Rogaine - Hair Loss Product Review

History Of Minoxidil (Rogaine/Regaine)

For what seems like thousands of years, men have always been concerned about hair loss. Hope warred with desperation as they searched for a cure to help them with their luckless locks. History is replete with all kinds of stories about flim-flam men hawking cures for baldness in the form of potions, lotions or ointments. Sad to say, not a blessed one of them worked and the problem of hair loss still went unaddressed.

Certainly the very "thought" that there may be improvement and that they desperately wanted improvement, resulted in the perception of improvement. But alas, the improvement was more often than not a figment of imagination. It took them awhile before the penny dropped, but eventually it was realized that nothing cured baldness. People then tried wigs and toupees, often with mixed results and stories of things gone awry while wearing them.

Even today, there are no miracle cures for baldness. There are products that seem to work well, but never entirely CURE anything. The latest attempt to deal with hair loss is surgical hair restoration. And while it looks marvelous, it too does not cure the balding process. It redistributes permanent hair to balding areas.

While remedies or perhaps better regarded as aids on the market to mitigate baldness exist, it may be more accurate to say that although they do not reverse balding, they do halt or slow its inevitable progression.

It wasn't until the 1980's that a drug called Minoxidil hit the market – but – it was for treating people with high blood pressure. Interestingly enough, one of its side effects was hair growth (or what is actually called hypertrichosis - the growth of hair on the face or other areas of the body). It wasn't long before somebody decided it would be a good idea to market minoxidil as a hair loss product and tell people to lather their scalp with it.

Recognizing a market opportunity, the Upjohn Drug Company jumped on the bandwagon and minoxidil for baldness was created. In 1988, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved minoxidil for the treatment of hereditary male pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia). It can also be used for Telogen effluvium – a temporary condition due to sudden medication changes, life and hormonal changes.

Pros and Cons:

Pros

Rogaine/Minoxidil retards the loss of hair in areas with minimal hair – the small almost not able to see hairs/fuzzies (also referred to as highly miniaturized). It does not grow hair on completely bald scalp. Results may be seen with this product in about 6 to 12 months.
Women may benefit if their hair loss is characterized by diffuse thinning.
Hair restoration surgeons recommend patients use minoxidil before and immediately after surgery, particularly if grafts have been placed in and around existing hair.
Minoxidil may help prevent temporary loss of healthy, preexisting hair due to the shock of the hair transplant procedure.
Available in 2% and 5% concentrations. The 2% solution is approved for female pattern hair loss.
Keeping what hair you have or slowing your thinning.

Cons

Within 2 to 3 months of stopping this medication, any possible regrowth or appearance of increased density will vanish.
You must keep taking the medication indefinitely, or any benefit will be lost.
It is effective in the crown or top of the head, but not in the frontal area.
Must be applied twice a day, once in the morning, after you have dried your hair and scalp and the again in the evening - an hour or two before you go to bed. Make sure it dries completely. Wash your hands after each application. Studies show one application does nothing.
Growth may not be as great as one thinks it is.
Hair transplant surgeons suggest Minoxidil be stopped a week prior to transplant surgery, as it dilates blood vessels, and may increase operative bleeding.
It’s not clear how minoxidil works.
In most cases, the best to be hoped for would be minimal hair growth (if at all) is a thin coverage of thin hair.
Minoxidil's effectiveness does diminish over time. Patients can build up a tolerance to it after many years of use.
Side effects include: acne on the area it is being used, headaches and/or lightheadedness, very low blood pressure, irrregular or fast heartbeat, blurred vision, chest pain.

Ease Of Use:

Although pretty easy to use, you may find using it twice a day to be a bit of a pain. However, if this product works for you and you have minimal side effects, you might not mind twice daily applications.

Ingredients in order of most to least amounts present:

Rogaine Extra Strength for Men: active ingredient Minoxidil 5% w/v.
Inactive ingredients: Alcohol 30% v/v, Propylene Glycol 50% v/v and purified water.

Minoxidil: Minoxidil is a vasodilator and a potassium channel agonist.
Alcohol: suspension for Minoxidil
Propylene Glycol: A colorless viscous hygroscopic liquid, used as a solvent.
Nonoxynol 10: A spermicide widely used in contraceptive creams, foams, and lubricants.
Purified Water: no added substances, acts as a carrier/mix

How to use:

Twice a day, indefinitely apply to clean scalp and let dry.

Rogaine Shampoo(Progaine):

Progaine is manufactured by the same people who made Rogaine, it is designed to thicken and strengthen thinning hair. It does not contain the minoxidil combination of rogaine but can it can be used with it to provide a more effective treatment.

How to use:

Once a day and use indefinitely. Use as regular shampoo.

Ingredients in order of most to least amounts present:

Deionized Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropylbetaine, Cocamide DEA, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Glycolstearate, Wheat Oligosaccharides, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Silk Amino Acids, Cocodimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Hair Keratin, Panthenol, Hair Keratin Amino Acids, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Extracts of Aloe, Cherry Bark, Henna, Hops Extract, Quince Seed, Passionfruit, Birch and White Ginger, Polysorbate 20, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, DMDM Hydantoin, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Citric Acid, Fragrance, Tetrasodium EDTA.

Deionized water: Water that has had the ions removed
Sodium laureth sulfate:a detergent and surfactant found in personal care products (soaps, shampoos etc.) Effective foamer.
Cocamidopropyl Betain: a surfactant in shampoos etc. An emulsifying agent and thickener. Reduces irritation. Antistatic agent in conditioners.
Cocamide DEA: a foaming agent and emulsifying
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate: detergent used in cosmetic cleansers, hair shampoos, bath and shower gels, bubble baths, etc. It is probably the most dangerous ingredient used in skin and hair-care products. It is very corrosive.
Glycol Stearate: emollient and emulsifying agent used in lotions and shampoos to achieve a pearling effect
Wheat Oligosaccharides & Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein: a naturally derived, hydrolized wheat protein containing wheat oligosaccharides (carbohydrates) that offers moisture- balancing and film-forming properties to give hair better body control and a smoother, softer feel.
Silk Amino Acids: used in hair sprays and as a hair and skin conditioner
Cocodimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Hair Keratin: hair voluminizer
Panthenol: the provitamin of B5.
Hair Keratin Amino Acids: strengthener
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose: thickener, stabilizer, emulsifier
Extracts of Aloe: anti bacterial, anti inflammatory
Cherry Bark: astringent
Henna: natural hair dye (coloring)
Hops Extract: antimicrobial
Quince Seed: nourishes scalp
Passionfruit: believed to lower blood pressure
Birch and White Ginger: astringent and stimulation properties
Polysorbate 20: surfactant
Octyl Methoxycinnamate: primary use is in suncreens and other cosmetics to absorb UV from the sun, protecting the skin from damage.
DMDM Hydantoin: mold inhibitor
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate: broad spectrum biocide or preservative to inhibit the growth of microorganisms.
Citric Acid: preservative
Fragrance: aroma for shampoo
Tetrasodium EDTA: water softener

Rogaine Products (click images if you would like to know more)

Available Internationally

Available In The UK