Last updated: December 17th, 2023.

In this FAQ we tried to answer some of the most frequently asked questions on this subreddit. We still highly recommend doing your own independent research if you're considering using Minoxidil.

\Table of contents:*

• What's Minoxidil?
• Who could benefit from Minoxidil?
• I don't have AGA but I'm losing a lot of hair. Should I use Minoxidil?
• What strengths should I use?
• What about 10% and 15%?
• Liquid of foam?
• Oral Minoxidil?
• Does it really work? What kind of expectations should I have?
• I started using minoxidil and now I'm losing more hair? What's the shedding phase?
• Does everyone go through a shedding phase?
• Will I shed If I use Minoxidil for facial hair?
• How do I apply, And how often?
• How much should I apply?
• Do I need to keep using Minoxidil forever?
• Will my beard / facial hair also be temporary if I grow it using Minoxidil?
• Why is beard / facial hair growth permanent while scalp hair growth sheds after stopping?
• So my hair will become Minoxidil-dependent?
• Which brand should I get?
• Can Minoxidil help me thicken / regrow my eyebrows?
• Will Minoxidil kill my cat?
• Side effects?

Common Minoxidil Myths

• Sexual dysfunction
• facial ageing

-What's Minoxidil?

Minoxidil is a generic hair growth medication, It's the only other FDA approved medication for male pattern baldness (androgenic alopecia) besides Finasteride. It's widely available as topical solution in strengths of 2%, 5%, And 10%, As well as foam.

-Who could benefit from Minoxidil?

Both men and women with androgenic alopecia (thinning scalp hair / male pattern baldness) could benefit from Minoxidil. Better results have been observed in people who are yet to lose a significant portion of their hair. Meaning, The earlier you start, The better results you'll get.

Additionally, Men looking to grow facial hair could also benefit from it. Although it's only approved for androgenic alopecia by the FDA, Because it has only been studied in that area, It has seen wide use for facial hair growth.

-I don't have AGA but I'm losing a lot of hair. Should I use Minoxidil?

In cases where hairloss isn't caused by AGA, You should address the underlying cause of hairloss, Which could be hormonal imbalance or nutritional deficiencies among other causes, Before considering Minoxidil. Minoxidil may be used to aid recovery of hair when the underlying cause is treated.

-What strength should I use?

A trial set to evaluate the effectiveness of 2% and 5% minoxidil solutions has found significantly better results with the 5% solution. It's generally recommended that women using it for androgenic alopecia try the 2% strength first and then if they didn't get satisfying results in a few months switch to the 5% strength. This is because minoxidil causes minor hair growth all over the body (read side effects below) because some of it gets absorbed to the blood stream. It's recommended for men who are taking it for male pattern baldness or facial hair growth use the 5% strength.

-What about 10% and 15%?

Trials have found that while 10% does produce better results than 5%, The relationship between concentration and efficacy isn't linear, Meaning that 10% will not make your hair grow twice as fast as 5% will, But only 20-30% faster, And you'll be getting more of the side effects. 15% was not found to produce effects any better than 10%. Keep in mind that 10% is available only by prescription in many places, And 15% isn't available in most places.

-Liquid or foam?

It's recommend to start with liquid. If it causes too much local skin irritation, Consider switching to a foam preparation which is a bit more expensive but should eliminate the local side effects. (see the answer to "My skin gets dry, Irritated, Itchy, Painful or flaky.")

-Oral Minoxidil?

Minoxidil oral tablets are also available by prescription in some areas. Minoxidil oral is reported to have great results albeit with more systemic side effects.

However, The availability of oral Minoxidil is continuously decreasing. Since Minoxidil oral is only used for hair growth off-label, Being originally for treatment of hypertension, And is rarely used anymore as it's now replaced with better meds for HTN.

Doses for oral Minoxidil are only based of anecdotal reports, As it has not been properly trialed for the treatment of hairloss. However, It's recommended to start with a lower dose in the range of 0.5-1 mgs, And work up from there. Median dose is 1.5 mgs, But some take up to 2.5 mgs. We don't recommend using more than 4 mgs. You want to avoid systemic side effects like hypotension and tachycardia, Which can be very uncomfortable for some people.

