Medically reviewed by: 
In an ever-expanding minoxidil market, two brands remain among the most popular: Lipogaine and Rogaine. Both offer well-known and well-tested products, but their active ingredients (other than minoxidil) and application methods differ.
In this article, we compare Lipogaine vs Rogaine’s hair growth products for men and women and let our medical advisory team weigh in, as well.
Continue reading to find out:
● The difference between Lipogaine and Rogaine
● How they compare for men vs women
● The science (and potential side effects) behind each
● Which brand ultimately offers the best minoxidil
Does Minoxidil work for men’s hair loss?
Minoxidil is one of the only hair loss treatments that has been clinically proven to regrow hair. In a study of minoxidil for men with androgenetic alopecia, 40% of men treated with minoxidil experienced significant hair growth after four months.
Another study found that minoxidil effectively treated both men and women with alopecia areata, an autoimmune condition that causes patchy hair loss. In this study, 83% of participants treated with minoxidil experienced some hair growth after 16 weeks.
Minoxidil is available over the counter in 2% to 5% solutions. The 5% solution is more effective but can also cause more side effects like itchiness and flaking.
Does Minoxidil work for women, too?
Minoxidil works for women’s hair loss by widening blood vessels and stimulating hair follicles. In fact, minoxidil is the only FDA-approved hair loss treatment for women. In one study, 55% of women in the treatment group reported new hair growth after using 2% Minoxidil daily for 32 weeks.
If you are looking for the stronger 5% Minoxidil strength, you should be very wary of and diligent in researching the ingredients. You can use a men’s minoxidil product as long as it does not contain any other components that should only be used in men or not in women of childbearing age. You should consult a doctor before using a 5% solution minoxidil, as it could be considered off-label (depending on the application type).
Minoxidil vs Finasteride: What’s the difference?
Both finasteride and minoxidil are used to treat male pattern baldness and can be taken orally or applied topically, but they work differently. The most significant difference is that finasteride is not approved for use in women.
Minoxidil
- Increases blood flow and nutrients to the hair follicles, which helps to stimulate hair growth.
- Available over the counter
- Safe for most men and women, but can cause side effects like scalp irritation and hair growth on other body parts.
Finasteride
- Can reverse the natural balding process
- Blocks the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone that causes hair loss. This allows hair to regrow from previously dormant follicles and prevents further hair loss.
- Requires a doctor’s prescription
- Safe for most men but can cause serious side effects like decreased libido and erectile dysfunction.
- Should NOT be used by women, as it may be teratogenic.
Curious if finasteride is right for you? Consult your doctor to make sure, and check out this comprehensive guide comparing the best hair loss subscriptions online to find the best deal on finasteride.
Lipogaine vs Rogaine: Which offers the best over-the-counter minoxidil?
When choosing an over-the-counter minoxidil, there are a few aspects to consider. Let’s take a closer look at the two leading brands’ products before getting into the details:
Lipogaine vs Rogaine: Which Minoxidil is Best? | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price per month | $25 to $34.95 | $28.99 |
| Hair loss products for both men & women? | ✅ | ✅ |
| Minoxidil concentation | 5% for men
2% and 3% for women | 5% for men
2% and 5% for women |
| Minoxidil application type | Solution | Solution & Foam |
| Subscription plans available? | ✅ | ✅ |
| Average time to results | 2 - 4 months | 2 - 4 months |
| Free samples? | ✅ | ❌ |
| Free delivery? | 🟡 if order is $35+ & within US
if under $35: - $4.95 US shipping - $12.95 shipping outside US | ✅ |
| Money back guarantee? | 90-day | 120-day |
| Other hair loss products | ✅
Shampoo and conditioner Eyelash and eyebrow enhancing serum Hair fiber and roller | ❌ |
| Website |
Minoxidil was initially approved in the 1970s as a treatment for high blood pressure. An unanticipated side effect was hair growth, and the drug was eventually approved for sale as “Rogaine” by the FDA in 1988.
While Rogaine has made a name for itself in the hair loss market, Lipogaine has distinguished itself through partnerships, the development of new products, and research on improving minoxidil’s effects.
Rogaine or Lipogaine, Which is better for men?
