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Minoxidil

Pharmacia & Upjohn company sold a drug called, Loniten, which is a treatment for high blood pressure. Loniten lowers blood pressure by dilating blood vessels (different than the more common blood-thinning approach). Loniten has been pulled from the market due to its serious side effects Pharmacia & Upjohn discovered that among the side-effects of Loniten was the growth of hair in unusual areas of the body, for example forehead and the back of the hands. Hence, in 1988, after changing the form of minoxidil to topical, Pharmacia & Upjohn offered the first FDA-approved product for hair regrowth. In 1996, Pharmacia & Upjohn began to sell Rogaine for men and women as over-the-counter medicines.

Rogaine (Regaine - outside of U.S.) is available in both spray and foam. The concentration of minoxidil for men available for men is 2% and 5%, for women only 2% of minoxidil is available. Oral minoxidil is used ONLY for high blood pressure and does not help with hair loss.

Pharmacia & Upjohn's patent for Rogaine/Regaine expired on February 13th 1996.

How does Minoxidil work

Since the benefits of minoxidil with regards to hair loss were discovered as the result of side-effects of Loniten, the specific mechanism of how minoxidil works is unconfirmed. Minoxidil is in the class of treatments called "Potassium Channel Openers". Its true method of action for is not completely understood, however it has been clinically proven that drugs which open Potassium Channels seem to stimulate hair growth. However, due to the nature of mechanism of minoxidil - the dilation of blood vessels, scientist speculate that minoxidil works in the opening of shrinking hair follicles (as a result of DHT levels).

It also is not known why the effects of minoxidil on hair follicles varies from person to person-no effect in some people, substantial effect in others.

It counters hair loss. Not solves the problem.

Clinical Trials

Minoxidil does not work for everyone and there is no predictor, in early 2001, of whether or not it will be effective in any particular person. Clinical tests on the effectiveness of topical minoxidil in men with baldness on the top of the head showed that 48% of men who had used minoxidil for one year reported moderate to dense re-growth of hair within the treated area. Thirty-six percent reported minimal re-growth. While 16% reported no re-growth. Similar percentages have been reported in women.

Treatment

Minoxidil is effective only for as long as it is taken; the hair gained or maintained is lost within 90 days of ceasing therapy.

Results

Minoxidil is often more effective in improving hair growth in central areas of the scalp than in frontal areas. It is often effectively used by physician hair restoration specialists to complement hair transplantation, contributing to an appearance of "fullness" in scalp hair.

The high alcohol content of Rogaine may dry out hair and makes new hairs brittle.

In both men and women, hair re-growth generally does not begin until the medicine has been used for at least four months. The first signs that minoxidil may be effective in a particular person usually occur after approximately 90 days of treatment, when the patient notices that he or she is losing (shedding) much less hair than prior to beginning treatment. When new growth begins, the first hairs may be soft and barely visible. For some patients, this is the extent to the effectiveness of this medication. For others, this down-like hair develops into hair of the same color and thickness as the other hairs on their heads.

Effectiveness

Topical minoxidil (Rogaine) at either 2% or 5% solution is most effective in persons with recent onset of hair loss due to androgenetic alopecia, and who have relatively small areas of hair loss. Minoxidil is more effective in improving hair growth on the crown, rather than the receding hair line (frontal areas)

Minoxidil is less effective when there is a large area of hair loss. Thus, early use of minoxidil is indicated to prevent progression of small areas of pattern baldness. In addition, its effectiveness has largely been demonstrated in younger men (18 to 41 years of age).

Price: 75 USD/ 58 Euro
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