Known most commonly by its over-the-counter brand name, Rogaine, minoxidil is one of the most effective products for hair loss prevention. It’s also one of only two topical hair loss treatments that are FDA-approved to treat male and female pattern baldness.
Minoxidil has some mild side effects, like redness and inflammation. But it’s generally safe for most people between the ages of 18 and 65 to use.
That said, there are some rumors and controversies surrounding the drug. Here are six things people get wrong about minoxidil, and more on what’s myth and what’s reality.
1. Minoxidil Doesn’t Really Work
With the plethora of “miracle” beauty products on the market, it’s understandable that you might be skeptical about minoxidil. A magical liquid or foam that claims to regrow lost hair really does sound too good to be true.
It’s true that there are some times minoxidil won’t work. Minoxidil won’t work to treat certain types of hair loss, like from chemotherapy or a medical condition. And if your hairline has already receded, it won’t bring back lost hair from the front of your head.
It’s also true that minoxidil just doesn’t work in a certain percentage of the population. This is often because their hair follicles aren’t producing enough of an enzyme called SULT1A1. Some studies show that applying a topical enzyme booster can increase the effectiveness of minoxidil for these individuals.
2. Minoxidil Makes You Lose Your Hair
Because minoxidil speeds up the telogen or “resting” phase of the hair growth cycle, it can cause hair to shed. This is a normal part of how minoxidil works, and is actually good news for minoxidil users.
While that initial hair loss from starting minoxidil can be alarming and frustrating, it’s well worth riding it out. Shedding means that old, brittle hair is falling out and new hair will grow back thicker and longer in its place.
But that initial hair loss alarms many people, and may even cause them to stop using minoxidil. If they never resume using it, they’ll never see new hair growth. It takes a few months of consistent, usually twice-daily use to see results from topical minoxidil.
3. Minoxidil Lowers Your Libido
Some people falsely believe that minoxidil is proven to cause a decreased sex drive. This might be in part because they’re confusing it with finasteride, another hair loss treatment that occasionally impacts sexual health.
There’s no definitive evidence that minoxidil impacts sexual health. Still, a small handful of minoxidil users have self-reported lower libido, erectile dysfunction, and other sexual symptoms while using minoxidil. The question is: why?
Reported symptoms may well be correlative: men may start experiencing different signs of aging around the same time. Or they start panicking about hair loss, which makes them notice all the other ways their body might be changing. The stress of losing hair itself could conceivably cause performance issues, too.
4. Minoxidil Is Only for Men
A lot of people associate minoxidil and other hair loss prevention products with male pattern baldness. This is in part because so much of the packaging and advertising imagery for these products is targeted toward men.
But the truth is minoxidil is just as effective for female pattern baldness as it is for male pattern baldness. Minoxidil also doesn’t generally carry any extra risk of side effects for women than it does for men. In other words, it’s not usually dangerous for women to use minoxidil.
There are a few things to note, however, as a woman who uses minoxidil. Minoxidil can cause unwanted hair growth in both women and men. If minoxidil comes into contact with a woman’s face, for instance, it can cause facial hair growth. Minoxidil also isn’t safe for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and it shouldn’t be used during these times.
5. Minoxidil Cures Baldness or Gives You More Hair Follicles
Minoxidil doesn’t work if you’re already bald. Minoxidil can cause hair to regrow in spots of patchy male and female pattern hair loss. But it can’t give you back your old, youthful hairline or undo years of hair loss.
It also can’t restore dead hair follicles or cause your scalp to develop new hair follicles. One common minoxidil myth is that the treatment generates new follicles. This could be because minoxidil acts on hair follicles, helping the body deliver more nutrient-rich blood to their cells.
But there’s a big difference between making a follicle healthier and bringing it back from the grave. What minoxidil can do is reverse the process of miniaturization of follicles, undoing the narrowing that causes them to produce finer, weaker hairs. The potassium channel openers and vasodilatory effects of minoxidil can open follicles and stimulate the growth of stronger, longer hair.
6. You Can’t Use Minoxidil with Other Hair Loss Treatments
Some people worry that using two hair loss treatments at once could be dangerous for their skin. And even the Mayo Clinic’s confusing wording implies you shouldn’t use any other topical products while using minoxidil.
It’s true that you should mix minoxidil with skin or hair products like over-the-counter treatments. But minoxidil can safely be used with finasteride, the only other proven topical medication for hair loss prevention.
In fact, using minoxidil and finasteride simultaneously may be your best shot at maintaining a healthy-looking head of hair. Some studies have shown that people who used the two treatments together had better results than those who used just one.
The Bottom (Hair)line
As with any medication, people are always going to have concerns about safety, side effects, and effectiveness. Some over-the-counter products and even prescription drugs don’t work as well as you want them to, or can be dangerous.
Minoxidil isn’t perfect, and it isn’t the wonder hair loss drug some may wish it were. But it does have real and significant benefits for a majority of people who use it correctly.
