Did you know that around 35 million men and 21 million women experience hair loss?
If you are someone who is experiencing hair loss and looking for ways to slow down the process or even reverse it, the good news is that there are many remedies available in the market today.
One of these remedies includes using minoxidil which is an over-the-counter product. Available in the form of liquid solution or foam, you can directly apply it to your scalp as a treatment for hair thinning.
However, with every medication comes side effects and minoxidil is no exception.
While it is mostly well-tolerated among most people, it is important to keep minoxidil spray side effects in mind.
In this blog, we will discuss all the minoxidil spray side effects you need to know about.
Let’s get started.
What Is Minoxidil?
Let’s begin with what is minoxidil.
Initially created to treat high blood pressure, Minoxidil was first introduced as an oral medication in the 1970s.
However, individuals who used it saw an increase in hair growth as one of its side effects. This is what led to the development of its topical version which is primarily used to stimulate hair growth.
Today, topical minoxidil is the primary treatment for androgenetic alopecia and is also used for other types of hair loss, although it is not officially approved to serve this purpose.
Did you know that 95% of men experience due to androgenetic alopecia?
Despite its widespread use, there are still doubts regarding how minoxidil actually works.
Now that you know what is minoxidil, let’s move on to some of its potential side effects.
Minoxidil Spray Side Effects
Here are all the minoxidil spray side effects you need to know about before you start using the medication.
1. Initial Shedding Of Hair
When you start using minoxidil to stimulate hair regrowth, there is a possibility that you might experience an initial phase of hair shedding as a side effect of minoxidil spray.
This surely seems to be counterproductive and you may stop using the medication altogether.
However, it is important to know at this point, that not only is it normal but also an anticipated occurrence.
Here’s how you can explain it. This phenomenon is part of the natural hair growth cycle including periods of growth and rest.
The science behind the working of Minoxidil is that when it is applied topically, it helps by shortening the resting phase and extending the growth phase of your hair growth cycle.
So when your hair is in the resting phase, it can lead to initial hair shedding. However, the shedding is replaced by new, thicker hair when your hair cycle moves into the growth phase.
As time goes by, the initial shedding no longer poses as a concern.
Like many other individuals, you may experience significant hair growth with topical minoxidil after 16 weeks.
Keep in mind, that the results as well as the timelines differ from person to person.
2. Scalp Discomfort
You may experience a dry, itchy scalp as a potential side effect of minoxidil spray.
Propylene glycol is a component found in the liquid form of topical minoxidil.
In certain cases where individuals are experiencing a skin reaction to topical minoxidil may be having an allergic reaction to propylene glycol.
If this minoxidil spray side effect comes as a result of using the liquid form, you can consider switching to the foam version as it doesn't contain propylene glycol.
If the allergic reaction still doesn't go away, there’s a possibility that you may be allergic to minoxidil itself or one of the other non-active ingredients in it.
It is important to note that liquid topical minoxidil can induce temporary irritation on the scalp.
If this discomfort doesn't go away on its own, it is best to discontinue the use of this medication.
Another possibility is to explore other forms of it such as the foam or for expert guidance, consult your healthcare provider who may discuss the possibility of switching to oral minoxidil tablets.
Remember that you shouldn't go for minoxidil tablets unless your doctor asks you to as they are mostly used to control blood pressure when taken orally.
3. Excessive Hair Growth
Now that we have established that minoxidil for hair regrowth is an effective treatment, it is important to see that it may also lead to the growth of hair in undesirable areas.
Excessive hair growth is more prevalent in women than in men.
However, this is a minoxidil spray side effect that occurs rarely.
Research suggests that around 4% of women noticed increased facial hair growth when using topical minoxidil on their scalp.
Moreover, it is a side effect that subsides with time and is not a permanent occurrence.
As it is usually reversible, you can discontinue the application of minoxidil in case you notice any unwanted facial hair growth after its usage. The unwanted hair too would disappear with time.
4. Changes In The Texture Of Your Hair
Once you start using topical minoxidil for hair regrowth, there's a possibility that you may observe changes in your hair texture.
These changes could be a positive sign as stronger, thicker hair emerges. However, you may also observe variations in hair color or hair type.
This means that your hair may show a shift from straight to wavy.
If any of these variations make you unhappy, it is best to talk to your doctor who can help you determine whether this treatment should be replaced with another one that may suit you best.
5. Systemic Side Effects
As minoxidil is a topical medication, most of its side effects appear where you apply it and 99% of these are confined to the skin.
The 1% that is absorbed into the bloodstream is excreted by the kidneys within 4 days.
This process helps to mitigate the occurrence of systemic side effects that occur body-wide.
Under some rare circumstances, the minoxidil may penetrate deeper into the body, potentially leading to systemic side effects.
After minoxidil spray use, if you experience symptoms such as chest pain, rapid heartbeat, fainting, or dizziness, it is best to stop applying the medication immediately.
If you are someone who has a pre-existing heart condition, make sure to consult your doctor before using the medication to make sure it's safe for use.
Systemic side effects occur more commonly with oral minoxidil as compared to topical ones.
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