Posted on 18th Feb 2019
If your new to using hair loss products, selecting the best hair loss product to use can be very overwhelming. There’s so many different minoxidil solutions, theres also Propecia, hair loss shampoos, vitamins & supplements, laser brushes, and others.
So if this is your first time taking hair loss products, which product should you use. Well as of this video there’s actually 3 products that are FDA approved or cleared as hair loss treatments which are minoxidil, finasteride (known as Propecia), and low level laser devices such as laser brushes.
The most popular brand is Rogaine, however, there are numerous cheaper and just as effective minoxidil brands out there such as Kirkland Minoxidil and Member's Mark. There are also brands such as MinoxidilMax and Lipogaine that have custom formulas. Minoxidil is for both men or women, however, they do have different versions for each with the mens being a 5% strength and the womens a 2% strength.
Minoxidil is known as a safe product and side effects are fairly uncommon. The most common side effect would be skin irritation or itchiness in and around the area that minoxidil is applied. Many times the irritation is caused by an allergy to minoxidil or more often to propylene glycol. In the case of being allergic to propylene glycol simply switching to a minoxidil solution without propylene glycol would most likely solve this issue. If the irritation is caused by another reason, it would be advised to stop using the product and the irritation should go away.
Propecia does have side effects as well but most men are mainly concerned of the possible negative sexual side effects it can cause. These possible effects are erectile dysfunction and low sex drive. If you experience these side effects they typically disappear after you stop taking the drug. There is no conclusive evidence that these side effects are permanent or long lasting. To learn about the other possible side effects, please do more research as there are plenty of resources online or with your physician.
We haven’t heard of any side effects from low level laser devices such as brushes and helmets if they are used as directed. Two main concerns that come to our minds are do these laser devices cause skin cancer or burn your skin. The type of lasers in these FDA cleared products do not cause cancer no burn your skin. However, the lasers can negatively effect your eyes if you look directly at them so we do not recommend looking at the lasers when the device is on.
So, which product should you buy if this is your first time buying a hair loss product. Well, it comes down to two products, Minoxidil and Propecia. If you can afford multiple products we would recommend using both product as minoxidil stimulate hair growth while Propecia stops dht which causes hair loss. So if you can take both hair loss products together that would be great.
However, if you can only afford one product, our product of choice as we mentioned earlier would be minoxidil. It is quite a bit cheaper than Propecia especially if you go with a brand like Kirkland Minoxidil. There are ways to get Propecia cheap such as buying generic versions and purchasing online but we would caution you about buying prescription medicine online. They are manufactured overseas so you have to be very careful and do your research that you are purchasing legit medicine from a trustworthy retailer.
Another reason why we recommend minoxidil as the first hair loss product you should try is because its easier to buy compared to Propecia. You don’t need a prescription and you can buy it at a local store or online.
Both products are easy to use and both need continued use otherwise hair loss will reoccur. Take minoxidil as directed and give it at least 4 months to see if it is working for you. If you only go with name brands, Rogaine would be your choice. However, if you are on a budget or don’t care about name brands Kirkland Minoxidil would be ideal and just as effective. If you try the Rogaine or Kirkland, the topical solution version and your scalp gets irritated or really dry, try the foam products or MinoxidilMax products that don’t contain Propylene Glycol as you are most likely allergic to it. MinoxidilMax and Lipogaine are also great brands with custom solutions.
You may see different minoxidil strengths online, however, in the United States the maximum strengths are 5% for men and 2% for women. Its important that you start with those strengths and only increase the strength if the weaker solution no longer is working for you. If you start with the stronger versions right away then you wont have anything stronger to move up to if the weaker strengths stop working.
I hope this information was helpful to you in selecting a product. The important thing is to start taking them sooner than later and especially while you still have hair.