[Countermeasures against thinning hair] Which one will grow? A thorough comparison of 5mg vs 10mg minoxidil!

This time,Does minoxidil become more effective if you increase the dose?I will explain.
In this explanation, you can learn about the effects and risks of increasing the concentration and dose of minoxidil. You will need to consult with your doctor to determine what percentage and how many milligrams you should use, but I hope you will find this useful as a reference in such situations.

<Basic knowledge of minoxidil>

Minoxidil is said to be the only drug used for AGA (androgenetic alopecia) and FAGA (female androgenetic alopecia) that has a hair growth effect. It was originally used as a treatment for severe high blood pressure, but hirsutism was seen as a side effect, so it was developed as a treatment for thinning hair. There are ointments, oral medications, and injections, but currently only ointments are approved for use in Japan due to safety concerns. The oral drug has not yet been approved in Japan, but research is progressing on its effectiveness and safety when used in small doses.

Minoxidil hirsutism・merit and demeritIf you want to know more about this, please see here

<Minoxidil topical medicine>

Topical minoxidil is ranked A, the highest recommendation level, in the Japanese guidelines (Male pattern and female pattern hair loss treatment guidelines 2017 edition). Within this guideline,5% men, 1% womenWe recommend a concentration of The maximum concentration of drugs that can be purchased at pharmacies is 5%, but privately imported drugs and some clinics also sell topical drugs with a concentration of 5% or higher. Now, you may be wondering whether the higher the concentration, the more effective it is, or whether there is any danger, so I would like to explain this later.

<Concentration and effects of topical drugs>

In a study conducted on 393 people at AGA,The group using 5% topical drug was superior to the group using 2% in both "objectively evaluated increase in hair growth" and "patient's own evaluation". The effect on the number of hairs appeared quickly.Regarding higher concentrations, a study comparing 5% and 10% was reported in 2021. In a test conducted on 90 AGA cases, the results showed that there was no difference in the number of hair growth between 5% and 10%. Regarding side effects, the rate of skin irritation was 5% in the 22.2% group and 10% in the 100% group. In addition, the rate of initial hair loss was 5% in the group using 55% and 10% in the group using 100%. Although it is difficult to generalize based on the report of this test,Even if the concentration was increased from 5% to 10%, the effect did not change much, but there was a high probability of side effects such as skin inflammation and early hair loss.If you are considering increasing the concentration of topical drugs, please use this as a reference.
A study was reported in 5 that compared 15% and 2016% hair loss in women with FAGA.Regarding the efficacy by concentration, the effect was observed in approximately 5% of the group using 40% and approximately 15% in the group using 60%. There were no cases of side effects leading to discontinuation.So, it may be possible to expect results against FAGA by increasing the concentration. Although it may be possible to use it at a higher concentration without any problems, the high concentration can cause powdery dandruff and itching, so you may end up using a lower concentration. In any case, it is best to be effective at a lower concentration, so I think it is best to start with the concentration recommended in the guidelines.

Oral medications are most effective when taken consistently and according to the recommended dosage.
▼What happens if you skip your medication? Please take a look at some of the cases from our clinic.

[Summary]

Minoxidil is a hair growth drug used to treat male pattern baldness and female pattern baldness. Minoxidil was originally used as a treatment for severe high blood pressure, but because hirsutism was observed, it was developed as a treatment for hair loss. The recommended concentration of topical minoxidil is 5% for men and 1% for women. Increasing the concentration increases the risk of side effects, although tests comparing 5% and 10% showed no difference in the number of hairs. Consultation with your doctor is required before use.