Myths and Facts About Minoxidil Hair Growth Treatments

Minoxidil is the only topical treatment for hair loss that has FDA approval. If you’re reluctant to suffer through the side effects of medications and the invasiveness of surgical solutions, it might be the perfect way to thicken that disappearing hairline.

Minoxidil Can be Used by Women: Fact

Most hair loss solutions are only effective for treating male pattern baldness, so women have until recently been left with few solutions. Minoxidil is different. It’s been successfully tested on women who have female pattern hair loss. Two percent solutions thickened the hair after 48 weeks, and five percent solutions showed even better results. For this reason, it was at last approved for female patients in 2014.

You Can Treat Complete Baldness with Vitadil: Myth

Hair growth products containing Minoxidil can thicken hair caused by female pattern baldness as long as you still have some hair in the balding areas. Hair loss is often caused by constricted blood vessels, particularly when pattern baldness occurs. This means there isn’t enough oxygen or nutrients being delivered to the follicles. Minoxidil works by opening the vessels so that nutrients and oxygen return to dying follicles. Dead follicles need more invasive treatments. If you’re a good candidate for topical hair restorers, you should see your thinning sections begin to thicken about three or four months into your care. The really exciting results should be noticeable at about five months. You might even see less gray, along with far less shedding.

Minoxidil is Enough: Myth

As the only FDA-approved topical hair loss therapy, Minoxidil is certainly the most important ingredient for resolving your thinning patches, but clinical trials show that it often works better if you combine it with other treatments. Retinoids seem to stimulate hair growth, although further study is needed to establish this with certainty. Thus far, mouse trials have been promising. Researchers suspect that retinoids and Minoxidil combined could produce more hair density even in the dead follicles than Minoxidil alone can restore.

Minoxidil Has No Side Effects: Myth

Any chemical that can help your body can also cause side effects, but this doesn’t mean those effects will be experienced by everyone. Minoxidil might give you a few bothersome effects while your body is getting used to it; however, some more serious side effects can also occur. Usually, a beta-blocker is prescribed with the hair loss solution to counteract its cardiac effects. Vasodilation might cause water retention too, so your doctor might want to check your sodium levels every few months. If tyour salt levels sink, a diuretic can be used to return them to normal.

Minoxidil Won’t Affect Your Hair Color and Texture: Myth

Minoxidil can increase your hair pigmentation and elongate your hair. This effect is rarer in women than it is in men,.

You Can’t Dye Your Hair with Topical Treatments: Myth

The color of your natural hair might change when you use Minoxidil, which means your roots could grow out a different shade. Your hair stylist might need to change the toner or dye they use to achieve the color you want. You shouldn’t dye your hair while you have Minoxidil on your scalp, and you should wait 24 hours before you apply it again.

You Don’t Need to Prepare Your Scalp for Minoxidil: Somewhat False

Minoxidil can be quite harsh on the skin. Using a pre-treatment formulation can reduce that effect, especially during the first few months. You should keep your scalp healthy with the help of moisturizers and conditioners.  Healthy skin is less likely to become irritated.

You Don’t Need a Doctor to Use Minoxidil

Hair regrowth products have a huge range of effects. Most side effects are rare, but some are relatively common and can be risky. Ask your doctor to supervise your care, and be sure that you are in proper condition to manage topical products without harming yourself or an unborn child. If you have a chronic illness, always speak to your doctor first.

Medical science is making enormous strides in the field of restoring hair loss. The days when you had to suffer from patchy growth are over.