Rogaine on Hair loss

Rogaine Extra Strength comes in a 5% liquid solution and is available over the counter for men. Rogaine Extra Strength claims to grow 45% more than the Regular Strength 2% formula. It also starts growing hair as soon as 2 months in many individuals. The most common side effects are scalp itch and irritation.

Rogaine is a solution which is applied topically to the scalp twice a day. It can also slow down hair loss in men who are showing signs of balding. Apply Rogain 5% twice daily, and you could see results in as little as 2 months. If you stop taking Rogain 5%, however, your results will gradually go away over 12 months. And if it hasn't worked in 12 months, it is unlikely to be of benefit. Use Rogain 5% only if you are disciplined in taking medications and are good with following detailed instructions.

What makes rogaine work?

Even if Rogaine contains only a small percentage of minoxidil in its solution it is clearly this drug that makes it work. Minoxidil is a type of drug called a vasodilator. It has the effect of decreasing blood pressure in the body, and is often used to treat high blood pressure or what is called hypertension. How it works to cause hair growth is not known fully.

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How effective is rogaine?

While the Food and Drug Administration recognizes that Rogaine works, it is well known that it doesn’t work for everyone, and that it works well only for a few people. The older version of Rogaine was effective in regrowing hair on balding head to a significant degree for only about 40 percent of the people who used it. So far statistics for the new more potent version of Rogaine have indicated that these numbers are only slightly improved. For example, in a recent study conducted by Upjohn 40 percent of users participating in the study displayed moderate to dense gains, while 22 percent achieved minimal regrowth.

Many experts say that in reality only ten percent of people who try Rogaine see the benefits of reversal of their balding. This means that the vast majority of people who try Rogaine either show no hair regrowth as a result of using it or show so little regrowth that it makes no visible difference to their bald appearance. In addition, Rogaine seems only to be able to work on hair that is lost on the upper vortex of the scalp and not on the hairline. For balding at the hairline Rogaine can do very little.

Also, it is notable that hair regrown due to the application of Rogaine needs its continuous application to survive. In other words, any hair regrown by using Rogaine will fall out if you stop using it! This means that even if you are one of the lucky minority for whom Rogaine does regrow substantial amounts of hair, you will need to continuously use it for the rest of your life to enjoy its benefits. If you don’t want your regrown hair to fall out you will have to pay Rogaine’s hefty cost for the rest of your life.

Although Rogaine is only partially effective in reversing balding, it is worth noting that it seems to be more effective in preventing further hair loss. Most experts agree that Rogaine has a significant stabilizing effect on balding. For people whose hair is thinning Rogaine seems to be able to slow down if not stop further hair loss. This good news is however tempered by the fact that any hair you save by using Rogaine will fall out as soon as you stop using it. Again, if you rely upon Rogaine to save your thinning hair, then you will be entirely dependent on it for the rest of your life.

The effectiveness of Rogaine is slightly different for the sexes. Upjohn’s statistics regarding the earlier version of Rogaine, claimed that 19 percent of female users of Rogaine experience moderate regrowth of their lost hair and that another forty percent experienced minimal regrowth. In the case of men, it was claimed that 26 percent report moderate regrowth and that another 33 percent experience minimal regrowth.

Moderate regrowth seems to be more common for men than for women, and minimal regrowth seems to be more common for women than for men. New tests are being conducted with stronger solutions of Rogaine to determine its effect on both men and women. Nevertheless, many medical doctors are already recommending the stronger five percent solution of Rogaine for both sexes.

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Are there any side effects to using Rogaine?

The truth is that every drug has a side effect. The ingredient in Rogaine that causes hair growth is minoxidil. When minoxidil is taken orally it has a severe effect on the body. It is often prescribed to lower high blood pressure, but has a side effect which strongly effects the heart.

Generally speaking minoxidil taken orally is very dangerous for people who have heart troubles and is not recommended for such cases. Other negative side effects of minoxidil taken orally may include painful urination, rapid weight gain, skin rash, and unusual bleeding and bruising.

When Rogaine is used to treat hair loss the minoxidil in it is applied on to the balding skin and is not taken orally. When applied to the skin minoxidil does enter into the body through the skin, but when it is applied carefully and properly the amount of minoxidil that enters is marginal. Most experts agree that when Rogaine is used properly, the amount of minoxidil taken in to the body is not sufficient to cause the major side effects of taking the drug orally. Still Rogaine has some side effects that you should know about.

These include minor and major side effects:

Minor Side Effects: The minor side effects associated with Rogaine include: skin irritations on the scalp such as dry red skin, flaking, and itching, nausea and vomiting, and diarrhea. These are short-term effects that should go away as soon as your body adjusts.
Major Side Effects: The major side effects associated with Rogaine are like those associated with minoxidil when it is taken orally. These include back and chest pain, cold-like symptoms, rapid heartbeat, fluid retention, difficulty breathing, weight gain, and worsening of hair loss. These are significant side effects but are not very common.

In addition, it must be cautioned that since Rogaine is such a new drug its long term effects are not fully known. Although it has shown no signs yet of severe long-term side effects, it takes decades, if not generations, to really know what the full effects of a drug might be. When deciding to use Rogaine or not keep this caution in mind.

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Rogaine on Hair loss

What makes rogaine work?

How effective is rogaine?

Are there any side effects to using Rogaine?

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