Over-the-counter medication · Vasodilator (Hair Growth)
minoxidil topical
Also sold as Rogaine. This medicine is used to help regrow hair on the scalp.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- OTC
- Availability
minoxidil topical (Rogaine) is an over-the-counter Vasodilator (Hair Growth). This medicine is used to help regrow hair on the scalp.
Minoxidil topical solution (Rogaine) is a medicine that helps regrow hair on your scalp. It belongs to a class of drugs called vasodilators.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
What it does
This medicine is used to help regrow hair on the scalp.
Common side effects
No common side effects listed.
Key warnings
The provided text does not contain any boxed warnings or critical safety information.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from minoxidil topical's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Minoxidil is a vasodilator, but how it regrows hair is not fully known. It may work by widening blood vessels in the scalp. This could improve blood flow to the hair follicles, stimulating hair growth.
Serious Warnings
The provided text does not contain any boxed warnings or critical safety information.
Common Questions
How much solution should I use?
How often should I use this medicine?
Will using more solution make it work faster?
What happens if I stop using it?
Where should I apply the solution?
How should I store this medicine?
Is this medicine only for women?
How long does it take to see results?
What should I do before using this medicine?
What if I don't see any hair regrowth?
What drug class is minoxidil topical?
What pregnancy or breastfeeding source fields are listed for minoxidil topical?
Related Medications in Vasodilator (Hair Growth)
Other drugs grouped near minoxidil topical - same-class peers and common alternatives.
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azelaic acid
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Azelaic acid gel is a topical medicine that helps treat rosacea.
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benzoyl peroxide
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Benzoyl peroxide is a topical medicine that fights germs on your skin.
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betamethasone
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Betamethasone dipropionate cream is a strong steroid medicine used on the skin.
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What the FDA Data Shows for minoxidil topical
The FDA label for minoxidil topical (sold under brand names such as Rogaine) classifies it as an over-the-counter product in the Vasodilator (Hair Growth) class. This medicine is used to help regrow hair on the scalp. Labeling covers dosing, contraindications, and monitoring requirements derived from clinical trials.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. Voluntary reports accumulate over the lifetime of a drug and reflect wide-ranging clinical use. Interaction data is drawn directly from FDA-approved prescribing information. Acquisition-cost data is surveyed weekly by CMS and updated as manufacturers report changes.
Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information are separate source-record fields. This page is a public FDA/CMS registry and does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. This registry does not provide medication decisions.
Last updated: December 4, 2025
PlainMeds is rendered directly from FDA openFDA/FAERS extracts, DailyMed labels, and CMS drug-pricing files, no number is typed in by an editor. FAERS counts, recalls, shortages, and price figures on this page are queried live from those federal extracts. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-05-15. Primary sources: openFDA / FAERS, DailyMed and CMS Part B ASP.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled from the source snapshot dated . See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a data issue.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book - approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed - NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) - post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm - standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files - federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database - current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages