Does Minoxidil make your hair worse?

Question

Now I’ve already done a ton of research and have found that your hair will return back to its original hair loss stage once you have stopped using minoxidil BUT is this really true ? Say if I got on minoxidil with minimal hair los, would it take more hair away that I have grown naturally? Before I was on it I still had thick luscious hair and now it’s not as thick and looks a lot thinner once I stopped using minoxidil.

Sanusi Umar, MD · Answer

Minoxidil will not make your hair loss worse. But it is true that the effects of topical treatments such as Minoxidil disappear if not used everyday. Minoxidil works by increasing blood flow to the scalp, which can revitalize hair structures miniaturized by DHT. When the treatment stops, so does the effects produced by the medication. However, every hair loss case is different. If you are concerned about your hair loss progression, consult a doctor for a diagnosis and possible treatment options.

Parsa Mohebi, MD, FISHRS · Answer

If you have male pattern balding minoxidil will help you to keep the hair you have.  However, over time, you will still continue to lose hair.  Once you stop minoxidil, you will experience “catch-up hair loss” in which case you lose hair at an accelerated rate until you catch-up with whatever level of hair loss you were supposed to be at having never used minoxidil.

William Rassman, MD (retired) · Answer

This drug when applied topidally can grow some hair but it will not reverse genetic hair loss even if it is caught early

Does Minoxidil make your hair worse?

Answers (3)

More Hair Loss Treatment Questions

Will benzoyl peroxide affect the growth of Minoxidil?

21 year old female with thin hair on top of my head since I was 16. Met with a dermo in high school... (Photos)

WE SEND PRETTY
EMAILS

Answers (3)

More Hair Loss Treatment Questions

Will benzoyl peroxide affect the growth of Minoxidil?

21 year old female with thin hair on top of my head since I was 16. Met with a dermo in high school... (Photos)

WE SEND PRETTY EMAILS

WE SEND PRETTY
EMAILS