Minoxidil – Should I Use Rogaine or Rogaine For Women?

If you are starting to lose your hair, then you need to start taking a Minoxidil product to arrest the process before it gets worse.  Minoxidil is a medication that opens up the blood vessels and promotes the growth of new hair by enhancing the flow of blood to the follicles. It is available in both oral and topical forms, with the topical products being more popular since they are applied directly to the scalp, increasing absorption of the drug and enhancing its effectiveness. There are a wide variety of products that contain this drug as an active ingredient, the most popular of which remains Rogaine.

What is Rogaine and Rogaine for Women minoxidil?

Rogaine is an over-the-counter medication that is designed to address baldness and hair thinning in both men and women, and is one of only two products approved by the FDA to promote hair growth, the other being Finasteride. By using Rogaine regularly, you can not only slow down the process of baldness but also possibly stimulate defunct hair follicles if used early enough. It is available in two strengths: the regular variant contains a 2% solution and the extra-strong has a 5% solution. While men can use either strength, there is a 2% Rogaine for women solution.  Women should only use the weaker strength Rogaine for women since the 5% solution may cause unwanted side effects such as promoting the growth of facial hair. These should be used continuously, since the benefits of using the product can be quickly lost if you discontinue use.

Minoxidil and Rogaine Side Effects

It should be noted that Minoxidil has minor side effects, such as flaking and burning of the scalp as well as itching and drying. Users should also be careful to use the product as instructed and avoid using too much of it. Not only will using too much of the product not be effective, it may also result in vasodilation or the widening of the blood vessels, which can cause dizziness and chest pain. In addition, women who are pregnant or currently breastfeeding should not use Rogaine for women or related products, since they may not be entirely safe.

When Should I Start Using Minoxidil?

For a Minoxidil product to be most effective, it has to be used as early as possible when you are starting to lose your hair, since Rogaine and other products cannot revive dead follicles and can only stimulate hair growth in ones that are still active. The early signs of hair loss include thick clumps of hair on your brush or comb, a receding hairline in the shape of a horseshoe or an M, and thinning hair on your brow or the crown of your head. Your hair may also start appearing limper than normal.
While the most significant causes of baldness and hair loss are age and genetics, there are a number of other factors which also play an important role and which you can influence to help promote hair growth. Poor diet, for example, can deprive your hair of the nutrients it needs to grow, while excessive emotional stress can also accelerate hair loss and baldness. While taking Minoxidil remains the main cure for baldness, addressing these factors can greatly enhance the medication’s effectiveness as well as improving your overall fitness.

Regenepure Hair Loss Shampoo

When searching for a hair loss shampoo, most hair loss suffereres look for a shampoo which contains the ingredient ketoconazole.  Ketoconazole is one of the hair loss treatments in The Big Three Hair Loss Regimen.  Ketoconazole is an antifungal that is ofter used to treat dandruff and makes the hair look and feel thicker, however, there is a study that has shown that ketoconazole disrupts the production of DHT and can stimulate growth similar to 2% minoxidil.  Most hair loss sufferers use Nizoral Shampoo, however,  Regenepure Shampoo is a newer hair loss shampoo line on the market that is gaining in popularity.  Regenepure has two products, Regenepure NT (Nourishing Treatment) and Regenepure DR (Doctor Recommended) Shampoo.

Regenepure Ketoconazole Shampoo Ingredients

Regenepure DR contains ketoconazole and is packed with other beneficial elements including Saw Palmetto extract, Vitamin B6 and Zinc Oxide, Niacin, Caffiene, and Linolenic Acid to stimulate the scalp.  It also contains Emu and Jojoba oils to keep the skin supple and rejuvenated.  The directions state to massage the shampoo into the scalp and leave it in for 3 to 5 minutes and then rinse.

Regenepure NT moisturizes without stripping the hair and is gentle enough for daily use.  It does not contain ketoconazole, however, it does contain powerful high quality ingredients such as Lecithin, Caffeine, and Saw Palmetto extract that stimulate the scalp and hair follicles, as well as restorative nutrients like Niacin, Emu Oil, and Glycerin.  The directions on the bottle state to apply to wet hair and massage into the scalp and rinse.  It also states to use Regenpure NT before using Regenepure DR, however, the NT has many great conditioning agents and many users are using it after the DR as a conditioner.  Which makes sense since ketoconazole has a drying effect for some users.

Regenepure Benefits

The benefit of this product over Nizoral is that they are free of parabens and sulfates.  Regenepure does not contain sodium laureth sulfate which most shampoos contain which is a harsh cleansing agent which can damage the hair follicle and skin.  Regenepure is also safe for use on hair thats undergone Keratin, color or any chemical treatment.  Regenepure is a little more expensive than Nizoral, however, Regenepure has more ingredients that can assist in fighting hair loss as well as safer since it doesnt contain parabens and sulfates.

