Is Minoxidil For Women A Hair Loss Treatment Option Worth Considering?
For both men and women the prospect of balding is a serious concern. While this may be the case, it is fair to say that women experiencing hair loss carry an especially heavy burden due to societal pressure to maintain their natural beauty. This is one of the reasons why hair re-growth products such as minoxidil for women have gained such popularity since their introduction, just a few short years ago. But what is minoxidil for women, does the research support its effectiveness, and is it safe to use? These are just a few of the questions we will answer in this informational article titled “Is Minoxidil for Women a Treatment Option Worth Considering.”
Minoxidil for women is classified as a hair growth stimulant but it actually is much more than that, primarily due to its effectiveness in treating female pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia). Female pattern baldness is an inherited hormone linked condition that affects one out of every four women by the age of 50. While 50 may be the conventional benchmark, some women actually start to see its impact as early as their teenage years.
One of the things that makes this particular type of hair loss so difficult to treat is its almost stealth like onset. The condition may be gradually chipping away for many years before you see the first signs of thinning or balding. By this time 10 or 20 thousand follicles may be damaged or dying.
The buildup of the androgen hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT) deep within the hair follicle is the primary culprit. Over time follicles begin to reduce in size and eventually shrink to a point where new growth is no longer possible. Minoxidil for women works to reverse this process.
But does the research support its effectiveness? The answer is both yes and no. Research tells us that minoxidil for women helps re-grow hair an anemic 20 to 40 percent of the time. But the real advantage lies in its ability to slow hair loss in nine out of ten cases. While it is not entirely clear exactly how minoxidil works what we do know is that this product enlarges follicles, extends a hairs life span, and is able to reinvigorate some dead and inactive follicles. Results are normally seem after two to four months of use with results differing dramatically from person to person.
Is minoxidil for women safe? As far as drugs go it is one of the safest but still carries a number of label warnings. Let’s look at some of these: If results are not seen in 4 months minoxidil for women should be discontinued; may be harmful is used during pregnancy or breastfeeding; should not be used with other topical hair loss products; stop use if you notice chest pain, a rapid heartbeat, faintness, dizziness, sudden unexplained weight gain, swollen hands or feet, or scalp irritation that continues or worsens.
What Next? There are currently a handful of hair re-growth products (specially formulated for women) which have been proven effective both in blocking harmful hormones and bringing the all important dead hair follicles back to life. These specially formulated treatments can be used both as a preventative tool, starting before hair loss becomes severe, or after loss of hair has become noticeable. Whatever the level of balding or thinning you are experiencing these products could be just what is needed to overcome this latest life challenge.
Minoxidil for women is classified as a hair growth stimulant but it actually is much more than that, primarily due to its effectiveness in treating female pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia). Female pattern baldness is an inherited hormone linked condition that affects one out of every four women by the age of 50. While 50 may be the conventional benchmark, some women actually start to see its impact as early as their teenage years.
One of the things that makes this particular type of hair loss so difficult to treat is its almost stealth like onset. The condition may be gradually chipping away for many years before you see the first signs of thinning or balding. By this time 10 or 20 thousand follicles may be damaged or dying.
The buildup of the androgen hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT) deep within the hair follicle is the primary culprit. Over time follicles begin to reduce in size and eventually shrink to a point where new growth is no longer possible. Minoxidil for women works to reverse this process.
But does the research support its effectiveness? The answer is both yes and no. Research tells us that minoxidil for women helps re-grow hair an anemic 20 to 40 percent of the time. But the real advantage lies in its ability to slow hair loss in nine out of ten cases. While it is not entirely clear exactly how minoxidil works what we do know is that this product enlarges follicles, extends a hairs life span, and is able to reinvigorate some dead and inactive follicles. Results are normally seem after two to four months of use with results differing dramatically from person to person.
Is minoxidil for women safe? As far as drugs go it is one of the safest but still carries a number of label warnings. Let’s look at some of these: If results are not seen in 4 months minoxidil for women should be discontinued; may be harmful is used during pregnancy or breastfeeding; should not be used with other topical hair loss products; stop use if you notice chest pain, a rapid heartbeat, faintness, dizziness, sudden unexplained weight gain, swollen hands or feet, or scalp irritation that continues or worsens.
What Next? There are currently a handful of hair re-growth products (specially formulated for women) which have been proven effective both in blocking harmful hormones and bringing the all important dead hair follicles back to life. These specially formulated treatments can be used both as a preventative tool, starting before hair loss becomes severe, or after loss of hair has become noticeable. Whatever the level of balding or thinning you are experiencing these products could be just what is needed to overcome this latest life challenge.
Source...