How does Minoxidil work?

Minoxidil works as a vasodilator, widening blood vessels in your scalp to encourage blood flow to the area.

This encourages more nutrients and oxygen to reach the scalp, helping to support hair follicles to return to health. In this way, Minoxidil works to “reset” the life cycle of your follicles, meaning that their growth phase is longer and the resulting hair thicker and healthier. This, of course, means hair regrowth.

No treatment for hair loss is instantly successful, and Minoxidil is no exception. So, expect to see a difference to your hairline after 3-6 months of continuous use. Whether as a topical solution, foam, or spray, Minoxidil has been shown in clinical trials to reverse male pattern hair loss. And, although Finasteride is more effective, Minoxidil is approved and licensed in the UK and by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for this very purpose. Studies have shown that over 60% of men who tried the treatment saw their hair loss stop or reverse.

Minoxidil therapy promotes follicular health, but if your hair loss has progressed too far without treatment, these follicles can be permanently damaged. If there are areas that have no hair and haven’t for a long time, you may not see regrowth from any treatment. With topical Minoxidil, there is no such thing as too soon.