How Long Does Minoxidil Take To Work?

Medically reviewed by Dr. Amy Revene M.B.B.S.
Written by Morgan German
Last updated

For those with thinning hair, minoxidil (Rogaine) is a popular product. The solution is available as a gel or foam and should be applied to your scalp regularly.

Some people discover that when they initially start taking minoxidil to regrow their hair, they start losing more of it – at least for a brief time.

This cause panic, why would a hair loss drug make you lose hair?

Several clinical trials and medical data support the use of minoxidil for mild hair loss caused by alopecia.

Let's look into Rogaine-related hair loss to see how frequent it is, what causes it, and whether you should be concerned.

Summary:

  1. How does minoxidil works?
  2. I don't want to shed hair to stop hair loss, what do I do?
  3. How long does minoxidil take to work?
  4. Conclusion

How does minoxidil works?

Minoxidil was created to treat hypertension in the first place.

Hair regrowth was noticed in patients with alopecia who took minoxidil for hypertension, and thus the world's most common over-the-counter alopecia therapy was developed. Minoxidil has been used to treat hair loss since 1986.

Minoxidil's mechanism of action isn't entirely known. Minoxidil appears to reduce hair loss in some persons while simultaneously boosting hair growth in others. It isn't suitable for everyone.

I don’t want to lose more hair to stop hair loss, what can I do?

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How long does minoxidil take to work?

Minoxidil (Rogaine) typically takes about 3 to 4 months of consistent daily use to show initial results, such as reduced hair loss or new hair growth.

However, more significant results may take 6 to 12 months to become visible.

Individual response to minoxidil can vary, and continued use is necessary to maintain its effects.

Let’s discuss this according to a different timeline.

What can you expect after one day?

Minoxidil does not have an immediate effect like other medications like paracetamol, whose results are very quick on pain control.

Dosing is done twice a day (1 ml each dosage). After usage, there is no need to massage your scalp.

After an hour, minoxidil absorption is around 50%, and it’s about 75% after four hours.

Some practitioners believe that combining micro-needling with topical Minoxidil would improve its effectiveness.

What can you expect after one week?

You can feel some changes in the hair loss, but that is very little and does not have any visible effect. Proper use of Minoxidil helps the hair to shed significantly less.

What can you expect after one month?

If you can apply the Minoxidil properly, then you can see the effects of Minoxidil. The frequency of hair loss is significantly minimal, but you can see the results of Minoxidil.

What can you expect after three months?

Generally speaking, it takes about eight weeks of consistent use to start to see results with Minoxidil.

What can you expect after four months?

After four months of use, you should begin to see the end of hair loss and start to see hair growth.

If it’s been four months and you still see hair shedding, it may not be related to Minoxidil. It’s also possible that Minoxidil isn’t the right product for you. If you know a lot of your hair falling out after four months of use, speak with your doctor about alternative treatments.

What can you expect after one year?

Hair loss is minimal, but hair growth is significantly improved, and you can see shiny, long, and attractive hair growth.

Still want to know more about what results you'll get with minoxidil? Check out our minoxidil results article.

Conclusion

Results of minoxidil vary from person to person. Generally speaking, it takes about eight weeks of consistent use to start to see results with minoxidil. After four months of use, you should begin to see the end of hair loss and begin to see hair growth.

If it’s been four months and you still see hair shedding, it may not be related to minoxidil. It’s also possible that minoxidil isn’t the right product for you. If you know a lot of your hair falling out after four months of use, speak with your doctor about alternative treatments to minoxidil.

 

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Dr Amy Revene M.B.B.S. graduated from the University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. She is currently working as a General Physician at New Hope Medical Center. Amy has a passion for research and offers her expertise and opinions to help people in their quest to lead healthy, happy lives.