Hair loss sufferers probably wont see massive hair growth by using any hair loss shampoo at the moment all by itself, however, adding a hair loss shampoo into their regimen will most likely increase their chances of stopping hair loss and to regrow hair.  Some users of ketoconazole shampoos have seen hair growth with just using a hair shampoo but by using a hair shampoo along with say minoxidil in their regimen will cleanse the scalp to make the minoxidil treatment more effective.  Besides most people with hair use a shampoo to clean them, so if your a hair loss sufferer you might as well use a ketoconazole shampoo to add to your hair loss regimen.  That is of course if your scalp doesnt have a negative reaction to the ketoconazole such as dryness or itching.

Buy Regenepure

Online retailer www.Solutions4hairloss.com is offering a special which is heavily discounting their minoxidil products (additional 16+%) when one bottle of both Regenepure DR and NT are purchased.

Nizoral Ketoconazole Shampoo

A few posts ago, I discussed the Big 3 Hair Loss Regimen.  The Big 3 Regimen consists of Minoxidil, Nizoral Shampoo, and Propecia.  I made a few posts in regards to minoxidil, and now its time to discuss Nizoral for hair loss.

Nizoral Ketoconazole Hair Loss Shampoo

The active ingredient in Nizoral Shampoo is ketoconazole.  Ketoconazole is an antifungal drug used to prevent and treat skin and fungal infections.  Ketoconazole is sold as a shampoo, topical cream, and oral tablet under the trademark name Nizoral shampoo.  It is marketed as an anti-dandruff shampoo,  however, many use Nizoral for hair loss.  It is well known to hair loss sufferers as a hair loss shampoo.

Nizoral Shampoo does come in 1% and 2% strength.  Nizoral 1% is sold in retail stores and is much easier to find.  Nizoral 2% is available by prescription only in the United States, however, it is an over the counter product in many countries including Canada.  You will be able to find the product for sale on various online stores and may be able to purchase the product without a prescription in many places.

Nizoral Shampoo For Hair Loss

Nizoral shampoo is known for its hair loss benefits.  The following information is from Wikipedia in regards to ketoconazole;  ketoconazole shampoo used 2-4 times weekly was nearly as effective as the proven hair loss treatment minoxidil 2%. While ketoconazole’s mechanism of action in hair loss is still unclear, it has been postulated that both hormones and the immune system act synergistically to cause injury to the hair follicle.  Anecdotal reports indicate that both the 1% and 2% dosages have hair loss benefits; however, the more potent 2% formulation may produce better results. Excessive usage of either formulation has not been shown to produce better results. The results produced in the one study in men are based on 2% ketoconazole shampoo, used once every 2-4 days, and leaving the shampoo on the scalp for 3–5 minutes before rinsing (as with the treatment of dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis). It has been stated that medications capable of maintaining the existing hair population, even in the absence of hair regrowth, should be regarded as effective treatments for androgenic alopecia. The present data suggest that ketoconazole should enter this group of drugs.

Using Nizoral for hair loss is part of many hair loss sufferers hair loss regimen.  Although, the effectiveness of using Nizoral as the sole product to combat hair loss is questionable.  Using it in conjunction with minoxidil and/or Propecia has shown to work for many.

For those who question whether or not to start using the product along with their daily hair loss routine, giving it a try wont hurt.  You can always use the product, give it the proper time to evaluate if its working for you and then deciding from there on whether to continue usage or to cut it off.

Rogaine Foam

I have discussed Minoxidil in prior posts and a very popular minoxidil product on the market today is Rogaine Foam.  Rogaine Foam became available for over the counter purchase in 2006 and is the first and only FDA approved hair regrowth foam.  Since its availability, the products popularity has been steadily increasing.  Besides for the fact that Rogaine Foam is clinically proven to stop hair loss and to regrow hair, Rogaine Foam has its benefits compared to the original Rogaine Topical Solution.

Rogaine Foam Benefits

Rogaine Foam is very easy and quick to use.  With Rogaine Foam you no longer need to use and measure with the dropper.  You apply half a capful of Rogaine Foam directly to the scalp twice a day, every day.  Most users separate the hair on the scalp in the balding areas so the scalp is visible.  Then apply the foam to the scalp and spread the product around the scalp with their fingers.  The drawback is, unless you actually put the foam in the cap to measure, then you are merely estimating the amount of foam and most users will use more than a half a cap.  What that means is you will be using more of the product and go through more than one can per month, being more costly in the end.  However, Rogaine Foam can easily be added to someones morning and bedtime routine.  It’s so easy, convenient, and quick to use that it might be worth paying extra compared to Rogaine Topical Solution.

