This cutting edge hair loss treatment is a repurposed drug from the 1990s

A hair loss drug that first gained popularity in the 1990s is seeing a resurgence of interest

WASHINGTON — The latest trend in treating hair loss may sound familiar — essentially, it's a repurposed drug first popularized in the 1990s.

Back then, TV viewers were inundated with ads for Rogaine, a sticky topical solution that could help treat thinning hair when applied to the scalp.

Now dermatologists are increasingly prescribing the drug, known generically as minoxidil, in low-dose pills to help men and women maintain or regrow hair.

The practice follows a handful of recent studies suggesting the ingredient works as well — and possibly better — when swallowed, rather than applied to hair follicles on the head. Telehealth companies are also driving new demand by offering a quick, easy way to get a prescription and have the pills shipped directly to customers' doors.

Here’s a look at the drug:

Minoxidil was originally developed as a pill to treat high blood pressure in the 1970s. Researchers noticed that some patients taking it experienced increased hair growth as a side effect.

Rogaine was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1988, the first drug to win the agency’s endorsement for male pattern baldness. Studies showed that men on the medication, which was applied directly to the scalp, had a slower rate of hair loss and, in some cases, regrew hair.

Starting in 1991, a lower dose was approved for women and the brand was aggressively marketed as an over-the-counter medication on TV and in print.

The drug’s ability to slow hair loss is likely related to its effect on blood circulation, according to experts.

“By increasing blood flow to the scalp it signals hairs to stay in their grow phase for longer,” said Dr.