One must be aware to risks and benefits of this medication and how the risks and potential for side effects change with different doses. It may seem obvious but bears mentioning that higher doses of minoxidil lead to greater levels in the blood and the potential for greater side effects. Its use in hair loss is entirely off label. Be sure to tell your doctor about all medications, vitamins, or herbs you’re taking. An interaction is when a substance changes the way a drug works. The half life of oral minoxidil is around 4.2 hours. Medical uses. Based on observations in male and female pattern hair loss, it is likely that that long-term maintenance treatment will be required to prevent relapse of hair loss. (See We generally advise patients to monitor their heart rate and blood pressure weekly after starting. All rights reserved. Oral minoxidil for hair loss At Salford Royal, patients are considered eligible for oral minoxidil treatment if their hair loss has not responded to topical minoxidil or if these products are not tolerated. About 40% of men experience hair regrowth after 3–6 months. You may need a lower dose or you may need a different schedule.Minoxidil is used for long-term drug treatment. If you are going to use or prescribe oral minoxidil, you need to know a thing or two (or three) about it … This needs careful review.As mentioned above, oral minoxidil is not FDA approved for hair loss. The following are contraindications or reasons not to be using or prescribing minoxidil: 1. Minoxidil should not be used if women are pregnant or trying to conceive. If your doctor feels that your use of guanethidine should not be stopped, you should be at the hospital while you take minoxidil for the first time.Minoxidil can cause a severe allergic reaction. Minoxidil can be a valuable retardant to hair loss even in cases where it does not appear to regrow hair. Minoxidil, applied topically, is widely used for the treatment of hair loss. These drugs are often used to treat similar conditions.Minoxidil works by relaxing and enlarging certain small blood vessels in your body so that blood flows through them more easily. Many users will chose to still continue the minoxidil because they are pleased with its effects on the scalp and remove the excess hair with various means (laser, electrolysis).Oral minoxidil can be a very helpful second line treatment for many conditions. The peak levels in the blood occur at around 1 hour after taking the medication and then levels slowly drop after that. Oral minoxidil can affect heart rate and blood pressure. A class of drugs is a group of medications that work in a similar way. 2. Here are the top 10 points that prescribers and users of minoxidil need to know. Oral minoxidil can help some conditions and can have an amazing role in managing various conditions. Minoxidil is a prescription drug that’s only available in a generic form. Oral minoxidil is a promising treatment for hair loss associated with monilethrix. 4370 Lorimer Road, Suite 334B Whistler, BC, Canada (604) 283-1887The content of this website is intended to provide accurate, up-to-date and scientifically-based information on all aspects of hair loss. Call 911 if your symptoms feel life-threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency. Fortunately that is uncommon. It comes as an oral tablet. This means your doctor will need to get approval from your insurance company before your insurance company will pay for the prescription.There are other drugs available to treat your condition. Patients with pheochromocytomas should not use oral minoxidil6. Retinoids and topical cortisones can increase absorption, applied topically, is widely used for long-term drug.! 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