Does rogaine make your hair fall out: 11 Side Effects of Rogaine for Women
11 Side Effects of Rogaine for Women
Although Minoxidil (Rogaine) is usually safe, it may cause side effects like scalp discomfort, unexpected hair growth, or a temporary shedding of hair.
Rogaine is the only topical ingredient approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for regrowing hair. Rogaine can treat hair loss from androgenetic alopecia, also known as male or female pattern hair loss (FPHL).
Researchers are still examining its ability to treat other hair loss conditions, like chemotherapy-related hair loss and alopecia areata.
About 40 percent of women deal with some degree of FPHL by the time they’re 50. This type of hair loss usually starts as a gradual thinning around the part in the hair and becomes wider with time.
FPHL is largely caused by genetics, and it’s thought that estrogen levels play a role because FPHL becomes more common after menopause.
Rogaine is generally considered a safe treatment, and complications are usually mild.
Keep reading to learn about the side effects of Rogaine for women as well as alternative treatment options.
Contact dermatitis on the scalp is the most common side effect when using Rogaine. Contact dermatitis usually occurs within minutes to hours after application. It causes symptoms such as:
- itchiness
- flaking skin
- redness
- irritation
- burning
The first time you use Rogaine, apply it to a small part of your scalp and wait 24 hours to see if symptoms develop before using it over your entire head.
Rogaine can lead to unwanted hair growth on the face if the medication comes into contact with it.
Unwanted hair growth occurs more often in women than men, although it’s not clear why. Studies have reported unwanted hair growth in anywhere from 3 to 51 percent of female participants.
It generally takes about 8 weeks for this hair growth to become visible.
In very rare cases, you can develop generalized hypertrichosis, which is increased hair growth in areas not directly exposed to the treatment.
It’s most common in adolescents and children.
Rogaine can cause a form of temporary hair loss called minoxidil-induced telogen effluvium.
Your hair cycles through four stages of growth:
- anagen, the growing phase
- catagen, transition phase
- telogen, resting phase
- exogen, shedding phase
Along with stimulating the growth phase, Rogaine can also shorten the resting phase, which leads to increased shedding. This shedding usually occurs 2 to 8 weeks after treatment starts.
An older 2011 study found that hair shedding was reported in 17.5 percent of women who took a 2 percent solution of minoxidil twice per day and in 12.5 percent of women who took 5 percent minoxidil once per day.
Rogaine usually has an insignificant effect on your blood pressure, but some people may experience more severe symptoms.
A 2015 case study described a patient who developed low blood pressure after using a very strong minoxidil cream for 12 weeks.
The man’s blood pressure returned to a normal range after discontinuing use of the cream.
It should be noted, however, that the preparation used in this study had more than twice the concentration of minoxidil compared to the over-the-counter foam.
The FDA lists Rogaine as a category C pregnancy drug. Drugs in this category haven’t undergone adequate human testing showing that they’re safe for fetal development, and animal studies suggest possible dangers.
Breastfeeding women should also avoid using Rogaine due to its potential to enter breast milk.
Although it’s fairly rare, it’s possible to develop an allergic reaction to Rogaine. Allergy symptoms usually appear quickly and include:
- hives
- itchiness
- inflammation
- rash
It’s possible to be allergic to minoxidil itself or another ingredient found in Rogaine called propylene glycol. If you’re allergic to propylene glycol, you can try using the foam form of Rogaine that doesn’t contain this ingredient.
If you’re allergic to minoxidil, you should cease this treatment altogether.
Studies have found that around 2 to 7 percent of women develop headaches after taking Rogaine.
A 2011 study found that about 3.5 percent of women developed heart palpitations, or a rapid heart rate. People with cardiovascular problems may want to talk to their doctor before taking Rogaine.
Other reported symptoms with an unknown incidence rate include:
- nausea
- vomiting
- changes in hair texture or color
As an oral medication, minoxidil is used to lower blood pressure. Usually, topically applied minoxidil has an insignificant effect on your blood pressure. However, if you’re taking diuretics or hypotensive medications, it can lead to low blood pressure that causes dizziness or fainting.
