Your hair matters, and the medications you use to protect your hair from falling out — to stop female pattern hair loss — matter, too.
The good news for many women is that, for the most part, we have safe and easy access to FDA-approved medications for what our healthcare providers recommend.
Unfortunately, the bad news is that not every company is the same, and while several companies may produce the same product, they might not all be of the same standard.
Keranique® Hair Regrowth Treatment is a topical minoxidil generic produced at a 2% combination, and like many other companies producing minoxidil, their product is shown to benefit women and men who might be trying to stave off hair loss.
Is Keranique the right form of minoxidil for you? Well, that depends.
Picking the right hair regrowth treatment is about more than clinical studies and active ingredients — it's also about customer service and trust. But let’s start with some background info about Keranique.
According to the National Institutes for Health, Keranique is a 2% concentration topical minoxidil treatment.
It comes in a small canister within a paper box, and that canister allows you to mist or spray the 2% minoxidil hair growth serum over the affected area or areas of hair loss.
Keranique comes in a one-month (or two-ounce) supply. As a brand, Keranique also produces shampoos, conditioners and other products as part of a hair regrowth system.
According to Keranique, their products are clinically proven to treat female pattern baldness by promoting microcirculation, thickening and fortifying your hair and reactivating shrunken hair follicles to increase hair density.
Minoxidil (the generic version of Keranique) is commonly recommended as a topical medication to shorten the telogen phase of the hair growth cycle, which in turn causes the follicle to enter the anagen phase prematurely.
The mechanism of how it works isn’t fully understood, but it’s considered safe and effective, and has been on the market since the 1980s.
It’s sold in two strengths — the 2% you see for Keranique and a higher 5 percent solution that other companies sell.
Neither concentration necessitates a prescription to use — they’re both available over the counter.
And this one works. According to the NIH, Keranique is good at helping to stimulate hair regrowth.
Keranique’s formula can regrow hair and fight hair loss, and the treatment is considered safe and effective when used properly.
Can Keranique really deliver? In order to answer that question, you need merely look at the numbers for minoxidil — and they’re good.
One study conducted on men, for instance, showed that users could achieve up to an 18 percent increase in growth and thickness over a 48-week period, and there’s no evidence to suggest women don’t have similar results.
Minoxidil is largely considered safe and effective for use when used as directed, but there are side effects to look out for, including interactions with hypertension medications that could cause serious blood pressure problems.
Perhaps the bigger worry, however, should be with regards to some consumer data on Keranique’s customer service.
A quick google search would suggest that the company seems to have had some problematic interactions regarding billing practices in the past.
Of course, complaints about questionable billing practices aren’t uncommon for businesses with a recurring pay model, generally.
This is one of the few times when we recommend “doing your own research” to non-medical professionals.
Whether you go with Keranique or another brand, minoxidil is definitely an effective hair loss treatment for women of all ages, with a track record of safety when used properly,
There are more options on the market besides minoxidil, though, and many of these carry their own promising results. Many can be used in tandem with minoxidil.
One such treatment is vitamin and biotin supplements. Vitamins A and D and biotin have been shown in some research to prevent hair loss and encourage hair regrowth.
You can get many of these from our Biotin Gummy Multivitamins, by the way.
For men, finasteride is a safe and effective oral medication for hair loss, but women may experience serious risks of sexual dysfunction, certain cancers and risks for pregnant women to the healthy development of a fetus.
Proper hair care might also be a place where you can make changes — certain shampoo ingredients that might help fight hormones that cause hair loss, as might the natural herbal remedy saw palmetto.
And if you’re not prepared to go the medical route or your hair loss is significant, options like wigs, transplants and extensions may help depending on your circumstances. Typically, these are only recommended after other options have failed.
There are plenty of medications out there espousing their benefits for women experiencing hair loss, and many of them are indeed backed by science.
Minoxidil is one such medication, which has significant clinical data to show that it can be effective.
But minoxidil is not made by one company, and the form of minoxidil that you choose and the provider matter.
The truth is that even a good company providing a reliable medication may not reverse your hair loss.
Still, there are other things you can do for your hair.
Our Female Pattern Hair Loss 101 guide is a great place to learn more about your treatment options and alternatives, and to understand why hair loss for women happens.
Explore treatment options for hair loss today on your own, but tomorrow, talk to a healthcare provider about your concerns so you can get your hair regrowth plan started with the right support.
Whether that leads you to Keranique, Nioxin shampoo, hers, or another brand is up to the experts — it’s your hair, and your choice.
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This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment. Learn more about our editorial standards here.