Regenix vs. Rogaine: What You Should Know

So, hair thinning runs in your family, and after seeing your own hair density decline, you’re panicking. We get it — those first visions of exposed scalp can be scary enough to send you down a rabbit hole trying to figure out the differences between laser combs and hair transplants, and weighing the benefits of products like Regenix® vs Rogaine®.

While we understand the urge to scour the internet for different products that might help your remaining hair hang in there, the truth is, not all hair products are created equally — and not all products are intended for the same uses. 

In the case of Regenix and Rogaine, these two products are very different, and they’re designed with completely different end goals in mind.

To understand why one or the other of these two products may be helpful for you (and if you might benefit from both), let’s look at the one you’ve likely heard the least about: Regenix.

What Is Regenix? 

Regenix is not one product, but rather a collection of products designed to improve your existing hair’s health, look and function through strategic processes.

Regenix doesn’t actually claim to promote regrowth of hair — rather, they claim to increase hair health with cleaning, thickening and strengthening of the existing follicles.

One of the most unusual things about Regenix is that, while other hair health products claim to have medical and chemical benefits to offer your follicles, Regenix instead highlights that they are drug- and chemical-free.

Regenix’s claims are based on a system. They break this system into stages, but essentially, their product line is designed to walk your scalp through a series of steps designed to improve hair health. 

This system starts with cleaning, then stabilizing, then includes thickening and strengthening over the course of several months.

Regenix is also a little murky on what can and can’t be used alongside their products. For instance, they mention that minoxidil and finasteride can be used alongside Regenix, but other hair loss treatment medications may not be okay to use (they’ll let you know if there’s a contraindication when you fill out their onboarding survey).

What’s in their products? Well, a lot of extracts and natural ingredients, for one. 

Sandalwood, juniper, oils, jasmine, basil, bergamot, vanilla, raspberry — these are all sources of extracts and ingredients for just one of their shampoos. 

These products have dozens and dozens of ingredients — so many that they rival some of the vitamin supplements on the market for your whole body health.

Many of these ingredients have anecdotal clinical study support at best.

Is Regenix Similar to Rogaine?

So how similar are these two products? Well, not really similar at all, to be honest. Regenix is a series of hair care products, while Rogaine is a medication. 

Rogaine is a brand-name version of minoxidil — a topical hair loss medication that is believed to promote hair growth by increasing blood flow to the hair follicles, which in turn helps stimulate dormant follicles to start growing hair again. 

Minoxidil is typically available in a topical form in the US. Specifically, it’s available as a liquid or foam that you apply to the affected area for moderate hair regrowth. 

Minoxidil does technically come in an oral formulation as well, but the U.S. by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has not approved it for use in humans yet.

Regenix vs Rogaine Side Effects

Regenix claims zero adverse side effects for their products. That’s pretty self-explanatory, when you consider their “no chemicals” claim and the nature of their natural ingredients.

Rogaine isn’t as lucky in the potential side effect department. Minoxidil side effects are typically mild and may include things like skin irritation, dryness, flaking, scalp itching, scaling or burning. 

There are some serious side effects to be on the lookout for, including rapid heartbeat, swelling of the face and joints, chest pain, lightheadedness, difficulty breathing and weight gain — contact a healthcare provider immediately and discontinue use if you see any of these side effects.

Additionally, topical minoxidil and drugs for hypertension can sometimes have negative interactions — tell your healthcare provider if you’re taking these medications before starting treatment of minoxidil.

Clinical Studies: Are Regenix and Rogaine Effective?

There are no clinical studies on Regenix as a system and only scarce and anecdotal data about the ingredients in their products. 

While some of those ingredients may show promise for hair health benefits, we don’t know enough about the Regenix formulation to determine whether they could offer benefits — so we’ll have to take the company’s word for it.

Rogaine, on the other hand, has been proven safe and effective enough for the FDA to give it their official stamp of approval.

One 48-week study found that minoxidil’s ability to increase blood flow could increase your hair growth and thickness by up to 18 percent in some cases, and other studies have likewise found it to be effective. 

The American Academy of Dermatology Association even recommends minoxidil. 

Rogaine and its generic form do take time to show these benefits — some people may wait months or even a year to see benefits in any significant way.

And things get better when minoxidil is paired with another FDA-approved hair growth medication: finasteride.

Finasteride is an oral medication that helps regulate your levels of a hormone called dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, which is thought to trigger pattern hair loss in male pattern baldness. 

Oral finasteride can reduce DHT levels by as much as 70 percent. When you pair minoxidil and finasteride together, it can have impactful results for the control of male pattern baldness.

Regenix and Rogaine: What’s Next

People reach for what’s easy, and that’s one of the many reasons that over-the-counter products for hair loss get so much attention. 

Some of them can be very helpful — others, not so much. When you’re in doubt, it’s best to do some additional research, and that might include talking to a healthcare provider about the benefits of a product before buying. 

But if you're experiencing hair loss symptoms, you’re going to want to start with a conversation with a healthcare professional — not a cart full of products from a shampoo retailer (no matter how respected they are).

There’s a bigger issue to consider, too: there are other types of hair loss than male pattern baldness to consider, and a healthcare professional may be your only hope of spotting those before the damage gets too severe.

Finding the right hair restoration treatment may require you to get a little uncomfortable, but whether you end up with Rogaine, Regenix, laser treatments or something weirder we didn’t even bother mentioning, you should make your hair loss treatment choice with the guidance of a professional.