Why you are losing your hair: DHT, the androgen receptor, and what actually stops it
Not stress, not your shampoo, not the hard water - in the overwhelming majority of men, one androgen acting on follicles that...
Folliva Labs
Minoxidil 5%
- Extends the growth phase — keeps follicles in anagen longer
- Topical: it works on the scalp, not your hormones
- Every batch tested by an independent lab before it ships
- No prescription, no pills
Batch and date on every bottle
Discreet, tracked shipping
Formulated & tested in the EU
Support before you order
Documented, or we make it right
We formulate it, we blend it in the EU, and an independent laboratory tests every batch before it ships. Questions before you start? Write to us — we answer first, you buy second.
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What is minoxidil?
A topical solution studied for decades and approved for male-pattern hair loss. We supply it as a labelled 5% solution, blended by us in the EU in small batches, with the batch number and blend date on every bottle.
How it works, honestly
Minoxidil is a potassium-channel opener with a vasodilatory effect, and the honest position is that its exact mechanism in hair is still not fully understood. What it clearly does is extend the anagen — the active growth — phase, so follicles keep producing hair for longer. It does not touch the hormone, the enzyme or the receptor. The signal driving your hair loss continues the whole time. Minoxidil is the accelerator, not the brake.
Why it works for some men and not others
Minoxidil is a prodrug: it does nothing until an enzyme in your scalp, sulfotransferase, converts it into minoxidil sulfate — the active form. Men vary a great deal in how much of that enzyme they have, and that is the honest explanation for why minoxidil transforms one person’s hairline and does nothing at all for the next. There is no way to know which you are except to try it.
How to use it
Six to seven pumps of the spray is about 1 ml — the daily dose. Apply to a dry scalp over the thinning area and let it dry. Most routines are once or twice a day. Consistency matters more than amount.
What to expect
There is often an initial shed in the first weeks as follicles reset their cycle — it looks like failure and usually is not. Give it six months before you judge it, on photographs. And know this up front: some men respond strongly, some barely at all.
Suitability & safety
Minoxidil is approved and well studied, but not side-effect-free. The most common complaints are scalp irritation and flaking — very often the propylene glycol in the vehicle rather than the drug itself — and sometimes unwanted facial hair. If you stop, the growth it was borrowing goes back. Speak to a professional if you are unsure.
Batch & storage
Every bottle is stamped with its batch number, blend date and expiry. Store it cool, dry and out of direct light.
Holds follicles in the growth phase for longer. It does nothing to the cause.
HOW IT WORKS
What minoxidil does — and what it leaves untouched.
Minoxidil is the most studied topical in hair loss, and also one of the most misunderstood. It does not act on the hormone behind male-pattern loss at all. Here is what it actually does, and — just as important — what it does not.
- 01
It extends the growth phase
Every follicle cycles through growth, rest and shedding. Minoxidil lengthens the growth phase, so follicles keep producing hair for longer instead of switching off early.
- 02
It opens potassium channels and widens blood flow
Minoxidil is a potassium-channel opener with a vasodilatory effect. Beyond that, the honest position is that its exact mechanism in hair is still not fully understood. Anyone who tells you otherwise is guessing.
- 03
It has to be switched on in your scalp
Minoxidil is a prodrug. An enzyme in the scalp, sulfotransferase, converts it into minoxidil sulfate — the form that actually works. How much of that enzyme you have is largely genetic, and it is the reason minoxidil is dramatic for some men and useless for others.
- 04
It does not touch DHT
This is the part that matters. Minoxidil does nothing to the hormone, the enzyme that makes it, or the receptor it binds. The signal shrinking your follicles keeps arriving the entire time. Minoxidil is the accelerator; it is not the brake.
Why it pairs with a blocker
Because minoxidil only pushes growth, it is working against the wind if DHT is still miniaturising your follicles. Pair it with an androgen-receptor blocker and one holds the line while the other pushes growth. On its own, you are growing hair into a headwind.
The initial shed is normal
Many people shed more in the first few weeks as follicles reset their cycle onto minoxidil’s clock. It reads as the product making things worse. It usually settles by month two.
If you stop, it reverses
Minoxidil borrows growth; it does not bank it. Stop applying and the follicles return to the cycle they were on before, usually within a few months. That is not a flaw — it is what a growth stimulant is.
