(Generic Loniten)
Oral Minoxidil is a medication that is FDA-approved to treat high blood pressure, but it is also sometimes prescribed off-label in lower dosages for hair loss treatment. When clinical trials were being conducted with oral Minoxidil for blood pressure, many patients reported longer, thicker, and darker hairs growing on the body, including the hair on their scalp. For this reason, some doctors prescribe this medication off-label as an alternative to hair loss medications like Finasteride that modulate DHT in the body, or as an add-on to other topical or oral hair loss treatments.
The exact mechanism behind how Minoxidil leads to hair benefits is not fully known. But, we do know that Minoxidil can increase the size of hair follicles and extend the hair growth phase, this may be what is behind the increased hair growth. We also know that Minoxidil can relax the smooth muscles inside your vessels, increasing blood flow (which is how it works for blood pressure reduction). This increased blood flow to the scalp may be part of the mechanism of slowed hair loss and potential increased growth.
Take your dose of oral Minoxidil at the same time each day, once a day. You may take Minoxidil with or without food, but you may want to try taking it with food if you notice stomach upset after your dose. If you miss a dose and are only off by a few hours, you may go ahead and take your missed dose. However, if you missed a dose and it has been more than a few hours skip your dose and continue on like usual the next day.
Store your Minoxidil in a closed container at room temperature in a dry environment. Avoid bathroom storage due to a potentially high-humidity environment. Store Minoxidil tablets safely away from pets and children.
The most common side effect reported with oral Minoxidil tablets is additional hair growth on the face or body, not just the scalp. Other potential more common side effects may include a lowering of your blood pressure, increased swelling of the legs, and headaches. These side effects may be more pronounced when using higher strengths of oral Minoxidil as compared to the lower strengths. Please refer to the Safety Info tab on the product page to review the full safety information and potential side effects of this medication.
Oral Minoxidil may produce positive hair effects similar to the topical Minoxidil formulas. This may mean that you could start seeing the first beneficial hair effects on the scalp, including the crown and hairline, after a few months of use as directed by your doctor. These hair growth effects may continue as long as the medication is continued. If you stop using Minoxidil, the hair improvements that occurred from the medication will likely stop.
If you have been prescribed a dose of ½ of a Minoxidil tablet, you will be supplied with a pill splitter. Your medication instructions will also be clear that you will be taking ½ of a tablet for each dose if you are supposed to split the tablet. In order to use the pill splitter, simply open the device and place 1 Minoxidil tablet at the tip of the “v” groove on the side of the splitter opposite the blade to secure the tablet. If your tablet is scored, try to line the score facing up with where the blade will land to make a more even cut. Then, carefully close the pill splitter firmly on a flat surface in order to split the tablet into two halves. Take the ½ tablet dose by mouth as prescribed and store the other half either back in your tablet bottle or in the storage groove in your splitter until you need your next dose. Be careful of the blade during this entire process to avoid cutting yourself. Store the pill splitter and all medications away from children and pets.
Oral Minoxidil may help improve patterned hair loss similarly to topical minoxidil (Rogaine). Studies have shown improvements in total hair counts, including hair improvements on both the vertex and frontal areas of the scalp when using oral Minoxidil daily. You may also experience reduced hair loss from thinning areas, and thicker and darker hair growing in.
A combination approach of using FDA-approved topical Minoxidil along with off-label low-dose oral Minoxidil may be an option for some users. Especially people who are not achieving their desired results with their current treatments. While there are not currently controlled studies out there backing up this method, our doctors will review your medical history and current conditions to see if a topical and oral Minoxidil off-label approach is a safe and appropriate option for you. Although, many users may opt for just one route or the other, especially when just starting out on their hair loss treatment. If you do end up using both oral and topical Minoxidil together, it is very important to familiarize yourself with the potential risks and side effects and talk to your doctor or seek care if they occur.
Since oral Minoxidil is a medication that is taken by mouth, there is whole-body (systemic) exposure to the active ingredient. This may lead to improved hair growth not only on the scalp, but also on the face or the rest of the body (where you may not want it). Also, oral Minoxidil was originally used as a medication to lower blood pressure. When taking low-dose oral Minoxidil for hair loss, you might still develop issues or side effects stemming from this mechanism of Minoxidil. Too low decreases in blood pressure, changes in heart rate, heart palpitations, fluid accumulation in the limbs, adverse heart effects, and kidney issues may develop. For this reason, low-dose oral Minoxidil for hair loss may not be appropriate for people with heart conditions, an increased risk of developing heart conditions, fluid accumulation, kidney disease, or blood pressure issues. Combining a topical Minoxidil with an oral Minoxidil may have the potential to increase the potential for negative effects, and should only be used when closely monitored and educated on the risks. If advanced issues occur, stop using the medication and get medical care immediately. Review the oral Minoxidil safety info tab for more information.
Some people may not like the feel or mess of applying a topical Minoxidil formulation directly to the scalp, and would prefer to swallow a tablet instead. Also, oral Minoxidil is used just once daily, while you may be instructed to use topical Minoxidil twice daily for the best results. In addition, sometimes people experience irritation, itching, or redness on the scalp from topical formulations, and may be looking to an oral tablet alternative to avoid scalp concerns.
Minoxidil tablets contain a powerful antihypertensive agent which mayproduce serious adverse effects. It can cause pericardial effusion, occasionally
progressing to tamponade, and angina pectoris may be exacerbated. Minoxidil should be reserved for hypertensive patients who do not respond adequately to maximum
therapeutic doses of a diuretic and two other antihypertensive agents.
In experimental animals, minoxidil caused several kinds of myocardial lesions as well as other adverse cardiac effects.
Minoxidil tablets must be administered under close supervision, usually concomitantly with therapeutic doses of a beta-adrenergic blocking agent to prevent tachycardia and increased myocardial workload. It must also usually be given with a diuretic, frequently one acting in the ascending limb of the loop of Henle, to prevent serious fluid accumulation.
Patients with malignant hypertension and those already receiving guanethidine should be hospitalized when Minoxidil is first administered so that they can be monitored to avoid too rapid, or large orthostatic, decreases in blood pressure.
You should not use Minoxidil if you are allergic to it, or:
Tell your healthcare provider about:
What you should avoid while taking Minoxidil:
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to Minoxidil:
Common Minoxidil side effects may include:
Call your doctor at once if these side effects occur with Minoxidil use:
Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or does not go away.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
The following links provide further information on the potential risks and benefits of this medication:
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