The other major benefit to Rogaine Foam is for those that suffer from an itchy scalp when using minoxidil topical solutions.  Rogaine Foam contains the same active ingredient as Rogaine Topical Solution which is 5% minoxidil, however, Rogaine Foam does have different inactive ingredients.  Many users have stated that when using Rogaine Topical Solution they had an itchy scalp problem, however, when they switched to Rogaine Foam the problem went away.  For this reason, Rogaine Foam will be beneficial to many users that that have an itchy scalp problem or that have stopped using 5% minoxidil topical solutions due to this reason.

To sum it up, if your still using minoxidil 5% topical solutions and are looking for something more convenient to use or have an itchy scalp problem when using the topical solutions, then give Men’s Rogaine Foam a try.

Buy Rogaine Foam

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Kirkland Minoxidil

Kirkland Minoxidil

I see these questions pop up all the time on forums, “Does Kirkland Minoxidil Work?” or “Is Kirkland Minoxidil the same as Rogaine?’  For this reason I decided to do a Kirkland Minoxidil Review.

Rogaine is the most popular hair loss product brand out on the market today.  They basically spend a lot of money on marketing the name Rogaine with all their commercials and advertisements.  If your a newbie and buying your first hair loss product you will most likely buy Rogaine as its what you’ve seen on TV.  You don’t see any of the generic brands of minoxidil such as Kirkland Minoxidil on TV marketing their products.  They basically ride the coat tails of Rogaine, let Rogaine spend all the marketing money  and get a piece of the pie when the hair loss sufferer gets sick of or don’t want to pay the higher prices of Rogaine.

Kirkland Minoxidil Ingredients

To answer the question, Kirkland Minoxidil contains the same active ingredient as Rogaine.  This active ingredient called Minoxidil is the first FDA approved topical solution to treat hair loss.  Men’s Rogaine formulas are now at extra strength Minoxidil 5% which is the same strength contained in Kirkland Minoxidil. The inactive ingredients  are also the same.  The difference in the products, other than the marketing might be in the quality of the ingredients used. However, I am not saying and I don’t quite know if Rogaine does use better quality ingredients, I am merely stating that might be a difference between the two.

Kirkland Minoxidil Review

But as far as whether or not Kirkland Minoxidil is an effective product, does it stop hair loss, and help regrow hair.  I would have to say, yes.  I have read many customer reviews and comments stating that Kirkland Minoxidil is working as well as Rogaine when it came to stopping hair loss and regrowing hair.  The best part of it was that they were spending less than have the price for Kirkland Minoxidil.  Now remember though that not every product works for every person out there.  But if Rogaine Extra Strength 5% Minoxidil Topical Solution was working for you then the chances are very good that Kirkland Signature Extra Strength 5% Minoxidil will also work for you.

I also want to make clear that I am not knocking Rogaine, as I do think it is a very good and effective product.  Its the most famous hair loss treatment brand out there and many male hair loss sufferers don’t mind spending the higher prices for it because they don’t want to take any chances with losing their hair.  But if you are on a budget like many people are today or don’t mind using generic products, then give Kirkland Minoxidil a try.  Also, there are many male hair loss sufferers that have to or want to use Rogaine Foam for certain reasons which I will get into in the near future.

Buy Kirkland Minoxidil

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Minoxidil – Minoxidil 15% The Strongest Solution

The typical minoxidil solution strengths are 2% for women and 5% for men.  When you walk into stores that is what you will find.  Women should not use minoxidil strengths higher than 2%, but what if you are a male and the 5% solutions are no longer working for you.  Or what if you just want to grow more hair and grow it faster?

Where To Buy Minoxidil 10 and Minoxidil 15%

There are stronger minoxidil solutions available on the market.  You can buy 10% minoxidil solutions and as high as minoxidil 15% solutions.  They are harder to formulate and therefore harder to find, but they are available.  You can get a pharmacy to formulate the solution for you or you can find online stores selling the higher strength minoxidil solutions.  The latter would be the cheapest route.

Minoxidil 10 and Minoxidil 15% Benefits

Using the higher minoxidil 10% and 15% solutions may have its benefits.  When minoxidil first came out on the market, the solution was 2%.  In 1997, minoxidil 5% solutions were made because the stronger solution would be more potent and effective at growing more hair as well as growing hair faster.  Many say the same can be true for the high strength minoxidil 10% and minoxidil 15% solutions.   It is thought that since they have a stronger solution, minoxidil 10% and 15% benefits would be to be able to grow more hair and at a faster rate.

There are many people against taking anything stronger than minoxidil 5% due to possible side effects, however, there are many users of the higher strength solutions claiming they are having more success fighting hair loss with no side effects.

