Shereene IdrissBoard Certified Derm, Founder and Chief Nerd

Rogaine: How Does It Work? #shorts

20 Jun 2023 · 1 min

Watch on YouTube

0:58

A brief YouTube short explaining how Rogaine (minoxidil) works: it prolongs the hair growth (anagen) phase and gradually thickens existing hairs rather than producing brand-new hairs. The speaker emphasizes that effects require continuous, indefinite use and attributes common male/female pattern hair loss to DHT-driven miniaturization of hair follicles.

Questions this video answers

Yes — according to the speaker, you must keep using minoxidil indefinitely to maintain benefits.

It increases the amount of time hair stays in the growth phase, gradually thickening existing hairs rather than creating new hairs.

Chapters

So the answer is, sadly, yes. And that is why this is a great business model for them. Basically, you have to keep using it forever, if that is what you want to hold on to. Why? Because what Rogaine does, it doesn't actually increase new hair growth. What it does is that it increases the amount of time that your hair is in a growth phase. And as a result, your hair diameter slowly thickens, almost like a tree trunk, and your hair appears full fuller over time. But the reality is, men tend to lose hair in these areas, and women, too, because of hormone, especially testosterone, especially known as dht, which attaches to your hair receptors on your scalp. And that results in miniaturization of your hairs, making them smaller, more flimsy, less virile. Ironic. Ironic. The irony is not lost on me. But you have to be stuck on minoxidil forever.