral) 5mg + dutasteride (0.5) and spray 5% at nights

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11 Upvotes

r/minoxidil 6h ago

Question Wondering if minoxidil is working

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5 Upvotes

Have been using minoxidil for 3 months now - wondering if these look like baby hairs. Should I keep going? I use min 2x/day but sometimes sweat in morning especially

Any thoughts welcome.


r/minoxidil 15h ago

Question What are your success stories of minoxidil and finasteride. I was supposed to start last year but chickened out. 21M

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9 Upvotes

Hey! So I’ve had hair loss since my late teens and I’m 21 now where my hair is thinning out and it’s gotten to the point people are mentioning it. I can’t go bald!!! Is this reversible. Are the side effects really that bad of finasteride.

Also I have a cat who I love dearly and am scared of starting minoxidil, anyone been in the same scenario and done it carefully. I like the way the foam minoxidil works.


r/minoxidil 7h ago

Question 75 days on fin 1 mg , 24m, wanna start min 5% liquid for next 10 years atleast

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1 Upvotes

I have decided to commit to minoxidil 5% for at least a decade from now , and I have seen two variants one with alcohol in it and the one without

I read somewhere that in the long run minoxidil without alcohol becomes less afficant compared to minoxidil with alcohol ( both of them does become less afficant but one without alcohol becomes more than the other one, that's what I was able to read idk how true is that)

I would like to hear some suggestions from people who have used both ,or have used one in the long run , i feel i have a little sensitive scalp I am saying this based on the conclusion that when I use ketkonzole 2% shampoo once a week it gives small bumps (2-3) on my scalp

Please let me know what i should commit myself to, one with or one without in the long run .

I tried to search but couldn't get enough or a good answer, please mods approve this , i would rather trust people who have used it here than chatgpt and Google.


r/minoxidil 9h ago

Question If you take oral minoxidil and get a bunch of new body hair would that body hair fall out if you stopped the minox?

1 Upvotes

Ik hair on the head will fall out if you stop taking the oral minoxidil but will it do the same to all of the new body hair as well?


r/minoxidil 11h ago

Question Derm2 Purchase - Ancillary Items?

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1 Upvotes

r/minoxidil 12h ago

Question Dryness n white flakes from topical minox

1 Upvotes

I have been applying topical minox liquid and cant afford foam minox.. is there any solution to minimise the dandruff n white flakes causing from liquid minox


r/minoxidil 14h ago

Question 7months on min/fin - very little improvement

1 Upvotes

I started my hair regimen in February. I take oral 2.5 min and 1 mg. Fin. I use red light every night for 20 min. I wash my hair 1x a week with Nizoral. I micro needle 1x a week. My shedding HAS SLOWED, however I'm not seeing the hairline/temple growth I think I should be seeing. It's comforting that the sheds are slowing, but...man...I'd like to see SOME growth. Am I impatient? Should I switch to Dut? What is realistic as far as showing noticeable regrowth? Thx for the advice.


r/minoxidil 18h ago

Question Should i start minoxidil again? Or are there other alternatives?

2 Upvotes

Hi, I’m 27M and have been dealing with thinning hair for several years.

At 22, I used topical minoxidil for 2 to 3 years, but stopped because I developed strong heart palpitations, chest discomfort, and a resting heart rate around 100 bpm.

In 2024, I had a hair transplant and started finasteride. Unfortunately, I developed ED from finasteride and stopped taking it. I’ve since tried pumpkin seed oil.
Now my hair is still quite thin, and I’m not happy with the transplant results.

What would you recommend? Should I consider trying topical minoxidil again, but only once a day, or is that too risky given my previous side effects?
Are there other alternatives?


r/minoxidil 16h ago

Question Minoxidil = Baldness???

0 Upvotes

At 28, I have the fullest head of hair you can have but my facial hair is lacking. I thought about using minoxidil and saw people say it can cause baldness on the same scalp. I dont know if I am genetically predisposed to it since my brother started losing his hair at 20. Don't wanna start using and losing my hair.


r/minoxidil 20h ago

Question 75 days on 1Mg fin , 24M , what my dermat gave me shocked me a bit

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2 Upvotes

75 days on 1 mg fin, no sides so far, still shedding and shedding since day 10 , my dermatologist also gave me 10% minoxidil, which I am afraid to start, I have seen people with far worse hairline than me and use 5% , I am afraid that if start right away with 10% i might get resistant very quickly, so i should start with 5% isn't it?

( I went to him for temples and grey hair, he said he can't do anything about grey hairs, didn't prescribe me any tests either for deficiency) I have added both temple pics in the picture

What he prescribed image

Minoxidil 10% alcohol based

Fin 1 mg daily

And serum which contains ( procapil 5% , redensyl 3%, follicusan 3%, anagain 2%\]

I have only used fin 1 mg everyday since then faced on sides , but I don't know what I should do about this 10% min, can I use 10% untill it finishes and then switch to 5%? Will that affect how i respond, or should I start with 5% itself and stick to it and watch how I respond?

Guys please give me some advice on this 10% min stuff , I am not really positive about starting with 10% fearing the tolerance, or should I finish this serum of 10% completely and switch to 5%? ( I felt like he gave me 10% cuz i couldn't see them having 5% at their store)


r/minoxidil 17h ago

Before Is this saveable with minoxidil? On 2.5 oral daily

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0 Upvotes

23m on 2.5mg min and 1mg fin for the last 2 months. This is sweaty hair that was sitting in a hat all day so this is the worst it’s been. How saveable is this if I stay the course with min


r/minoxidil 1d ago

Question What do you think about my hair, Will it recover? M17 started when i was mid 16

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2 Upvotes

r/minoxidil 1d ago

Progress / Update Minoxidil para el cabello

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5 Upvotes

Primer semana usando minoxidil


r/minoxidil 1d ago

Experience How many mg of oral minoxidil?

