The use of Minoxidil after a hair transplant is recommended by some hair transplant centers, while it is not recommended by others. This product was developed from minoxidil, an oral blood pressure medication. Minoxidil is a product that is taken by mouth and has some potential side effects on the heart and circulatory systems. For this reason, it is a product that you should use with the recommendation of your doctor.
What Is Minoxidil?
Initially, doctors used this drug to treat patients with high blood pressure or hypertension. Among the side effects was hair growth. Because of this side effect, doctors recommend Minoxidil to their patients to treat hair loss. However, you can generally use the drug by applying it topically. We still recommend that you use it according to what your doctor recommends for you. In most hair transplant clinics, surgeons will tell their patients to use Minoxidil after the hair transplant procedure.
Minoxidil and Hair Transplant
Minoxidil, also known as Rogaine, is a topical medication applied to the scalp to stimulate new hair growth in men and women experiencing hair loss. And minoxidil is the first drug that the FDA has approved for the treatment of hair loss. Although minoxidil was originally used to treat blood pressure, later doctors began to use it to treat hair loss or alopecia, achieving effective results. Rogaine minoxidil is a topical application applied directly to the scalp and can be used by both men and women. The use of rogaine for men and rogaine for women is usually the same. But the appropriate dose amount may vary.
Most popularly it is sold under the brands Rogaine Hair and Regaine in concentrations of 2% for both men and women and 5% for men. Minoxidil prolongs the cycle of hair growth and delays the cycle of hair loss. It is recommended by experts to use hair transplantation regularly for 1 year after the operation. Using the recommended medications for a successful hair transplant is critical to get a satisfactory result.
Benefits of Minoxidil
There are many reasons why your doctor may recommend this medicine to you. These reasons are:
- Minoxidil increases the regrowth of transplanted hair.
- This drug prevents the risk of shock spills.
- Controls hair loss.
Your doctor may recommend that you start using this medicine after completing the hair transplant operation. It will guide you to the appropriate time for this. Most hair transplant surgeons ask their patients to start using Minoxidil at least a week after the transplant. This is to ensure that newly transplanted hair grafts settle quickly. Your doctor will also tell you how long you should use minoxidil hair loss medication if you have a hair loss problem. If you are using this remedy to strengthen your hair that is growing at the same time, you need to use it regularly for at least 4 months.
Minoxidil Before Hair Transplant
Do not apply any local medicine to your scalp and hair before the operation. Lotions such as Minoxidil, which are often used, are also recommended to be discontinued at least 1 month ago. Because these drugs can cause the vessels in the scalp to dilate and therefore cause excessive bleeding during the procedure.
Finasteride and Minoxidil After Hair Transplant
The study of the finasteride or minoxidil after the process is said to also increase the duration of the hair follicle growth cycles. At the same time, it can partially enable the start of a new anagen cycle. Minoxidil is a stimulator that can directly affect follicular growth and has a stimulating effect on the proliferation of dermal papilla cells. The reverse effects of finasteride are not related to androgens. Although finasteride is significantly more effective, the simultaneous use of minoxidil and finasteride may also provide some synergistic benefits in the treatment of hair loss.
Minoxidil for hair can only be effective in areas where it is in direct contact with the scalp. Therefore, if there is a thinning in the front of the scalp, it is very important that the drug can be applied to this area.
Stopping Finasteride After Hair Transplant
Doctors use finasteride therapy to treat male patients with male pattern hair loss and also have androgenic alopecia problems. You need to use this medicine for male pattern hair loss at a daily dose of 1 mg. But your doctor needs to determine the dose of the medicine. After hair transplantation, finasteride shows its effect in one year.
Within the first six months, you may see thinning in your existing hair. This may be due to the continuation of your hair loss in the process until the finasteride shows its effect. It is very important to be patient during this period. You should use the drug for at least a year to see its effects.
How To Use Minoxidil After Hair Transplant
Minoxidil used to be a treatment that doctors mostly used to balance blood pressure. But nowadays, doctors recommend this drug to their patients to treat hair loss. Minoxidil is a topical remedy that you can apply directly to your scalp. We call this topical minoxidil. The use of minoxidil for women and minoxidil for men is the same.
Besides these, you can also use minoxidil topical solution for your beard treatment. However, we recommend that you do not use this medicine if your doctor does not recommend it. Minoxidil hair and Minoxidil beard increase hair thickness and density. In approximately 60-70% of patients, hair density usually begins to increase within 2-3 months. In 40-50% of patients, an increase in density begins to occur, and this increase continues throughout treatment. You need to continue treatment to continue seeing results.
Minoxidil for Hair Loss
For the treatment of hair loss, minoxidil is a medicine recommended by some doctors. However, many experts do not recommend this drug to their patients because of the many side effects. However, the use of minoxidil for beard growth or the use of minoxidil for hair growth is a very attractive option for patients. It can also be found in minoxidil foam and oral form. However, it is most often applied topically. This drug is very effective when applied topically.
Care of Hair After Hair Transplant
To achieve the desired result, you need to regularly apply all the strengthening and care techniques recommended by your doctor. The number of your hair strengthening sessions after the hair process is determined according to your doctor. For this reason, you need to pay attention to hair strengthening after hair transplantation.
The effective and rapid growth of the transplanted hair usually depends on the care and treatment of the patients after hair transplantation. Of course, the process must be done successfully, but it is also important that the patient takes the necessary care in this regard.
Whether you need non-surgical solutions after hair transplantation varies depending on the process. However, you must know more about your operation or medication. It is also important to determine if this operation is effective for you.
You will decide this together with your doctor. If your doctor decides that you are not suitable for the procedure, it will be the best choice not to have this procedure. The reason why we mention these is that even if you pay attention to these issues before hair transplantation, the results of the procedure will be very positive. That’s why we wanted to warn you specifically about this issue.
Side Effects of Minoxidil
If you use this medicine without consulting your doctor, you may experience the following side effects:
Acne,
- Headache and/or dizziness,
- Irregular and rapid heartbeat,
- Tingling or loss of sensation in the hands, face, and feet,
- Side effects of chest pain.
As we mentioned above, you must use this medicine with the recommendation of your doctor. However, minoxidil is a drug that increases hair density and thickness. Thus, your hair will grow fuller and stronger. As long as you are not pregnant and do not have a chronic illness, minoxidil is a reliable treatment for you.
How Long To Use Minoxidil After Hair Transplant
One of the most curious questions of patients after hair transplantation is “When to stop minoxidil after a hair transplant?” Minoxidil prolongs the cycle of hair growth and delays the cycle of hair loss. It is recommended by experts to use hair transplantation regularly for 1 year after the operation. In the same way, you should complete the use of finasteride after a hair transplant within this period.
You can take a look at our blog titled ‘10 Advice to After Hair Transplant Procedure?‘ to get more information about the processes after hair transplantation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it OK to use minoxidil after a hair transplant?
Topical minoxidil can result in an effective recovery result after hair transplantation. However, we recommend that you do not use this medicine unless your doctor recommends it.
How much minoxidil should I use after a hair transplant?
We usually recommend using it regularly for a year. However, if your doctor does not find this medicine suitable for you, we recommend that you do not act outside the recommendations of your doctor. Because this drug is a drug with many side effects. And its use may vary from patient to patient.
Can I use minoxidil in the donor area?
Yes. But you can use this medicine when your recipient and donor areas are completely healed. The minimum time you need for this is a month. However, act entirely on your doctor’s recommendations about minoxidil and other supportive treatments.