• Why does minoxidil work better for women than for men
• Why does minoxidil work better for women than for men references

Why does minoxidil work better for women than for men

It may be that minoxidil is better able to penetrate the skin of women compared to men. The potential for greater drug penetrance is shown by the increased risk of systemic hair growth occurring in women using minoxidil compared to men. This is the reason why 5% minoxidil is not recommended for use by women. Women using 5% minoxidil in clinical trials were inclined to grow hair in areas where minoxidil was not applied. This suggests minoxidil is more likely to get into the blood stream of women and cause systemic hair growth as compared to men. This could be a dangerous situation as minoxidil is a vasodilatory drug used orally to treat blood pressure problems. Someone with normal blood pressure who takes minoxidil that enters the blood stream may develop low blood pressure.

In addition, the female hair loss pattern makes hair growth more likely with any treatment. Female pattern baldness is usually a diffuse thinning rather than recession of the hair line. The thinning hair involves a gradual reduction in size of the hair follicles and these types of follicles are ideal for minoxidil products to have greatest effect.

Why does minoxidil work better for women than for men references

• Boeck C, Parker J, Shank J, Hordinsky M. Safety of long term therapy with 3% and 5% topical minoxidil in female androgenetic alopecia. In: van Nest D, Randall VA (eds). Hair Research for the next millenium. Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1996, 61-5.
• Jacobs JP, Szpunar CA, Warner ML. Use of topical minoxidil therapy for androgenetic alopecia in women. Int J Dermatol. 1993 Oct;32(10):758-62.
• Whiting DA, Jacobson C. Treatment of female androgenetic alopecia with minoxidil 2%. Int J Dermatol. 1992 Nov;31(11):800-4.
• Hordinsky MK, Shank J. Three percent topical minoxidil therapy for female androgenetic alopecia. Clin Dermatol. 1988 Oct-Dec;6(4):213-7.
• DeVillez RL, Jacobs JP, Szpunar CA, Warner ML. Androgenetic alopecia in the female. Treatment with 2% topical minoxidil solution. Arch Dermatol. 1994 Mar;130(3):303-7.