Rogaine, also known as minoxidil, is one of the most common drugs used to facilitate hair growth. It increases blood flow to stimulate hair follicles and gives your body the nutrients it needs to produce healthy hair, making it quite effective in the treatment of male pattern baldness (MPB).

Rogaine has shown exemplary results, with about 9 out of 10 men seeing visible benefits in hair loss prevention. That’s not to say it's devoid of side effects, as many people claim it can alter the appearance of your hair.

But is there any truth to the matter? Let’s explore.

Yes, it can but only in rare cases.

There have been reports of patients seeing changes in the color of their hair while using Rogaine (minoxidil) to target hair problems. Some claim that the new hair growth from Rogaine is lighter than the rest of the hair on their scalp.

These changes are not backed by significant findings, but by anecdotal evidence.

But how does it occur? Well, here’s a working theory.

Most minoxidil products have hair color change listed as one of the potential side effects of the medication on their packaging. This leads us to believe that the color change from using Rogaine could be because of some of the ingredients in Rogaine’s formulation.

How does it occur?

Well, when you’re facing hair thinning and hair loss problems, the hair that grows from your follicles tend to be narrower in circumference than healthy hair strands.

But that's not all there is to it.

The follicles also produce shorter, finer hairs and cause an effect in melanin - the pigment that determines the color of your hair. This leads to significantly less pigmentation, which can result in gray to light yellow and white-colored strands over time.

The color changes can be alarming, but don’t worry; you can combat the change in hair color with hair coloring treatments. They’re safe and don’t impact the effectiveness of your hair loss treatment.

Here’s a tip about the dye you choose: Because Rogaine can cause hair to be lighter-colored at the roots, it’s a good idea to avoid darker shades since they can make your hair look discolored.

Do you want to restore the color of your hair to its former glory? Well, you’re in luck. You can get hair coloring, perms, and even hair relaxing treatments while you’re on minoxidil.

Just be aware of associated risks.

Hair dye, bleach, and other coloring treatments can dry your hair and irritate the skin on your scalp, leading to damage. If you have chemical treatments done regularly or if your hair can’t tolerate them, you may find that the health and appearance of your hair will be in an even worse condition than when you started. This is especially true if you stop using minoxidil as a preventive measure.

Stopping Rogaine can reverse its benefits, so you might shed the hair that regrew from the hair loss treatment.

Ouch.

This may discourage you from getting hair salon treatments but as long as you give your hair plenty of time to adjust to them, coloring your hair shouldn’t damage your strands.

To prevent Rogaine from interacting with your hair care treatments, here’s some sound advice:

• Wash your scalp thoroughly with a deep cleansing shampoo to remove any minoxidil residue before undergoing any treatment.
  
  
• Don’t use Rogaine the day before and after a treatment. This will prevent interaction between Rogaine and the dye, while preventing scalp irritation and other sensitivity issues.
  
  

Sounds pretty simple, right?

Well, there are other considerations you’ll have to keep in mind.

You may be tempted to double your dose of Rogaine to make up for the missed doses after a hair treatment procedure, but don’t. Missing out on one or two doses won’t impact your newly grown hair but taking regular doses after a treatment will.

Taking more doses of Rogaine than instructed may increase the chances of the drug being absorbed through the skin, which can cause serious side effects.

To avoid side effects, skip the missed doses and resume your regular dosing a day after the treatment. You’ll find that the overall efficacy of your hair loss treatment won’t be affected or impaired in any way.

While you may notice visible results from using Rogaine, you may be concerned if the strands that regrow are a different shade.

The good news is that the change in hair color can be dealt with by having your hair dyed. If you do, don’t stop using Rogaine as a preventive measure since the topical medication is only effective with continued use.

Should you have any concerns about Rogaine and the hair salon treatments you can undergo, consult a trichologist to be on the safe side.