Pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics
The drug leads to the activation of potassium channels in the smooth muscle membranes of the vascular walls. This drug is specific for vasodilation in the peripheral zones, it reduces the workload of the myocardium, leads to a reflex increase in heart rate, and also increases the ejection of blood from the heart. Minoxidil increases the activity of the renin system, thus retaining water and sodium in the blood.
Stimulation of nutrition of hair follicles in androgen-dependent hair loss is also noticeable. Activation of hair growth occurs due to vasodilation and improved blood microcirculation in the skin and hair follicles. The best effect occurs in people with baldness, less than 10 years of experience, in young people, with a bald spot less than 10 cm in diameter. Patients with a disease period of 3 to 5 years achieve good results.
A significant therapeutic result is observed in those who regularly use this drug for 4 months in the form of a local solution. When treatment with minoxidil is stopped, the growth of new hair follicles stops, and baldness may occur again after a few months.
When taken orally, the drug is very well absorbed. The highest concentration of the drug in the blood is observed in the first hour of administration. The drug practically does not bind to blood plasma proteins. Minoxidil may pass into breast milk. Metabolized in the liver with the release of inactive metabolites. Excreted in urine through the kidneys.
If the drug is used in the form of a solution on the entire scalp, absorption of the drug is 1.4%. After discontinuation of use, the half-life of the drug reaches 2 days due to the kidneys.
Forms of release of minoxidil solution
The drug has several forms of release: solution, spray, foam, lotion, there are even gels and shampoos with a small content of minoxidil. In each of them, the percentage composition of the active component is different:
- minoxidil 2%;
- minoxidil 3%;
- minoxidil 5%;
- minoxidil 6%;
- minoxidil 10%;
- minoxidil 15%.
The manufacturer Alerana produces a product with minoxidil in the form of a spray, which is very active for hair growth. The content of the active substance in the Alerana preparation is 2-5%.
Belupo produces a minoxidil-based product called Generalolon, which is also available in spray form.
Minoxidil for beard
To stimulate beard growth, a 5-15% solution of this substance is used. When applied to the epidermis of the skin, vasodilation is observed, which leads to improved circulation in the vessels of the skin. This improves hair nutrition and also stimulates the growth of hair follicles. Individual characteristics of people influence the effect of the drug. The result of using the drug in people who want to increase beard hair growth occurs after just a month of use; for some, hair growth begins after a couple of months of use.
To fix the effect, the drug must be used for 1-1.5 years.
Contraindications to the use of the drug are:
For tablet form:
- Allergies and other types of hypersensitivity;
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding;
- Pheochromocytoma;
- With stenosis of the mitral valves of the heart;
- With secondary pulmonary hypertension.
For liquid form:
- In the presence of wounds and other skin disorders;
- For dermatoses of various origins in the scalp.
Indications for use
Minoxidil is prescribed for the treatment of moderate androgenetic alopecia. For women, a 2% solution is usually indicated, and for men - 5%. Kirkland Minoxidil 15% is rarely prescribed, although its route of administration is the same. This drug may be used to treat hair loss for other reasons.
Research conducted in California suggests that this product may be good for stimulating hair growth. The active ingredient helps:
- strengthen the hair structure and roots;
- give hair a fresh look;
- prevent baldness.
This drug is clinically tested. Therefore, he can be trusted in the treatment of various forms of alopecia
Side effects of Minoxidil
The use of minoxidil leads to the development of various side effects that affect the functioning of many systems in our body. The nervous system and sensory neurons are susceptible to its action, which in turn leads to dizziness, pain in the head, vision problems and other disorders.
The effect on the cardiovascular system is manifested in the form of: hypotensive effect, increased heart rate, cardiac arrhythmia, angina pectoris, thrombopenia, leukopenia.
Various external side effects are also observed: the development of age spots, dermatoses, eczemic skin, hypertrichosis.
Adverse reactions and precautions
Experts recommend not changing the prescribed dosage in order to achieve the desired result faster. This fact is a common cause of adverse reactions, including:
- Allergic reaction: rash on the body, face, head like urticaria, severe itching and swelling, difficulty breathing, swelling of the eyelids, increased tearfulness.
- Psychoneurological disorders: increased excitability, irritability, apathy.
- Hypotension (sharp decrease in blood pressure): weakness, dizziness, nausea, acute reaction to bright light, heart pain.
- Retention of sodium salts in the body: swelling of soft tissues, lack of urination, severe thirst.
Instructions for use of Minoxidil (method of administration and dosage)
The tablets are taken orally. The dose of the drug at the initial stage for people over 12 years of age is 5 mg 1-2 times a day. If necessary, dose correlations are made upward.
On average, 10-40 mg of the drug is allowed per day, maximum 100 mg. Children under 12 years of age should use the drug only once, calculating the dosage of 0.2 mg per 1 kg of the child’s body weight. The average therapeutic dose is 0.2-1 mg per 1 kg of body weight.
Minoxidil solution for external use should be applied to dry scalp 2 times a day, 1 ml. Apply by gently rubbing into the bald area, from the center of the bald patch and spreading the solution to the periphery of the problem area of the head.
Features of the use of drugs
The best results of treatment of androgenetic alopecia are observed at a young age, with a disease duration of no more than 10 years, when the baldness is localized in the parietal region less than 10 cm in size and when there are more than 100 terminal and vellus hairs in the central part of the baldness.
The main composition of the drugs:
- minoxidil solution in water 2% or 5%;
- propylene glycol, which improves penetration of the main component into the skin and is a solvent with very low toxicity;
- ethyl alcohol 60°, which serves as a preservative, solvent and antiseptic; In addition, it also helps to dilate blood vessels in the skin and improve blood circulation.
