How do REGAINE® Products Work?


REGAINE is compromised of minoxidil which is the only treatment that is available without prescription and has been clinically proven to reduce hereditary hair loss. Minoxidil is manufactured and distributed under the brand REGAINE®. Most of the information available about REGAINE® will go on about the ingredient minoxidil but it will not really explain what is actually is and how it works. For most people it is important to know more about what is in medication they want to use.

Minoxidil first became available as an over the counter treatment for male hereditary hair loss in 1995. Its original use was in the treatment of high blood pressure but it was noticed that minoxidil had the abnormal side effect of causing hair growth. This was not ordinary hair growth but hair growth in areas of the scalp where patients had experienced hair loss or parts of the body where they had never had hair before. This led to minoxidil being tested as a hair loss treatment and in those tested 80% reported positive results in that they did not loss any more hair.

Minoxidil works by increasing the amount of blood that reaches the hair follicles. This causes the follicles to become larger and to widen. As a result of this development new hair growth is stimulated and prolonged. This process is caused by the temporary dilation of the arteries which allows a greater blood flow. As the expansion of the arteries is only temporary this makes it necessary for REGAINE® to be applied twice daily to help with hair growth as the hair cycle needs to be kept activated.

The advantages of minoxidil in REGAINE®:

  • Minoxidil encourages the growth of hair so it can help to grow new hair and to thicken existing hair. Hair is kept in its growing period longer which means that the results are likely to be more noticeable and lasting.
  • Minoxidil can be bought from most pharmacies and supermarkets and it can be bought over the counter without a prescription. The price is reasonable and minoxidil products like REGAINE® can be bought in bulk.
  • The application process of minoxidil is not time consuming and this is done two times a day.
  • Minoxidil will not cause any interference with hormones that can sometimes be a worry with similar treatments such as Propecia.

Minoxidil does have some possible side effects:

  • Hair loss can occur when first using REGAINE® but this is only temporary. Some people may experience irritation of the scalp or skin flaking but REGAINE® manufacturers have reported that this only affects around 6% of customers.
  • Minoxidil does contain some alcohol which can irritate a sensitive scalp. It is therefore recommended that customers start out with 2% dose of minoxidil when they begin a course of REGAINE®, so that their scalp can adjust to the treatment before increasing the concentration. If you are prone to sensitive skin then this might be the best course of action. If scalp irritation does occur this should be easily treated by medicinal shampoos that can be found in most pharmacies.
  • Minoxidil must be applied following a regular routine of twice a day. This should be continued for as long as you want to benefit from REGAINE®. If you decide to stop using REGAINE® after you have stopped experiencing hair loss and even grown some new hair, then this hair will fall out until your original hair condition or even worse. Discontinuing with REGAINE® can reverse the progress that has already been made and mean that you are back to stage one again. It is therefore really important to use REGAINE® in a continual pattern to make sure that you are helping to achieve the best results possible.

The main point is that REGAINE® is a good treatment for the hereditary hair loss sufferer. It has been shown to help grow back lost hair and prevent further hair loss in the future. Original hair follicles are given a new lease of life and are kept in their growing phase for longer due to the influence of minoxidil. REGAINE® is not a cure for hereditary hair loss but it is one of the most powerful weapons that can be used to fight it.

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