Recognizing that hair thinning and hair loss is not just a male problem, Rogaine for women is available as an over-the-counter topical solution to help reverse the situation and encourage healthy hair growth. In some cases, Rogaine has shown it can be more effective for women than it is for men.
What Rogaine for Women Can Do
Women can experience thinning hair or hair loss for a variety of non-disease related reasons. It can be age-related, genetic, brought on by birth-control pills, stress, environmental factors, or even just wearing hairstyles like ponytails or cornrow braids too tightly too often. Whatever the cause, it can be far more emotionally damaging to a woman than a man, because a woman might feel as though she is less desirable or feminine if she has thinning hair.
The good news is that Rogaine for women can genuinely help. It contains minoxidil, which has been found to stimulate hair growth associated with some forms of female baldness. It must be applied twice daily and, if it is going to work, will not take effect for several months. It also requires a lifetime commitment - unless the hair loss was caused by a nutritional deficiency or other such problem as can be corrected, it will begin again after you stop using minoxidil.
How to Use Women's Rogaine
While Rogaine is simple to use, many women find it frustrating because it interferes with styling. You may need to consult a stylist as to how to work around the problem. Rogaine must be applied to a completely dry head and you cannot wet the hair for four hours after use. It takes up to two hours to dry and if you try to use a hair dryer to speed the process, you may end up making it less effective. You also have to be mindful of when you apply it, because it can stain before it's fully dry. Therefore, you want to avoid using hats, scarves, or going to bed while it's wet. You also want to keep it off any skin that doesn't require the treatment and wash your hands thoroughly after use.
While you can continue to color your hair or use hair products, you have to be very mindful of the timing and the condition of your scalp.
Precautions for Females Using Rogaine
Besides the learning curve of the timing and styling, Rogaine must not, under any circumstances, be used by a woman who is pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or currently nursing. Total effects are unknown but it can enter the bloodstream and therefore it's best to use extreme caution. Additionally, it may cause or trigger allergic reactions. It's best to consult a dermatologist before beginning use of Rogaine.
Other Options for Hair Loss
For women concerned about side effects, it might be useful to try natural remedies for hair loss before resorting to Rogaine. Even just a vigorous daily scalp massage can help to stimulate the follicles. You also want to be sure you are getting your proper nutrients and eating a balanced diet for healthy hair. Vitamins and minerals directly contribute to hair health. When you are not eating a balanced diet, your hair is one of the first places the deficiency shows up. Vitamin A, B6, folic acid, vitamin E, and vitamin C are all crucial for healthy hair. In addition to supplements, you should be sure to eat orange-fleshed fruits, potatoes, bananas, chickpeas, and dark greens like collards. Healthy oils like safflower and olive are important as well.
Minerals crucial to hair health include silica, iodine, zinc, and iron. In the case of all four, you should try to get them through your diet, rather than supplements, as it's very easy to take too much and thus create more problems. A healthy, predominantly vegetarian diet can also promote healthy hair.
Rogaine for women is a viable option to treat hair loss, but it should not be chosen lightly. Only after a thorough consultation with a physician and a stylist should such a method be considered to treat thinning hair.
