Buying 5% Minoxidil: Price, appearance, side effects
Minoxidil is the number one treatment for baldness or hair loss for both men (Minoxidil 5%) and women (Minoxidil 2%). It is now considered the best self-medication drug for hair loss by health professionals. It is safe to buy in a pharmacy or online.
An effective invention for treating baldness
Table of Contents
What is hair loss?
Minoxidil’s strength as a hair-growth drug was discovered by chance, as its original 5% formula was used to treat patients with high blood pressure. Scientists hence discovered a side effect during their research that has proven beneficial for thousands of people with premature baldness. Minoxidil helps to regrow hair effectively by strengthening your roots and improving the health of your scalp after just a few months of treatment!
What is the difference between Minoxidil 5% and 2%?
Minoxidil’s dosage is what classifies its category. In the beginning, this product was sold in very weak doses of 2%, however, it has been proven over time that Minoxidil 5% possessed much more promising results in terms of hair regrowth, as well as having only no additional side effects after testing. It is for this reason that dermatologists and other baldness specialists recommend Minoxidil 5% dose for men who genetically suffer from this disease, which will provide faster results and a greater hair mass.
Minoxidil 2% is recommended for women. Information on products containing this active ingredient is on this page.
Many scientific studies have been conducted to test Minoxidil with the support of the health authorities, including with a double-blind, placebo-controlled group. These studies showed that men treated with Minoxidil 5% found a significant increase in the amount of hair they have after 6 months of treatment. I.e. about 39 additional hairs per cm2, depending on their body and the severity of their alopecia.
The best products containing Minoxidil 5%
There are many products existing today that contain Minoxidil 5%. Whether or not these products work depends on other ingredients in the lotion, which, depending on their quality, absorb Minoxidil 5% through the scalp. However, there are several generic products that do not provide the same guarantee to prevent hair loss and promote regrowth.
Because of this, bloggers from Alfadoc recommend two certified products. Owing to the numerous positive reviews we have received about Foligain (containing Minoxidil 5%), we can say that the two best treatments available for hair growth are:
Foligain No. 5 (Minoxidil 5%)
This is the most popular product containing Minoxidil 5% on the market and is without a doubt the most widely recommended by dermatologists. Unlike many similar products on the market, it has a low alcohol content, making it a softer and less aggressive lotion for your scalp. Its effectiveness, therefore, comes from this special formula whose fame is still growing.
D.S. Laboratories released Foligain N5 after conducting numerous scientific studies on the product. These studies enabled them to improve the product, which has been proven to be over 80% effectiveness in terms of “dense” hair regrowth, according to a survey of 7,000 regular male users. The most difficult type of baldness to treat is genetic baldness, yet health professionals still recommend Foligain N5 today for treatment of this problem, unlike most treatments on the market today, which do not present any truly effective change.
Foligain N5 significantly thickens the hair roots by acting directly on the scalp’s hair follicles, thus enabling a significant reduction in hair loss in just a few weeks. In 3 to 6 months of daily applications, the user will start to notice massive hair growth on the most sensitive areas of the scalp (forehead and temples). Minoxidil 5% displays remarkable efficiency because of its lotion application, and when applied to the affected areas, it focuses its stimulating action on the hair follicles where hair loss is significant. It is then absorbed very effectively by the skin because of its soft composition, and results are perceptible within a few weeks.
Foligain P.5 (Minoxidil 5%)
This product is newer than Foligain N5 and is presented as its biochemical “evolution”. According to our readers’ reviews and the studies carried out, it appears that this product acts slightly differently from Foligain N5.
Foligain P5 is an excellent product based on Minoxidil 5%. Because of its low-alcohol formula, Foligain N5 stimulates the hair follicles that have been paralysed by genetic baldness. Foligain P5, on the other hand, has a higher alcohol concentration, as well as other synthesised active ingredients in its bottles. It has the same expected results as Foligain N5, which means that you should see hair loss stop, as well as massive regrowth, even on previously sparse areas of the scalp. Therefore, the difference between these two products is how they work. Foligain P5 acts by stimulating blood circulation in the scalp in the sensitive areas of the skull, i.e. those most affected by hair loss. The increased blood flow therefore excites and stimulates the roots that are especially affected, thus acting directly on the base of the scalp and promoting dense and natural hair regrowth.
Foligain N5 solution is recommended mostly for people with a very sensitive scalp because of its low alcohol content. Those with a stronger scalp can try the newer treatment Foligain P5, which is more effective in the short term as it has visible results after only 2 months of application.
What is its aim?
Products based on Minoxidil 5% are more suitable for men because their genetic alopecia is more obvious than in women. However, women suffering from hair loss can try a three-month treatment based on the same solution, by applying it to the most affected parts of the scalp. However, it is advisable to consult a doctor before opting for this treatment, which primarily remains a masculine solution.
This product works wonders for men!
Like many products and treatments presented on Alfadoc, results show that products based on Minoxidil 5% are more effective on ‘young’ subjects (under 40) when their level of baldness is not too advanced. However, Minoxidil 5% is also effective when baldness is more pronounced, among older people. This just means that it is necessary to apply Minoxidil lotion to the head over a longer period of time, on the sparsest areas of the scalp.