THE ROUTINE
Sixty seconds, once or twice a day.
Minoxidil comes as a spray pump. The routine is simple; the only thing that matters is doing it consistently.
-
01
Count the pumps
Six to seven pumps of the spray is roughly 1 ml — the usual dose. It is a spray pump, so you can count it; there is nothing to measure.
-
02
Spray onto a dry scalp
Part the hair and apply over the thinning area, onto the skin. A dry scalp absorbs it better than a wet one.
-
03
Let it dry
Spread it gently with a fingertip and let it dry fully. Wash your hands after. Nothing to rinse out.
-
04
Once or twice a day, every day
Twice daily is the studied dose; once a day still helps. Whatever you choose, keep it constant, and photograph the same spot monthly in the same light.
An approved topical for male-pattern hair loss. Batch number, blend date and expiry are printed on the bottle.
WHAT TO EXPECT
It gets worse before it gets better. Briefly.
Minoxidil moves on the hair cycle’s clock, not yours. The early weeks can be discouraging. Here is the honest sequence.
-
WEEKS 0–4
Baseline, and often a shed
Take your photographs now. Many people shed more at first as follicles reset onto minoxidil’s cycle. It looks like the wrong direction. It usually is not.
-
MONTHS 1–2
The shed settles
Shedding slows and the routine becomes automatic. Nothing visible yet — this stage is about not quitting.
-
MONTHS 3–4
First new growth
Fine, soft hairs where you were thinning. Whether they appear at all depends partly on how well your scalp converts minoxidil — which you only learn by getting here.
-
MONTHS 6+
An honest verdict
Six months is the earliest fair judgement. Compare photographs, not memory. If there is nothing by month twelve, you may simply be a low responder.
MECHANISM COMPARISON
The options, side by side.
The common ways men treat male-pattern hair loss, compared on mechanism, side effects, evidence and cost.
| Feature | RU-58841Topical antiandrogen | CB-03-01Clascoterone, topical antiandrogen | PyrilutamideKX-826, topical antiandrogen | MinoxidilTopical growth stimulant | Oral finasterideSystemic DHT blocker | Ketoconazole shampooTopical antifungal | GHK-CuCopper peptide, scalp support | Natural topicalsCaffeine, rosemary, saw palmetto | Doing nothingBaseline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanism | |||||||||
| What it acts on | The androgen receptor | The androgen receptor | The androgen receptor | Potassium channels, blood flow | 5-alpha-reductase. Lowers DHT | Fungus. Mildly, the receptor | The scalp skin itself. Not the hormone | Several weak effects. None well mapped | |
| Where it acts | Scalp | Scalp. Broken down there by design, but measurable amounts still reach the blood | Scalp, by design | Scalp. Some absorption | Whole body | Scalp | Scalp | Scalp | |
| Side effects | |||||||||
| No systemic or sexual side effects | PartlyDesigned to break down before it reaches the blood. No human data proves that it does. | PartlyBuilt to break down in the skin, but blood levels measured for their scalp solution are similar to the acne cream's, so a smaller treated area is not a safety argument. In the acne studies 3 of 42 had brief adrenal suppression that cleared after stopping. | PartlyBuilt to act locally. In the trials, safety was no different from placebo. The data is still thin. | YesNot a hormonal drug. Rare heart-rate effects at high doses. | NoLower libido and erectile problems in a minority of men. Most recover after stopping. Some report that they did not. | YesTopical, barely absorbed | YesA topical peptide. It does nothing to hormones, for better or worse. | YesNothing here reaches your bloodstream in any amount that matters | Yes |
| No scalp irritation | PartlyThe alcohol carrier can dry or sting. That is the vehicle, not the compound. | PartlyIn the hair trials local reactions matched the placebo liquid, but the placebo was the same carrier without the drug. The carrier is glycol-heavy and can dry the skin. | PartlyUsually mild, but it does not suit everyone | NoItching and flaking are common. Mostly the propylene glycol. | YesIt never touches your scalp | PartlyCan dry the scalp with regular use | YesGenerally well tolerated on skin. Patch-test anyway. | YesIn the rosemary trial, less itching than minoxidil. | Yes |
| What it does | |||||||||
