Minoxidil, taken by mouth
A tablet that widens blood vessels. In hair follicles it is understood to lengthen the growing phase.
Minoxidil tablets are approved to treat severe high blood pressure, not hair loss. Prescribing them for hair loss is off-label. A provider may do that, and should tell you why.
Boxed warning. Minoxidil tablets carry an FDA boxed warning. Fluid can collect around the heart and, in some cases, compress it (pericardial effusion progressing to tamponade). Chest pain from angina can get worse. The tablets can cause salt and water retention that leads to heart failure. In the approved use they are given under close supervision, usually alongside a medicine to slow the heart and a diuretic.
Not for
- Anyone with a pheochromocytoma.
- Anyone who has had an allergic reaction to minoxidil.
Common effects
- Hair growth in places you did not intend, most often on the face, arms and back. This is the most frequently reported effect at hair-loss doses.
- Fluid retention, which usually shows first as puffy ankles or a quick gain in weight.
- A faster heartbeat, lightheadedness, or headache.
Serious effects
- Fluid around the heart, which can become an emergency.
- Worsening angina.
- Heart failure from salt and water retention.
Get medical help if
- Shortness of breath, especially lying down.
- Chest pain, or a heartbeat that stays fast.
- Swelling of the hands, feet or face, or a weight gain of more than 2 kg (about 5 lb) in a few days.
- Fainting or near-fainting.
Tell your provider
- Any heart, kidney or blood-pressure condition, and every blood-pressure medicine you take.
Sources
- Minoxidil tablets USP, FDA prescribing information, boxed warning. US Food and Drug Administration. FDA-approved labeling, DailyMed
- Randolph M, Tosti A. Oral minoxidil treatment for hair loss: a review of efficacy and safety. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. J Am Acad Dermatol 2021;84(3):737-746
- Randolph M, Tosti A. Oral minoxidil treatment for hair loss: a review of efficacy and safety. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. J Am Acad Dermatol 2021;84(3):737-746