Is it safe to use a man's dose of rogaine (5%) or should I use the women's dose of 2%? And does it work?

Question

I have read that some doctors suggest that it is safe for women to use a man's dose of rogaine. Is this true? I am not pregnant or nursing. My hair seems to be getting thinner on the crown of my head and especially around my forehead. I did take birth control but have stopped this recently, but the thinning of my hair occurred before I stopped my birth control pills. Thank you for any advice on this subject.

Anil R. Shah, MD · Answer

Hello, You should have a thorough workup including the following:
Trichoscopy- identify type of hair loss Extensive history and labs- rule out other forms of hair lossWe use ARTAS with regenerative techniques with women such as PRP and growth factors to help improve overall results.  Although ARTAS is not FDA approved, it can be used off label for this purpose.  
Best,
Anil Shah

Jae Pak, MD · Answer

You need to find a reason or a cause for your hair loss.  You need a diagnosis before considering treatment options.  Rogaine may work and higher concentration 5% Rogaine may also work but it may cause an increase in side effects.  Ultimately you need to find out why you are losing hair and treat it accordingly.  If it is a hormonal imbalance or other medical issues, your doctor can help you with this.

Jeff Rapaport, MD · Answer

The newest Rogaine  for women is a 5% foam to be used once per day. It's more cosmetically elegant. Remember to change your pillowcases daily to avoid transfer of Rogaine to your face.Hope this helps!Good luck!

Jeff Donovan, MD, PhD · Answer

It's important to know that 5 % minoxidil is now approved for women. It's been formally assessed by the FDA. 5 % foam ONCE DAILY is just as effective as 2 % minoxidil liquid TWICE DAILY. Side effects with any minoxidil product include:1) hair growth on the face (possibly more likely with 5 %)2) headaches3) dizziness4) heart palpitations5) shedding in the first month

Ryan Welter, MD · Answer

It is true that 5% minoxidil is frequently recommended for women with hair loss, but you should not just start using it by yourself.  With women's hair loss specifically it is very important to have a doctor manage your care, have a full work up to rule out other conditions and to have your results monitored over time. In addition there are several very effective cellular medical therapies such as PRP that can be very effective for women's hair loss problems.

William Rassman, MD (retired) · Answer

The reasons for the different doses is related to what the FDA actually validated that worked based upon sex. Most doctors will recommend a higher dose of Rogaine (minoxidil) for women if the lower dose does not work.

Is it safe to use a man's dose of rogaine (5%) or should I use the women's dose of 2%? And does it work?

Answers (6)