How Long Does Rogaine Take to Work?

By - Dr Ahmed Zayed

For centuries, people have gone to greater lengths to keep their crowning glory. They’ve used various remedies to slow, stop, or even reverse hair loss or balding. But there’s no evidence showing that ancient tincture, lotions, or portions helped treat their thinning plate.

But all that changed when the FDA approved Minoxidil in 1988. It was introduced to treat patterned baldness or hair loss from the back of the head to the beard. The brand name for Minoxidil is Rogaine, and it’s available for sale over-the-counter as a liquid or foam topical.

According to clinical studies, this topical treatment works to some extent for specific types of baldness and only if you apply it regularly. It’s not a magical portion, so results differ from one individual to another.

Also, Rogaine doesn’t work for everybody. If it does, you’ll need to keep up with the application if you want to retain any re-growth.

If you wish to learn how long does Rogaine take to work, you’ve come to the right place. Here, you’ll learn about the effectiveness of this treatment, its side effects, and more.

Let’s dive in!

Who is Rogaine for?

Originally, scientists designed minoxidil to treat individuals with high blood pressure. However, during trials, the researcher noticed that the treatment somehow promoted hair growth. As a result, the scientists manufactured a topic treatment called Rogaine.

The treatment is ideal for treating male pattern baldness, otherwise known as androgenetic alopecia. According to studies, the topical treatment can stop hair loss by 50% in men experiencing pattern baldness.

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Rogaine also works for females suffering from hair loss. It helps to boost the growth of new hair in women, though the re-growths tend to be fine hair. The growth also takes time. Some women should expect minoxidil results after four months. At the same time, others should expect minoxidil results after one year.

Rogaine works best for individuals suffering from hereditary hair loss at the back of their head or under the crown. Or for women experiencing hair thinning on the top of their scalps. The treatment isn’t designed to address baldness at the front of the scalp or receding hairline.

Research shows that Rogaine is more effective for those individuals who use it immediately after the first sign of hair loss and those aged 40 and above. It will not help regain hair if you’ve gone bald.

The following individuals should not use Rogaine:

Individuals with heart disease should also visit their physicians or doctor first.

Related: How Long Does Microneedling Last?

How Does Rogaine (Minoxidil) Work?

There’s no exact answer to the question of how does minoxidil work. We only know that the active ingredient in Rogaine is a vasodilator.

In typical cases, our hair strands grow half an inch every month. Each strand grows for six years, then it stops. The growth stops for a while, and eventually, it falls off after being replaced by new hair. If you have average hair growth, nearly 85% of your hair is growing, and 15% is resting.

However, if you have pattern baldness, the hair follicles will reduce in size over time. As a result, the time your hair grows reduces. Eventually, the strands will fall out and get replaced with thinner, finer hair strands instead of normal new hair.

When you apply Rogaine to your scalp, minoxidil will enlarge the hair follicles by widening the blood vessels and letting more blood flow to the hair follicles. Consequently, it promotes more hair growth and prolongs the growth phase of the hair. More follicles in the growth phase of hair mean more hair coverage on the scalp.

Based on minoxidil before and after patient photos, users exhibited healthy hair growth and hair regrowth after applying Rogaine for an extended period. Nonetheless, the results vary between people. Factors like the time the treatment is used and how much hair you had before taking Rogaine can influence the results.

How Long Does Rogaine Take to Work?

“How long does Rogaine take to work Reddit” is a common question online. This section will try to answer the question.

Rogaine comes in two formulas; minoxidil 2% and minoxidil 5%. Doctors recommend minoxidil 2% for females and minoxidil 5% for males. However, when you use minoxidil 5%, you can expect faster results than the 2% formula.

It usually takes between four months to one year to see visible improvement from minoxidil. Once you start using the treatment, don’t give up when you don’t notice any results. Keep in mind that hair follicle growth occurs in three phases:

But what does minoxidil do to healthy hair? Some people might experience increased hair loss when using the treatments, as evidenced by minoxidil shedding pictures. You might even think your baldness is worsening, but that’s not the case! Shedding is normal after using minoxidil, and it’s because of the shift in hair follicles’ growth phase.

Nevertheless, if minoxidil results after two months female, shows no signs of reduced hair loss, stop applying the topical and see a doctor. There’s a high chance you might have a condition contributing to or causing the hair loss.

How long does Rogaine take to work on beard?

If you’ve been researching about Rogaine, chances are you’ve met these questions.

Although Rogaine works instantly, users might not observe any changes in their facial hair for four weeks to six months. But this doesn’t apply to everybody. Some men can experience the results within the first month. However, the best results are visible after 12 months of using Rogaine. You need to apply the topical treatment frequently over the entire time.

How Long Does Propecia and Rogaine Take to Work?

Like Rogaine, Propecia is FDA- approved for treating hair loss. When combined, both medications increase the size of the hair follicles, causing them to revert to their healthy state. Therefore, increasing the density of hair that thinned because of miniaturization of follicles.