| Blocks DHT | YesAt the receptor. A non-steroidal molecule. | YesAt the receptor. Same target, a steroidal molecule. | YesAt the receptor. Same target, non-steroidal like RU-58841. | NoIt grows hair by a different route entirely | YesLowers DHT at the source | PartlyA weak antiandrogen at best | NoNot an antiandrogen. It does nothing to DHT. | PartlySaw palmetto is a weak 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor | No |
| An antiandrogen you apply, not swallow | Yes | Yes | Yes | NoTopical, but not an antiandrogen | NoAn antiandrogen, but a tablet | PartlyTopical, weakly antiandrogenic | NoTopical, but not an antiandrogen at all | PartlyTopical. Weakly, and only through saw palmetto. | |
| Stimulates new growth on its own | NoIt takes the brake off. It adds nothing. | NoIt takes the brake off. It adds nothing of its own. | NoSame route. It removes suppression. | YesThis is the one thing it is for | NoSame idea: it removes suppression | No | NoIt looks after the scalp. It does not push growth. | PartlyA little, in small trials. Nothing like minoxidil. | |
| Also works on the scalp itself | No | No | No | No | No | YesClears the flaking and inflammation. The only antifungal here. | YesThis is the whole job of it: the condition of the skin your follicles grow from | PartlySome anti-inflammatory effect. It is not an antifungal. | |
| Evidence and approval | |||||||||
| An approved medicine for hair loss | NoA research compound. No approved human use, anywhere. | NoThe same molecule has been an approved 1% acne cream in the US since 2020, but nothing containing it is approved for hair loss anywhere. Another company is expected to file in 2027. | NoA research compound. No approved use, anywhere. The manufacturer is heading for a filing in China. | YesApproved for male-pattern hair loss | YesApproved, on prescription | PartlyApproved as an antifungal, not for hair loss | NoA peptide sold in cosmetics. No medicine containing it is approved anywhere. | NoCosmetics. Nobody has taken them through approval. | |
| Human evidence behind it | NoNo completed human trials. None. | YesTwo Phase 3 studies, 1,465 men, twelve months. Run by the company taking it through approval, on their formulation, not ours. | PartlyPhase 3 trial data at 0.5% and 1.0%, which puts it ahead of most topicals. The results are the manufacturer's and are not yet published. | YesDecades of randomised trials | YesDecades of randomised trials, and the longest evidence base of anything on this table | PartlyA handful of small studies | PartlyReal human data, but in skin and wound healing. What exists for hair is thin. | PartlyOne small trial matched rosemary oil to 2% minoxidil. Caffeine has a few. That is all of it. | |
| Available without a prescription | YesOnly because there is no approved use to prescribe | YesNo approved hair-loss version to prescribe. The acne cream made from the same molecule is prescription only. | YesSame reason again. There is no approved version to prescribe, anywhere. | YesOver the counter | NoPrescription only. A doctor has to agree. | Partly1% over the counter. 2% is usually a prescription. | YesNo approved medicine here to prescribe | YesAny shop, any time | |
| Living with it | |||||||||
| If you stop | Loss resumes | Loss resumes | Loss resumes | Shedding within weeks | Loss resumes | The flaking comes back | The scalp goes back to how it was | Back to baseline | |
| Daily effort | Once a day | Twice a day | Once a day | Once or twice a day | One tablet | Two or three times a week | Once a day | Daily, or every wash | None |
| Cost per month, roughly | €40–50 | €145 at 2.5%, €230 at 5% | €60–90 | €20–60 | €10–20 | €5–10 | €90 | €10–25 | €0 |
A comparison of mechanisms, not medical advice. Minoxidil and finasteride are approved medicines with decades of randomised trials behind them, and finasteride has the longest evidence base of anything here. RU-58841, CB-03-01 and pyrilutamide are research compounds: none of them is an approved hair-loss medicine today. The Phase 3 figures quoted for clascoterone come from the formulation another company is taking through approval, not from ours, and no cortisol data from those hair trials has been published. The pyrilutamide trial results come from the manufacturer and are not yet published. GHK-Cu is a copper peptide included here as scalp support, not as a regrowth treatment. The natural column covers topical caffeine, rosemary oil and saw palmetto, where the human data is real but thin. Prices are rough monthly estimates and vary by dose, bottle size and brand, and each assumes the routine on that product's own page. Speak to a doctor before you start or stop anything.
