"Minoxidil-Really a Solution for Baldness?"

 Minoxidil is nothing but a topical solution used for loss problems especially Male Pattern Baldness. It was the actually the first agent for hair loss problem developed so far but it was not developed specifically for hair loss problems. Its basically piperidinpopyromidine derivative utilized orally against the hypertension.And in the year 1970 it was first time developed as an oral medications for hypertension. But as we know each & every drug of Old School Medicine has certain adverse effects & this one has hypetrichosis as side effects.And then a topical solution  was developed to treat the hair loss problems but not the receding hair line in men.  A long  years of time has been gone now but still its proper of action is not clear like how it fights against the hair loss. Anyhow certain hypothesis have been accepted for its mechanism of actions but its very clear that it does not have any property to produce the hormonal or immunosuppressant effects.

                                                Fig-Minoxidil     

1-It increases the duration of anagen phase of hair cycle & enlarges the miniaturized hair follicles.

2-It has a mitogenic effects on in epiderma cells both in vivo & vitro. 

3-Opposition to intra-cellular calcium entry Calcium generally enhances the epidermal growth factors & inhibits the hair growth. 

4-It also causes the vasodilatation of the applied area but local vasodilatation does not help. in hair growth.

History:

In the year 1988 it was the first time that FDA approved it as a topical solution for  Male Pattern Baldness as 5% solution & 2% solution for women but 5% solution have been used for women too worldwide for many years. And clinically its use should evident with loss of hairs. If it is, topical minoxidil is to be continued. Topical application in women causes the hypertrichoses. Minoxidil is very poorly absorbed by our skin because 0.3 to 4.5% only reaches to our systemic circulation and very soon it is excreted through our body with the help of our largest organ liver with urine. It should be used very caution in cardiac patients. Also it should not be used in pregnant women because minoxidil is secreted in human milk. It should be used as directed by your trichologist for the period it is given. Generally 3-4 months period it is given to get the benefits. You should maintain a regularity during the use of it then only you would see the benefits. And even after proper application your not getting the effects,consult you trichlogist asap.

Minoxidil is generally used in  two(2) forms like solution & foam to treat the baldness but not the front or receding hair line. 

Directions for Application: 

1-Clean your scalp with a very mild cleanser commonly known as shampoo before its application. 

2-If its in liquid form, use only 20 drops & 4-5 puffs of foam should be used. Basically quantity depends on the area of application.

3-Apply only in affected area of scalp & rub it gently with hands for proper spreading over the affected area. 

4-After the application let be dried completely in air.

5-After the application, if you feel irritation on your scalp over the applied area, immediately consult you trichologist & stop using from then. 

6-Do no use it over the other parts of body unless not suggested by your doctor.

7-Try to avoid those area of skin which is red,irritated or cut or  infected. 

8-Do not use it in larger dose than those suggested by your doctor. Always follow your doctor instructions for using it. Because I have seen a large number of patients who do not use as suggested by their doctor & some of them have to face few side effects unnecessary. 

Adverse Effects with Application: Some of the side effects you may  notice during its application, which are as follows:-

1-This medication is absorbed by our skin and then only it produces the side effects like headache,dizziness,unwanted facial hair growth, some of chest pain etc. But this is the rarely happens but any of them if you observe, tell your doctor asap.

2-An allergic reaction may also occur rarely like itching, rash with swelling. But same you should follow as mention above. 

Precautions:

1-Always update you trichologist if you are allergic to minoxidil or any other drugs because sometime drs forget to aak the allergic details of the patient.

2-Always update your dr if you are taking any medicationa on regular basis against any prescriptions or any supplements liks vitamins & minerals. 

3-Always update your dr of you are suffering from any underline diseases. 

4-Always update your dr if your pregnant or planing to or your are doing the breast feeding. 

Minoxidil used in different Hair Problems: 

It has been used in different hair problems as follows. 

1-Androgenetic Alopecia: Analysis showed that results obtained by applications of topical minoxidil is better than any other. Several clinical trial had been conducted to check the efficiency of its topical applications. And 5% is the more significant in compare to 2%. 

In case of male 1 ml of 5% twice daily and 1 ml of 2% twice daily in case of female who are suffering from the pattern hair loss. And it should be continued for 3-4 months for better results. 

Minoxidil is the treatment for Male or Female Pattern Hair Loss if they are not get benefited by the conventional mode of treatment. 

2-Alopecia Areata: Several treatments are availabe with use of minoxidil but none of these have any approval from FDA.

But it has been used off the lavel or also in the combination of some drugs.  

Only in case of mild Alopecia Areata you would see the results bu but not in the severe. Mainly topical application is beneficial. 

3-Chronic Telogen Effluvium:There is no such confirmatory clinical trial where minoxidil is used in telogen effluvium for topical application. Only oral minoxidil is a promising treatment for it. 

4-Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia Tropical applucation is used in case of frontal fibrosing alopecia. 2% should be used twice daily along systemic steroid or finasteride.

5-Themotherapy induced Alopecia The most common side effect of chemotherapy is Diffuse Hair Loss . The clinica trial had been conducted for the same its seen that topical applicatiin of minoxidil does reduse the duration of alopecia.

6- Body Hair Disorder:The body hair disorder includes eye brow hair loss, hair loss in beard etc. In these types of hair loss tropica application of minoxidil also works. 

So, finally we have come a conclusion that minoxidil is one of the solution but not for the baldness. We can use it as temporary measure for diffuse hair loss. 

Conclusion:As I always say, there are many modes of treatment available in our great country India for any kind of diseases. But people mostly prefer to take it from Old School of Medicine(Allopathy) as their first choice and when some percentage of them do not get any satisfied results , they would take a move to other options available in medical field.

Yes, here we are talking about the world's 2nd largest practising system of medicine called Homoeopathy.But it does not mean that you should not take Old School of Medicine in your first choice because here I am just expressing the people's thought that I have been seeing in my day to day practice.

Homoeopathy has a great scope for treating the every kind of disease for last 200 years. And had been giving the wonderful satisfied results so hair loss can be also treated & managed very well in Homoeopathy.And yes, it does not mean that hair loss should not be treated by allopathy. We advise to take homoeopathy because there would not be any adverse effects. 

Treatment depends upon the severity of hair loss because we can only make it slow either allopathy or homoeopathy.

               *HaveGoodHair & LiveGoodLife*