When you combine Propecia and Rogaine, expect to see results within three to four months. But the best results can take up to 12 months.

Based on this information, the answers to the questions “how long does it take for women’s Rogaine foam to work,” and “how long does it take for men’s Rogaine to work” is between 4 months to one year.

But remember, minoxidil will not work for everyone. Some people might see visual changes that might surpass their expectations. In contrast, others might not experience any changes at all.

We believe this section provided you with enough information on how long does it take for Rogaine to start to work.

What Can I Expect While I Use Rogaine?

As we said earlier, hair usually grows a half to one inch every month. When you start using Rogaine, the product will penetrate the scalp to enlarge hair follicles. Therefore, causing more hair growth and regrowth.

The first hair growth or re-growth will seem soft, downy, and colorless. But after continuous use, the developing hair will have the same consistency as the hair on your scalp. This usually occurs three to four months after use. For some women, it can take up to 6 months.

Besides average hair growth, some people might experience shedding within the first few months. Others might observe unwanted hair on the face and other areas of the body after using the product. If this happens, discontinue using Rogaine and consult a doctor.

When you use Rogaine continuously for 24 weeks, you’ll develop healthier, thicker hair. Most of the users stop asking how long does rogaine take to work in this period.

To maintain the hair, you’ll need to continue using the product. Otherwise, you’ll start to experience thinning of hair and hair loss.

Side Effects of Rogaine

Doctors consider Rogaine safe. Although, it might come with some unwanted effects. The side effects are usually mild. The most common side effect is scalp irritation, and it’s caused by alcohol in the foam or solution.

Other common unwanted effects include:

After applying the treatment to your scalp, ensure you’ve washed your hands. Avoid touching your eyes, and if you do, rinse them with cool tap water.

Sometimes the treatment can cause serious side effects, though it’s rare. The rare effects include:

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Also, you might experience other symptoms when too much medicine gets absorbed by your body: These include:

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If you notice any of these rare side effects, visit your healthcare expert.

How to Make Rogaine Work More Effectively

Rogaine alone is effective at helping users hold to their hair. However, it has less influence in stimulating new hair growth. That’s why patients might have to combine it with other treatments to increase its effectiveness. One such treatment is microneedle.

Micro-needling involves using a derma roller with micro-needles to penetrate the dermis layer of the skin where the hair follicles are located. Pores created by the tiny needles allow minoxidil to easily and quickly reach the hair follicles. As a result, it increases blood flow to the area, enlarging the hair follicles to promote healthier hair growth.

Alternatively, you can combine Rogaine with Propecia. Propecia contains finasteride as the active ingredient. The ingredient works to block the formation of androgen (DHT), which usually attacks the hair follicles, causing them to reduce in size. As a result, the follicles produce smaller, thinner hair.

When combined with minoxidil, the two can help reverse hair loss by increasing the flow of blood and nutrients to the follicles.

Which Minoxidil Works Better? 2 Percent vs. 5 Percent

Both 2% minoxidil and 5% minoxidil are effective at treating hair loss in women and men. But the 5% formulation is perhaps the best option for those individuals with a severe case of hair loss and patterned baldness.

Conclusion

Rogaine is the most trusted treatment for treating patterned baldness and encouraging hair growth in both men and women. It’s FDA approved and comes in two strength levels; 2% minoxidil and 5% minoxidil.

The best part is, you don’t need a doctor’s prescription to purchase it. You can get it over-the-counter for an affordable price. It’s easy to apply, and it’s safe to use. To increase its efficiency, you can combine it with other treatments like Propecia and Micro-needling. And you don’t have to worry about how long does rogaine take to work.

But before using it to treat thinning hair or balding areas of your hair, it’s wise to consult a doctor. This is true, especially if you’re allergic to the topical ingredients or have a heart condition. Your health professional will help you explore your best options.

FAQ

How long does it take for minoxidil to kick in?

It usually takes between 4 months to observe changes caused by the medications. However, patients will observe the best visible results after 12 months or one year.

But it’s wise to keep in mind that the treatment results vary from one individual to another. Also, sometimes it doesn’t work at all.

How do I know if Rogaine is working?

You’ll know the medication is working when you start to observe soft, downy, and colorless re-growths or new hair. After continuous use, your hair will attain the same consistency as the rest of the hair on your scalp. Some people might shed hair for the first one or two months, but that’s normal. Soon new growth will replace the lost hair.

Do you have to use Rogaine forever?

You have to use the treatment indefinitely to retain and maintain any new hair or regrowth.

Why does Rogaine take so long to work?

It’s because of its mechanism of action. Although Rogaine starts working immediately, you won’t see any hair growth till the fourth month and sometimes the sixth month. And it can make you ask how long does rogaine take to work.

This is because minoxidil needs to rapidly move through the hair follicle growth phase to promote new hair growth (anagen phase).

Can Rogaine make hair loss worse?

In rare cases, this medication can make hair loss worse. But that’s only true if you have an underlying health condition or undergoing treatment (like chemotherapy) that promotes hair loss.