What else the lab makes.
RU58841 Topical Solution
4.9 (88)·5/8% · 30/50/100 ml
Occupies the androgen receptor so DHT cannot deliver its signal to the follicle.
This is the cause, not the symptom. On its own it will not push a dormant follicle back into growth.
From €39,99
View
Pyrilutamide 0.5% (KX-826)
4.6 (16)·0.5% w/v · 30 mL
A newer topical androgen-receptor antagonist. Different molecule, same target as RU-58841.
For people who do not tolerate RU. Run one blocker or the other, not both.
€90,00
Waitlist
CB-03-01 2.5/5% (Clascoterone)
2.5/5% · 50 ml
Blocks the androgen receptor at the follicle, then breaks down in the skin into an inactive form.
The only one here that finished phase 3. Clascoterone sold much cheaper elsewhere is usually weaker than the label says.
From €89,00
Waitlist
Minoxidil 5%
4.6 (25)·5% · 60 mL
Extends the growth phase so follicles stay active longer. It does nothing to the hormone driving the loss.
Pairs with a blocker, never replaces one. Stop it and the growth it borrowed goes back.
€60,00
Waitlist
Ketoconazole Shampoo
An antifungal wash that handles the flaking and irritation sitting underneath a lot of shedding.
Two or three washes a week, alongside a blocker. It is not a blocker itself.
€29,99
Waitlist
GHK-CU Copper Peptide Spray
4.5 (13)·Copper peptide · 30 mL
A copper peptide that works on the condition of the scalp itself. Not an antiandrogen; it does nothing to DHT.
For scalp quality. On its own it will not hold a receding hairline.
€50,00
Waitlist
Natural Hair Regrowth Serum
4.6 (13)·Topical · 50 mL
Caffeine, rosemary and botanical oils. Scalp support, and the mildest thing in the range.
A leg of the routine, not the whole table. It does not block DHT.
€60,00
Waitlist
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
We won’t tell you it will work for you. We’ll tell you exactly what minoxidil is.
Minoxidil is approved, studied for decades, and genuinely transformative for some men — and close to useless for others, for reasons largely outside your control. It pushes growth; it does not touch the cause. If that is the tool you want, here it is, blended by us in the EU and lab-tested every batch.
- Every batch is tested by an independent laboratory before it ships.
- Formulated and blended by us in the EU.
- Batch, blend date and expiry printed on every bottle. It degrades with time, so its age matters.
- Plain, unbranded packaging. Nothing on the outside says what is inside.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
Does minoxidil block DHT?
No. This is the most important thing to understand about it. Minoxidil does nothing to DHT, the enzyme that makes it, or the receptor it acts on. It extends the growth phase of your follicles instead. The hormone driving the loss keeps signalling the whole time — which is why minoxidil works best alongside a blocker, not instead of one.
Why does it work for some people and not others?
Minoxidil is a prodrug: an enzyme in your scalp called sulfotransferase has to convert it into its active form. How much of that enzyme you have is mostly genetic, and it is the honest reason minoxidil is dramatic for one person and does nothing for the next. The only way to find out which you are is to try it for six months.
How do I use it?
Six to seven pumps of the spray is about 1 ml — the daily dose. Apply to a dry scalp over the thinning area, once or twice a day, and let it dry. It is a spray pump, so you count it; there is nothing to measure.
Why is my shedding worse at first?
Early shedding is common as follicles reset their cycle. It looks like the product failing; it is usually the opposite, and it settles by around month two.
Are there side effects?
The common ones are scalp irritation and flaking — often the propylene glycol in the carrier rather than the minoxidil itself — and sometimes unwanted facial hair. It is not a hormonal drug, so it does not carry the systemic sexual side effects associated with oral DHT blockers.
What happens if I stop?
The growth minoxidil was maintaining is not banked. Within a few months of stopping, follicles return to the cycle they were on before. A growth stimulant holds its ground only while you use it.
How do I know it is genuine?
We blend it in the EU and an independent laboratory tests every batch before it ships. Every bottle carries its batch number, blend date and expiry.
Shipping and returns?
Shipped from the EU, usually 2–5 working days, in plain unbranded packaging. Unopened bottles can be returned within 14 days.
Science articles
Read before you start.
What the research actually says about hair loss, DHT, and the compounds people reach for.
