Although it should be noted that it’s exceedingly rare since only 0.16 % of those 17.930 people, which are just 28 individuals, reported suffering from gynecomastia. Breast tenderness is another rare, but possible side effect.
Does minoxidil cause gynecomastia?
According to a phase IV clinical study of FDA data, gynecomastia due to using minoxidil is especially prevalent in the male population between 20–29 years old, and in older men who have been taking the drug for six to twelve months. That’s likely since those age categories experience the biggest hormone changes and fluctuations.
eHealthMe published that data based on the report of 17,930 people who experienced side effects from employing minoxidil. Among those reports, only 28 people reported experiencing symptoms of gynecomastia. This is just 0.16% of the participants.
Phase IV trials are employed to discover harmful drug results and to supervise the effectiveness of the medication in real life.
So what we can conclude is that minoxidil can cause gyno in rare instances, but will most certainly not always cause gynecomastia.
Time period using minoxidil when people report gynecomastia
- < 1 month: 16.67 %
- 1–6 months: 33.33 %
- 6–12 months: 50.0 %
- 1–2 years: 0.0 %
- 2–5 years: 0.0 %
- 5–10 years: 0.0 %
- 10+ years: 0.0 %
Age of people reporting gynecomastia when using minoxidil
- 0-1: 0.0 %
- 2-9: 0.0 %
- 10-19: 0.0 %
- 20-29: 47.37 %
- 30-39: 15.79 %
- 40-49: 0.0 %
- 50-59: 5.26 %
- 60+: 31.58 %
It should be mentioned that minoxidil is not FDA approved for people under the age of 18. That’s probably one of the reasons why there’s zero % of people below the age of 18 who are reporting gyno.
What is gynecomastia?
Gynecomastia is an ailment that causes the breast of men and boys to expand and grow larger than is usual.
It’s most prevalent in teenagers and aged men due to hormone imbalances. Older men lose testosterone as they advance in age, while teenagers and young adults are frequently experiencing hormone fluctuations by going through puberty.
Gyno is sometimes referred to as “man boobs.”
Can topical minoxidil cause gynecomastia?
Topical minoxidil can possibly cause gynecomastia, although it is exceedingly rare.
Topical minoxidil is less likely to cause gynecomastia compared to oral minoxidil since it is applied topically, which means there’s much less systematic absorption involved.
This means that the product doesn’t get absorbed in our entire body since it’s applied locally. Minoxidil can also cause body pain, albeit this is an unlikely occurrence.
Does topical minoxidil cause gynecomastia?
Topical minoxidil is extremely unlikely to cause gynecomastia.
But it needs to be said that it’s still a possibility. Men going through puberty and older adult males are most likely to be affected out of the entire age population since they undergo severe fluctuations in their hormone levels.
Can oral minoxidil cause gynecomastia?
Oral minoxidil can cause gynecomastia, particularly when taking higher dosages. It’s more likely to cause gynecomastia than topical minoxidil since there’s more systematic absorption of the product.
Yet, the chance for developing gyno when using oral minoxidil is low.
Does oral minoxidil cause gynecomastia?
Just because it can, doesn’t mean minoxidil will automatically cause gynecomastia in men.
It’s possible, but highly implausible.
Conclusion
The chance for men to develop gynecomastia when using minoxidil is extremely rare, with one clinical study of FDA data consisting of 17.930 minoxidil users who experience side effects reporting just 28 cases who have gotten gyno. That’s just a 0.16 % chance to get gynecomastia.
It’s most prevalent in men who are between 20–29 years old, and in aging men who have been taking the drug between six and twelve months. Likely since they go through many hormonal fluctuations and changes.
Even though it’s a potential side effect, I wouldn’t be too worried since it’s very uncommon, and the reaction will disappear after quitting minoxidil entirely if it’s due to the medication instead of another underlying issue.