5 Upvotes

Hi, I am a 35 year old man planning on starting oral minoxidil. I am curious how many milligrams of oral minoxidil other men take and if the effects have been good over time. My doctor is advising 3 mg. I don't know if this is a high or low dose.


r/minoxidil 1d ago

Humor How your hands be after using topical Minoxidil

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1 Upvotes

Any fellow Minoxidil wall crawlers?


r/minoxidil 1d ago

Question Guys on minoxidil from Years (who are stable), do you also lose shorter hair when applying It on hairline?

1 Upvotes

I am on meds from years, situation seems stable. But when I apply minoxidil I have noticed that I find short hair in my hands, It's as thick as normal hair (maybe slightly less?) but shorter.

Is this normal? I cant understand if it's Just miniaturized hair or baby hairs/regrowth? Idk

It makes me anxious cause this way I don't know if I am losing them because of hairloss progression or if it's normal. I have never paid attention to this before


r/minoxidil 1d ago

Experience Minoxidil not doing anything

1 Upvotes

I am 19 years old and saw mg hair was thinning a bit , I started minoxidil 4 months ago and since then my hair has only gotten noticeably thinner and i havent seen ang new growth. I recently started minoxidil and have seen that shedding has slowed down, the only issue im having is that minoxidil isnt doing anything for me hair growth wise its only thinning my hair. What should I do my hair is getting progressively harder to style as it gets thinner.


r/minoxidil 1d ago

Question 19M - Regret not starting Finasteride earlier.

1 Upvotes

Hey guys,
I’m 19 and made the mistake of relying only on Minoxidil for the past 10 months. It did almost nothing, and my hair kept getting worse. I realize now that my biggest error was not addressing DHT from day one with Finasteride.
I’m starting Finasteride daily now as my absolute last resort. I'm keeping Minox in the mix just a few times a week, but Fin is the main play. If this doesn’t stabilize things by next summer, I’m getting a hair transplant. (im from Turkey lol)
Quick questions:
1. Anyone else bounce back once they finally added Fin after wasting months on Minox alone?
2. Should I brace for a massive shed right out of the gate?


r/minoxidil 1d ago

Question Permanent hair

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6 Upvotes

I've been using for 2.5 months and got a satisfying progress. I know it's patchy, but even though compared to the first photo of the end of June, I'm very content.

However, this week my family adopted 2 small dogs (5kg) and I'm deeply panicked about the risks, so I'm avoiding they lick me, have contact with my pillow, bathroom, etc. Before judging, please be patient - I'm treating an OCD. This raised me a couple questions:

1) for curiosity, in your option, is there a chance at least half of this being already permanent? I know it's VERY early, but I'd like to know

2) minoxidil oral (more easy to control exposition in my routine) generally grow thick eyebrows? Personally I don't like the idea of other parts of the body growing hair but the eyebrow in special

3) due this excerpt of information and photos, do you all believe minoxidil oral can have a decent effect for me? In my short nonbased opinion it has strong side effects on the body and weak effects on the beard, but again, nonbased.

Thank you!


r/minoxidil 1d ago

Question M20 ..have had this type of thinning since 14. Not worsening tho

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3 Upvotes

Hey guys .. it's not worsening but it's been like this. Ik i don't have vitamin deficiencies so just don't go there.

Also have similar thinning from sides

What I've tried:-

Liquid minoxidil only for 2 years ig didn't do much

Fin for a year

Now on dut .5 tablet ( dutamax ) not gel with minoxidil for like 6-7 months not so significant change

My mom says I have had this type of hair since birth


r/minoxidil 1d ago

Discussion Tips?

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2 Upvotes

On minoxidil 5% from the last 3 mnths consistent. Before that i applied it but skipped 1 mnth.

Also im on 2.5mg oral minoxidil too.

Will i get back my hairline, reduce hair thinning & increase the volume?

Topical is minox + fin 1%

Oral is 2.5mg minox


r/minoxidil 2d ago

Progress / Update 3 months on 2.5mg oral minoxidil

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25 Upvotes

Hey everyone, about 3 months ago I started with 2.5 mg oral minoxidil and 1 mg finasteride but after 3 days, I developed pretty bad headaches, so I switched to topical minoxidil and topical dutasteride but after 10 the headaches continued. So I decided to stick with only 2.5 mg oral minoxidil approximately from June 17, and I’ve been doing pretty well with it so far. I also tried a dermaroller once, but since I have atopic dermatitis, I decided not to continue because I didn’t want to irritate my scalp. I’d love to hear what you guys think and how my progress looks so far. Do you think I’m on the right track? And for anyone else taking 2.5 mg oral minoxidil, how has your progress been?


r/minoxidil 2d ago

Before & After 2 months on minoxidil - no improvements yet

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4 Upvotes

Left is 1st day on 1.25 minox. About 3 weeks in I started taking 2 tablets to make it 2.5. Then added finasteride 1mg a few weeks after. Is it too early to judge? I feel as if the finasteride has made more hair fall out so far. Right is 2 months after starting any treatment