If you’re taking guanethidine to control your blood pressure, the FDA recommends being at a hospital the first time you use minoxidil to monitor changes in your blood pressure.
Rogaine and other brands of minoxidil are the only FDA-approved medications for treating hair loss in women.
The oral medication finasteride is FDA-approved for men over the age of 18 to treat hair loss. While it’s commonly prescribed for female pattern hair loss (FPHL) in postmenopausal women, it’s generally not prescribed for premenopausal women. Finasteride should always be taken under the direction of a physician.
Finasteride is particularly dangerous for women who are pregnant, since it may harm male fetuses.
Other potential treatment options for hair loss in women include:
- Targeting the underlying cause. In some cases, your hair loss may be caused by a treatable condition, like a thyroid hormone imbalance. Your doctor can help you figure out if your hair loss is genetic or has another cause.
- Wearing wigs. Many women experiencing balding choose to wear a wig to cover their hair loss.
- Making dietary changes.
If your balding is caused by a nutrient deficiency, eating an overall healthy diet may help stimulate hair growth. Focus on foods high in protein, vitamin A, iron, B vitamins, and vitamin C. - Undergoing a hair transplant. Follicular unit transplantation and follicular unit extraction are two types of hair transplants that take follicles from one part of your scalp use them to cover balding areas in another.
If your balding is caused by a nutrient deficiency, eating an overall healthy diet may help stimulate hair growth. Focus on foods high in protein, vitamin A, iron, B vitamins, and vitamin C.Rogaine is available over the counter. Even so, if you’re dealing with hair loss, it’s a good idea to talk with your doctor before starting treatment. Your doctor can help you rule out other causes of hair loss that may be treatable, such as low thyroid hormone levels or a nutrient deficiency.
You should also visit your doctor if:
- your hair loss is sudden
- your head itches or burns
- your hair is falling out in clumps
- you have bald patches
Rogaine can help women treat genetic hair loss. In women, genetic hair loss usually manifests as a gradual thinning along the part in the hair.
Rogaine is generally considered safe, but in some cases it can cause side effects, such as scalp irritation, unwanted hair growth, or temporary shedding.
If you notice any of these symptoms or anything else concerning, contact your doctor right away.
Why it Happens and What to Expect
Minoxidil (Rogaine) is a popular product for people with thinning hair. The product comes as a gel or a foam, and is meant to be applied topically to your scalp on a daily basis.
When people first start using minoxidil to restore their hair, some notice that they actually start losing more of it — at least for a short period of time.
There are plenty of clinical trials and medical evidence that support the use of minoxidil for moderate hair loss caused by alopecia. But how do you know if it’s actually working, especially if it looks like you’re losing more hair than before?
Let’s cover hair loss caused by Rogaine so you can understand how common it is, what causes it, and whether you should be concerned.
Minoxidil was a drug originally developed to treat hypertension.
Researchers observed that people who had alopecia and used minoxidil for hypertension experienced hair regrowth, and the world’s most popular over-the-counter treatment for alopecia was born. People have been using minoxidil to treat hair loss since 1986.
The way that minoxidil works isn’t completely clear. What’s apparent is that minoxidil decreases hair loss in some people while also increasing hair growth. It doesn’t work for everyone.
Minoxidil is also classed as a vasodilator, meaning that it dilates your blood vessels so that blood flows more easily where it’s applied. An increase in blood circulation to your scalp could be part of why minoxidil increases hair growth.
Minoxidil and the hair growth cycle
Your hair follicles go through four phases of growth. Not every follicle is in the same phase at once. Minoxidil is believed to affect two stages of hair growth.
Anagen phase
The anagen phase of hair growth is its “growing” phase.
This is when the hair is being pushed out from the root. Applying minoxidil may extend the length of the anagen phase.
Telogen phase
The telogen phase of your hair is its “resting” phase, when it’s done growing but not yet ready to fall out. In clinical trials on rats, minoxidil shortened the telogen phase of hair from 20 days to 1 to 2 days.
Minoxidil’s side effects are typically mild. Common side effects include mild itching and burning as well as flaky skin. Minoxidil can also cause your hair to shed, especially when you first start using it.