You'd need to cut the pills precisely to take those doses if you're using many of the available pills, As they could be dosed as high as 40 mgs so try to find a low dose med. However, you can dose it with very high precision by volumetric dosing. Simply, If you completely dissolve 100 mgs of minoxidil in 100 ml of Alcohol, Then every 2.5 ml of Alcohol will contain exactly 2.5 mgs.

-Does it really work? What kind of expectations should I have?

The efficacy of minoxidil is not in doubt. It has been found in many trials that it has great efficacy for the majority of participants and there are numerous anecdotes online documenting it's efficacy. The rate of growth differs from person to person. On average, You should start noticing growth by the 4th or 5th month, Although it'll only start being noticeable by the 6th month. Facial hair growth should be noticeable sooner.

-I started using minoxidil and now I'm losing more hair? What's the shedding phase?

When used for androgenic alopecia, User should expect a shedding phase that lasts about a month but can continue into the third month. It's important not to panic and stop treatment as this is an expected, And even positive sign. What's happening is that the weaker hairs that are in the 'telogen phase'; A phase of hair growth cycle in which a hair is dormant, Start shedding to be replaced with new 'anagen phase' hairs, The phase in which hair grows at a constant rate.

If you discontinue treatment while shedding, The lost hair will be recovered to where it would've been had you never started, Albeit much slower than if you continue using. This is why stopping mid-shedding is not recommended.

-Does everyone go through a shedding phase?

No. You only shed if you have Androgenic Alopecia. Users who don't have the condition, Or who have lost hair for other reasons, Will not go through the shedding phase.

-Will I shed If I use Minoxidil for facial hair?

It should be noted that Minoxidil causes shedding only in the balding areas of the scalp and only for people who have androgenic alopecia. Hair on any other area of the body won't shed. Those with Androgenic Alopecia who use Minoxidil for facial hair growth might experience mild scalp shedding since Minoxidil gets absorbed into the bloodstream. Mostly, Users won't shed or the shedding may be unnoticeable.

-How do I apply, And how often?

Applying Minoxidil is straightforward. It's recommended that you wash the area first to clear your skin of dirt and oils for better absorption, But this isn't necessary. Either way, Make sure your skin is completely dry before you apply minoxidil, Then spray it -or use the dropper- onto the area where you want to see growth, Rub it in your skin then leave it to dry. Avoid washing that area before 3-4 hours.

Twice a day application is recommended, Roughly 12 hours apart. More applications will not produce more results, And will exacerbate side effects.

-How much should I apply?

Just enough to cover the entire affected area, But not so much that it's soaking wet. Regardless of how much that is & regardless of the dosage on the bottle.

-Do I need to keep using Minoxidil forever?

If you're using it for androgenic alopecia, Unfortunately you'll have to use it indefinitely. Since there's a hormonal cause for scalp hair loss that continues to damage your hair, You'll gradually lose the new hair upon cessation.

However if you're using it for facial hair, Or hair on any other part of your body for that matter, The results are permanent for almost everyone.

-Will my beard / facial hair also be temporary if I grow it using Minoxidil?

No. Minoxidil grown hair on every part of the body is permanent except for scalp hair IF you have AGA.

-Why is beard / facial hair growth permanent while scalp hair growth sheds after stopping?

When someone uses Minoxidil for AGA, AGA won't go away. They still have a hereditary hormonal condition damaging their hair follicles causing it to shed. Minoxidil just counteracts that, But when Minoxidil use is discontinued, That underlying factor (namely DHT) continues to damage your hair follicles, Which is why you'll gradually shed any new hair upon cessation.

Now if you use it to grow facial hair, Minoxidil is still just a hair growth promoter and and hair will grow on your beard / moustache area However, In that case, There's no condition naturally causing facial hair to shed, And so in that case, The results will be permanent.

-So my hair will become Minoxidil dependent?

What do you mean by dependent? New hair was never independent, And old hair was never dependent. New (minoxidil dependent hair) will shed upon cessation. Old hair won't shed. Worst case, You won't end up with less hair than you would've had had you never used Minoxidil.

-Which brand should I get?

