User:Mr. Ibrahem/Minoxidil

Minoxidil is a medication used to treat high blood pressure and male-pattern hair loss. For high blood pressure, it is only recommended when severe and not controllable with a diuretic and a beta blocker. For male-pattern hair loss it is effective in both males and females. For high blood pressure it is taken by mouth while for hair loss it is applied to the skin.

Common side effects when taken by mouth include swelling, pericardial effusion, hair growth, and nausea. Other side effects may include low white blood cells, Stevens-Johnson syndrome and angina. Common side effects when applied to the skin include itchiness and local irritation. Safety in pregnancy and breastfeeding is unclear and such use is not recommended. As a high blood pressure medication it works by dilating blood vessels. How it works in hair loss is not entirely clear.

Minoxidil was approved for medical use in the United States in 1979. In the United States it is available as a generic medication by prescription in tablet form and over the counter for use on the skin. At a dose of 5 mg per day it costs the NHS about 9 pounds per month as of 2020.