Treatment Of Hair Loss Using Minoxidil

Topical minoxidil is recommended by dermatologists as it is clinically proven to stop hair loss in 80 percent of cases (meaning its success rate is 8 out of every 10 cases). Topical Minoxidil also stimulates new hair growth in up to 60 per cent of people in clinical trials. It is suitable for men and women.

Minoxidil is actually a biologic response modifier. It stimulates follicular DNA synthesis, and has a direct effect on the proliferation and differentiation of follicular keratinocytes in vitro, but its exact mechanism of action is still not clear. It, however, does enhances hair growth and regulates hair physiology independently of blood flow influences.

Topical minoxidil 5% solution is considered the most effective concentration for hair loss treatment, including drug-induced alopecia and androgenetic alopecia. Initial hair growth is often seen after 12 weeks of treatment. Maximised result is often seen after a year of treatment. A good thing about topical minoxidil is that it is colourless and odourless once applied, offering discretion and privacy to its user.

The topical 5% minoxidil was approved for men by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1997, but so far the FDA has only approved the 2% concentration for women (since 1991). However, many dermatologists worldwide have prescribed the 5% minoxidil for women for many years without any untoward incidence. Minoxidil, however, should not be used by pregnant or nursing women.

Topical minoxidil is very easy to apply. It must be applied to the balding area twice a day, every day. Decreasing the dosage to once daily often results in some hair loss, while discontinuation is likely to cause regression to pretreatment baldness within three to six weeks.  

Depending on the severity of the problem, the efficacy of topical minoxidil can be enhanced with anthralin or betamethasone dipropionate. Recall that topical minoxidil is applied twice a day? Well, the betamethasone dipropionate cream is also to be applied twice a day - 30 minutes after using minoxidil. As for anthralin, it is applied only once a day - apply it 2 hours after the second minoxidil application.

Do take note that topical 5% minoxidil is not effective on people suffering from alopecia totalis (AT) and alopecia universalis (AU). Patients with AT do not have scalp hair, while those with AU have a 100% loss of hair on the scalp and body.

Another important aspect about using topical minoxidil is that patients may temporarily experience more hair loss for the first month of using minoxidil. This setback is, as mentioned, only temporary in nature and regrowth should take place about this.

Once in a while, you may come across negative stories about topical minoxidil. More often then not, the "negative studies" did not maximize on the 5% solution, and the majority of the patients used had AT/AU.

Minoxidil do have side-effects but they are rare. The side-effects include allergic contact dermatitis, facial hair growth, and itchy scalp. These side-effects tend to disappear over time with continued use. In the event that allergic contact dermatitis occurs, the user should discontinue the treatment until the symptom disappears. Then try it again. If it re-occurs, then the solution need to be reduced to 2%. If it still happen, then an alternative treatment is required.

Last year (2007), a new foam-based formulation of minoxidil was released to the market which claimed to be effective for treatment of male pattern baldness, and that it does not have the side-effects which the topical solution carries.

It is important that in the midst of hair loss treatment using minoxidil, one should practice good hair care in order to prevent additional damage to the hair. Read "Hair loss prevention tips" for guidance on how to nurture and protect your crowning glory.

Hair loss treatment using minoxidil is effective for most individuals, especially when applied in association with the recommended guidelines. But whatever the outcome of hair loss treatment using minoxidil, getting treatment for hair loss or thinning hair should not necessarily have to be a life-long battle or a dark secret that no one should know about. Living in denial can only make the hair loss problem worse...

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