What is Rogaine Foam?

Minoxidil, well known as a topical hair loss medication, is the world’s first hair loss treatment approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the name “Rogaine” in 1988. Rogaine ranks first in sales in the global hair loss treatment market.

Meghan Marschall, vice president of Johnson & Johnson (J&J), which launched Rogaine Foam, explained, “The key to treating hair loss is consistent use. The foam formulation is more suitable for consumers’ lifestyles,” adding that it is a product that can be used consistently on a daily basis.

The Benefits of Rogaine Foam

The foam formulation has the advantage of being easy to apply as it does not flow any more than the existing liquid type, and is absorbed and dries quickly. In addition, the pleasant scent further enhances ease of use.

The popularity of Rogaine Foam was not just due to its convenience. The formulation was improved to a foam type and a patented technology was applied to encapsulate minoxidil into lipid vesicles. By increasing the selective absorption rate of minoxidil into hair follicles by 5 times, the hair loss treatment effect is strengthened and side effects are reduced.

How Rogaine Foam Works

A hair follicle is an organ in the body that produces hair. Hair goes through a growth cycle of growth, degeneration, and resting stages within the hair follicle, growing and falling out repeatedly. In order for new hair to grow, it is necessary for the hair to have a sufficient growth period.

Minoxidil, the active ingredient in Rogaine foam, is absorbed into hair follicles and extends the growth period of hair through various mechanisms, shortens the resting period, helps hair regeneration, and alleviates hair loss symptoms.

Clinical Results

As a result of a clinical trial conducted on male and female hair loss patients, a significant increase in hair count was found after using Rogaine Foam compared to placebo. A 4.5-fold hair regeneration effect was observed in male patients at 16 weeks, and a 3-fold increase in hair regeneration was observed at 24 weeks in female patients.

Rogaine Foam can also be used with oral hair loss treatments. Clinical results showed that when oral finasteride was combined with topical minoxidil 5% medication such as Rogaine Foam, the hair loss treatment effect was 13.7% higher than in patients who took finasteride alone.

Recommendations

Based on clinical effectiveness, the European Dermatological Forum guidelines recommend minoxidil in foam form as a first-line treatment for both male and female androgenetic alopecia patients.

The guidelines explain that minoxidil foam formulation is effective in preventing and improving hair loss in the frontal and crown areas when used according to the appropriate dosage and dosage.

Using Rogaine Foam

Rogaine Foam is used by applying it to hair loss problem areas twice a day in the morning and evening for men and once a day in the evening for women. According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety approval, use is recommended for at least 2 to 4 months for men and 3 to 6 months for women.