As minoxidil speeds up the resting phase of your hair, sometimes it falls out more quickly than it normally would.
However, minoxidil also extends the growth phase of your hair. That means that even though some hair shedding is to be expected at first, new hair growth should soon replace the hair that you’ve lost.
Not everyone will experience shedding as a side effect of minoxidil, while some may experience it severely.
There aren’t statistics currently available that explore how common this particular side effect is.
You can’t do much to prevent minoxidil-related shedding — or even predict if you’ll experience it when you first start using the product.
One thing to be aware of is that the higher the concentration of minoxidil you use, the more powerful the side effect is likely to be. Using a foam with 2 percent concentration of minoxidil, for example, could cause fewer side effects than with a 5 percent concentration.
If you’re seeing a lot of hair loss, you might want to switch to a less powerful dose of minoxidil. If you’re concerned about hair loss and haven’t started using minoxidil yet, start with a lower concentration and work up to a higher one if you need it.
Results of minoxidil vary from person to person. Generally speaking, it takes about 8 weeks of consistent use to start to see results with minoxidil. After 4 months of use, you should start to see the end of hair loss and start to see hair growth.
If it’s been 4 months and you’re still seeing hair shedding, it may not be related to minoxidil. It’s also possible that minoxidil isn’t the right product for you. If you see a lot of your hair falling out after 4 months of use, speak with your doctor about alternative treatments.
Minoxidil does have some other side effects in addition to hair shedding. Side effects may include:
- scalp itching (pruritus)
- flaking, irritated skin
- scalp folliculitis
- hypertrichosis
If you’re experiencing strong side effects as a result of minoxidil, call your doctor and discontinue use.
If you’ve been using minoxidil for several weeks and you’re still seeing more hair loss than growth, see your primary care doctor or a dermatologist. They may be able to determine if hair loss is being caused by another underlying health condition.
You should always seek medical attention if you experience the following:
- yellow, green, or gray discharge coming from broken skin on your head
- persistent scales, redness, or irritation on your scalp
- sudden, patchy hair loss that doesn’t fit your normal hair loss pattern
- depression or a mental health concern related to your hair loss
Some shedding is normal when you start using any topical product that contains minoxidil.
If you’re concerned about hair loss, this might be alarming, but it’s typically no cause for concern.
If shedding doesn’t stop within 4 months of starting a hair regimen with minoxidil, discontinue use and speak with your doctor about other hair regrowth options.
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Rogaine work? – Drink-Drink
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Contents
- What is Rogaine?
- How does Rogaine work? 0008
- Rogaine vs. Propecia
- Rogaine vs. Minoxidil
- Does Rogaine really work? Will I get all my hair back?
- When will I see results from Rogaine?
- Does Rogaine only work for men?
- Is Rogaine safe?
- How often should I use Rogaine?
- Where can I get this?
- Is Rogaine suitable for beards?
- Does Rogaine react to bald patches?
Rogaine is an FDA-approved hair loss treatment available without a prescription.
It can help in the treatment of male and female pattern baldness.
What is Rogaine?
If you are experiencing hair loss, you may have heard of Minoxidil, also known as Rogaine.
This popular hair loss treatment is FDA approved. It is available over-the-counter as a liquid or foam for the treatment of male and female pattern baldness.
Rogaine only works for certain types of hair loss and only if you keep up with its application. But it doesn’t work for everyone.
If this works, you probably won’t grow back all the hair that has fallen out, and it can take up to 4 months to see results. You will have to use Rogaine indefinitely to keep the regrowth going.
Read on to learn more about the effectiveness of Rogaine and see if you are a good candidate.
We use “women”, “men”, “women” and “men” in this article to reflect terms that have historically been used for gendered people. Your doctor can better help you understand how your specific circumstances will affect diagnosis, symptoms, and treatment.
Learn more about sex and gender.
How Rogaine works
Rogaine is considered a vasodilator. The exact mechanism of action of minoxidil (the active ingredient) is not really clear. But it is believed that it partially enlarges the hair follicles and lengthens the hair growth phase. The more follicles in the growth phase, the more hair on the scalp.