Propylene glycol can cause allergic reactions, and alcohol can cause a severe burning sensation, so in some preparations they are replaced with lipid nanosomes. Sometimes propylene glycol is replaced with glycerin. In addition, some other components may be included in the main composition, for example, the hormonal agent finasteride.
Women are advised to use only a 2% solution, since this solution, as well as foam or lotion with a higher concentration of minoxidil, often leads to hair growth on their facial skin.
In men with initial symptoms of the disease, a solution of this concentration stops hair loss and stimulates the growth of new hair. If there are no positive results, only men (!) are prescribed a 5% minoxidil solution.
Do not increase the concentrations or volumes of these drugs recommended by your doctor, as this may lead to skin irritation, allergic reactions, or a decrease in blood pressure. In addition, the drug can be applied only to intact and non-inflamed dry skin in the area of balding areas of the head, avoiding contact with other areas (face, temples). It is necessary to avoid getting the drug on the mucous membranes and inhaling vapors (when using aerosols). After the procedure, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly.
A particularly fast and good result occurs with alopecia in the area of the parietal parts of the head, and a somewhat weaker effect is observed with baldness in the area of the anterior growth limit or in areas close to the frontal zones. After treatment is completed, new hair growth stops, but a return to its original state is possible. Therefore, it is possible that in order to maintain regrown hair, ongoing treatment with minoxidil may be required.
Increasing the recommended dosage (more than 1 ml) and frequency of use (more than 2 times a day) does not contribute to the growth process, but increases the risk of adverse reactions. You should also not combine treatment with other hair care products (perms, hair softeners, etc.), since the possibility of incompatibility of the components cannot be ruled out.
Reviews about Minoxidil
Minoxidil has become widespread throughout the world; the drug is most often purchased in Russia and Ukraine. Reviews about it are proof of the specificity of the effect on different people. Many people talk about the high effectiveness of this drug, and women leave reviews much more often than men.
Reviews of the use of the drug indicate that a solution for local use of 5% concentration is often used by the female part of the population. They note the result of the action of Minoxidil when using the drug for three months - hair restoration begins in problem areas, with the appearance of thin hair, gradually becoming thick and dark.
The male part of the population also leaves good reviews, noticing good results in the action of this drug. They noticed the effect of the drug after several months of use.
There are also reviews about the lack of a positive result. Patients reported strictly following the instructions, using the solution for a long period, but without specifying the indications for use. This is due to the fact that the drug only works for androgenic alopecia, which must be diagnosed by a medical professional.
Contraindications to the use of minoxidil
- It is not recommended to use minoxidil-based products for children under 18 years of age.
- Minoxidil preparations should not be used by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- In cases where hair began to fall out suddenly, when there is no predisposition to baldness in your family, or when baldness occurs in specific areas, you should discuss with your doctor whether the use of minoxidil products would be advisable. Article about baldness.
- The drug should not be used if there is irritation, ulcers, etc. on the skin.
- Although no negative effects have been identified from the simultaneous use of several hair growth products, you still need to understand that some danger exists, so use the drugs separately.
- Before use, study the list of ingredients of the drug to ensure that you are not allergic to any of its components.
- Having studied the reviews of men and women who used the product, it can be noted that the drug should be taken with caution, as it can cause burns and eye irritation. If rinsing with plenty of water does not help, go to the hospital immediately.
- For people over 65 years of age, the effectiveness of minoxidil has not been proven.
In conclusion, it makes sense to say that there are some reviews from women and men about the drug who took it, which say that minoxidil is a kind of drug for hair, that it grows only with its use. There is no point in talking seriously about drug addiction to minoxidil, but the fact that hair growth is activated only in the presence of minoxidil and stops when the drug is stopped is the pure truth.
Click this link to download your gift
Precautions and customer reviews
The lotion should be applied as carefully as possible so that the substance does not get on the mucous membranes of the eyes, mouth and respiratory organs. After the massage, be sure to wash your hands with soap.
Some men note that after using the lotion daily, dandruff appears, which is difficult to combat. There have been recorded cases where long-term use provoked problems with erection. Whether this is directly related to Minoxidil or caused stress due to the lack of treatment results is not precisely determined.
The awakening of hair follicles is noted after a few weeks, and within a month the first thin hairs appear. After 2-3 months, they will get stronger and become similar to hair located outside the area of hair loss. Only in 3% of cases there is no result, which many men associate with the duration of the pathological process (more than 10 years).
In conclusion, it can be noted that the drug in most cases is well tolerated by patients, is not addictive and can be used on an ongoing basis. If discontinued, the risk of hair loss in areas of alopecia remains.
To enhance the effectiveness of the product, it is important to improve your diet, give up bad habits, and eliminate stress. If there is no effectiveness for 6 months of daily use, it makes sense to consult a doctor and choose another remedy.
Tips and tricks
The quality of the result always depends on the degree of baldness; in especially advanced cases, when the hair follicles are already dead (in men this is the sixth stage of baldness), even 15% minoxidil for hair will not help. Reviews (the price of such a product is usually high) may talk about miraculous cases of healing, but usually these are just cunning tricks of companies trying to sell as much of their product as possible. The cost of preparations with minoxidil starts from 1500 rubles and up to 6000 (depending on the volume and concentration).
In case of the first appearance of bald spots in men, the drug gives 100% results and, with constant use, returns the crown to its original appearance. A positive effect is also observed in women in the postpartum period. Most often, at this time, the hair weakens and begins to fall out. The drug stimulates blood circulation well and promotes rapid normalization of their growth and formation.
The first hair after starting to use the product may look like fluff; it is often thin and completely colorless. Only after a certain period (4-6 months) do they become dense and similar in appearance to the rest of the hair on the head.