Topical minoxidil (Rogaine) appears to be effective for enhancing beards and stimulating hair growth in the lower facial region, although few studies have been reported. One trial found a significant improvement in beard growth as assessed by photography, as well as significant improvements in facial hair count after 16 weeks of twice daily topical minoxidil 3%. The participants in the trial also reported noticing that their beard growth had improved. There was no difference noted between the thickness of beard hairs in those who applied minoxidil compared to those who applied a placebo (an inactive) treatment.
Topical minoxidil is FDA-approved for androgenetic alopecia and female pattern hair loss. The use of minoxidil for beard enhancement is considered off-label (this means that using minoxidil, for this reason, has not been approved by the FDA, although it is still a recognized use).
Other off-label uses for minoxidil include:
- Alopecia areata
- Central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia
- Chemotherapy-induced alopecia
- Eyebrow enhancement
- Frontal fibrosing alopecia
- Monilethrix
- Loose anagen hair syndrome
- Telogen effluvium.
What is the dosage of minoxidil for beard enhancement?
The trial that reported a positive result with minoxidil used a topical solution containing 3% minoxidil and asked participants aged 20 to 60 years to apply it twice daily for 16 weeks.
If you stop using minoxidil, you will notice hair loss within 12 to 24 weeks. Minoxidil is a treatment that needs to be applied daily for good long-term results.
Are there any side effects of minoxidil for beard enhancement?
The most common side effect reported is skin irritation. Other common side effects include itching and scaling, and unexpected hair growth in areas where minoxidil was not applied.
Some formulations of minoxidil contain propylene glycol (PG) which is used to enhance the solubility of minoxidil, making it easier to penetrate the hair follicles. However, PG can be irritating and a PG-free minoxidil foam has been developed which allows easy penetration of the minoxidil with less irritation. This formulation also dries quicker and spreads less making it more convenient to use.
Although some internal absorption of minoxidil is seen when it is applied topically to the scalp, the amount is very small (approximately 1.4%). Minoxidil does not bind to plasma proteins or cross the blood–brain barrier and most is excreted via the kidneys within 4 days.
Minoxidil has been used for many years to treat other conditions associated with hair loss from the scalp, such as androgenetic alopecia, with few reported long-term effects.
How does minoxidil work for beard enhancement?
Experts aren’t exactly sure how minoxidil works for hair growth but animal studies have shown that minoxidil shortens the telogen phase of hair growth and caused a rapid shift to the anagen phase.
Human hair has three different phases:
- Anagen phase – this is the active or growing stage of hair growth
- Catagen phase – this is the phase where hair growth stops and the hair root sheath shrinks and becomes rounded as the hair starts to prepare to fall out
- Telogen phase – this is when the hair is shed as a new anagen hair begins to grow under it.
The effectiveness of minoxidil may be dependent on an enzyme called sulfotransferase, rather than levels of minoxidil in the hair follicles. This enzyme converts minoxidil to minoxidil sulfate. People with higher activity of the sulfotransferase enzyme have been shown to experience better results than others. Some research has shown that the activity of sulfotransferase can decrease following 14 days of low aspirin use which may indicate that prior aspirin use may decrease the effectiveness of minoxidil.