Who gets the best results from Rogaine
Rogaine is applied to the scalp to help hair growth and prevent hair loss caused by male or female pattern baldness. This is the most common type of hair loss and is hereditary.
Rogaine works best for people with hereditary hair loss at the crown of the head (the area at the back of the head, just below the crown of the head) or women with general thinning of hair at the top of their head.
Rogaine is most effective for people who start using it at the first sign of hair loss. It will not help people who are already completely bald.
Rogaine for men
Rogaine has been found to be an effective treatment for hair growth in male pattern baldness.
An old 2002 study found that over 48 weeks, participants who used 5% topical minoxidil compared to 2% topical minoxidil experienced faster results as well as 45% more hair growth.
Researchers in this study also found that study participants who used topical minoxidil 5% had an improved “psychosocial perception” of hair loss.
Rogaine for women
Rogaine can also be effective for women. An old 2004 study showed that topical minoxidil 5% was better than topical minoxidil 2%.
The study was conducted for 48 weeks and the 5% and 2% versions improved the psychological perception of hair loss in women with female pattern baldness.
Rogaine is not recommended for breastfeeding or pregnant women.
Who should not use Rogaine
You should not use Rogaine if:
- hair loss occurs suddenly and in patches
- you are under 18 years of age
- unexplained hair loss
- hair loss after childbirth
- your scalp is discolored , itchy, infected or painful to touch
- hair loss caused by hair products, chemicals or hair care practices
- hair loss is caused by another condition, such as thyroid disease or alopecia areata, nutritional deficiencies, scarring of the scalp, or medications such as chemotherapy.
Rogaine is approved to help with hair growth in male pattern baldness and thinning hair in women. It is not usually used to correct bald patches or baldness on the front of the head. But a doctor may recommend Rogaine for other types of hair loss.
If you have a heart condition, talk to your doctor before taking Rogaine.
Other hair growth products
| Product | How does it work? | Active ingredients | Price | Rating |
| Rogaine | Starts new hair growth | Minoxidil | $47.75 9 0130 | 4.3./5 |
| Propecia | Promotes hair growth and prevents hair loss | Finasteride | $37.50 | 4.8/5 |
| Definition | Rogaine is a drug used to treat male and female pattern baldness. | Minoxidil is the active ingredient present in Rogaine as well as other hair treatments. | ||
| First and last name | Rogaine is a trademark. | Minoxidil is the generic name. | ||
| Presentation | Rogaine was released in 1996. | Minoxidil was introduced to the market in 1986. | ||
| efficacy | Rogaine claims to cure hair loss in just 4 months. | Minoxidil claims to treat hair loss within 4-12 months of use. | ||
| Ban | Rogaine products are approved by the US FDA for sale and use. | The US Food and Drug Administration has now banned minoxidil. |
binds to hair follicles and miniaturizes them. Propecia prevents hair loss and baldness by preventing testosterone from being converted to DHT.
Seek advice from your doctor.
But this is only for certain types of baldness (and only with constant use). However, this won’t work for everyone. For those who really benefit from it, Rogaine will most likely not help restore all the hair that has fallen out.
But your doctor may recommend using it for beard growth.
9Minoxidil What is Rogaine?
Rogaine is a brand name for a drug used to treat certain types of hair loss in men and women.
It is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and is available without a prescription.
It is known that the drug dilates blood vessels, resulting in an increase in hair follicles on the scalp. This helps to lengthen the “hair growth phase”.
Some of the common side effects of using this drug include scalp irritation, abnormal hair growth on the forehead and surrounding areas, and changes in the hair. color and texture.
What is minoxidil?
Minoxidil is the generic name for a drug used to treat hair loss in men and women. It is the active ingredient in many other treatments, including Rogaine.
The drug is available in the form of oral tablets by prescription, and in liquid and foam when purchased without a prescription.
However, some rare side effects may occur, including itching, redness, irritation, and unwanted hair growth on other parts of the body.
Main Differences Between Rogaine and Minoxidil
- Rogaine claims to show results within four months of use, while Minoxidil claims to show effective results between four and twelve months of use.
