Allergies and Minoxidil?

Dear Dr. Rassman:

I am a fifty year-old female that has been experiencing hair loss radically over the last year. I have tried minoxidil several times, but can not continue on a regimen due to the
development of red, painful, fluid-filled bumps on my scalp. Are allergies common in the use of minoxidil, and are there any valid natural alternatives (plants/herbs, etc.)?

It does seem that you are allergic to minoxidil. However, you may also be allergic to the non-active (non-minoxidil) ingredient in the solution. You may want to try Rogaine Foam, which is formulated differently with different non-active ingredients, but place it only on one small area to make this an allergy test. Otherwise, there are no valid natural alternatives to treat hair loss that I would recommend.