Minoxidil (mi-NOX-i-dil) applied to the scalp is used to stimulate hair growth in adult men and women with a certain type of baldness. The exact way that this medicine works is not known.

If hair growth is going to occur with the use of minoxidil, it usually occurs after the medicine has been used for several months and lasts only as long as the medicine continues to be used. Hair loss will begin again within a few months after minoxidil treatment is stopped.

In the U.S., this medicine is available without a prescription. In Canada, this medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription. It is available in the following dosage form:

Topical
• Topical solution (U.S. and Canada)