Rogaine & Minoxidil

Have you been desperately seeking an FDA approved medication that can help with your hair loss problem? Rogaine & minoxidil are two names popular in the hair loss treatment realm, but actually refer to only one drug. Rogaine & minoxidil should not be confused as two different medications then.

Rogaine is the brand name of the first FDA approved drug used to treat hair loss, both for men and women. Rogaine (minoxidil) is available as a topical solution, in concentrations of 5% (for men) and 2% Rogaine for women. The drug was derived from the medication minoxidil (Loniten), a blood pressure medication taken orally.

In its life as an oral drug, minoxidil was found to pose serious side effects on the circulatory system especially the heart, and served as a last resort when all other blood pressure medications are unsuccessful. Furthermore, it was observed that patients who took minoxidil grew body hairs, for which it was decided that the drug be used as a hair loss treatment. In subsequent studies, patients actually showed modest hair regrowth.

The earliest researches on Rogaine were only performed on the crown so people thought the drug works particularly in that area alone. Does Rogaine work in other areas of the scalp? The answer is yes, although, to a lesser degree compared with its effects on the crown. In addition, there has to be miniaturized hairs left on the scalp for treatment to be effective because Rogaine & minoxidil would not work in a totally bald spot.

The medication provides the greatest benefit between five months to 2 years, gradually decreasing in efficacy after that period. Long-term users of minoxidil will continue to experience hair loss at a slower rate.

The mechanism behind the moderate effect of minoxidil in hair regrowth is still unknown, although it is believed to lengthen the anagen phase (follicle growth cycle), and consequently improving the diameter of each hair strand and increasing length miniaturized hairs. Doctors may also recommend Rogaine use in conjunction with Propecia (finasteride), as both present a synergistic benefit but the latter is found to be more effective.

Application Of Rogaine & Minoxidil

As a topical solution, minoxidil is rubbed directly to the scalp, not the hair, ideally in the morning and evening. The drug is only effective in spots to where the solution is applied. Hence, apply it on the front part for treatment of frontal hair thinning. The benefits of Rogaine can be observed from 6-12 months of continuous use, when patients experience a reduction in rate of hair loss. The most common effect of Rogaine is thicken existing hair, but most patients did not grow any new hair on bald areas.

The 5% solution provides a higher degree of efficacy compared to the 2% solution, although it contains the substance propylene glycol that can be harsh on the scalp and cause irritation, or leave hair sticky and unmanageable. If you're facing this problem, you can opt to use the 2% solution (alcohol based and less sticky) in the morning, and then the 5% solution in the evening.

Rogaine foam contains 5% minoxidil that uses glycerin and alcohol as base solution. The foam technology makes application of the solution convenient, without the sticky after-feel and often irritating Rogaine side effects associated with the liquid solution. Rogaine foam looks like a shaving cream as soon as it's released from the canister.

The approved use of Rogaine for women is the 2% solution, because women, in general, are more sensitive to its side effects such as decreasing blood pressure or feel light-hearted. Women are also more susceptible to developing skin allergies (contact dermatitis).

People experiencing hair loss now face a brighter horizon ahead, with the existing medications for hair loss, as well as future remedies, hair loss will soon become a part of history.