Minoxidil Side Effects From Excessive Use
Dizziness and/or lightheadedness. Swelling that affects your face, ankles, stomach or hands. Changes in your body weight, such as weight gain.
Do not shampoo your hair for 4 hours after applying minoxidil. Immediately after using this medicine, wash your hands to remove any medicine that may be on them. Do not use a hairdryer to dry the scalp after you apply minoxidil solution. Blowing with a hairdryer on the scalp may make the treatment less effective.
The most common topical minoxidil side effects are hair shedding and scalp irritation. However, minoxidil topical solution and foam are generally considered safe and effective for treating hair loss in men and women. Many of these side effects go away after you stop using the medication.
Minoxidil has other effects that could be bothersome for some patients. These include increased hair growth, weight gain, fast heartbeat, and chest pain. Before you take this medicine, be sure that you have discussed the use of it with your doctor.
What happens if you stop minoxidil? If you stop applying minoxidil to your scalp, you'll gradually lose any hair that you've regrown as a result of the medication. Minoxidil is a well-studied medication that's safe to use for the long term.
Your hair might look worse before it gets better.
Because of the way minoxidil works, it's common to notice more shedding before your hair gets thicker. Hold steady and keep using minoxidil — after a few months, your hair should look thicker.
In short: "Minoxidil is a very safe, convenient, and effective hair growth treatment for those suffering with male or female androgenetic alopecia," says Belmo.
Minoxidil (Rogaine, etc) is FDA approved for ages 18-65
Give it a 'go'. I respond that minoxidil can certainly be helpful but minoxidil is certainly not for everyone. Minoxidil is FDA approved for men and women 18-65 with a type of hair loss known as androgenetic hair loss.
Minoxidil has some side effects like other medications. It may cause weight gain due to water retention in the body. Doctors prescribe other medicines along with oral Minoxidil (for hypertension) to prevent water retention.
In most hair loss cases, you do have to use Minoxidil forever to achieve and maintain hair growth. Otherwise, discontinuing could send your hair to the state it was in when you initially started treatment. In other words, hair loss would likely continue.
Allow the minoxidil to completely dry for 2 to 4 hours after applying it, including before going to bed. Minoxidil can stain clothing, hats, or bed linen if your hair or scalp is not fully dry after using the medicine.
IMPORTANT WARNING:
Minoxidil may increase chest pain (angina) or cause other heart problems. If chest pain occurs or worsens while you are taking this medication, call your doctor immediately. Your doctor may prescribe other mediciations as part of your minoxidil therapy.
Minoxidil can be used until the shedding returns back to a normal rate and them for a few months after. A patient who uses minoxidil after a crash diet will find that shedding reduces to normal once the diet is improved.
Effectiveness: Minoxidil works for about 2 out of 3 men. It's most effective if you're under age 40 and have only recently started to lose your hair. How to use it: Twice a day, when your hair is dry, apply minoxidil on your scalp where the hair has started to thin.
Minoxidil also helps increase the size of hair follicles, which promotes the growth of thicker, stronger hairs. In addition, the topical treatment shortens the resting (telogen) phase of hair growth, which means your hair stays in the growth (anagen) phase longer.
A lot of possible users over the age of 65 may have some form of disease or heart problems that may make them unsuitable for minoxidil, and unless they see a hair loss specialist or doctor to discuss their suitability for the medication, mitigating health issues may not be picked up on.
Men who are using other medicines or occlusive dressings applied to the scalp. Regaine for men foam is not recommended for men under 18 or over 49 years of age, as there is no information available regarding its safety in these age groups.
Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatrics-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of topical minoxidil in the elderly. However, studies have shown that the medicine works best in younger patients who have a short history of hair loss.
In the field of hair loss prevention and restoration, Minoxidil is a widely-known treatment, but it isn't the only treatment. In fact, there are a slew of other options, like oral Finasteride and Microchanneling or Microneedling that may be better options. .
Minoxidil is not a new drug treatment, not even for hair loss. The New York Times reported that doctors are increasingly recommending Minoxidil to patients experiencing hair loss and have seen impressive results.
While it is not fully understood how Minoxidil promotes hair growth, we do know that when it is used on the scalp, the hair growth is not permanent and growth is lost after you stop taking Minoxidil. It is important to note that Minoxidil does not create new hair follicles.
While minoxidil extends the length of the anagen phase, it shortens the length of the telogen phase (Badri, 2021). Because minoxidil speeds up the resting phase of the hair growth cycle, sometimes your hair will fall out faster than it normally would, and shedding is expected, at least initially.
In fact, some guys even see their hair fall out in even larger quantities in the first few months of their treatment. This increased hair loss is referred to as minoxidil shedding, and it's an infamous term among men starting minoxidil.
Can I brush my hair after applying minoxidil? Before brushing your hair, allow around 30 minutes for the minoxidil to absorb sufficiently into your scalp. This will ensure no product is removed by the hair brush, or brushed into the hair.