Are Rogaine Side Effects Worth the Risk to Regrow Your Hair?

Rogaine side effects can be troubling for some people who use this popular hair loss treatment, and as such many users have opted for a safer alternative.

There are a number of different products on the market, some prescription, some non-prescription, but each has its drawbacks as we discuss below.

Does Rogaine Work?

Not for everyone. Some people have seen some results, others have not had any success at all.

Rogaine is a non-prescription treatment originally manufactured by Pfizer but now put out by McNeil-PPC who took over the pharmaceutical division of Johnson and Johnson. The active ingredient is minoxidil, which purportedly revitalizes shrunken hair follicles, increasing their size and eventually producing more hair.

However, the side effects of minoxidil can include scalp irritation, itchiness and dryness.

Some women have reported the development of permanent hair on the forehead and other unwanted facial hair as one of Rogaine side effects.

According to the official web site there is also the possibility of an increase in hair shedding during the first few weeks.

Other concerns about the chemical minoxidil:

1. Once you start using Rogaine, you have to keep using it for the rest of your life. Once you stop you will lose all the hair which you grew, and any hair Rogaine kept you from losing.

2. It could take up to four to six months to see any visible results, and you are advised to stop using it if you don't see hair growth by this time.

Are there safer alternatives?

Due to the side effects of minoxidil and the fact that it doesn't work for everyone, many people are looking for alternative treatments for hair loss.  There are many of them out there, and over the years we've studied them all.

One of the most promising products we have come across is called Profollica, an all-natural treatment that addresses the root cause of hair loss, an excess amount of the compound DHT.

Here are some of the advantages of choosing a more natural option:

1. Profollica is all natural, made of vitamins, minerals and herbal extracts so you can avoid Rogaine side effects and those of medications like Propecia.

2. It has been shown to increase hair count by at least 30%.

3. Results are much quicker than with Rogaine...some people noted significant increase in just two months as opposed to four to six.

4. You don't have to use this regrowth product for the rest of your life, saving yourself a lot of money. Rather you just need to use a scalp cleansing shampoo to maintain all hair growth.

So should I try Rogaine or is it a bad idea?

Does Rogaine work? It might, and we're not saying you shouldn't give it a try.  That's your decision to make. But keep in mind that even if it does work for you, you have to use it forever, which is quite a time/money commitment.

The side effects of minoxidil, the active ingredient, are relatively mild but still a cause for concern. Scalp irritation, itchiness and dryness can become rather annoying after an extended period of time.

Also, unwanted facial hair, although a rare Rogaine side effect, can be quite embarrassing.

The long term side effects, i.e. taking minoxidil on a daily basis for years and years, are unknown.  The way we look at it is....why take the risk if you can find a natural alternative that works just as well?

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more on our prescription drug side effects page

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