Minoxidils was the first drug approved by the for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia (hair loss). Before that, minoxidils
had been used as vasodilator drug prescribed as oral tablet to treat high blood pressure, with side effects that included hair
growth and reversal of male baldness. In the 1980s, UpJohn Corporation came out with a topical solution of 2% minoxidils, called
Rogaine, for the specific treatment of androgenetic alopecia. Since the 1990s, numerous generic forms of minoxidils have become
available to treat hair loss while the oral form is still used to treat high blood pressure.
The popularity hair loss treatment is due to the general preference in the overall population for the cosmetic appearance of a
full head of hair. Minoxidils is used to stimulate hair growth in areas of the scalp that have stopped growing hair. As of early
2001, the exact mechanism of action of minoxidils is not known