Minoxidil for Hair Loss Treatment

Minoxidil is a therapeutic chemical compound that was first synthesized in the USA, this remedy was synthesized to treat blood pressure diseases and over time the intensity of hair growth was observed on people using Minoxidil, and Minoxidil began to be used as a treatment for hair loss and has many forms, which include Minoxidil (liquid, spray, foam, pills, shampoo). Minoxidil was approved for the treatment of hair loss in 1988 by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), after from clinical trials.

How Minoxidil Works?

Minoxidil acts as a vasodilator in general, and this leads to an increase in blood flow to the target area of treatment, which leads to an increase in the abundance of oxygen and nutrients important for the growth of hair follicles, in addition to containing nitric oxide, which works to remove and shed weak follicles to give the opportunity for follicles to grow back thicker and firmer, Minoxidil stimulates cell growth factors such as ( insulin-like growth factor-1), a catalyst that helps to introduce insulin into the cells in order to generate the energy needed for growth.

Dosage of Minoxidil

We have many doses of Minoxidil and the most important of these doses is (Minoxidil 2% and Minoxidil 5%)

The use of these doses varies depending on the patient's history with hair loss and the stages he has reached in the loss.In general, Minoxidil 5% is prescribed for men and Minoxidil 2% for women in order to avoid the appearance of hair in unwanted places. In some cases, the doctor changes the dose and observes the results continuously.

How Minoxidil is used?

The method of using Minoxidil liquid, spray, foam and shampoo is similar by applying Minoxidil directly to the scalp, and after washing the hair and drying it well, it is ensured that Minoxidil reaches all the hair follicles by massaging the scalp with fingertips, and after 25 minutes you can do a good scalp wash of Minoxidil, preferably increasing the waiting period for two to four hours, and then wash hands well to prevent the transfer of Minoxidil to other places where hair does not want to appear.

In the case of liquid Minoxidil, 1 milliliter is applied to the scalp, in the case of using a spray, 8 sprays are made on the scalp, in the case of foaming Minoxidil, half of the lid of the can is filled and distributed on the scalp, and in the case of shampoo, enough is used to wash the hair completely, and in all cases full access to the scalp is taken into account, and as for Minoxidil pills, the pills are taken naturally with a sufficient amount of water, preferably taking the pills at least two hours before bedtime.

Who uses Minoxidil?

• People suffering from hair loss and weak follicles because it increases the density and durability of the follicles in the scalp.
• People who suffer from partial baldness, especially the upper head area, where the use of Minoxidil does not work with people who suffer from baldness completely.

Who is advised not to use Minoxidil?

• Pregnant and lactating women up to 6 months in order to avoid the arrival of minoxidil to the baby.
• People suffering from inflammation of the scalp.
• People who have recently had a hair dyeing operation in order to prevent the leakage of hair dyes into the circulatory system as a result of vasodilation.
• People with heart problems or blood pressure.
• People who show signs of allergy after using minoxidil should see a doctor immediately.

Benefits of Minoxidil

• The remedy is relatively cheap compared to other methods of treatment for hair loss.
• It is easy to use, it is self-used and you do not need anyone's help in using it.
• The treatment is characterized by effective results of hair growth and increasing its density, it not only stimulates the growth of new follicles, Minoxidil also replaces weak and worn follicles with new ones with strength and durability.
• Minoxidil treats hereditary hair loss.

Disadvantages of Minoxidil

• Minoxidil is not a radical solution to the problem of hair loss, as the treatment must be continued to ensure the continuation of the results.
• In some cases, the scalp does not respond to Minoxidil and this is evaluated after 4 months of treatment, which is a long period of time to determine the feasibility of treatment or not.

Side Effects of Minoxidil

Of course, the doctor evaluates the side effects and compares them with the benefits of using Minoxidil, thus the doctor tells you to continue or stop treatment, and we mention here some possible side effects :

• The appearance of signs of redness and irritation on the scalp and in some cases Minoxidil may cause the appearance of dandruff.
• The appearance of facial hair or other undesirable areas.
• Feeling dizzy, tired and exhausted in general.
• Swelling of the hands and feet.
• Increased and irregular heart rate.
• Significantly increased weight.
• Difficulty breathing, especially when lying down.

If you experience any of these symptoms, you should see a doctor immediately, and here we note that these symptoms increase their incidence when using Minoxidil in the form of pills, because it mixes in the blood directly, and these symptoms are rare in other types of Minoxidil.

When the results begin to appear?

The results begin to appear after one to two months of use, where the presence of new hair follicles will be noticed, and during this period the percentage of hair loss may increase significantly, as a result of the fall of weak and worn follicles, which gives the opportunity to grow new follicles.

After 4 months of daily use of Minoxidil, the growth of new strands of hair will be noticed, and these strands will be light in color, and the hair follicles will stop falling out, and then the doctor will evaluate the results and recommend whether to continue treatment or not.

After 9 months, the growth process is completed and the dark color is noticed in the hair, and here it is necessary to continue using Minoxidil to maintain the results obtained.

In case you miss a dose of Minoxidil..

Do not try to compensate for the dose in any way and just wait for the date of the next dose and adhere to the time spacing between doses.

Minoxidil and Hair Transplantation

Doctors recommend using Minoxidil after hair transplantation operations in order to maintain the strength and durability of new follicles and increase hair density, but if you are using Minoxidil and want to do a hair transplant, you should stop using Minoxidil 3 days before transplantation in order to reduce the expansion of blood vessels that hinder the transplant process, and you can return to using Minoxidil after hair transplantation directly.

How to stop using Minoxidil?

If you want to stop using Minoxidil, you should consult a doctor to reduce the doses thoughtfully in order to avoid a blood pressure disorder or any other problems that may occur as a result of direct discontinuation of use.