Why is minoxidil not recommended?

Author: Gayle Grady  |  Last update: Tuesday, November 18, 2025

Contraindications include the following: 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.

Why you shouldn't use minoxidil?

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.

Why people stop using minoxidil?

You have significant side effects. It's expensive to continue using Minoxidil every day. You're concerned that Minoxidil is interacting with other medications you're taking. You've achieved the results you want and no longer want to use Minoxidil.

What are the negative effects of minoxidil?

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.

Is minoxidil a waste of time?

Conclusion: Hair loss is a commonly occurring concern of many individuals. Minoxidil is an ideal solution for hair loss, but it also comes with many side effects. It has shown effective results in treating significant hair loss among many individuals but is temporary.

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Why does minoxidil cause weight gain?

It may cause weight gain due to water retention in the body.

What is the black box warning for minoxidil?

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.

Does minoxidil really regrow hair?

This medication must be used on a regular basis for your hair to regrow. It may take 2 to 4 months of regular use before you notice any improvement. It is important to continue to use this product to maintain regrowth of hair. Once you stop using it, the regrown hair will usually fall out within 3 months.

What is better than minoxidil?

According to experts at Harvard University, finasteride is more effective than minoxidil in treating hair loss. Up to two-thirds of people who use finasteride for male pattern baldness report good results in terms of new hair growth. Study results also suggest that finasteride is better than minoxidil.

Will healthy hair become dependent on minoxidil?

Does hair become dependent on Minoxidil? Your hair itself will not become dependent on minoxidil, but the growth observed during treatment is dependent on Minoxidil usage. Minoxidil works to keep hair in the anagen, or growth stage, to decrease hair loss and promote hair retention and growth.

Can you stay on minoxidil forever?

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).

Who should avoid minoxidil?

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.

Are minoxidil gains permanent?

Do you have to keep using the medication to maintain your new hair growth? Think of minoxidil as exercise for your hair: If you stop going to the gym after a year, you'll see a backslide in your gains, regardless of the progress you've made. Likewise, results from minoxidil are permanent — unless you stop using it.

Does hair grow back after stopping minoxidil?

Here's the crucial fact you need to know: When you stop using minoxidil, your hair loss will typically resume within 3-6 months. Studies show that some people may even lose more hair than they initially gained. However, there are ways to minimise this loss, which we'll explore in detail throughout this article.

What are the downsides of minoxidil?

Stop using this medication and tell your doctor right away if you have any serious side effects, including: unwanted facial/body hair, dizziness, fast/irregular heartbeat, fainting, chest pain, swelling of hands/feet, unusual weight gain, tiredness, difficulty breathing especially when lying down.

Is minoxidil safe for the heart?

Minoxidil is a potent directly acting vasodilator previously used in treatment-resistant hypertension. It possesses several serious side effects including fluid retention, worsening of heart failure, reflex tachycardia, angina, myocardial infarction, pericardial effusion, and hypotension.

Why can't over 65s use minoxidil?

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.

Why does my hair look thinner after using minoxidil?

You may notice increased hair loss after using minoxidil because it is said to trigger the anagen phase, and this is where men will start experiencing hair shedding. This happens so that the new hair can grow at a good healthy length and thickness.

Does minoxidil affect the brain?

demonstrated that minoxidil sulfate (MS), a KATP channel activator, could selectively increase the blood–brain tumor barrier (BTB) permeability without affecting the normal BBB (Ningaraj et al., 2003).

What drugs should not be taken with minoxidil?

List of interactions for Minoxidil
  • Acebutolol. Both Minoxidil and Acebutolol can increase the risk of hypotension.
  • Alcohol. Both Minoxidil and Alcohol can increase the risk of hypotension.
  • Alfuzosin. Both Minoxidil and Alfuzosin can increase the risk of hypotension.
  • Aliskiren. ...
  • Alprostadil. ...
  • Amantadine. ...
  • Amitriptyline. ...
  • Amlodipine.

Who should not use rosemary oil for hair?

Rosemary oil is highly concentrated. Using too much of it may damage the hair follicles, causing hair loss instead of hair growth. Anyone with a skin condition or skin sensitivity should use caution when using essential oils. They can cause allergic reactions or worsen symptoms of skin conditions.

What is a natural alternative to minoxidil?

Research from the SKINMed Journal of Dermatology for the Clinician showed that rosemary oil was as effective as minoxidil in boosting hair growth among participants with androgenic alopecia.

What is the best oil for hair loss?

Best Value

And another study found that the aromatherapeutic effects of rosemary oil (just smelling it while massaging it onto the scalp) helped patients with alopecia areata.

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