I'm not one for mess—especially when it comes to my hands. Something about sticky fingers makes me queasy. Finger foods are a nightmare, and certain hand creams give me an instant ick. So when it comes to boosting my hair growth, Rogaine or topical minoxidil—a first-line FDA-approved treatment for hereditary hair loss that increases blood flow to the scalp and stimulates hair growth—was always out of the question. Just the thought of that foam in my hands sends instant shivers down my spine.
But last year, I started hearing buzz about an ingestible therapy for hair growth: oral minoxidil, a pill counterpart to the messy topical. "Oral minoxidil helps grow hair longer and thicker by increasing blood flow to the hair follicle," says board-certified dermatologist Tracy Evans, MD. This, in turn, brings more oxygen, nutrients, and growth factors essential to hair growth to the area. As a result, it shortens the rest phase of the hair cycle and prolongs the active growth phase, explains board-certified dermatologist Ellen Marmur, MD.
