If you’re thinking about starting minoxidil, one of the first questions you’ll probably have is: how long does it actually take to work? While minoxidil is a proven, effective treatment for hair loss, results can take time.
In this blog, we’ll break down what minoxidil is, how it works, what kind of timeline you can realistically expect, and why patience really does pay off when it comes to regrowing hair.
What is minoxidil and how does it work?
Minoxidil is a clinically proven, licensed medication for male pattern baldness.
Originally, it was used to treat patients with high blood pressure, before a common side effect of the medication was noticed - hair growth. Since the 1980s, it’s been approved by medical regulatory bodies as a hair loss treatment.
It’s a vasodilator, which means it relaxes blood vessels and improves blood flow. When used regularly, either by applying directly to the scalp or swallowing an oral capsule, it encourages blood flow to the scalp, delivering the essential oxygen and nutrients to the hair follicles for healthy growth. It also promotes the expression of growth factors, helping keep follicles in the anagen ‘growth’ phase of the hair growth cycle for longer.
How long does minoxidil take to work?
For most people, it will take 3 months of regular, everyday use to notice a difference in your hair. In the early days, minoxidil is working behind the scenes to improve blood flow and reverse the miniaturisation of hair follicles that male pattern baldness causes.
Months 1-3
You probably won’t notice any noticeable changes yet. Minoxidil is starting to improve blood flow, reverse the miniaturization of hair follicles that male pattern baldness causes and shifting follicles back into the growth phase.
Months 3-6
Visible changes might start to become noticeable now. A reduction in shedding, new hair growth, and thicker overall hair.
Months 6-12
Most noticeable difference from baseline comes after 1 year of consistent use. Users in clinical trials tend to report denser hair, thicker and longer hair growth, and no further hair loss.
Can minoxidil cause shedding?
Yes, minoxidil can cause a short period of temporary shedding when you first start using it.
Even though it’s common to go through this phase, sometimes known as the ‘dread shed’, it can still be worrying.
For men with already thinning hair, the thought of a period of increased shedding might be stressful. As weird as it sounds, the shedding is actually a sign minoxidil is doing what it’s supposed to.
In men with male pattern baldness, thinning hair is often stuck in the telogen or ‘resting’ phase of the growth cycle, instead of in the anagen phase where it grows to its full potential. Minoxidil shortens the telogen phase and helps shift the follicle back into active growth. For that to happen, it has to kick the resting hair out to make way for the new growth. Remember: these hairs would have been shed anyway, Minoxidil just speeds up the hair turnover cycle.
How long do you have to use minoxidil for?
For as long as you’d like to stop hair loss progressing.
Minoxidil is effective in 84% of users at stopping hair loss, but it must be used consistently to maintain results. Once you stop using minoxidil, hair loss will resume, so with time you could return to your starting point or beyond.
Does minoxidil work for everybody?
Minoxidil Spray is a safe and effective treatment which carries low risk of systemic side effects. The most common side effects are concentrated on the scalp, such as: contact dermatitis, itchiness, dryness and flaking. Men who experience discomfort or irritation from Minoxidil Spray may consider the capsule version as an alternative.
Minoxidil can also be combined with another licensed medication: Finasteride. Finasteride targets the root cause of male pattern baldness: dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT binds to sensitive hair follicles and causes miniaturization, aka shrinking, so the follicle can no longer grow strong, healthy hair. Finasteride reduces DHT levels, which is effective at stopping hair loss. While Minoxidil can be effective for many at preventing hair loss as a solo treatment, studies show that best results are usually achieved by using both.
All of our blog articles are reviewed by our Medical Director before publication.