It is recommended that a new user of minoxidil not start off by using minoxidil 15%.  New users should start off with the 5% solutions and really stay at that strength.  However, if the 5% solutions are no longer working for you or you want to grow more hair and possibly quicker then you might want to consider moving up to a higher minoxidil solution.  Moving up in increments such as to the 10% minoxidil is recommended before going straight to the 15% solution.  Then using that for at least 6 months “with no side effects” before considering another move up to 15% minoxidil.  Also, many users use minoxidil 5% or 10% in the morning because it dries on the scalp fast (for example while getting ready for work) and then the stronger solution at night.  The most common side effect of the higher strength minoxidil solutions is dryness of the scalp and itchiness, however, the other side effects are basically the same side effects as the 5% solutions.

Many 10% and 15% monoxidil solutions also contain azelaic acid.  Azelaic acid is a naturally occurring substance found in whole grains that studies have shown to inhibit 5-alpha-reductase in human skin. 5-alpha-reductase converts testosterone into dihydro-testostrone (DHT), accumulation of which in scalp is believed to be responsible for the male pattern hair loss. Inhibition of this enzyme by azelaic acid can reduce the concentration of DHT in scalp and therefore stimulate hair regrowth.  Azelaic acid can be found in many prescription acne medication. Azelaic acid is added to minoxidil solutions because it has different mechanism of action in preventing hair loss. The combination of them results in a more efficient and effective method to decrease the levels of DHT and speed up the process of hair regrowth significantly.  Possible side effects of azelaic acid include: a) increased sensitivity or irritation on the scalp; 2) burning, stinging, or tingling of the skin; 3) erythema, dryness, rash, peeling happens in less than 1% of patients. The side effects usually subside after discontinuing use of azelaic acid.

The easiest way to buy 10% minoxidil and buy minoxidil 15% solutions are online.   Online retailer http://www.solutions4hairloss.com sells hair loss products including minoxidil 5%, 10%, and 15% solutions.  They also carry the #1 brand in minoxidil, Rogaine hair loss products at a very discounted price.

So I just covered the Big 3 Hair Loss Regimen and the three different hair loss products in it.  Minoxidil is probably the most popular hair loss product in the regimen and is the product most hair loss sufferers start off with.  Minoxidil is the first FDA approved topical product for hair loss.

Minoxidil was first used actually as an oral drug to treat high blood pressure.  It was discovered that it aided in hair loss so Upjohn Corporation created the Minoxidil 2% topical solution named Rogaine in the US and Regaine in Europe.  Rogaine was manufactured by Upjohn Pharmaceutical and approved by the US FDA in 1988.  The patent expired in 1996 and that’s when generic minoxidil starting popping up.

Known minoxidil benefits are its ability to slow or stop hair loss and promote hair regrowth.  The treatment is for androgenetic alopecia which is pattern baldness and is available over the counter.   Exactly how and why minoxidil promotes hair growth is still not understood.

There are many different brands of minoxidil on the market.  If they are all using the same active ingredient minoxidil strength as the sole  active ingredients, then the products are all pretty much the same.  There are also various strengths of minoxidil solutions ranging from 2% all the way to minoxidil 15%.  There are solutions with even added active ingredients on top of just minoxidil, however, we will discuss those in future posts.

Most men start of by using the minoxidil 5% strength solution.  It is to be applied two times per day, once in the morning and once in the evening directly to the scalp.  Minoxidil is said to only assist hair loss on the vertex only, however, many users claim minoxidil has helped on the hairline as well.  Minoxidil should be applied before any hair styling solutions and minoxidil can be washed out after the solution is completely dried on the scalp.

Results sometimes take up to 2 to 4 months, so it is recommended to take the products for at least 4 months to determine if it is working for you.  Also, the product is meant for continued use as once the usage is stopped you will begin to lose your hair again.

The vast majority of minoxidil users do not experience side effects, however the most common one is an itchy scalp.  Other possible yet very rare side effects are rapid heart rate, drop in blood pressure and water retention.  As a result of this they may experience chest pain, dizziness, and headaches.  If such side effects occur, they should stop usage and see a doctor.

The cost of minoxidil products vary.  There are some products in the market that are expensive as they are either the number one brand and pay for the advertising, thus charge higher prices for branding their name.  Yet there are others advertising that they are the new miracle hair loss product and charge high prices yet they contain the same minoxidil  solution as other products charging way lower prices.  You basically have to look at the ingredients of the product you are purchasing and see if they are actually different products or the same product just being marketed and priced differently.

I hoped this enlightened you a little bit about minoxidil.  If you are experiencing hair loss, this is a product many have had success with.

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