Minoxidil -- Side Effects and Benefits

Minoxidil side effects are very interesting because when the drug first came out in the 1950's as an oral blood pressure medication, it had this side effects warning: "Minoxidil may cause increased growth or darkening of fine body hairs. If this is bothersome, consult your doctor. When the medication is discontinued, the hair will return to normal within 30 to 60 days." Since Minoxidil was first used to treat blood pressure as the oral medication Loniten, it wasn't until the mid 90s that Minoxidil began appearing as drugs like Rogaine and other hair loss remedies, that used Minoxidil topically in order to treat hair loss. One of the reasons why is because taking Minoxidil orally will generally stimulate hair growth everywhere, and unwanted hair growth on many parts of the body can be a side effect of oral Minoxidil.

Other than that, common Minoxidil side effects are generally rather mild. Side effects include things like skin rash, irritated eyes, redness and tenderness of the treated area, and also allergic reaction. Allergic reaction is generally more severe than the other side effects and can include things like rash, hives, chest pain, swelling, fainting, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, weight gain, and others. It's difficult to say what allergic reactions a person might have to topical Minoxidil because solutions like Rogaine and others generally only use 2-5% Minoxidil. That means that 95% or so of the solution is other components. These components can include things like alcohol which can dry and irritate the skin, and other components that can cause allergic reaction. So depending on what a person is allergic to, they should definitely check the labels for things they know they're allergic to. If you experience an allergic reaction or other Minoxidil side effects, it's wise to seek immediate medical attention.

Ironically, hair loss is noted among Minoxidil side effects. This may not be as bad as it would seem however. Since hair growth and loss is on a cycle, when Minoxidil affects the hair follicles, researchers suspect that the Minoxidil is encouraging the early shedding of hair near the end of its cycle in order to grow new hair. Though this theory hasn't been substantiated, Minoxidil products are forced to note that one of their side effects might be hair loss.

In the world of hair regrowth, some products seek to stimulate hair growth through hormones, like Propecia, while others use non-hormonal methods, like Minoxidil.  Propecia uses a compound known as Finasteride, and is taken orally.  It decreases the level of androgens, the hormone that causes the hair loss.  Minoxidil products like Rogaine are applied topically to the scalp and work locally on the area of application.  Minoxidil seems to work best on areas of the scalp where hair loss is recent, not in areas of longstanding baldness.  Minoxidil helps to rejuvenate the follicles, but the reason why isn't exactly well known.  One thing we do know is that Minoxidil was originally developed as a blood pressure medication.  Minoxidil is known as a vasodilator. It causes blood vessels to relax and widen, not directly, but by stimulating the action of an enzyme that produces the desired effect.

What we do know about hair loss is that cutaneous blood flow is decreased in pattern baldness.  Minoxidil increases cutaneous blood flow to the scalp.  This correlation may be why Minoxidil stimulates hair growth.  The only problem is that other vasodilator chemicals which have the same effect on blood flow, don't seem to have the same effect on hair growth.  So while the particular effect Minoxidil has on the hair isn't specifically known, clinical trials and tests have shown it to be effective in treating baldness, especially at 5% strength over 2% strength.

The only big drawback with Minoxidil products is that they're generally seen as temporary.  Hair growth stimulation seems to only last for 30-60 days.  That can be a big drawback, especially if you're partially experiencing some of the Minoxidil side effects that have been reported and don't want to be on the product for long periods of time.  That's why many people are opting for a dual method of treating hair loss.  We mentioned in the first paragraph in this section that another method for treating hair loss in through hormonal methods like Propecia.  From reading testimonials, it seems that some are having very good success using both a topical Minoxidil based product, while at the same time using something like Propecia to stimulate their body from within.  In either case, consulting your doctor before making a choice is recommended.