What is Minoxidil?
Minoxidil is a popular medication for treating hair loss. It’s a topical medication that you can apply directly to your scalp and is designed to be used twice a day, every day.
It’s most commonly found under the brand name, Rogaine® but you can also find off-brand versions of the medication – that are normally cheaper.
How does Minoxidil work?
Minoxidil belongs to a family of medications which are known as ‘vasodilators’.
They are products that are designed to widen your blood vessels – something that naturally happens anyway when the tissues in your body are in need of an increase in blood flow.
At the moment, there is a lack of evidence that pins down exactly how Minoxidil works to increase hair growth.
However, some of the existing studies [2] that have conducted research into the efficacy of Minoxidil corroborate the theory that the medicine acts as a vasodilator that improves the blood flow to your scalp.
By improving the blood flow, Minoxidil is thought to encourage the flow of nutrients to your hair follicles which encourages them to enter the growth phase of the hair cycle – which helps guys suffering from hair loss prevent further balding.
Minoxidil was actually discovered by accident after the medicine was given to severe refractory hypertension patients in the ‘70s. It was only after these patients started to see abnormal hair growth around their bodies that experts realised Minoxidil could be an effective remedy for hair loss.
Does Minoxidil work?
Like any hair loss treatment you’re looking at, the most important thing to know is whether it works or not. Luckily for those that are interested in this treatment, there has been a range of studies that have yielded positive results for this hair loss solution.
In one four-month study [3], 773 men suffering from androgenetic alopecia were instructed to apply 1ml of Minoxidil to the areas of their scalp where they were experiencing baldness, twice a day.
At the end of the study, only 54 of the 725 subjects who managed to see the trial through to the end found that the Minoxidil solution was ‘very effective’. However, 399 subjects said that they found it ‘effective’ and just 45 users didn’t find it effective at all.
In this same study, 74.2% of the 721 eligible subjects noticed an improvement in hair density. Also, around 60% of participants started to see results after just two months of daily Minoxidil application.
In another study [4], nine men aged between 18 and 49 were given 5% Minoxidil foam to apply twice daily for eight weeks and four men were given a placebo solution.
By the end of the eight-week study, four out of the nine men using the Minoxidil solution had experienced hair growth.
Similarly, in a 2002 study [5] of 393 men aged between 18 and 49, experts compared 5% topical minoxidil with 2% topical minoxidil and placebo in an 8-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, multicenter trial.
During the trial, the group of participants who used the 5% topical minoxidil experienced quicker results and up to 45% more hair growth than the group using 2% topical minoxidil.
Does Minoxidil work for facial hair?
Minoxidil shows some very promising results for improving hair growth for men who are balding, and luckily for those who are also struggling to grow facial hair, there is evidence to show that Minoxidil is just as effective at stimulating hair growth on the face.
One study [6] discovered the effectiveness of Minoxidil for facial hair in a 16-week randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled trial of 48 men aged between 20 and 60 years. During the trial, participants were instructed to apply 0.5 ml of 3% Minoxidil to their chin and jawline twice daily.
At the end of the study, the hair count for men in the Minoxidil group was significantly higher than those taking a placebo solution. Overall, the study concluded that Minoxidil 3% lotion is safe and effective for beard enhancement. See before and after Minoxidil beard growth photos for more information.
Other studies have also detailed the application of Minoxidil for eyebrows. In one particular study [7], it was found that Minoxidil 2% lotion was effective at promoting eyebrow hair growth.