Are there any side effects of using minoxidil?

April 03, 2020 | By Dr. Sangay Bhutia (Hair Transplant Doctor in Delhi, NCR, India)

All medicines have some side effects of their use, these may be mild or significant. the advantages of the scalp hair growth with its use comes with some disadvantages of hair growth in the unwanted areas. Some systemic absorption can also cause hypertrichosis which may be unpleasant especially in female patients. Although this usually reverses but still it can be a matter of concern.

Commonly its use may cause local area irritation and itching which may be uncomfortable. There may be worsening of seborrheic dermatitis. For these patients minoxidil in foam formulation may be better as it does not have propylene glycol which is supposed to be the causing factor for this. It should be avoided in pregnant and breast feeding females as it is category C medicine.