Minoxidil

You typically apply minoxidil directly to your scalp once or twice a day, when your scalp and hair are dry. You don’t need to wash your hair before applying minoxidil. Always use minoxidil as prescribed. Minoxidil is only indicated for use on your scalp, you shouldn’t apply it to other parts of your body.

We recommend waiting 4 hours between applying minoxidil and washing your hair. You should wash your hands straight away after applying the medication.

You should wash your hands immediately after applying minoxidil to your scalp, and avoid touching your clothes or any other parts of your body. You should wait for minoxidil to dry completely before coming into contact with any linens or clothes as it can stain them. If you prefer to apply minoxidil at night, we recommend applying minoxidil around 2 to 4 hours before going to bed.

It usually takes between two to four months for you to see results with minoxidil. The treatment will start working right away, but your hair goes through a growth cycle, so it can take time for old hairs to fall out and be replaced with new, thicker, longer ones. Minoxidil works best if you use it consistently every day, without taking breaks, but if you don’t see any improvement after four months, speak to our doctors who will be able to offer their advice.

Minoxidil is one of the only treatments which has been proven to halt hair loss and restore losses caused by male pattern baldness. Both clinical trials and independent research have proven that minoxidil can stop hair loss, and restore lost hair, for most men with male pattern baldness in as little as two to four months with consistent use. Minoxidil works best on men who have been experiencing hair loss caused by male pattern baldness for less than 5 years, so the earlier you start treatment the better. If you’re losing hair because of male pattern baldness, chances are, minoxidil will work for you.

No, minoxidil doesn’t block DHT (the hormone that causes male pattern baldness). Minoxidil works by improving the flow of blood, oxygen and nutrients to your hair follicles.

Minoxidil works by increasing blood flow to existing hair follicles, so if you have already lost the hair around your temples, minoxidil is unlikely to be able to help. Similarly, if you have completely bald patches, minoxidil likely won’t be able to regrow the lost hair.

Minoxidil is a safe treatment for most men, but like all medications, it can have side effects. Not everyone will experience them, but even when people do, they tend to be mild, like skin irritation where you apply the minoxidil (itching, dryness, and rashes), headaches, and increased facial hair growth. Minoxidil can also cause unwanted hair growth if it comes into contact with other areas on your body, so it is important to wash your hand thoroughly after applying the medication.

In rare cases, minoxidil may cause weight gain, usually if too much of the medicine is being absorbed into your bloodstream. This side effect hasn’t been studied in detail, and happens rarely, so we can’t say how much weight you could gain, or what happens to this extra weight over time. If you’re concerned about weight gain with minoxidil, speak to our doctors.

When some men begin using minoxidil, they initially experience more hair loss, which is often called minoxidil shedding. This isn’t anything to be worried about, it’s just your scalp shedding old hairs to make way for the new ones, and it’s a sign that minoxidil is working for you. Minoxidil shedding usually happens between two to six weeks after you start using it. But after this initial shedding, you should start to see gains. Speak to our doctors if this shedding lasts for longer.

If you stop taking minoxidil, you’ll start to lose your hair again. The extra supply of blood, nutrients, and oxygen that minoxidil provides your hair follicles with will start to fall and your follicles will begin to shrink again. You may lose all your gains within three to four months, and then you’ll continue to lose your hair as you did before using minoxidil. If you want to fight male pattern baldness for as long as possible, you’ll need to make minoxidil a part of your daily routine.

Finasteride should never be used past the expiry date which is always the last day of the month shown on the packaging, after which it should be discarded.

Finasteride, also called Propecia, is another effective treatment for male pattern baldness, but unlike minoxidil, it’s taken orally, usually as a pill. The two drugs work differently, with no known negative interactions between them. Some studies have found that they can be more effective when used together. Finasteride is a prescription medication – tell us if you plan to take it alongside minoxidil.

Rogaine was the brand name given to the medication by its original manufacturer. Minoxidil is the active ingredient in Rogaine. The FDA has approved minoxidil to be sold as a generic medication for hair loss.

You can order 5% minoxidil topical solution easily and conveniently from FROM MARS.

To find out more about male pattern baldness, please visit our hair loss page. You’ll also find lots of advice and information about hair loss and minoxidil on our blog.

At FROM MARS we sell a range of treatments to help you tackle hair loss. Start an online consultation and speak to our doctors about:

• Rogaine (minoxidil)
• Propecia (finasteride)
• Finasteride (generic Propecia)
• Biotin