In this article:

• What is minoxidil?

• Why does minoxidil help with hair regrowth?

• Does minoxidil work for all types of hair loss?

• How to successfully regrow your hair with minoxidil

Minoxidil is a topical hair growth solution that helps combat hair loss. The drug was initially used as an oral medication to help with blood pressure control, but people who took the medication for blood pressure support found a happy and surprising side effect - they had more hair!

Because not all people who experience hair loss need blood pressure medication, manufacturers created a topical solution that can be applied directly to hair follicles in thinning and balding areas.

Men were the primary people who could use minoxidil. However, women are safe to use these products as well.

Minoxidil helps with hair regrowth by shortening the resting phase (called telogen) of the hair growth cycle. Therefore, shortening the resting phase means that it helps your hair follicles switch to the growing phase faster, so you do not have follicles “waiting” to start making new hair.

The drug also lengthens the growing phase (called anagen) of the hair growth cycle, meaning that your hair stays intact longer. Finally, minoxidil may also help with hair growth by increasing circulation to your scalp, which can help nourish and oxygenate growing hair follicles.

Minoxidil can help with several types of hair loss, including male and female pattern baldness. Sometimes, it is recommended for hair loss conditions like androgenic alopecia, although it is not the primary form of treatment for this challenging autoimmune condition. Within treating male pattern hair loss, minoxidil is most effective at re-densifying hair near your temples and the top of your head. However, it is not effective against a receding hairline, which is one of the most frustrating patterns of hair loss many men experience.  

In women, minoxidil can help with re-densifying hair that thins at the temples and helps with regrowth along the part line, where hair thinning is more noticeable.

While minoxidil can be effective in helping hair regrowth, it is important to note that any new growth only lasts as long as you are using the product. This means that if you taper off or stop the medication altogether, you will lose any new hair you grew while using it.

Minoxidil has been on the market for several decades. You can find it over the counter at most drug and grocery stores, and you can also shop for it online. However, newer technology has been applied to this product, making it more effective than ever at treating hair loss, including receding hairlines. Nanoxidil, a proprietary formula that uses nanosome technology to penetrate deeper into your scalp, makes hair regrowth more successful. One of the added benefits of Nanoxidil is that it does not have side effects like minoxidil.

For the best results, you will want to follow the directions carefully and keep up with your treatment to avoid losing any new growth. Also, it helps to complement your hair regrowth efforts with hair support supplements and shampoos that simultaneously cleanse and re-densify your hair.

For hair loss solutions like Nanoxidil, shop the entire line of DS Laboratories products or consult with a Product Advisor if you are unsure where to begin in your journey to reclaiming your hair.