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Does the oral Rogaine pill for hair loss work? | Health Smart

Oral minoxidil is on the market to treat hair loss, but it is not yet FDA approved. The cream, liquid and shampoo versions have been used for years.

YORK, Pa. — Hair loss is common in both men and women, and now some people are finding success treating it using an old medication in a new way.  

Minoxidil, otherwise known as Rogaine, has been used for some time as a cream, liquid and shampoo to encourage hair growth. It was originally a drug to treat hypertension, and when researchers realized patients were growing hair all over their body, they decided to channel it into a hair loss treatment.  

Debbi Buta, formerly of Dover, has struggled with hair loss for many years. She heard about oral minoxidil for hair loss from an article her husband found in the New York Times and knew she had to give it a try.

"People always say a woman's hair is her crown and glory, and when it looked like mine looked before and I had to have the wigs on all the time, it was just painful for me," Buta said.  

She took pictures of her six month progress and was thrilled with the results. 

"I said to my husband at the risk of sounding vain, my hair looks so good," she said happily.

"I had a lot of patients grow their hair back on this medication so I'm very familiar with it and I really think it works, " said Dr. Ruth Williams.

The dermatologist at WellSpan Health says her patients usually tolerate the medicine well with few side effects, and it is even affordable to purchase.

Buta says it's worth every penny. 

"My daughter, everybody is just like so thrilled and they can't believe the difference," she said.

The FDA has not approved the pill form of minoxidil for hair loss, but Dr. Williams thinks we will see it in the near future.  

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