If you are shopping for a female hair loss treatment, one of the things that you will notice is that some of the products on the market are very expensive.
 But, there is a great variation in the prices.
For example, one product costs nearly $140 for a two month supply, while a four month supply can be purchased for that amount if you choose another brand.
 Clearly, one brand costs twice as much as the other.
 What can explain that disparity? Sometimes we have to pay for quality; there is no doubt about that.
 But, if you compared the two brands mentioned above, you would see that one ingredient is included in both of them.
 That ingredient is Minoxidil.
  Minoxidil was first approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of male and female pattern baldness in the late 1980s.
 Until 1996, it was sold exclusively under the name of Rogaine, because of the patents held by Upjohn pharmaceuticals.
  Since the patent expired, dozens of different companies have started selling a solution that contains it.
 For the most part, these solutions are all the same or at least they should be.
For female hair loss treatment, the Minoxidil concentration should be no more than 2%.
 At higher concentrations, it can actually cause a worsening of the problem.
 For men, the concentration should be 5% to achieve the desired results in the shortest period of time.
Both of the products mentioned above contain Minoxidil.
 One of the companies (the one with the highest price) claims that their serum will penetrate more deeply than others.
 But, there is no scientific basis for that claim.
For the price of $140, you get a two month supply of "special" shampoo and conditioner, as well as the Minoxidil serum.
 Neither shampoos nor conditioners have ever been proven effect as a male or a female hair loss treatment.
 Other than topically applied Minoxidil, the things that have been proven effective are nutrients.
You should use a mild shampoo.
 There is no doubt about that.
 And, you should only shampoo when necessary.
 If you can reduce the amount of shampooing that you do to two or three times per week, rather than every day, then by all means do it.
Research has shown that Minoxidil is most effective for female hair loss treatment when it is left in for a minimum of four hours, before shampooing.
 It is supposed to be applied twice a day for maximum effectiveness and applied to dry hair, not wet hair.
 So, it does make styling something of a challenge.
 But, it is not impossible to deal with that challenge.
 Try a spiky hairstyle.
 You'll see.
The "other" product, the one that costs $140 for a four month supply, you get a good nutritional supplement instead of a worthless shampoo and conditioner.
 In some cases, the nutritional supplement is all that you need for an effective female hair loss treatment, but if you want the best results, you want Minoxidil too.