Pair minoxidil with retinol And this is done by coming into contact with an enzyme called sulfotransferase on the scalp — but if levels of the enzyme are low, then minoxidil will not be effective. Applying tretinoin can enhance this conversion and improve minoxidil absorption.
The use of microneedling in combination with topical minoxidil in the treatment of AGA demonstrated superior regrowth compared to minoxidil monotherapy. In this pilot study, following 3 weekly sessions of microneedling, 66% of subjects presented an increased follicular sulfotransferase enzymatic activity.
Remember: minoxidil is a treatment for male pattern baldness (MPB). If you're losing hair for another reason (e.g. because of a hair loss condition other than MPB, chemotherapy, tight hairstyling, etc.) then minoxidil is unlikely to be effective for you.
In many people, a tolerance effect develops after 2-3 years. As a result of this, the drug is often discontinued.
Be consistent with your application
It helps to incorporate your Minoxidil application into your daily routine, with many men opting to apply it while brushing their teeth, which is a fairly engrained habit - by latching Minoxidil on to the toothbrushing habit, you're more likely to be consistent in application.
Do not use more of it and do not use it more often than your doctor ordered. To do so may increase the chance of it being absorbed through the skin. For the same reason, do not apply minoxidil to other parts of your body. Absorption into the body may affect the heart and blood vessels and cause unwanted effects.
This increased hair loss is referred to as minoxidil shedding, and it's an infamous term among men starting minoxidil. The good news? This is expected. It's a significant indicator that you're on your way to growing new and healthier hair.
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.
"Dermarolling/microneedling the scalp before applying minoxidil creates microtrauma that activates the body's natural healing pathways, increases blood flow, and creates microchannels in the skin that may enhance the absorption of minoxidil or other topically applied products," says Dr.
Key takeaways:
Minoxidil can improve hair growth and slow hair loss, but it takes around 4-6 months of daily use to start seeing noticeable results and up to a year for maximal benefits.
The combination of minoxidil and retinol additively promoted hair growth in hair follicle organ cultures. In addition, minoxidil plus retinol more effectively elevated phosphorylated Erk, phosphorylated Akt levels, and the Bcl-2/Bax ratio than minoxidil alone in DPCs and HaCaT.
In general, women respond better to topical minoxidil than men. The increase in effectiveness of the 5% solution was not evident for women in the FDA-controlled studies.
No, it doesn't affect DHT. It just increases the blood flow to the follicles to keep them going as long as possible.
Minoxidil is considered safe for long-term use; there are few to no withdrawal effects, nor long-term side effects (aside from in very rare cases). Stopping minoxidil should not cause you any further issues aside from the return of your hair loss.
For men experiencing male pattern hair loss, finasteride is widely considered to be more effective than minoxidil [5-6]. However, a combination of both hair loss treatments is often more effective than one or the other [7-9]. Finasteride can also work for women with female pattern hair loss [10].
The amount of hair regrowth to expect from minoxidil use varies from person to person. It may not work at all for some people, either. That's why it's important to contact your healthcare provider if you don't see hair growth after 4 months of regular minoxidil use.
The medication should be used twice daily by male patients and once daily by female patients. Women should apply 1 mL of the 2% topical minoxidil solution to their scalp twice daily. Men should apply 1 mL of 2% or 5% topical minoxidil solution to their scalp twice daily.
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration issued a black-box warning for pericardial effusion, cardiac tamponade, and electrocardiogram (EKG) changes for oral minoxidil therapy. The potential for these adverse events explains its indication for only severe, treatment-resistant hypertension.