Foligain Trioxidil Review: What is it & is it Better Than Minoxidil?

If you’re one of the 80+ million people in the US struggling with hair loss, chances are you’ve experimented with various products hoping that any of them will restore your mane to its previous glory.

Don’t give up hope just yet! You may find a solution in Minoxidil or Trioxidil.

Minoxidil is probably the most popular option for treating thinning or fine hair, but Trioxidil is steadily catching up.

What’s Minoxidil? What’s Trioxidil? How are they different? Which is better?

Today’s Foligain Trioxidil review answers all these questions and more to help you choose what’s best for your case.

What Is Minoxidil?

Minoxidil is a medical compound and the active ingredient in a wide range of products used in treating hair loss.

When scientists first synthesized Minoxidil, it was originally used to treat hypertension as an oral drug. Patients with very high blood pressure still use it today.

However, the form of Minoxidil that addresses hair loss and related conditions -such as alopecia- is topical. This is when you apply the medication to the skin instead of taking it by mouth.

Topical Minoxidil was first available to the public back in 1987. Nowadays, it comes in multiple concentrations (topical), mainly 2 percent and 5 percent.

When you put Minoxidil on your scalp, an enzyme called sulfotransferase activates it into minoxidil sulfate.

In its active state, Minoxidil acts as a vasodilator (a chemical that widens blood vessels) to increase the blood flow to your scalp and hair follicles. When the blood supply to your scalp increases, the hair follicles receive more oxygen and nutrients than normal.

This boost stimulates the hair follicles to exit their resting phase (telogen phase) and enter their growing phase (anagen phase).

About 85 to 90 percent of the hair on a person’s head is made up of hairs in the growing phase, which lasts between 2 to 8 years. Hair falls out during the resting phase, which lasts about 2 to 4 months.

What Is Trioxidil?

Founded in 2008, Foligain is a US hair care company headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Trioxidil is a triple-acting formula that was developed by Foligain’s labs. It consists of a blend of various hair regrowth and tonic ingredients, including Minoxidil, biotin, azelaic acid, vitamin A, and other plant-based materials.

Trioxidil is designed to target hairs from the follicles to the tips. Its action is the same as minoxidil; promoting blood flow, but with the added effect of supporting ingredients for a dense and full-bodied look.

Also, Trioxidil contains a DHT (dihydrotestosterone) blocker which prevents loss of hair due to DHT sensitivity.

Trioxidil vs Minoxidil: Comparison

Let’s put Foligain’s Trioxidil vs Minoxidil to give you a clear comparison between the two hair loss solutions.

Formulation

For the intended use of treating hair loss, Minoxidil is available in products/preparations with concentrations of 2, 5, and 10 percent. It’s available as a topical solution and a  topical foam.

Trioxidil is also a topical solution with a concentration of 10 percent. It’s available as a component in the company’s exclusive shampoo and conditioner with a concentration of 2 percent.

The company didn’t disclose the exact percentage of minoxidil in the Trioxidil formula.

Mechanism of Action

Minoxidil is a vasodilator that increases the blood flow to your scalp and hair follicles. With more blood supply, your hair and scalp receive more oxygen and nutrients to cut short the resting phase and prolong the growing phase.

All Minoxidil products share the same mechanism of action. Since Troxidil contains minoxidil, part of its effect comes from the action of enhancing blood flow to the scalp and follicles.

But Trioxidil also targets other aspects of hair growth thanks to ingredients such as azelaic acid and vitamins. Additionally, the presence of a DHT blocker reduces hair loss due to DHT sensitivity.

Products

Minoxidil is commercially available under a wide range of brands, including:

• Rogaine/Regaine
• Keeps
• Up & Up
• Scalp Med
• Hims
• Hers
• Kirkland
• Equate
• Regoxidine

As for Trioxidil, it’s only available in Foligan’s hair loss products as follows:

• Triple Action complete formula for thinning hair (topical solution spray)
• Triple Action shampoo for thinning hair
• Triple Action conditioner for thinning hair

Each of these products comes in 2 versions for men and women. The company recommends using them as a bundle to achieve the best results possible.

Effectiveness and Studies

The effectiveness of Minoxidil has been subject to extensive research. After all, it was made in the 1980s.

Minoxidil is the treatment of choice for alopecia and treats hair loss conditions as an off-label use.

On the other hand, the effectiveness of the Trioxidil formula is yet to be well-established.

The only study up to date was conducted in 2019 by Princeton’s research labs at the request of Foligan. It showed an increase in the count, strength, volume, thickness, shine, and softness of the hair in men and women.

FDA Approval

Minoxidil was approved by the FDA for the treatment of hair loss in 1988.

Trioxidil as a formula hasn’t been approved by the FDA for treating hair loss, but the Minoxidil ingredient in the formula is FDA-approved.

Side Effects

Minoxidil and Trioxidil are considered generally safe. They share the same mild side effects as they may cause scalp redness, irritation, and itching.

If you have a sensitive scalp, Foligain’s Trioxidil may be a better choice because it doesn’t contain propylene glycol, unlike most Minoxidil products.

Price

Minoxidil products are generally more affordable than Trioxidil. The price of a 3-month supply of generic Minoxidil is usually the same or less expensive than a 1-month supply of Trioxidil.

Conclusion: Which One Is Better?

Deciding the better option between Trioxidil vs Minoxidil can be tricky as the two hair loss solutions are essentially the same thing.

Minoxidil has the advantage of being on the market for decades longer and having its efficacy backed up with extensive research. Not to mention, Minoxidil is FDA-approved and generally cheaper.

Trioxidil has more flashy claims with its innovative formula, but the evidence supporting them is limited.