Lipogaine vs Rogaine: Which is best for MEN? | ||
|---|---|---|
| Product | Lipogaine for Men | Men's Rogaine Extra Strength 5% Minoxidil Topical Solution |
| Price | $30.00 ($15/oz) | $33.16 ($16.58/oz) |
| Quantity | 60 mL / 2oz | 60 mL / 2oz |
| Minoxidil strength | 5% | 5% |
| Application type | Solution | Solution |
| Other active ingredients | - Biotinyl-tripeptide - Niacin - Apple polyphenol - Azetinol - Saw palmetto extract - Beta-sitosterol - Oleic acid - Linolenic acid | ❌ |
| What type of hair loss is it best for? | - Frontal receding hairline - Vertex hair loss | - Vertex hair loss only |
| Website |
Review of Rogaine Extra Strength Minoxidil for Men
Rogaine reduces the effects of male pattern baldness by stimulating new growth in pigmented, terminal hairs and minimizing the extent of future hair loss. However, Rogaine specifically states that their Extra Strength Minoxidil is only intended for top-of-the-head (vertex) hair regrowth and not for frontal baldness or receding hairlines.
Rogaine recommends applying one mL with a dropper directly onto the scalp in the hair loss area twice a day. Regular use is required to improve and maintain your hair regeneration, or hair loss will resume.
Lipogaine minoxidil for men review
When it comes to effective ingredients, Lipogaine takes it a step further than Rogaine. Lipogaine for men features added penetration enhancers and their proprietary herb blend of DHT blockers. The blend contains azetinol, saw palmetto extract, beta-sitosterol, oleic acid, and linolenic acid.
The addition of a DHT blocker blend is what Lipogaine touts as its advantage over Rogaine, and rightfully so. DHT is a hormone that causes hair loss by interfering with the hair’s growth cycle, shrinking and shortening it, and making it easier to fall out. DHT is produced when testosterone is reduced by the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase.
Saw Palmetto, one of the components in Lipogaine’s men’s topical solution, prevents this enzyme from converting testosterone into DHT. Saw Palmetto has also been demonstrated to raise total hair count by 27% and increase hair density in 83.3% of patients. Moreover, oleic acid may help increase skin permeability, hence the efficiency of topical hair loss treatments blocking the 5-reductase enzyme.
Lipogaine is also intended for frontal and vertex hair loss because of these added ingredients.
To summarize, Lipogaine’s minoxidil:
- Stimulates hair growth
- Reduces DHT levels
- Provides follicle nutrients with ingredients like niacin and apple polyphenol
Lipogaine also recommends using the product twice a day, once in the morning and the other in the evening.
Rogaine or Lipogaine, Which is best for Women?
Lipogaine vs Rogaine: Wht's the Best Minoxidil for Women? | ||
|---|---|---|
| Product | Lipogaine for Women | Women's Rogaine 2% Minoxidil Topical Solution |
| Price | $25 ($12.50/oz) | $28.78 ($14.39/oz) |
| Quantity | 60 mL / 2oz | 60 mL / 2oz |
| Minoxidil strength | 2% | 2% |
| Application type | Solution | Solution |
| Other active ingredients | - Saw palmetto - Beta-sitosterol - Biotin - Biotinyl-tripeptide - Polyphenol - Niacin - Vitamin B6 and B12 - Phosphotidylcholine | ❌ |
| What type of hair loss is it best for? | - General thinning of hair on top of the scalp | - General thinning of hair on top of the scalp |
| Website |
Review of Rogaine 2% Minoxidil for Women
Many women experience female pattern hair loss at some point in their life. It can begin after puberty, although women usually notice it around menopause when hair loss often accelerates. The risk increases with age, and it is more significant in women with a family history of hair loss.
Men’s Rogaine was marketed in a 5% minoxidil concentration for some time, but Rogaine’s women’s formula wasn’t FDA-approved until recently.
The regular product for women is Rogaine 2% Minoxidil Topical Solution. While most medical research on the effects of minoxidil has been conducted on male patients, some studies have been conducted on the efficacy of minoxidil in women. For example, after 32 weeks of treatment, the number of hairs in the 2% minoxidil group of women increased by an average of 23 hairs compared to an average of 11 hairs in the placebo group.
