Minoxidil is the only over the counter product not requiring a prescription that the FDA in the US and Health Canada have approved for hair loss in both men and women. Does shaving hurt minoxidil or does it not matter?
ROGAINE is the most well-known hair loss product with Minoxodil and it was approved for this purpose back in 1988 for men. ROGAINE added a women’s version in 1991. The product is available in both 2% and 5% formulas in both liquid and foam versions.
There are now a number of other products containing Minoxodil for sale, also to promote hair growth. On top of that there are even more hair growth products that utilize other formulations available.
The question that often gets asked is does shaving hurt Minoxidil success or can I continue to cut or shave my hair while using it? Given that Minoxidil is a topical product that gets rubbed into the scalp, does it ideally require hair present to absorb it into the scalp and hair follicle?
Also, since Minoxidil has to be used on an ongoing basis to assist hair growth, do I need to adjust my hair style or shaving pattern as a result?
ROGAINE And Shaving Your Head
I decided to contact ROGAINE’s manufacturer Johnson & Johnson to get an answer to this question: Does shaving hurt the effectiveness of Minoxidil or can I continue shaving as usual. This is what their Consumer Care Topical department said in response:
…studies have shown that the absorption of ROGAINE® does differ when your head is shaven. This may be due to the unavailability of hair shafts. This could potentially effect the results you see with ROGAINE®. We would therefore recommend not shaving your head when using ROGAINE®.
-Johnson & Johnson Consumer Care Topical department
So if you’re planning on using ROGAINE for hair growth, they recommend not shaving your head while using it. Which means not shaving your head as long as you’re using ROGAINE which as mentioned above, is a product that needs to be used continuously to be affective.
This is right from the manufacturer, too. So don’t waste your money and use the product incorrectly or you might find you don’t get the results you could otherwise have received.
Other Hair Growth Products
Since ROGAINE isn’t the only game in town, I decided to contact several other hair growth companies and ask their advice on the same subject. Here is what I received in return.
The Intensive Spray is for scalp use only and can be used with a shaved head, but I recommend ensuring the shave has no open wounds to ensure no irritated occurs.
-BONDI BOOST Customer Support Team regarding their Intensive Spray hair growth product.
BONDI BOOST’s product contains Peppermint, Tea Tree Oil and Vitamin B5 and refers to the product as one that “…clears blocked scalp pores for a clearer growth path.” So their advice is slightly different in that their product can be used on a shaved scalp but you should watch out for cuts to avoid skin irritation.
Does Minoxidil Assist Facial Hair Growth?
Since this is another common question asked of Minoxidil – can it also be used on the face for beard hair growth – I decided to ask the ROGAINE Consumer Care group that question too. They responded with the following:
Our products are not intended and tested for facial hair growth. We recommend contacting your dermatologist first to know the best product to use.
-Johnson & Johnson Consumer Care department
So while many men do use ROGAINE for beard hair growth, the product has not been tested nor approved for this purpose. So use it for beard hair growth at your peril. Johnson & Johnson also recommended contacting a dermatologist to discuss your personal situation.
Conclusion
- Does shaving hurt Minoxidil effectiveness? Yes, it appears that it can negatively impact the results if you have no hair shafts for the liquid to attach and be absorbed by.
- ROGAINE’s manufacturer Johnson & Johnson suggests not shaving your head while using the product for hair growth as the lack of hair strands may hurt product success.
- ROGAINE is only approved for usage on the scalp, not for beard growth.
- BONDI BOOST is another hair growth product but they do not specifically recommend not shaving your head while utilizing it.
- Check with a dermatologist or family doctor before embarking on any specific hair growth regimen to ensure you get the correct diagnosis and aren’t wasting your money.
Have you used ROGAINE or another hair loss product for hair growth and if so, what was your experience with it? Let us know in the comments below.