Since evolution, hair has served multiple purposes – not limited to looking good and feeling great! It protected against climatic changes when clothing was scarce in the past. Today, with the advent of sociological norms and constantly changing hairstyles, hair is a symbol of good looks. Trendy hairstyles have been known to make or break bank accounts and achieve marriages.
Unfortunately, millions share the problem of baldness. Whether it’s due to genetics or mechanical damage caused by braiding and straightening, Rogaine is one viable solution for hair loss(receding hairline).
Without question, Rogaine is the most popular hair loss product in the country. Its gray boxes donning pictures of well-coiffed men with full heads of hair is hard to miss on the shelves. The first FDA approved hair loss medication produced by Pfizer, Rogaine’s popularity is attributed to its active ingredient, minoxidil, which is a hair growth stimulator.
How to apply rogaine?
Rather than it being applied as a gel on your hair, it penetrates directly into the hair follicles. Its main purpose is to increase blood circulation and help it reach scalp cells, which leads to thin hair growth(receding hairline).
Rogaine application is done through slow massaging of the lotion into the scalp, which helps to cover the entire thinning hair area better. It is best applied to dry hair and is taken once in the morning and once before bedtime.
What are the side effects of using rogaine?
Side effects include more hair loss during the early phases of medication, which is completely normal, given the hair cycle’s behaviors. The most common side effect is slight itching, which goes away as more of the product if used. Dandruff shampoo is ideal if you ever encounter this problem. Lesser side effects include chest pain, irregular heartbeats, and allergic reactions like swelling of the lips.
Does rogaine work?
Statistics supporting the effectiveness of Rogaine is very encouraging. Clinical studies have been touting its praises. According to a few studies, Rogaine best works for those that have been experiencing hair loss for less than ten years and had more hairs in the center of the balding area. Overall, about half of all Rogaine users (men) showed modest improvement of regrown hair after a year of use while a third saw only minimal results.
Women have a higher success rate, with modest hair regrowth after a couple of months for 66% of them in clinical studies. The consensus is clear: it takes Rogaine a couple of months to work and should not be treated as a miracle medicine.
Rogaine will only prove to be effective if you are not yet completely bald, and if your hair loss problem has not been for long. Otherwise, Rogaine will not take effect. In this case, the best choice for you is to try other possible options that are available.
Who should NOT use Rogaine?
- Anyone who is allergic to minoxidil or to any of the ingredients of the solution
- Women who are (or may be) pregnant or nursing
- Anyone who is using other skin medications on the scalp
- Anyone who has broken, inflamed, irritated, infected, or severely sunburned scalp
- Who has heart disease
Other considerations when using Rogaine
- If you are taking any medicine (prescription or non-prescription), especially anti-hypertensive drugs, diuretics, or vitamins. Beware about drug interactions: talk to a doctor.
- If you’re using vaseline, corticosteroids, or tretinoin (Retin-A) on your scalp, these medicines can cause too much minoxidil to be absorbed and to increase your chances of side effects.
- Alcohol can make the side effects of Rogaine/minoxidil worse.
- Generic Rogaine contains 80% alcohol and is flammable – keep it away from the fire as well as eyes, nose, and mouth.
How much does rogaine cost?
Fortunately, Rogaine is not a premium product with its active ingredient exclusive to it like Propecia. As you may already know, Propecia released its patent to allow for generic brands to hold finasteride. Rogaine works along the same degree. Today, general Rogaine can be found for as low as $15 for two packs. All generic versions are cheaper than the Rogaine brand name, and many large retail stores carry general minoxidil for as long as $9 a bottle. Expect your average generic minoxidil pack to cost about $15, a welcome price from Rogaine’s $29.99 monthly supply. All in all, Rogaine is a fantastic product that has been proven to work time after time.