Vasodilator used on the scalp and, at low doses, as a tablet
- Minoxidil 2%, 5% and 10% which is better to use? In a randomized trial in men, 5% topical minoxidil produced more hair growth than 2%, and in one small trial 10% did not beat 5% and caused more irritation. No 10% product is approved in the US, and approved strengths differ by sex, so check the label for your product.
- From hypertension to hair: the unexpected story of minoxidil Minoxidil was developed as an oral blood-pressure drug and approved as Loniten in 1979; unwanted hair growth in patients led to topical Rogaine, approved for men in 1988 and for women in 1991. Trials support topical minoxidil for pattern hair loss, while low-dose oral minoxidil is a prescription drug used off-label and needs medical supervision.
- How does RU58841 compare with minoxidil and finasteride? Minoxidil and finasteride (men only) are approved medicines with labels that list their side effects. RU58841 is an unapproved research chemical with no published human trial for hair loss, and a small 2026 study found it reaches the blood after scalp use.
- What is HMI-115 and how is it different from common treatments like minoxidil? HMI-115 (BAY 1158061) is an investigational monoclonal antibody that blocks the prolactin receptor, not a GnRH antagonist. It is given by injection in trials and is not approved anywhere; minoxidil is an approved topical vasodilator with decades of published data, while HMI-115's hair-loss trial results remain unpublished.
Cosmetic ingredient blend sold for thinning hair
Experimental compound that activates hair-growth signals, tested only in animals