Can I use minoxidil for beard growth?

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Male Hair Loss, Questions, Treatment | Dr Dhanraj Chavan | July 4, 2021

Beards are considered to be males’ pride, which helps to enhance the male body wonderfully, that is the only reason why males always want to have a thick & dense beard. But unfortunately, some males have less beard, therefore they might try many other treatments & home remedies as well. Some males have the question regarding Minoxidil that “Can I use minoxidil for beard growth” in this I will explain in detail, what is minoxidil & what is its use for beard hair growth.

Are you experiencing hair loss? Get in touch with the best of our hair specialists in Pune to understand your hair condition. For a hair treatment or to get hair transplant, book an appointment with our dermatologists near you, call +919584584111.

Minoxidil for beard growth

Why do some males have fewer beards?

Some men have boy’s faces, due to this they feel a bit inferior in complexity as compared to the male who has a thick & dense beard. Some males have this question in their mind, that why they can’t grow a beard, so before guiding you regarding beard treatment, I would like to answer your question.

  • Before puberty, in our childhood both boys and girls have vellus hair i.e. light and soft body hair. The hormone which is responsible for beard growth in boys is androgens. This hormone stimulates vellus hair and makes hair thick and dense.
  • During puberty due to hormonal changes, there is a change in pubic & armpit hairs. But in male androgen hormone levels are higher than in females, that is the only reason males have more dark & dense hair as compared to females.
  • Male will see additional thick hair growth, that will be a beard, which ideally starts from the lip and then it will spread to the cheeks and chin. Some males, you will see less beard to no beard, in this hormone is one of the culprits, but it is moreover due to genetics.
  • In case if your father or grandfather or any other male has no to less beard, you will see less hair over your beard.

 


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What is minoxidil?

Minoxidil lotion is ideally applied in androgenetic alopecia, i.e male pattern hair loss & female pattern hair loss. In many research, it has found that Minoxidil effective treatment to treat hair loss. Because it promotes hair growth in patients suffering from hair loss. Minoxidil can be used to save existing hair follicles & for hair regrowth, wherever hair root is available. Therefore minoxidil found to be an effective treatment in treating beard growth as well.

How does minoxidil work?

Lotion minoxidil has to be ideally applied in androgenetic alopecia, i.e male pattern hair loss & female pattern hair loss. In many research it has been found that Minoxidil is an effective treatment to treat hair loss. Because it promotes hair growth in patients who are suffering from hair loss. Minoxidil can be used to save existing hair follicles & for hair regrowth, or wherever hair roots are available. Therefore minoxidil found to be an effective treatment in treating beard growth as well.

Minoxidil has multiple benefits such as,it increases hair follicle size, stimulates hair growth, and reduces hair loss. It can also increase the diameter of hair strands and promotes better blood flow to hair follicles, which is the most necessary for hair to survive.

 


Quick Read

How effective is Minoxidil for hair growth?


 

Minoxidil for beard growth

Minoxidil, one of the US FDA treatments advised for hair regrowth over the scalp. But minoxidil is not US FDA approved treatment for beard hair growth. But after trying minoxidil treatment for beard growth many people have seen differences in their beard growth, as their thin beard has become thick after the treatment.

 

Types of Minoxidil

Minoxidil comes in various forms such as liquid or in foam-based

Liquid-based minoxidil :

Liquid-based minoxidil is cheaper in cost as compared to foam-based minoxidil lotion. But it has one drawback. When liquid-based minoxidil applied to the face, it can cause dryness over the face. This liquid-based minoxidil consists of propylene glycol, which is the main culprit for the dryness.

Foam based minoxidil:

Foam based minoxidil has moisturizing agents, so it can be gentle to your skin, resulting in less to no dryness.

 

How can we use (minoxidil for beard growth)

Applying minoxidil needs patience and discipline, you cannot directly apply it. It takes time to see minoxidil results, so don’t get demotivated in the initial phase.

Step 1: Wash your face

Wash your face with a cleanser. A cleanser should have a gentle pH balanced cleanser. Because if you wash with soap or any hard chemical containing face wash, then it may dry out your skin, hence leading to irritation to the skin, after the application of minoxidil.

Step 2: Amount of Minoxidil

As per the study, we always recommended applying minoxidil only 2 ml in a day. Therefore, we advise you to apply minoxidil 1 ml in the morning after bath & 1 ml at night before 2-3 hours of sleep. An ideal time between 1st application & 2nd application should be at least 8 to 12 hrs.

Step 3: Application of minoxidil lotion

1st apply minoxidil wherever you can see patches over the beard. Then apply the rest of the beard area gently. Remember, you should keep minoxidil for minimum of 4 hours and maximum of 12 hours. Then you can rinse with plain water.

Step 4: Immediately after application

Immediately after applying Minoxidil, gently rub the minoxidil for 30 sec to 1 min so that minoxidil gets absorbed into your skin. Massage or rub with the tip of your finger by using 2- 3 finger i.e index finger, middle finger and ring finger.

Step 5: Wash your hands

As I have mentioned earlier, minoxidil is used for hair growth of hair and it has some chemical content, so to avoid any sort of difficulties, I will advise you to wash your hand properly, till the minoxidil lotions are gone.

 

Side effect of Minoxidil over beard

As we know how effective Minoxidil is to thicken thin hairs. But as you know there are always pros & cons of everything. Minoxidil has some potential side effects, and you should be aware of it.

1. Skin irritation

Many studies have reported that minoxidil has some certain side effects such as itching, skin redness and dry skin. Dry skin is one of the commonest side effects of minoxidil.

2. Acne

Minoxidil can cause excess dryness over your skin, it will cause irritation to your skin. And if your skin is prone to get acne, then due to this irritation, you might get more acne flare-up.

3. Shedding

Many people notice hair fall after applying minoxidil, that is nothing but a shedding of your hair, that doesn’t mean you will see empty space wherever you are applying minoxidil. This shedding phase has seen, because minoxidil kicks out by pushing out old hair and replacing it with new hair.

4. Under eye dark circle

In the rarest case, this side effect can be seen. But it can be treated with some serum or procedures.

5. Weight gain

No need to panic, as weight gain definitely not directly associated with minoxidil. But some might see weight gain after minoxidil usage.

6. Blood pressure

Ideally, minoxidil should be taken orally to treat High blood pressure. So when you apply minoxidil there are fewer chances of getting low blood pressure. But if it is so, then inform your doctor, so that your doctor will plan accordingly.

7. Fatigue, dizziness and lightheaded

Some may feel Fatigue, dizziness & lightheaded but no need to panic, till these symptoms persist.

8. Heart palpitations

If you feel heart palpitations continuously persist for 2 to 3 week then stop applying minoxidil and consult your doctor.

 

I think in this question I have covered all your queries for you regarding minoxidil for beard growth, for more detail you can ask us more questions.

Are you looking for hair fall solution? Get in touch with the best of our hair doctors in Pune to cure your hair loss. To book an appointment for a hair treatment or hair transplantation, contact our dermatologists near you, call +919584584111.

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