HOW MINIOXIDIL WORKS
REGAINE® contains the active ingredient minoxidil, which is scientifically proven to help stop and reverse hereditary hair loss.4
How Minoxidil Works
Minoxidil also works by increasing the supply of blood and nutrients to your hair follicles helping to strengthen the existing hairs and encouraging them to grow.4
Minoxidil helps to promote hair regrowth in 4 ways28:
Reverses the miniaturisation of follicles.28
Increases blood flow around follicles.28
Stimulates follicle movement to growth phase.28
Extends each follicles growth phase.28
Science behind minoxidil
The mechanism by which minoxidil stimulates hair growth is not fully understood, but minoxidil can help reverse the hair loss process of androgenetic alopecia by the following means28:
- Reverses the miniaturisation of follicles
- Increases blood flow around follicles
- Stimulates follicle movement to growth phase
Extends each follicle growth phase
How Does Minoxidil Help for Hair Growth?
Minoxidil is the only over- the-counter active ingredient clinically proven to help stop and even reverse hereditary hair loss, by reactivating your inactive hair follicles.3,4
What Causes Hair Loss?
There are quite a few causes of hair loss. The main cause in both men and women is hereditary hair loss21 which REGAINE® is scientifically proven to help stop and even reverse.4 We have identified the most common causes of hair loss for you.
The hair growth cycle
Hair grows in cycles and each growth cycle includes a growth phase, an involution phase and a resting phase. In hereditary hair loss, owing to a change in hormones, the hair follicle shrinks and the growth cycle is shortened.13
How does hair loss happen?
Each hair growth cycle produces a shorter, finer, much less visible hair. In time, a few follicles will even be destroyed and fail to grow hair.13 The most common cause of hair loss in men and women is androgenic alopecia (AGA).21 Genetics, hormones and age all play a part in this condition. In AGA, the hair follicle shrinks.
References:
3. REGAINE® Solution 2% leaflet.
4. REGAINE® SPC – Section 5.1.
13. Bergfeld, W. F., & Mulinari-Brenner, F. (2001). Shedding: how to manage a common cause of hair loss. Cleveland Clinic journal of medicine, 68(3), 256–261.
21. Jacobs, J. P., Szpunar, C. A., & Warner, M. L. (1993). Use of topical minoxidil therapy for androgenetic alopecia in women. International journal of dermatology, 32(10), 758–762.
28. Messenger, A. G., & Rundegren, J. (2004). Minoxidil: mechanisms of action on hair growth. The British journal of dermatology, 150(2), 186–194.