Minoxidil tablets are safe and effective in most cases of hair loss

People with hair loss It will soon be easier to treat this condition with pills instead of applying medicated foams and oils such as Rogaine directly to the scalp, thanks to a new international consensus statement on oral use. minoxidil.

The consensus statement provides recommendations for the best starting doses of oral minoxidil for various hair loss patients, as well as the potential benefits and risks of this treatment option. This information should help more doctors feel comfortable prescribing medications. oral minoxidil for hair lossspeaks Brittany Craiglow, MDco-author of the new guidelines and associate professor of dermatology at Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut.

“Given that the use of oral minoxidil in dermatology is still new, many doctors do not yet feel comfortable prescribing it,” says Dr. Craiglow. “This consensus statement provides a lot of useful information regarding indications, dosage and side effects, which will hopefully give dermatologists more confidence in its use.”

Why are minoxidil tablets better for some people than topical minoxidil treatments such as Rogaine?

Hair thinning is extremely common as you age. It affects more than 80 percent of men and nearly 50 percent of women, according to NYU Langone Health.

Many people turn to topical treatments such as creams, shampoos, oils and gels that promise to restore hair growth or stop the problem from getting worse.

These treatments usually contain topical minoxidila form of medication approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a treatment for hair loss. According to a new consensus statement published in JAMA Dermatology.

Oral minoxidil is not FDA approved for the treatment of hair loss—only topical minoxidil is approved. However, doctors can prescribe oral minoxidil (which is FDA-approved to treat high blood pressure) for such “off-label” use, and a new consensus statement endorses this option for people who don’t get what they want with topical use minoxidil. .

“Consensus suggests that low-dose oral minoxidil may be considered if topical minoxidil is logistically difficult, or results in unwanted hair styling problems or scalp irritation, or is not effective, or is more affordable,” says Paradi Mirmirani, MDco-author of the statement and a dermatologist practicing in Northern California.

Do I need a prescription for minoxidil tablets?

The statement recommends a maximum daily dose of oral minoxidil of 5 milligrams (mg) for adults and adolescent men and a maximum daily dose of 2.5 mg for adolescent women. He also recommends optimal starting doses for patients based on age and gender:

Adult men: 2.5 mg
Adult women: 1.25 mg
Adolescent males: 1.25 mg.
Adolescent women: 0.625 mg.

Prescription minoxidil is effective for hair loss caused by a variety of reasonsincluding age-related thinning and some types alopeciaaccording to the statement.

What are the side effects of oral minoxidil?

Patients should consult with their healthcare provider or cardiologist before starting minoxidil to ensure it will not interact with other medications and to determine if any precautions may be required due to certain medical conditions that may increase the risk of side effects. according to the statement.

Side effects of oral minoxidil may include:

A sharp drop in blood pressure
Fluid accumulation around the heart
Fast and irregular heartbeat
Headaches
Dizziness

Who should not take minoxidil orally?

People who are pregnant or have certain heart conditions, such as congestive heart failure Patients with pericarditis (fluid around the heart) should not take minoxidil tablets, according to the statement. People with low blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, or kidney disease in such cases, a specialist should be consulted before taking minoxidil orally as they may need to monitor side effects more closely, the statement said.

“Of course, I will be a little more cautious with patients with known heart disease and will often check with their primary care physician or cardiologist to confirm that low-dose minoxidil will be appropriate, which it usually is,” says Adam Friedman, MDProfessor and Chair of the Department of Dermatology at the George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, DC, who was not involved in developing the consensus statement.

Some patients at risk for cardiac side effects may require laboratory tests or an electrocardiogram before starting oral minoxidil, but these evaluations are not necessary for every person taking the drug, according to the statement.