There is no difference in terms of efficacy between brands. Since Minoxidil is a generic medication, We suggest that you consider some of the cheaper options instead of going directly for the bigger brands. We also recommend trying a different brand each time until you find one that causes you minimal discomfort.

-Can Minoxidil help me thicken / regrow my eyebrows?

Yes.

Although keep in mind that you may get unwanted growth around the edges of your eyebrows even if you take care to only apply it to the desired area, And be very careful not to get it in your eyes.

-Will Minoxidil kill my cat?

While Minoxidil is toxic to cats, It's very unlikely for your cat to accidentally ingest enough of it to cause harm. However, It's still your responsibility to make sure it's safe and take proper precautions. Never leave accidentally spilled liquid without cleaning it. Try to wash it off your face 2-4 hours after applying. Don't let your cat come near your face after you apply it. Wash your hand after applying. Avoid sleeping with it on so that your cat doesn't come in contact with it as you sleep, And so that it doesn't get on your pillow.

Your cat should be fine with reasonable precautions.

-Side effects?

Like any other drug, Minoxidil comes with a variety of side effects.

---My skin gets dry, Irritated, Itchy, Painful or flaky.

This is a very common side effect of liquid solutions that is caused by the inactive ingredients like alcohol and propelyne glycol (PG). For most it's not too extreme but for those for whom it causes too much discomfort, We recommend switching to foam which should eliminate those side effects. If that's not an option, Then you should look for a liquid solution that doesn't contain PG. Otherwise, make sure to wash it off 2-3 hours after applying and to use moisturizers to limit those side effects.

---High heart rate, Palpitations?

Since Minoxidil decreased blood pressure, Reflex sinus tachycardia is a physiological response, On their own, Hypotension and sinus tachycardia shouldn't be problematic. However, If there is a dramatic increase in heart rate, Especially when associated with symptoms like dizziness, The user should discontinue Minoxidil and consult a doctor on whether they should keep using it or not. This isn't serious so don't get too anxious.

---Associated chest pain?

Even though chest pain associated with Minoxidil use is very rarely of cardiac origin, It's always best to be safe and consult your doctor on whether or not you should continue Minoxidil use.

Keep in mind that pre-existing cardiac conditions are contraindicative of Minoxidil use.

---Body hair growth?

Hypertrichosis is a very common side effect of Minoxidil. User should expect a mild increase in body hair growth when using Minoxidil. This is caused by Minoxidil going into your systemic circulation when absorbed through your skin. This is why 2% strength is recommended for women. Using this strength should limit this side effect but unfortunately some mild degree is inevitable.

---Other side effects?

Rarely, Some people will have an allergic reaction to Minoxidil. Do not confuse this with normal skin irritation caused by inactive ingredients in liquid solutions. If serious allergic symptoms are experienced, User should discontinue use and consult a specialist.

Less common side effects include: Weight gain, Dizziness, Headache and Lightheadedness.

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--Common Minoxidil Myths--

=Sexual dysfunction

This seems to be a frequent question which is why it's included. Minoxidil does not cause sexual dysfunction. It's possibly confused with side effects of the drug most commonly used alongside Minoxidil; Finasteride.

Finasteride, Being a DHT inhibitor has a hormone-based mechanism of action. And so, Side effects like impotence & gynecomastia are common. Minoxidil's mechanism of action, However, Is not related to your hormones. This is why Minoxidil will promote hair growth regardless of your sex or whether or not your hairloss is AGA.

If you're experiencing such problems, Try to think of other possible causes or consult a specialist.

=Facial ageing

While some of the ingredients in Minoxidil products may locally dehydrate and irritate your skin, Minoxidil does not cause ageing of any kind. The claim is based on a 2004 study suggesting that Minoxidil may inhibit collagen synthesis, This is in no way conclusive that Minoxidil causes ageing.

Beyond theories, This claim is extremely hard to confirm or measure as well, As it's not possible to exclude other factors that may have contributed to perceived ageing, Or to predict how any particular person would've looked like had they never used Minoxidil.

Countless people have used Minoxidil for decades without issue.

.....

Hopefully this was helpful. Best of luck!