The Inexpensive Drug that Dermatologists Say Can Restore Hair
In a recent New York Times article, dermatologists reveal a common, inexpensive drug that just might be the most effective hair restoration treatment on the market.
As reported by The Times, there's a treatment that costs pennies a day that dermatologists say has restored hair in many of their patients. The drug, called minoxidil, is a well-known hair-loss treatment drug that is in a slew of topical products from sprays and creams to styling products and shampoos. But according to dermatologists, there's a better way to get the benefits of minoxidil: a low-dose pill.
The low-dose pill is an off-label use of the drug, which means that it is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration, which might be why many doctors and patients are unaware of the efficacy of this off-label use.
"I call us the off-label bandits—a title I am proud to bear," Dr. Adam Friedman told The New York Times. Dr. Friedman also explained that dermatologists have been trained to understand how medicines work, which is why they're able to try drugs off-label. The great thing about doing this with dermatology is that the results are usually visual, so doctors can get a sense of whether or not the treatment is helping.
Dr. Robert Swerlick, professor and chair of the dermatology department at Emory University School of Medicine, agrees with Dr. Friedman. "I tell people most things we do are off-label because there is nothing on-label," he told The Times. When it comes to treating things like pigmentation, itching, or skin inflammation, the standard treatments also happen to be off-label.
Minoxidil was discovered as a treatment for hair loss quite accidentally, according to The Times. Minoxidil pills were being used to treat high blood pressure, but patients noticed that it promoted hair growth all over their bodies, and that's how Rogaine was eventually developed.
According to dermatologists, a foam or lotion application of minoxidil is not effective for some patients for various reasons, and a lot of women stop using it because they don't like the way it makes their hair sticky.
The low-dose use of minoxidil was first reported in 2015 by Dr. Rodney Sinclair when he claimed that it helped 100 successive women regrow hair. His results were published in 2017, and he now claims to have treated more than 10,000 patients using this off-label method.
"It is just starting to see a surge in popularity," Dr. Crystal Agug told The New York Times. "More and more and conferences, we are sharing our success stories...I've seen miracles happen."