Is Minoxidil Good For Beard Growth?

Beards and moustaches might be trendy, but not everyone who tries to grow them is totally satisfied with the results.

That is why some consider using Rogaine which is a brand name of minoxidil, to help with beard growth.

Rogaine is a popular and affordable over-the-counter hair regrowth remedy for the scalp. Apart from restoring your hair, Rogaine(Minoxidil) primarily works by helping you keep the hair you still have.

However, it is only been tested and approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of a specific part of your scalp that is called the vertex, which is at the top of your head. And while beard hair just naturally gets scraggly as you age, there are many causes like fungal infections or autoimmune disorders, that can make growing your desired beard problematic.

What is Minoxidil?

Minoxidil, also known as rogaine, is a drug that scientists eventually developed to treat high blood pressure. During its clinical trials, subjects also noticed that it seemed to promote hair growth. Over some time, scientists developed a topical application of minoxidil which is now known as rogaine by the manufacturers.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) initially approved this drug as an over-the-counter formula that contained a 2% solution of minoxidil. A 5% solution is also made available now for tough to treat conditions.

Rogaine is most helpful for people who are dealing with recent hair loss and who are under 40 years of age. New hair growth usually disappears when people stop applying the medication.

How does Minoxidil 

To know how Minoxidil works for a beard we need to first get to know what Minoxidil really is and does to the hair follicles in the scalp and skin. 

Minoxidil is a vasodilator which means that it widens and relaxes the scalp, widens the blood vessels, and provides a better blood flow into the scalp.

Minoxidil makes it easy for blood to reach and spread all over the scalp, with better blood flow in the hair follicles it helps them to rejuvenate and grow at a faster pace. Minoxidil does not stop Hair fall but it helps in hair regrowth. 

Minoxidil may increase your hair fall as the hair follicles Telogen phase will fall which will be the beginning of the Anagen phase where Minoxidil will produce thicker and healthier hair follicles. 

Minoxidil topical solution has worked wonders for people, and our customers have seen great benefits and a huge difference in their hair fall pattern. 

Now that we know this, Minoxidil for your scalp may take up to 3 months to give you a significant result, whereas the blood vessels on your face are already much larger than the ones on your scalp so this makes the process of Minoxidil even simpler. 

People that have used Minoxidil for beard have claimed that it works at a much faster pace and that is because of the vessels in our face that are much more enlarged and they expand even more with Minoxidil solution making the Hair grow at a better speed.

How To Use Minoxidil To Grow A Beard

With the right guidelines, you can grow a beard using minoxidil in 5 simple steps.

Step 1: Use A PH Balanced Cleanser To Cleanse Your Face.

It is really important to use a pH-balanced cleanser to reduce or prevent irritation when applying minoxidil.

Most minoxidil products including Rogaine are consists of skin irritants such as propylene glycol and alcohol. These irritants are what cause some of the unwanted side effects of using beard growth product.

The skin maintains an optimum pH level that reduces any possible irritation from the product by using a pH-balanced cleanser.

Step 2: Apply The Recommended Amount

You must apply the recommended amount (usually 1mL) of the beard growth product to the beard-growing area.

Minoxidil liquid products usually come with a dropper with the recommended amount marked using a meniscus, you must abide by the usage dosage.

You can also use the dropper to apply minoxidil or your fingers to ensure it touches every intended area.

Step 3: Allow The Skin To Absorb The Minoxidil Applied.

It takes quite some time for our skin to absorb a good amount of the minoxidil. Some researchers have suggested that it might take over 4 hours for the skin to absorb adequate amounts of the minoxidil. One thing that came out clearly the research is that the longer the skin absorbs, the better the hair growth results are seen.

Talking about the ideal amount of time, it is anywhere between 1 to 5 hours. Your skin will need to have enough time to absorb at least half of the minoxidil applied in one hour.

A great hack to get the best out of the product is by applying the minoxidil and leaving it overnight.

Step 4: Wash Your Face

You should wash your face not more than 4 hours after application to prevent your face from further drying out. If you applied overnight, you can wash your face immediately after waking up.

Step 5: Moisturize

You should moisturize immediately after washing your face. As we mentioned before, minoxidil has several chemicals such as alcohol which is a skin irritant that can dry out the skin because of the irritation it causes.

You might want to replenish your skin after the damage minoxidil may have done. You should use a high-quality moisturizer with components such as hyaluronic acid which will rejuvenate the skin.

For getting the best beard growth results, you must apply minoxidil twice daily preferably in the morning, and before you go to sleep.

If minoxidil solution causes any irritation when applied twice daily, you can try applying it once every day. You will surely see some satisfactory results from applying minoxidil once daily.

Remember, you should stop applying minoxidil when any irritation persists for more than 3 days. And if there is no meaningful change is seen after 4 weeks of use, you must consult your physician.

Minoxidil beard side effects

Some possible side effects of minoxidil include:

• Redness or irritation of your facial skin scalp irritation
• Hair growing in areas that you did not expect, like further down your neck or back
• new hair colours or textures

Minoxidil can also be irritating if it gets in your eyes so you must rinse them immediately if this happens.

Take Away

Minoxidil is excellent for your beard growth provided you use it as advised.