Information on Minoxidil

Minoxidil is a manmade drug used to treat two different common medical conditions: hair loss and hypertension. Different concentrations of the drug and various methods of application and ingestion set the uses apart. The UpJohn corporation cornered the market on minoxidil for hair loss by creating the brand name drug, Rogaine.

Minoxidil History

• Minoxidil's original (in the 1980s) use was for hypertension, otherwise known as high blood pressure. The brand name of this drug is Loniten. Although records don't indicate how or when the drug was found to have an interesting side effect, the effect was most likely discovered during trials of the drug: an ability to produce hair growth. While Loniten is a tablet still prescribed for hypertension, Rogaine is a topical ointment that is now sold over the counter in most drug stores.

Minoxidil for Hypertension

• Minoxidil tablets cannot and should not be used for hair growth. They are only for severe hypertension. Minoxidil is part of a family of drugs called vasodilator, which widens, or relaxes, blood vessels and improves blood flow. This drug is usually prescribed with two other medications including a water pill. The exact dosage is controlled and decided by your doctor. Because minoxidil can have serious side effects, it's critical to go to each doctor appointment so that your blood pressure can be monitored regularly to see if minoxidil is proving effective.

Minoxidil Hypertension Side Effects

• One of the first adverse signs of using this drug could come in the form of an allergic reaction. Symptoms of an allergy could be hives, difficulty breathing, swelling of the face or parts of the face and/or throat. Serious side effects could also include dry cough, sharp chest pain, swelling in your legs, ankles and feet, rapid weight gain, fast heartbeats, skin rash and fever. You may also experience a sore throat, bruising and sudden numbness, weakness, headache and confusion.

Minoxidil for Hair Loss

• Minoxidil Extra Strength (a 5 percent concentration of the drug) is marketed to men and women to treat hair loss. But it does not treat all kinds of hair loss. In men, it is meant only to treat hereditary hair loss that occurs in the center of the scalp. For women it is used to treat thinning of the hair at the front of the scalp and hairline. The drug is administered in a foam texture to the area of baldness twice daily. This needs to be done for at least four months before the user can expect results. The user should follow the directions carefully. There are rules for use such as not getting hair wet for four hours after an application of the drug.

Minoxidil Hair Loss Side Effects

• Interestingly enough, the exact mechanism by which Minoxidil increases hair growth and slows down the balding process is not known; it is simply a function of the drug that the medical industry has taken as a happy side effect, and that has helped many people combat hair thinning and loss without surgery. The side effects of Rogaine for hair loss are severe itching, burning or redness of the scalp. There can also be swelling of the face, an irregular or fast heartbeat, increased hair loss, dizziness and dry, flaking or red skin.