xinru@whxinru.cn
Minoxidil is a potassium channel opener that is often associated with increased reflex tachycardia and cardiac output during blood pressure reduction. Selective for vasodilatory effects, found in coronary, gastrointestinal, and cerebrovascular, but not renal and cutaneous. It also reduces or stops hair loss and promotes hair regrowth. It is now available in general outpatients without a prescription for androgenic alopecia.
Minoxidil is a potassium channel opener that relaxes vascular smooth muscle, dilates small arteries, reduces peripheral resistance, lowers blood pressure, and promotes venous return.
In the 1950s, peptic ulcer was still a problem at the time. Upjohn (now incorporated into Pfizer) wanted to develop a drug for the treatment of ulcers, called minoxidil, but after using it, it was unexpectedly discovered that the treatment The ulcer effect is not ideal, but the effect of treating hypertension is good, so it is used to treat hypertension. However, there is a strong side effect after use, that is, the patient’s body hair (including hair) becomes more, denser and thicker, so it is used to treat hair loss.
After research and development, the pharmaceutical company developed minoxidil for the treatment of seborrheic alopecia. Among them: 2% concentration was approved by the US Food and Drug Safety Commission in 1988, and 5% concentration was approved by the US Food and Drug Safety Committee in 1998. Approved for listing. Minoxidil can also be classified according to the concentration for different groups of people: 2% (with propylene glycol) or 3% (without propylene glycol) minoxidil for women, 5% for men and women, 15% for men and women Minoxidil is for men. The main domestic brands are Spishn and Mandi, and there are Luojian in foreign countries.
I believe that many hair loss patients also have a certain understanding of minoxidil. Let’s further open the question and answer session on the treatment of hair loss with minoxidil!
1. How does Minoxidil work?
Minoxidil works well on the top of the head area, and works poorly on forehead and temporal hair loss. You read that right, it’s the truth.
Ineffective reason for forehead hair loss: The biggest problem of male hair loss is that the hair on the forehead hairline gradually becomes thinner or less, resulting in gradually thinning hair volume, or the hairline gradually moves back, on the hairline on both sides of the forehead or above the temples The most obvious receding area is the M-shaped hair loss area. The reason for this is that the hair follicles in the forehead area have higher 5a reductase activity, which makes the hair follicles more affected by DHT. Treatment of forehead hair loss is always less than ideal.
In fact, from the perspective of oral and topical drugs used to treat hair loss, the labels and descriptions have mentioned the uncertainty of improving forehead hair loss; it is impossible to expect other non-drugs to have much effect on the forehead. In the packaging and instructions of Rogaine Minoxidil, it is clearly told that Rogaine is mainly for hair loss on the top of the head, and does not mention the effect on forehead hair loss.
Even in the overhead area, minoxidil is only 39% effective, at least this data was submitted to the US FDA.
The scalp hair follicles of these ineffective patients do not contain “sulfate transferase”, and the “minoxidil sulfate” converted by minoxidil under the action of “sulfate transferase” has the effect of stimulating hair growth. .
Of course, don’t think that minoxidil is useless just because you see this data. On the contrary, from the perspective of external use, minoxidil is still the most effective drug at present. If it is a matching related oral agent (prescription drug) or matching hair transplant, the effect of minoxidil is also very significant. (Tells some big truths, trembling.)
2. Who can not use minoxidil?
Mino will not affect systemic blood pressure, but if the blood pressure is too low, patients with heart disease should not use it externally. Also, pregnant and breastfeeding mothers should not use it.
3. How long does minoxidil take effect?
Hair grows slowly and requires a process, including growth phase, regression phase and telogen phase. After a few years of growth, the hair will enter a degenerative period and gradually fall off. After a rest period of 3-4 months, new hair will grow. During the first month of using minoxidil, the old hair fell out due to the degenerative phase, but at this time the new hair was still in the telogen phase and the symptoms seemed to be more severe. However, if you insist on using it for 3-4 months, you will have better results, so you must be patient with the treatment of hair loss. Minoxidil does not promote the thickening and lengthening of the original hair after use, but makes the old hair grow new hair after the end of the growth cycle.
4. What are the side effects of minoxidil?
Any drug has certain side effects. The possible side effects of minoxidil solution used in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia include: 1. Hirsutism, which is obvious on the face, neck, upper limbs and legs; 2. Tachycardia; 3. Allergy symptoms, including local skin redness, itching, etc.
