Any minoxidil 10 % products you may find are not approved treatments for hair loss and may come with an increased risk of side effects. Unless you're enrolling in a clinical trial, you should probably stick with minoxidil 2 or 5%.
However, a recent (albeit even smaller) study published in 2024 revealed that 10% Minoxidil increased frontal hair count somewhat better than the 5% formulation. Still, they had comparable efficiency in other parts of the scalp. However, there were significantly more side effects in the 10% group [2].
Applying minoxidil once a day is fine. This is because the average lifespan of applied minoxidil is about 20-22 hours on the scalp, which again differs for each person. But for better results, it is always prescribed to use it two times daily.
Early experiments in using minoxidil orally for hair loss resulted in unacceptable side effects, Dr. Bergfeld notes; the 10 mg dose was too high. Standard dosage for patients taking the drug for hypertension is 10 to 40 mg daily.
High-strength minoxidil comes with an increased risk of side effects. The downside of using a 5% minoxidil product over a 2% one is that you're more likely to get side effects like itching, irritation, or a scaly scalp. That risk is there with anything over 5%, including 10% and 15%.
In this study, the 5% formulation was significantly better than both the 2% formulation and the placebo for improving nonvellus hair count. Response to treatment was also observed earlier with topical minoxidil 5% than with 2%. Topical minoxidil 5% improved psychosocial perceptions of hair loss among patients.
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.
Minoxidil starts working in the first 2 to 4 months, with new soft, colorless hairs growing. From 4 to 6 months, new, thicker hair growth may become visible. To maintain hair regrowth, it is important to continue using minoxidil regularly.
Reflex tachycardia from minoxidil can cause myocardial stress, leading to type II myocardial infarction and, in rare instances, acute Type I myocardial ischemia.
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.
Does Minoxidil increase testosterone? No – there is absolutely no evidence to suggest this. While studies have looked into the possible effect of the hair loss treatment on your hormones, no definitive conclusion has been reached. In fact, Minoxidil may well have the opposite effect.
Preventing hair loss by using treatment before you develop any signs of male pattern baldness is a fairly unusual approach. It is also not recommended and potentially unnecessary; although genetic hair loss is hereditary, it does not necessarily affect every member of the family.
Comparison of treatment response in both groups revealed nearly the same efficacy of both concentrations of topical minoxidil 5% and 10% in MPHL, higher concentration more than 5% could decrease the compliance and the tolerance.
"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.
Research shows that while 5mg of finasteride is more effective than 5mg of oral minoxidil, the latter can be more effective than an oral dose of 1mg finasteride [6]. Most finasteride patients are prescribed 1mg a day.
It may cause weight gain due to water retention in the body.
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.
Minoxidil should not be used in patients with a known history of hypersensitivity to the drug or its constituents, including propylene glycol. The utilization of minoxidil is not recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women.
Minoxidil 5% is thought to yield superior results compared to both minoxidil 2% and minoxidil 10%. While minoxidil 10% produces similar results to minoxidil 2% and 5%, it causes a marked increase in side effects without increasing any benefits.
The reported adverse events of long-term minoxidil application in men are erectile dysfunction, dizziness, depression, decreased libido, chorioretinopathy, contact dermatitis, headache, hypoesthesia, and anxiety [66].
Professor Chu knows of patients who have used minoxidil for 15–20 years with continuing good results: “I see patients who started using it many years ago when they noticed slight thinning, and they still have a good head of hair.
As the skin's characteristics and responses can alter with age, older adults over 65 may experience different results or an increased risk of side effects. Despite its topical application, a small amount of Minoxidil can be absorbed by the body, potentially affecting blood pressure and overall cardiovascular function.
Minoxidil prolongs the amount of time that hair spends in the “active phase” of hair growth (anagen phase). Minoxidil does not stop hair thinning or make hair thicker. Since minoxidil does not directly address the hormonal aspect of hair loss, the results are at best temporary.