What Is Minoxidil Sulfate Used For?
Minoxidil sulfate is the sulfate salt of the minoxidil base.
It is a medication that is widely used to treat hair loss and promote hair growth.
It is available in a variety of formulations, including topical solutions and foam, and is typically applied to the scalp.
Minoxidil sulfate is a vasodilator, which means that it widens the blood vessels, increasing blood flow to the area where it is applied.
Hair loss is a common condition that can be caused by a variety of factors, including genetics, age, hormonal changes, and certain medications.
Minoxidil sulfate is most commonly used to treat androgenetic alopecia, a type of hair loss that is caused by the effects of androgens (male hormones) on the hair follicles.
In individuals with androgenetic alopecia, the hair follicles are sensitive to the effects of androgens, which can cause the hair to become thin and brittle over time.
Minoxidil sulfate works by increasing blood flow to the hair follicles, which can help to stimulate the growth of new hair and improve the appearance of thinning hair.
It is most effective when used in the early stages of hair loss, and is typically used twice a day, at least 12 hours apart.
It may take several months of consistent use to see results, and the effectiveness of the medication may vary from person to person.
Minoxidil sulfate is generally well-tolerated, but it can cause side effects in some individuals.
The most common side effects are scalp irritation and dryness.
More serious side effects are rare but may include allergic reactions and changes in hair color or texture.
As with any medication, it is important to use minoxidil sulfate as directed by a healthcare provider and to report any adverse effects to a healthcare provider.
Minoxidil Sulfate vs Minoxidil
Minoxidil Sulfate is the sulfate salt of Minoxidil.
It is also the active metabolite that stimulates hair follicles to grow new hair.
Studies are showing that sulfation of minoxidil is a critical step for hair-growth effects of minoxidil and that it is the sulfated metabolite that directly stimulates hair follicles to grow back new hairs.
Minoxidil sulfate can either stop hair loss or trigger mild to moderate hair regrowth.
Someone may ask: which should I choose, the free base or its sulfate salt?
Will the sulfate salt work better than Minoxidil?
The answer is YES.
Yes, minoxidil sulfate works better than Minoxidil, But, there is always a BUT.
#1. More effective
Studies in vitro of Minoxidil Sulphate showed that Minoxidil sulfate was 14 times more effective than Minoxidil.
There were also studies showing that females unresponsive to a 6-month 5% MX solution showed increases in hair growth in 97.7% using a 10% MXS solution once daily during a mean treatment period of 4.09 months.
But topical Minoxidil solutions remain the first-line topical agent for the treatment of male and female Androgenetic alopecia(baldness) unless the patients prove to be unresponsive to Minoxidil.
#2. Better water solubility
Minoxidil Sulfate is more soluble in water than Minoxidil, but it is less stable in an aqueous solution compared with Minoxidil.
That is to say, Minoxidil is more stable than Minoxidil Sulphate, thus Minoxidil products have a longer shelf life.
On the other hand, Minoxidil Sulphate has to be used at higher concentrations (10–15%) and packaged in small volumes.
This is because of Minoxidil Sulphate’s high degradation in solutions.
#3. A little bit more expensive
Last but not least, Minoxidil sulfate costs more than Minoxidil in cost and is less stable!
The price of minoxidil sulfate is 20% higher than that of minoxidil.
One main reason is the production scale.
Minoxidil consumption quantity is way bigger than sulfate salt.
To sum it up, minoxidil sulfate is more expensive but with better water solubilities and hair-growing effects, whichever you choose, just make sure you follow the instructions of professionals.