Minoxidil is currently the only topical drug approved by the FDA and NMPA for the treatment of male pattern baldness and is suitable for both men and women.
It promotes hair growth by dilating scalp blood vessels, improving microcirculation, affecting prostaglandin metabolism, and stimulating the proliferation of hair follicle epithelial cells.
Studies have shown that the effectiveness of minoxidil increases with the duration of use.
Generally speaking, the drug takes effect in the first three months, some small hairs can be seen in the sixth month, and the effect reaches its peak after one year of use of minoxidil. There will be a slight decline in 1 year, but after 5 years of consistent use, the hair volume will be more than twice that before use.
Therefore, it is generally recommended to use minoxidil for 6 to 12 months.
How to use minoxidil correctly?
Minoxidil should be used when the hair and scalp are completely dry. Apply it to the scalp in the hair loss area instead of the hair, and massage it with your hands for 3-5 minutes. The total daily dosage should not exceed 2ml. It is limited to local use on the scalp and cannot be used on other areas of the body. If you accidentally spray alcohol on your face during use, you should wash it in time. Wash your hands after use to avoid hair growth on your face and hands. The topical minoxidil starts to take effect in about 12 weeks. It is recommended to observe the effect after 6 months of use. If the treatment effect is good, it should be continued to be used to maintain the effect; if the treatment effect is not good, it is recommended to stop the drug.
The so-called "crazy shedding period" refers to the phenomenon of aggravated hair loss in the first 1-2 months of use. This is caused by minoxidil promoting the metabolism of hair follicles, causing the hair that should have fallen off to fall off prematurely. It is temporary.
Does minoxidil have serious side effects? How to deal with discomfort?
Minoxidil is well tolerated, and the common adverse reaction is mild dermatitis of the scalp, which disappears after stopping the drug. If local itching, skin redness, and other irritation symptoms occur, you can appropriately reduce the dosage or frequency, reduce the concentration, switch to foaming agents, etc. to reduce scalp irritation. If the above methods cannot relieve the symptoms, you should stop taking the drug and seek medical attention in time.
Warm reminder
1. The premise of minoxidil hair growth is that there is a normal scalp, and the hair follicles and hair tissues at the hair loss site are not necrotic. If there are scars or injuries on the scalp, and the hair follicles are already necrotic, it will be ineffective.
2. At present, the safety of topical minoxidil during pregnancy is still unclear, so pregnant women are advised to stop using minoxidil, and it is not recommended to use it during breastfeeding
3. Minoxidil treatment of hair loss is a long process, don't be impatient, maintaining a good mood and regular work and rest is also very important for the treatment of hair loss!
