Treatment of androgenetic alopecia: about the main thing
Minoxidil in the treatment of baldness
Minoxidil was proposed for the treatment of arterial hypertension, but it was found to have a pronounced active effect on hair growth. Currently, the drug is actively used in androgenic alopecia treatment protocols.
Nataliya Chemodurova, recipient of the National Medical Research Institute and the Laboratory of Industrial Toxicology of the LNMU named after D. Halytskoho, member of UHRS, head of the Eastern European Department of the organization of trichology offices Gestil International, member of Tricologia Sitri (Ukraine)
Minoxidil is currently included in two groups of pharmacological substances: vasodilators and dermatotropic agents.
The drug has a peripheral vasodilating effect, dilates arterioles, lowers blood pressure and blood pressure, reduces the load on the myocardium, causes reflex tachycardia and increases cardiac output. Increases plasma renin activity and promotes sodium and water retention. The drug stimulates hair growth in androgen-dependent baldness.
Minoxidil does not prevent hair loss caused by drugs, nutritional disorders (iron deficiency, vitamin A deficiency, etc.), tight hairstyles (tail, bun, etc.). After starting to use the drug, hair growth usually begins after 4 months of daily local application of the solution.
Minoxidil is used to stimulate hair growth at the top of the head if natural growth has stopped. In tablet form, the drug is prescribed for arterial hypertension (especially for severe forms resistant to combined therapy with other hypotensive agents).