Oral Minoxidil and Wrinkles?

I posted an email from a reader a couple days ago regarding topical minoxidil and facial wrinkles, and received some feedback worth posting.

Dr. Damkerng Pathomvanich from Thailand reached out to me to speak of his experience in treating hair loss patients with oral minoxidil. He states:

“There were no complaints in my 22 years of practice regarding wrinkles after taking oral minoxidil low dose. Most common side effects are puffy eyelids and leg swelling. Minoxidil might inhibit collagen synthesis but there is no proof of facial wrinkles.”

The use of oral minoxidil for treating hair loss is more common in Asia, as it is less expensive than the topical. Oral minoxidil was originally used to treat high blood pressure and the growth of hair was a noted side effect of the drug. Topical minoxidil is FDA approved for treating hair loss, but the oral pill is not. I do not recommend oral minoxidil as a hair loss treatment, but just wanted to share another doctor’s experience.