If you’ve read about hair loss remedies and the treatments you’ll likely be prescribed to fight the effects, Minoxidil will be one of the options presented to you. However, there have been studies into whether Minoxidil can also help your beard as much as it does your scalp. Let’s examine the findings of the studies to determine whether it’s a good idea to apply Minoxidil to your facial hair gaps.
Can Minoxidil Be Used on Beards?
Some of the signs of the studies indicate that there is potential for beards to grow well with the help of Minoxidil, but only at the right dosage. A higher dose, like the product we use for our scalp, could make side effects more common when you use the normal Minoxidil formula on your beard.
Topical Minoxidil is designed to increase how much oxygen and blood flow your scalp’s hair follicles receive, thus reversing the miniaturisation of these hair follicles. By the same logic, creating a better micro-environment for hair follicles to thrive may apply to beards, but not enough evidence currently exists to support this claim with certainty.
Therefore, the Minoxidil scalp medication has yet to receive FDA backing to certify that it is safe and effective for facial hair growth. If you have been prescribed Minoxidil, only massage the formula into your scalp, not your facial hair. Speak to a hair loss consultant if you have any queries about this concern so you don’t perform potentially harmful actions.
How to Boost Beard Growth Without Minoxidil
Other facial hair products can help revitalise your beard and the hair follicles under it, like a beard-boosting serum packed full of nutrients to promote better growth. Argan oil is often one of the critical ingredients of a beard booster as it moisturises the area and nourishes it so the hair follicles can work as they should.
As you would with your scalp, you should shampoo your beard, too. The hair follicles under our beards can get dirty, so they must be cleaned routinely. Wash the shampoo into your facial hair, let it sit for a minute, then wash it out for a cleaner look.
It would help if you massaged any patchy areas of your beard regularly to instigate greater blood flow to the regions; hopefully, this will encourage more robust strand growth. Reduce facial irritation as much as possible by not exposing your face to scorching temperatures. Much like your head or the rest of your body, you need to keep the shower temperature cooler so you don’t dry out the skin and aggravate the hair follicles, which can have negative results on the hair that grows.
In summary, you shouldn’t use 5% Minoxidil on your facial hair gaps until the science tells us it’s okay, but beard boosting products may have 3% Minoxidil in them anyway; more studies must be conducted to determine how effective and safe it is, so stick to products designed specifically for beards.