Topical Minoxidil is supposed to help with hair improvements, but how long does it take to work? Learn about approximate timelines here.
If you have ever left the salon or barbershop with a haircut you hated, you already know just how long it can take for hair to grow.
Unfortunately, using hair medications to help with hair improvements and regrowth can also be a very long-term process, even when they are working just fine.
Below, we will cover just what you should expect from minoxidil treatment, including when you should see the first effects, when you should expect the full effects, and what can happen if you stop using the medication.
According to the Rogaine (active ingredient Minoxidil) package insert, you should start seeing results after 3-4 months of regular treatment.
This may seem like a very long time to even start seeing results, but it is important to remember that Minoxidil will start doing things for your hair as soon as you start using it -- you just won’t be able to start seeing the pay off for a while.
One of the ways that Minoxidil helps long-term with hair growth is that it will help shift hairs that are currently in the resting or pre-shedding stages (catagen and telogen) into the growing (anagen) phase a little sooner than they would have on their own. This means that in the first few weeks of treatment you may see even more hairs being shed than usual. This is normal, and is actually just the hairs that were preparing to shed being scooted into the growing phase and pushing out the old hairs.
Also, once those hairs have entered the anagen growing phase, Minoxidil can help that phase last longer, meaning thicker and longer hairs in the long run.
If you have powered through the first 3-4 months of Minoxidil use and start seeing results, when should you now expect to see the full extent of what Minoxidil can do for your hair?
With continued use, you are likely to see the full effects of Minoxidil after a year of using the product.
Now, this doesn’t mean that you can stop using Minoxidil. You will need to continue the medication to maintain your hair gains. If the medication is stopped, it is likely that the hair you retained or regrew will revert back to its initial state within 3-4 months.
Of course, all of these timelines are approximations based off of clinical trials. Your exact response to Minoxidil may be better, worse, or you may not respond to Minoxidil at all. If you have used Minoxidil consistently for 6 months and you see absolutely to improvement to your hair, this may not be a medication that works for you.
The best way to see the optimal results from Minoxidil for you is to be very consistent with your treatment, try not to miss applications, and attempt to apply at around the same time each day.
Here at Strut Health, we know the benefits that Minoxidil can have for hair loss, so we like to combine it with prescription hair loss medications to deliver even better results.
We have Minoxidil combination hair loss formulations for men and women that can contain prescription ingredients like Finasteride, Dutasteride, Spironolactone, Biotin, and Tretinoin. Depending on your specific hair loss needs, our doctors can choose a combination that best suits you.
Have a free online hair loss consultation today to see if a prescription compounded Minoxidil-containing formula is a good choice for you.
If you are a good candidate for treatment, your medication can be shipped to your front door with our free shipping.
.png)
.png){kind=icon}
.png){kind=icon}