Generally speaking, scalp itching, contact dermatitis, scalp redness, and erythema are actually the same thing, that is, propylene glycol allergy. This allergy is generally a little obvious at the beginning, but most people will eventually adapt to it; dizziness, headache The main reason is the changes in blood circulation. Minoxidil is a local vasodilator, which will lead to increased blood flow, causing problems like slight dizziness; increased hair loss, which is what we often call the shedding period, hair growth after medication There will be some changes in the cycle, resulting in a temporary increase in hair loss, which is a normal phenomenon; hirsutism is generally caused by improper use of drugs, and hair splits and breakage are not directly related to minoxidil drugs.
What if I have serious side effects?
Occasional ingestion of minoxidil solution can produce systemic responses associated with minoxidil’s vasodilatory effects. Symptoms and signs of overdose are very similar to the cardiovascular response that accompanies symptoms such as fluid retention, hypotension, and tachycardia. Fluid retention can be treated with appropriate diuretics. Tachycardia can be controlled by taking epinephrine blockers. Symptoms of hypotension can be treated with intravenous saline. Sympathomimetics such as norepinephrine and epinephrine should be avoided because they overstimulate cardiac activity. Therefore, minoxidil must be used under the guidance of a doctor.
5. Is minoxidil a hormone?
Hormone drugs are drugs that use human or animal hormones (including organic substances with the same structure and principle of action as hormones) as active ingredients. Hormonal drugs can be divided into glucocorticoids, adrenal corticosteroids, norepinephrine hormones, progestins, estrogens, androgens, etc.
Minoxidil was first marketed in Canada as a treatment for hair loss in 1986, and was approved by the US FDA (US Food and Drug Safety Commission) in 1987 to be marketed in the United States, and was approved as an OTC drug in 1996. Before listing, the FDA requires pharmaceutical companies to do a lot of clinical trials, and if it contains hormones, the FDA will not approve the listing. In our country, the same is true.
6. After using minoxidil for a period of time, the small fluff that grows falls off again. Is it normal?
The time of external use is still within one course of treatment. Unhealthy hair is falling and new healthy hair is growing, but it will take several cycles to grow thick and black hair. The treatment of hair loss requires a certain process, and this period requires a relatively large amount of time. With the patience and perseverance, since the small hair has grown, it means that the hair follicles have begun to recover.
7. Can I take other medicines at the same time as topical minoxidil?
Correct answer: Orthostatic hypotension may still exist in patients taking peripheral vasodilators at the same time. If they are used externally with other drugs, drug interactions may occur, and they must be taken under the guidance of a physician.
8. Can I dye or perm my hair when I use Minoxidil Hair Toner for external use?
We do not have data on whether these practices alter the efficacy of minoxidil. However, in order to avoid possible irritation of the hair, try to avoid dyeing and perming your hair.
9. Can I wash my hair, swim or get in the rain after using Minoxidil Hair Tonic?
Can’t. For the best effect of this medicine, it should be left on the scalp for at least four hours. After four hours, you can wash your hair, swim, or get in the rain.
10. Will minoxidil taste bad and affect work and social interaction?
The solution of minoxidil solution is partially ethanol, which volatilizes quickly after use, and the active ingredients of the drug enter the scalp without peculiar smell. However, in foreign applications, high-concentration minoxidil solution sometimes leaves on the scalp. crystals of the drug.
11. Is minoxidil a medical insurance drug?
Minoxidil tincture (liniment) is used for male androgenetic alopecia, female androgenetic alopecia, and alopecia areata. There is no record in the 2010 edition of the national and provincial medical insurance catalogues, which means that minoxidil tincture is not Medical insurance drugs cannot be purchased with a medical insurance card. (A little disappointed…)
12. Where can I buy minoxidil?
Minoxidil is a liquid, and ordinary pharmacies do not have the ability to store it. In order to avoid buying expired or about to expire, fake products, it is recommended to go to new drug special drug pharmacies, public hospitals, hair specialist hospitals, Jingdong Tmall national chain large pharmacies Purchase to use.
13. Can minoxidil make gray hair black?
The answer is no, minoxidil tincture improves the supply of blood and nutrients to the hair follicles by expanding the capillaries under the local scalp, and ultimately promotes hair growth, which has little to do with white hair turning black.