Hair is an important part of our appearance and our identity. So losing it can take its toll on mental wellbeing and confidence.

Luckily, there are a number of hair loss treatments available. And if you’ve been looking to reverse or halt hair loss, you’ve probably come across something called minoxidil. Or you’ve come across the branded version, Regaine.

Minoxidil is a popular treatment option for male pattern hair loss. In this article, we explain what minoxidil is, how it works and whether women can use it.

What is Minoxidil?

Minoxidil is a treatment used to stop and reverse hereditary pattern hair loss in both men and women.

It’s the generic version of Regaine. That means it has the same active ingredient, but the price is usually lower.

Minoxidil comes in two forms: topical minoxidil foam and oral minoxidil.

Topical Minoxidil

Topical minoxidil is minoxidil in foam or serum form. You massage the solution onto the affected areas of your scalp twice a day, about 12 hours apart.

Your hair will grow in the areas you apply the treatment to. So it’s more targeted than oral minoxidil, which causes hair growth in other areas of the body. 

But a lot of people find the twice-a-day application hard to fit into a daily routine.

Oral Minoxidil

Oral minoxidil is a licensed treatment for high blood pressure. But pharmacists offer minoxidil “off-label” as an alternative hair loss treatment. This means it’s used in a different way to what’s described in the product licence. This doesn’t mean it’s unsafe or inappropriate. 

Patients on minoxidil start taking 1.25mg (half a tablet) daily for two weeks. After that, they take one 2.5mg tablet daily. Research has found oral minoxidil to be roughly as effective as topical minoxidil.

Some people find it easier to take a pill than to apply topical treatment twice a day. But it may carry a higher risk of certain side effects. Increased heart rate and weight gain from fluid retention are the most common ones. Although these are usually mild and manageable.

We recommend you try topical minoxidil before considering oral tablets. Talk to your GP to determine if it’s right for you.

How Does Minoxidil Work?

How minoxidil promotes hair growth is not fully understood, despite it being used to treat hair loss for over 30 years. However experts believe minoxidil increases the blood supply to the hair follicles to encourage the flow of nutrients. This strengthens the existing hairs and stimulates growth.

You need to use minoxidil regularly for at least four months to notice any effects. There are no concerns about using the medication long term. The treatment only works for as long as you take it. So your hair loss will return when you stop taking it.

Your hair might also start to shed when you start using this treatment. This is normal. Minoxidil stimulates hair growth, so some follicles shed early to grow stronger, thicker hair in the next phase.

If you don’t see an improvement in your hair after four to six months, it’s worth seeing a GP. They might be able to offer an alternative solution.

Can Women Use Minoxidil?

Regaine for Women is the only clinically-proven solution for female pattern hair loss. Alternative treatments for male pattern baldness may not be suitable for women as they target levels of DHT (a form of testosterone) to manage hair loss.

Key Takeaways

  • Minoxidil is a widely-used treatment for hereditary hair loss in both men and women. It’s available in topical and oral forms. Regaine is the branded version.
  • Topical minoxidil is applied directly to the scalp, while oral minoxidil is taken as a pill and may cause side effects like increased heart rate. Try topical treatment before trying oral minoxidil.
  • Minoxidil likely promotes hair growth by improving blood flow to hair follicles, although how it works isn’t fully understood.
  • Minoxidil requires consistent use for at least four months to show results. Stopping treatment will cause hair loss to resume.
  • Minoxidil is approved for female pattern hair loss under the brand Regaine. 

References

Suchonwanit, P., Thammarucha, S. and Leerunyakul, K. (2019). Minoxidil and its use in hair disorders: a review. Drug Design, Development and Therapy, Volume 13, pp.2777–2786. doi:https://doi.org/10.2147/dddt.s214907.

Johnson, J.L. and Staff, K. (2024). What is minoxidil, the anti-balding hair growth treatment? Here’s what the science says. [online] The Conversation. Available at: https://theconversation.com/what-is-minoxidil-the-anti-balding-hair-growth-treatment-heres-what-the-science-says-223736.