Lipogaine 2% minoxidil for women review
Lipogaine’s women’s minoxidil includes penetration enhancers and DHT blockers, similar to their men’s products. Because DHT is derived from male androgen testosterone, women naturally have lower testosterone levels. It would be unwise, however, to leave it out of the equation because this hormone still causes hair loss in 30 million women compared to 50 million men in the United States.
Lipogaine’s response is to include DHT blockers in women’s minoxidil formulas, such as saw palmetto and botanically derived beta-sitosterol, which has proven effective treatments for androgenic alopecia.
Furthermore, Lipogaine’s 2% Minoxidil for Women contains biotin, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12, all of which aid in hair cell and hair growth by boosting healthy hair follicles through the creation of oxygen-rich red blood cells.
Lipogaine for women also takes a holistic approach by employing a proprietary liposome delivery system. Liposomes are tiny vesicles with an aqueous inner layer wrapped by a lipid membrane on the outside. This lets the solution interacts more easily with the skin, boosting absorption and extending the half-life of active ingredients, so they don’t just sit there, leaving a sad film on your skin.
Lipogaine or Rogaine, Which is best for sensitive scalps?
Lipogaine offers a specific sensitive scalp formulation of minoxidil for both men and women, while Rogaine offers a foam version of their extra strength solution for men and women. The difference between these and the normal formulations is that they are propylene glycol free.
Propylene glycol is used in most over-the-counter minoxidil products because it can help dissolve the active ingredients and boost their uptake from the tissues. This, however, can cause scalp irritation or allergic reactions such as redness, burning, itching, and peeling in some people.
Another negative side-effect of propylene glycol is the chemical’s humectant (water-attracting) properties. It can absorb and retain water from the surrounding air, skin, or hair, so some people’s hair may become more dry and brittle when used regularly.
With these three products leaving propylene glycol out, those with more sensitive reactions to the above can still receive the same benefits of minoxidil without the harsher side effects.
Review of Rogaine for Senstive Scalps
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The liquid version of Rogaine’s minoxidil contains propylene glycol, but both Men’s Rogaine 5% Minoxidil Foam and the women’s formula are free of propylene glycol. In fact, one of the reasons a foam version of minoxidil was developed was to avoid the adverse effects associated with propylene glycol. In short, both forms of minoxidil are effective, with no evidence that one is superior to the other in promoting hair growth – both versions of this drug should have the same outcomes in terms of efficacy.
Keeping this in mind, other factors, such as convenience or the risk of side effects, may make the minoxidil liquid or foam version a better choice for you.
For instance, minoxidil foam users might rate it higher on its ease of application and quick absorption, and absence of dripping. Also, many minoxidil users report that the foam version absorbs into the skin faster than liquid versions, reducing overall oiliness.
Women’s Rogaine Minoxidil Foam has a 5% minoxidil concentration. The absence of propylene glycol, and hence the penetration and absorption effect, could be one rationale for increasing its strength.
While 5% minoxidil for women outperforms 2% topical minoxidil and placebo in terms of change from baseline in hair count, Rogaine recommends using 5% minoxidil just once a day against twice daily use of 2% minoxidil. According to one study, women who used 5% minoxidil once a day had roughly the same hair growth as women who used 2% minoxidil twice daily.
Review of Lipogaine for Sensitive Scalps
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Lipogaine sensitive 5% minoxidil for men remains in the solution form (does not offer foam) but does not contain propylene glycol. The remaining ingredients are the same as in their standard minoxidil product line.
Like foam, liquid solutions have advantages in terms of ease of application, depending on your preferences. Minoxidil in liquid form may be easier to apply to the scalp, especially if you have long hair near the application region, which may collect some of the foam before it reaches your scalp. Similarly, the liquid version comes with a dropper that allows you to quickly and adequately measure the correct amount of minoxidil before applying it to the affected areas of your scalp.
Lipogaine sensitive solution for women contains 3% minoxidil and DHT blockers and nutrients. Compared to Rogaine’s sensitive foam for women, which has 5% minoxidil but is only intended to be used once a day, Lipogaine 3% minoxidil can be used twice a day with at least 8 hours in between.
The Verdict – Which minoxidil is best, Lipogaine or Minoxidil?
