Short Anagen Phase becomes Longer with Minoxidil Treatment
Minoxidil has effects to make hair follicular cells healthy and make anagen phase longer. As the result of longer anagen phase, hair can have time to grow thicker and longer.
As fine and short hair changes into thicker and longer hair, scalp hair looks thicker and fuller. Topically applied minoxidil is helpful in promoting hair regrowth in people with androgenetic alopecia regardless of sex.
As the anagen phase of hair cycle becomes longer, the total length of a hair cycle becomes longer. Accordingly, the average number of fallen hair decreases and the number of thick hair increases. This is the mechanism of the effect of minoxidil on hair regrowth.
Minoxidil was originally developed as a vasodilator and an antihypertensive drug. However, it is considered that hair regrowth effect of minoxidil is not due to the results of vessel dilatation. The effect of minoxidil is considered to be due to rejuvenation of hair follicular cells.
For example, there are many kinds of vasodilators that are used for the clinical treatment of cardiovascular diseases. None of these vasodilators, however, has effect to increase hair thickness. It means that hair doesn’t become thick as the result of dilatation of vessels.
