Seeing as most people have heard of Rogaine hair loss treatment, and it is a leading brand in the market, I felt it was time for a review.
Even though it is an FDA-approved product, I don't generally recommend it for people suffering from some types of hair loss. However, there is no doubt that for some people who meet certain criteria, it is an effective hair loss treatment.
Why do I not recommend it then? For one it is not Rogaine itself that is FDA-approved, It is the Minoxidil that it contains, and there are much cheaper ways to buy Minoxidil if you really want to buy a product that contains this ingredient.
You can pick up generic Minoxidil quite easily for much cheaper than Rogaine, for instance, you can pick up the Kirkland brand of Minoxidil foam from Costco relatively cheap as a 6-pack sells for $16.99 on their website.
Does Rogaine Work?
The key ingredient in Rogaine is Minoxidil and it is perhaps the most famous hair growth ingredient, although it was originally designed to treat high blood pressure.
It isn't a miracle cure as clinical studies show it leaves 16% of people with no regrowth when used on the crown of their head, and a further 36% report minimal regrowth.
One Minoxidil product manufacturer said:
“Minoxidil is better at stopping or slowing hair loss than regrowing hair”¹
Minoxidil is only really designed for people who are losing hair on the crown of their head and is also not for people who have a receding hairline².
There are no claims or indeed results showing hair growth results in other places of the head. This means you need to buy a separate product in order to successfully treat your entire head.
Rogaine Side Effects
You need to be aware that Rogaine and Minoxidil-containing products aren't side effect free (in reality very few things are).
Side effects³ of Minoxidil include:
- Heart rate changes
- Bloating
- Boosted hair growth on arms, back, or face
- Numbness or tingling of hands and feet
- Swelling of legs or feet
- Rashes and itching
Although some of these are worrying, the side effect that many women, in particular, don't want to experience is the increase in body and facial hair.
Who Shouldn't Use Rogaine
Rogaine, although easy to get a hold of without a prescription, isn't for everyone. It is not recommended for use in the following groups of people:
- Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding
- Men and women with patchy hair loss
- People who are losing hair and don't know why
- Under 18's
- People who have had an allergic reaction
- If you have broken skin or patches of irritation on your scalp
- Anyone with low blood pressure
- People with certain hair loss types
Rogaine is generally not effective for treating hair loss caused by conditions like alopecia areata, chemotherapy, or other medications.
It's always best to consult a healthcare professional before using Rogaine, especially if you have any underlying medical conditions or concerns. They can assess your individual situation and determine if it's safe and appropriate for you to use this hair loss treatment.
Rogaine Alternative
So I ask you, why buy two hair loss products when you can buy just one that treats the entire head, including a receding hairline?
My top-rated hair regrowth product Folexin does just that with a very high success rate which may even be higher than the success rate of Rogaine.
It contains all-natural ingredients unlike Rogaine, which includes ingredients and the essential vitamins and minerals needed to increase blood flow to the scalp to “wake up” dormant follicles and encourage the regrowth of hairs.
I have prepared a full Folexin review that details exactly how these natural ingredients work to give such a high success rate for all types of hair loss problems.
Click here to read my Folexin review