Minoxidil is a topical medication that helps treat androgenetic alopecia, or pattern hair loss, by dilating small blood vessels in the scalp and stimulating the hair follicles to grow new hair. While minoxidil is approved to treat hair loss in both men and women, the solution is more effective in treating female pattern hair loss than male pattern hair loss, according to the American Hair Loss Association. It typically takes up to six months before the beneficial effects of minoxidil become apparent, explains the New Zealand Dermatological Society, and the product must be continued indefinitely to sustain hair regrowth.
Step 1
Wash and condition your hair as normal. Towel-dry your hair to remove excess water. Rogaine.com states that your scalp should be dry before using minoxidil, but your hair can be slightly damp.
Step 2
Use a comb to part your hair so that a portion of your scalp is visible in the area affected by hair loss.
Step 3
Fill the dropper contained in your minoxidil package to the 1 mL line. Using more than 1 mL will not improve your results.
Step 4
Apply minoxidil directly to your scalp. Do not apply the product to your hair or to other parts of your body. Be very careful to keep minoxidil out of your eyes when applying it to your scalp.
Step 5
Massage the product throughout the area affected by hair loss and then wash your hands with soap and warm water to prevent transferring the solution to other areas of your body.
Step 6
Allow the minoxidil solution to dry completely before styling your hair or going to bed to prevent staining your clothing or bed linens. If necessary, you can blow dry your hair using a hairdryer on a low or medium setting. Do not wash your hair for at least four hours after applying the product.
Step 7
Use minoxidil twice each day, without skipping days or doses. Missing a dose will make the product less effective and discontinuing use of the product will lead to a return of hair loss, according to MayoClinic.com.
Tips and Warnings
- Using minoxidil and hair coloring on the same day may cause scalp irritation, according to Rogaine.com. You may experience a temporary increase in hair shedding or loss during the first few weeks of using minoxidil. This is normal and not cause for concern.
- Side effects of minoxidil include skin rash, itching, scalp acne, burning, increased hair loss, inflammation and redness, facial hair growth and facial swelling. If too much minoxidil is absorbed into your body, you may develop chest pain, blurred vision, dizziness, fainting, headache, rapid weight gain, numbness in your extremities, flushing, rapid heart rate or swelling of the face, feet and hands.
Things You'll Need
- Comb
Member Comments