Facial hair enhancement with minoxidil—an off-label use

Abstract

Minoxidil was first introduced in the 1970s as an anti-hypertensive medication. Hypertrichosis and scalp hair regrowth were noted by users, and the topical formulation of minoxidil was later approved by the Food and Drug Administration for androgenic alopecia and female pattern hair loss. Since then, minoxidil has been used off-label for various hair loss conditions and cosmetic outcomes. There are a multitude of informal reports on online communities presenting personal anecdotes regarding minoxidil’s effectiveness as a facial hair enhancement tool; however, this has been seldom discussed in the literature. In this report, we will present a case of identical twin males, one of which used topical 5% minoxidil for over a year on the beard and mustache area, while the other abstained from using the medication.