the truth about Rogaine

Minoxidil is a prescription drug that is used for restoring hair growth . It can be prescribed by men or women that are experiencing premature hair loss.

Minoxidil was originally developed as a blood pressure medication. As it was prescribed a side effect was becoming apparent. Some patients reported noticing hair growth in unusual places on their bodies. Experiments determined hair growth could be stimulated, if the Minoxidil was applied topically. The experiments proved promising enough to convince the FDA to allow it's sale as a prescription drug.

Minoxidil is the ONLY substance that has been laboratory tested to restore hair growth in people. However, it varies considerably from person to person in how well or poorly it works. Hair that has been lost through male pattern baldness seem particularly resistant. Male pattern is the gradual loss of hair above the forehead. In some men it eventually reaches the crown of the head. Minoxidil is almost completely ineffective for this type of hair loss. Instead, the manufacturer recommends it for the type of baldness that occurs at the very top and upper back of the head. This bald spot is the most likely to be helped by Minoxidil.

Your age may also play an important roll in restoring hair growth with Minoxidil. The younger you are, the greater the chance of success. The longer the hair has been gone the lower the chances are for re growth.   Minoxidil only works with regular applications. When the applications stop, the hair growth reverts to the old pattern. To keep any hair that may grow, you need to apply Minoxidil daily. After about 6 months it should be apparent if the treatments are worth continuing.

Roagaine® costs about $30 a month or so. It is now available without a prescription and there are generic versions available. These versions are chemically identical to Rogaine's formula. By federal law, the formula cannot vary from the guidelines. There was concern over the fact that Minoxidil was originally a heart medication and may have serious side effects. After some recent studies it appears that topical application minimizes these risks.

There are other treatments such as Nioxin that do not use Minoxidil. In the few studies that have been done, virtually all baldness treatments work to one degree or another. It seems to be the result of paying more attention to the scalp. Even simple scalp massages increase the flow of blood to the scalp and result in an increase of hair growth.

Also helpful are the use of a boar bristle brush, or even a vibrating brush may all contribute to increased hair growth. The studies also show that while hair growth was increased with scalp stimulation, only a moderate increase was achieved. In no instance was a bald head turned into a shaggy mop!

In summary, If you are under 30 and have premature hair loss on the crown of the skull, you are a good candidate for Minoxidil. It's worth a try!