How Minoxidil-based treatments work
The advantage of Foligain is its simplicity of use, in relation to other solutions with the same rate of satisfaction, such as the Laser Comb.
In order to apply the lotion correctly, you must do the following:
- Form a parting in the hair using a comb so that the scalp is visible.
- Use just 1ml of Foliation the areas of the scalp most affected by baldness. According to scientific studies, increasing the amount of lotion you apply is futile. You are more likely to damage the product than improve your results.
- Massage the treated areas with your fingers or with a comb for a few minutes, to make sure the product reaches the roots.
- You must rinse your hands with warm water and soap once you have applied the lotion.
You must repeat these steps three times a day to achieve the desired results of preventing hair loss and promoting hair growth.
Benefits and disadvantages of Minoxidil 5% products
What should I do in the case of extreme hair loss?
The amount of hair regrowth depends on the level of baldness. In the case of extreme hair loss, or very advanced baldness (i.e. a large part of the skull is partially or totally bald), Minoxidil 5% lotions will not be sufficient enough to provide a dense-enough hair mass for a natural effect.
Combining Minoxidil-based products with a treatment containing finasteride (Propecia) is the most commonly recommended solution. These treatments can, therefore, be complimentary: by combining them, you can achieve very attractive results, even in the most desperate of cases.
What are the side effects?
Firstly, it is necessary to prevent misuse of Minoxidil-based products, as this can prove to be harmful in certain cases. Indeed, the fact that these products can be used without a prescription, it is possible to overuse them.
To ensure the effectiveness of these treatments, as well as your safety, only use this product if you are aged 18 or over, or if your scalp is not irritated before application. This warning also applies to people with heart disease. In any of these situations, it is appropriate to consult a doctor before applying Minoxidil-based lotions.
Moreover, it is not advisable to use these products if you have already applied another treatment to your scalp. The combination of these treatments in unknown, and therefore can be harmful to your health. The most common side effects are “minor” skin irritations, as defined by doctors. Small reddish patches can appear on areas where the lotion was applied, often accompanied by a slight burning sensation. It is also possible to feel an itching sensation after the product has been applied. In a case of contact with eyes, rinse thoroughly with cold water and contact a doctor immediately if any problems with your vision occur.
It is possible to suffer from an allergy to Minoxidil or to propylene glycol. For this reason, it is best to consult a doctor if eczema occurs following application of these products.
How to store Minoxidil-based treatment?
Although you can use these products without consulting a doctor, these products are considered to be drugs by health professionals, which is why you find them in a pharmacy. It is also now possible to buy them online from pharmacies that allow the sale of hair loss drugs online. Indeed, many online stores offer products containing Minoxidil 5%, however, the quality of these products is not the same.
We recommend that you use the specialised online shop, shytobuy, which sells various different products based on Minoxidil 5% at very affordable prices, whilst also providing a useful after-sales service.
The other reasons for buying your anti-baldness treatment on shytobuy:
- Certified European distributor
- Better quality products, tested by scientists
- Speedy, discrete delivery, with tracking
- Absolute security, with 5 payment methods
What form of Minoxidil should I buy?
There are several different ways of applying Minoxidil to your scalp:
Minoxidil mousse
Minoxidil mousse reduces the negative effects of baldness such as dandruff, dryness and irritation. Some users complain that this method does not penetrate the scalp correctly and hence does not act directly on the problem. However, there has been no study that shows mousse is less effective than lotion, and obviously, only a few brands offer Minoxidil in the form of the mousse, like Foligain and Rogaine.
Minoxidil Mousse is recommended for people sensitive to the negative effects and who are affected by scalp irritation. The main disadvantage is that it costs more than the lotion or spray. Also, Minoxidil Mousse does not penetrate as deeply and is not as easy to apply with hands.
Minoxidil lotion
This is the most comment Minoxidil-based treatment. There are many brands on the market that sell the lotion with a mixture of components improving efficiency or reducing the impact, in order to contrast with their competitors. Not only is Minoxidil lotion cheaper than the other forms, it is also easier to apply to the scalp and it absorbs quickly. It is intended for those who want a simple, less expensive method, and who do not experience side effects when using Minoxidil. However, it can be more irritating because it is often based on propylene glycol, which makes it greasy.
Minoxidil Spray
This is virtually identical to the lotion but has a different diffusion system. Some brands offer both a spray cap and a pipette (like the lotion). Minoxidil Spray is for those who are searching for a more practical application for a larger area of the scalp. Its disadvantage lies in the fact that it does not have a precisely administered dose, which slightly complicates use. Minoxidil Spray is less economical and affects the hair more than the scalp.
What is the best formula?
Minoxidil is dissolved by Propylene Glycol. It is, therefore, its effectivity rate that differentiates the methods from one another. If you are more susceptible to this dissolver and its negative effects, you are better off opting for a weaker formula, in order to avoid allergic reactions.
Medical review on March 10, 2017 by Dr. Davis Taylor