When it comes down to it, there’s not that much to choose between Lipogaine and Rogaine in terms of the effectiveness or quality of their product. Minoxidil does work, and it’s the key active ingredient in both of these brands’ hair loss products.
Both companies offer products for men and women, and both provide a sensitive skin formulation. However, Rogaine’s sensitive formulas are available in foam form, while Lipogaine’s sensitive solution is liquid, which (once again) depends on your preference. The foam is easy to apply and doesn’t drip or run, making it less messy, but liquid allows for more precise and uniform application.
The extra ingredients in Lipogaine are likely to be the deciding factor when choosing between these two brands. Lipogaine’s inclusion of DHT blockers in the formulation may make it a more appealing option. Because DHT is a hormone that causes hair loss, limiting its effects can help to prevent further hair loss and encourage new growth.
For women, it’s worth considering that Rogaine offers both a 5% (foam) solution and a 2% solution, giving you a larger range of strength. Lipogaine’s formulas, on the other hand, are only 2 and 3% minoxidil. The higher concentration of minoxidil in Rogaine’s product may provide better benefits, albeit the extra DHT blockers in Lipogaine also give it an advantage.
To summarize, Lipogaine may be more effective for men, whereas Rogaine provides more options for women. However, the best minoxidil brand for you will ultimately come down to personal preference and what works best for your specific hair loss issue. If you’re looking to try for the first time, Lipogaine provides free samples – so it costs you nothing to give it shot.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How much does Lipogaine cost?
Men’s: $34.95 for men ($17.46/oz)
Women’s: $29.95 for women ($14.98/oz)
How much does Rogaine cost?
Men’s rogaine typically costs $44.64 ($7.05/oz), while Women’s roagine runs $42.54 ($10.08/oz). Check current prices on amazon.
What is Minoxidil?
Minoxidil is an over-the-counter hair loss treatment that was initially used to treat high blood pressure. It was discovered as a hair loss treatment when patients taking minoxidil for high blood pressure suddenly noticed new hair growth.
Minoxidil works by widening blood vessels and increasing blood flow to the scalp. This increased blood flow delivers more nutrients to the hair follicles, promoting hair growth.
Minoxidil also shortens your hair growth cycle’s telogen phase. As a result, each hair follicle spends less time resting and more time developing from your scalp to its full length. It also means that if you start using minoxidil, many of your hairs will enter the anagen phase and begin growing early.
How long does it take for Minoxidil to work?
Minoxidil begins working within 4 to 6 months for most indidviudals. That said, the telogen phase lasts about three months, so it can take up to a year to see significant results.
During this, hair doesn’t grow, and with 5% to 10% of them in the telogen phase at any given moment, there may be a slight delay before they effectively switch to active growth. This is why it’s so important to be patient and consistent with your minoxidil treatment!
What are the potential side effects of topical minoxidil?
The most common side effects of minoxidil are itchiness and flaking of the scalp. These are rare and generally go away within a few weeks of stopping treatment.
In rare cases, minoxidil can cause more serious side effects such as chest pain, fainting, or irregular heartbeat. If you experience any of these, stop using minoxidil and consult your doctor immediately.
Methodology
We conduct extensive research to evaluate the pricing, effectiveness, accessibility, overall quality, and user experience of every telehealth service we review. This also includes examining and comparing each provider to comparable telemedicine alternatives. We also evaluate usability, treatments, prescription delivery time, and more to determine the best value for those seeking fast and reliable telehealth services.
| Review Process | Key Metrics | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Sign up online | – ease to complete intake form – affordability – upfront commitment or subscription required? – money back guarantee or refund policy? | 0.5 |
| Vitual consult with provider / determine eligibility | – ease to get appointment to determine eligibility – need to leave house for labs or other in-person care? | 1 |
| Shipping + unboxing | – shipping cost – time from order to treatment delivery – discreet packaging to maintain privacy | 0.5 |
| Test + journal for 1-3 months | – ease of application – transition into habitual use – taste / smell / feel / pain | 1.5 |
| Results after 3 months of use | – efficacy / results – lack of side effects – ease of refill / reordering – quality of ongoing clinical support – responsive customer support – willingness to recommend to a friend | 1.5 |
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