Generic Rogaine

Rogaine is a topical hair loss treatment medication with active ingredient minoxidil. It slows down hair loss and promotes healthier re-growth of hair both in the frontal area and the crown of the head. How it does this is not fully understood; minoxidil is a blood vessel dilator but not other blood vessel dilator has shown effects of hair growth. Rogaine is available in 2% or 5% solutions in foam or liquid forms and is applied directly to the hair and scalp. Other minoxidil drugs are taken orally in the form of tablets.

A key factor in the success of Rogaine treatment is how early you begin. Rogaine works better if there is more and thicker hair to work with. Thus it may not work as effectively on patients who have been bald for a long time.

Rogaine must be applied at least twice a day for at least four months for maximum effect to be seen. Also, since Rogaine is contained in an alcohol suspension, this causes problems in hair styling. You may opt to wash it out after 40 minutes but this will reduce the drug’s effect. It is better to leave it on for at least 4 hours in your hair to maximize Rogaine’s effects. After then, Rogaine must be continuously used as hair loss will gradually resume upon interruption of treatment.

Do not use Rogaine on irritated or sunburned scalp or if your scalp suffers from skin disorders such as eczema or psoriasis, as it may further aggravate irritation or cause too much of the drug to be absorbed into the body. Inform your doctor if you have any heart conditions or blood pressure issues as minoxidil may affect blood circulation. Also, it is advised not to use Rogaine if you are also taking cortisone or cortisone-type drugs, tretinoin, or using petroleum jelly as these may also increase minoxidil absorption.

Also, minoxidil’s ability to lower your blood pressure may cause problems if you are taking diuretics, guanethidine or other hypertension medication. Consult your doctor regarding ways to deal with this situation.

Inform your doctor if you have a prior allergy to minoxidil or to Rogaine’s non-active ingredient propylene glycol, as an allergic reaction may develop from use of Rogaine.

Avoid contact with the eyes, nose, mouth and other sensitive areas of the body as it may cause irritation.

Minoxidil can also be passed from mother to child through breast milk so women should not use this while breastfeeding.

A common side effect of Rogaine use is itching and dandruff production due to the drying out experienced by the scalp due to the alcohol content of the product. Antidandruff products may be used to help deal with this effect. Some may experience scalp irritation in the form of rashes also due to the alcohol content. Consult a doctor if it worsens over time.

A rarer side effect is hypertrichosis, or excessive hair growth in areas outside of the head such as the face. Consult with your doctor immediately.

Minoxidil may also cause in some cases a sudden drop in blood pressure as its original purpose was an oral treatment to hypertension.