Minoxidil & Rogaine

Generic name
Minoxidil.

Product names
Minoxidil goes under several names since Pharmacia & Upjohn�s patent expired 13th February 1996. The most popular name is Rogaine, which is the original brand of Pharmacia & Upjohn. Regaine is another popular name for Minoxidil.

Target group
Minoxidil is intended for men and women over the age of 18. Possible use for persons under 18 years old should only be considered in consultancy with your doctor.For men, Minoxidil is used to treat androgenetic alopecia (male-pattern baldness) and alopecia areata, i.e. only for those men that are losing their hair on the crown, not in the front.For women, it is used to treat diffuse hair loss or hair thinning in the front of the scalp.

History
The original medication of Minoxidil was to treat high blood pressure, also called hypertension. This is still today marketed by Pharmacia & Upjohn under the name of Loniten. This medication is taken orally. A large number of the patients taking the drug noticed an increased hair growth. This prompted Pharmacia & Upjohn to develop a topical Minoxidil (solution that is applied directly on the skin) to treat male-pattern baldness. Today, a version for women is also available.

Prescription
No prescription is necessary. Minoxidil is sold as an over-the-counter drug.

Form
Minoxidil comes as a liquid solution as well as in a foam solution.

How to use Minoxidil
Minoxidil must be applied to the skin twice a day to stimulate new hair growth. The two daily applications (one in the morning and one in the evening) should be applied evenly on the affected area and left on the skin for a minimum of four hours for maximum effect. It is recommended to apply the last treatment of the day a minimum of 2 hours, but preferably 4 hours, before going to bed.It is not recommended to use any other skin products on the same area on which you use Minoxidil.

Precautions
Although Minoxidil is a non-prescriptive drug, it is recommended to consult your doctor before starting the use of Minoxidil to access your overall health.The drug could have an adverse influence in combination with any allergies you may have or in combination with other drugs you are taking. Also, some skin diseases will lead to too much Minoxidil being absorbed in to the body and may increase the chance of side effects.Minoxidil should not be used in pregnancy and by nursing mothers as possible side effects have not been studied sufficiently. Also, Minoxidil should not be used with other topical medication that is applied on the same area of skin as this may increase absorption as well as side effects.No studies have been performed on the effects on Minoxidil on children. Therefore, it is not recommended that children use Minoxidil, or if they intend to do, only do it under your doctor�s recommendation and supervision.

Results
To be effective, Minoxidil must be used twice a day. According to clinical studies by Pharmacia & Upjohn, Minoxidil works better on younger people and on people with more resent hair loss. These studies show that 26 percent of men between 18 and 49 reported moderate to dense hair regrowth after four months of Rogaine treatment. An additional 33 percent had minimal hair regrowth. Almost 20 percent of women between 18 and 45 had moderate regrowth, while an additional 40 percent showed minimal regrowth.Minoxidil is not considered effective in men who already have extensive male-pattern baldness. New hair growth resulting from Minoxidil treatment can be thinner and shorter than your previous hair. But there can be sufficient hair growth for some users to hide bald spots.To be effective, Minoxidil must be used twice a day. It works better on those who are younger and whose hair loss is recent.Minoxidil must be applied on the scalp twice a day and for at least four months to see any results.It must be used for life or any regrown hair will fall out. Hair loss will begin again within a few months after Minoxidil treatment is stopped.Hair loss may continue for 2-3 weeks after you start using Minoxidil. Consult your doctor if your hair loss continues after 2-3 weeks. Likewise, if your hair growth does not increase after using Minoxidil for 4 months, you should consult your doctor or stop taking Minoxidil.

Side effects
Side effects of Minoxidil use are generally minimal. The most common side effects appear where the solution is applied to the skin. These include:
- Dry skin
- Skin flakes
- Skin irritation
- Itchy skin
- Skin rash

More rare side effects include:
- Acne
- Body hair growth
- Burning of the scalp
- Facial hair growth
- Increased hair loss
- Inflammation or soreness at root of hair
- Reddened skin
- Swelling of the face

Users of Minoxidil with damaged skin on the application area can increase the absorption of Minoxidil from the scalp, leading to increased side effects. Signs and symptoms of too much medicine being absorbed into the body include:
- Blurred vision or other changes in vision
- Chest pain
- Dizziness
- Fainting
- Fast or irregular heartbeat
- Flushing
- Headache
- Lightheaded
- Numbness or tingling of hands, feet or face
- Rapid weight gain
- Swelling of face, hands, feet, or lower legs

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients.

Before you use any medication or drug, we highly recommend you see your doctor. Also, if you are experience any side effects or symptoms, you should see your doctor immediately. Also, you should see your doctor on a regular basis to ensure the medication is working properly.

How Minoxidil works scientifically
How Minoxidil works to regrow hair is still not known.

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