Medical Minute: Monistat 7 Does Not Grow Hair

Wednesday, February 1, 2012



Consider this more of a public service announcement than a Medical Minute.

Yesterday, while perusing my comments section, I noticed a few of my readers discussing the application of vaginal antifungal cream Monistat 7 to the scalp for the purpose of growing hair.

Monistat 7 is the treatment for yeast (fungal) infections of the vagina. (The #7 stands for 7 day treatment).

Today, after reading an email from a reader, I realized that some of my lurkers took my readers’ advice seriously. So I wanted to let you know that applying antifungal cream to your scalp does not stimulate hair growth.

First of all, the so-called matching ingredients in Rogaine hair regrowth treatments and Monistat 7 antifungal cream are inactive ingredients.
I know that all of you are smart enough to understand what the word inactive means.


Inactive ingredients are defined as “Components which (irrespective of their relative quantity) do not help directly in achieving a product’s performance objectives.”

In other words, the inactive ingredients are simply the base (such as glycerin oil) or the preservatives (such as citric acid or alcohol) that the active ingredient is in.

The active ingredient of Monistat 7 is Miconazole Nitrate (2% antifungal) in both the internal and external creams. The active ingredient in Rogaine is Minoxidil, which stimulates hair regrowth.

So when you read the label of a medication, always look at the active ingredients first.

Inactive ingredients of Monistat 7:
Benzoic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Isopropyl Myristate, Polysorbate 60, Potassium Hydroxide, Propylene Glycol, Water (Purified), Stearyl Alcohol

Inactive ingredients of Rogaine:
Butane, Butylated Hydroxytoluene, Cetearyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Glycerin, Isobutane, Lactic Acid, Polysorbate 60, Propane, Water (Purified), SD Alcohol 40 B, Stearyl Alcohol


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Are there still active memebers on this board using M7 or has this "growth aid" died out? Do you guys believe M7 grows hair? Or does M7 just have a Placebo effect on people when it comes to their new growth? I'm very curious. Discuss.

I don't know too much about this, but I remember when it was first being mentioned that MN helps hair growth, but not in the sense that it stimulates growth, but that it creates a healthier/certain enviroment on your scalp that makes the promotion of growth easier to obtain...anyone who has more info, correct me if I'm wrong, that's all I remember, lol.

outspokenwallflower said:

I don't know too much about this, but I remember when it was first being mentioned that MN helps hair growth, but not in the sense that it stimulates growth, but that it creates a healthier/certain enviroment on your scalp that makes the promotion of growth easier to obtain...anyone who has more info, correct me if I'm wrong, that's all I remember, lol.

Click to expand...

This is what I thought.

I stopped using this a long time ago, but yeah I think that b/c it was an anti-fungal (or something) that it helped ease scalp issues. When I first started my HHJ, it certainly helped my dermatitis, but then I found other natural things that did the job

it increases my growth rate from 0.3inch/month to 0.5inches when I apply consistently every other day. I didn't document by pictures because I am not invested in convincing anybody other than myself, so I have no evidence to present.
I get tired of having greasy roots and needing to wash very often with shampoo, because I use a brand with mineral oil, I only use it for a month at a time. I don't bother debating its mechanism of action, just that for me it works.

Monistat def helps the hair grow quick but I was getting migraines from it. I remember when using it my stylist was shocked on how long my hair had gotten. It was long and healthy all due to some Coochie cream.

if you have fungus so bad that its coming from your scalp and you need to use monistat... it is REALLY time for a change in your diet or a trip to the doctor
I had a client that was putting it on her scalp because she had wet dandruff and she heard this would ease it up. of course it did because of the fungicidal properties, but when I had her stop eating so many carbs it just went away.
the issue is internal and the monistat is merely a bandaid.

Oh, this is rich: I was just re-reading the testimonials on this and other boards and how they were using it. So, I decided to take the plunge and try it along with better retention methods. Like tolly, I won't be documenting my growth for anyone. I will be able to tell if it works.

I was told by someone that it kills fungi that are restricting hair growth.
If monistat is working on your scalp, why not consider balancing your body from the inside, rather than using medicine in a way that it was not intended for?

SummerSolstice said:

I was told by someone that it kills fungi that are restricting hair growth.
If monistat is working on your scalp, why not consider balancing your body from the inside, rather than using medicine in a way that it was not intended for?

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Well said

I first heard of this on BHM and the consensus was that it helps grow hair (I don't know about other benefits). I just couldn't do it! I want fast growth like the next person, but I couldn't do it.

I did jump on the MTG train.

It worked for me. As far as the specifics as to why it worked is cool to know but the outcome is the same...longer hair.

The definition of active ingredient is correct but the interpretation is incorrect. Inactive ingredients are not mere preservatives. All it means is that that particular ingredient does not increase the effectiveness of what that product was INTENDED for. Example: the drup atropine is used in medical emergencies for patients who go asystole or bradycardic. When used for that reason it is listed as an active ingredient. However atropine is also found in opium tincture that is used to treat diarrhea. It is put in opium tincture because opium is a narcotic and to prevent abuse of the drug they add atropine so that if an idiot ever tried to inject it in themselves they would get the total opposite effect (fast heart rate, anxiety, etc) , however, in opium tincture atropine is an inactive ingredient cuz it doesn't help fix diarrhea.
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Now, the whole inactive/ active ingredient isn't even necessary to explain monistat though because the ingredient that aids hair growth actually is part of the active ingredient (although it wouldn't matter anyway.). Miconazole is an antifungal attached to Nitrate... They"re buddies and travel together. Nitrate's are vasodilators so they open up the veins and allow higher blood flow to an area. Other forms of nitrates are used for angina patients (heart patients). The theory is that if u icrease blood flow to any tissue u will increase its oxygen supply and nutrient delivery making it more productive... Faster hair growth rate. There are other factors that limit hair growth so hair growth isn't guarenteed.

Minoxidil (rogaine) is a peripheral vasodilator. It dilates veins near ur skin if that's where u put it and it promotes hair growth. The caveat is that when. U stop using the product if u had a major hair growth problem, the hair would fall out. If u didn't, then the hair growth wud slow down.

Both medications when applied to the head may cause heaaches as it floods the veins in ur head with blood (migraine), or lightheadedness if u're really sensitive.

Personally, I don't think either product is worth it and remember that there are other limiting factors that BOTH products may not be able to overcome. So if u have tension alopecia and ur follicles r destroyed, forget about it, this aint for u.

OP courtesy of Sandra Rose .... I've seen the monistat threads over the years but never believed it worked. But then again I'm skeptical about most topical growth aids. In many cases the hair is going to come back anyway for a number of reasons and it all depends on where you want to give credit. e.g., When I lost a chunk of hairline thanks to braids that were too tight (years ago) i wasn't thinking about growth aids and the hair did come back 100% simply coz I left that area alone.

Most of the growth aides talked about on hair boards are based on a time in history when scalp fungus and other infections were common. They helped to cure the scalp so that the hair could grow. People are taking this to mean that hair grew faster - not so. So it depends on why you come to hair boards - if you have hair loss - i.e. bald patches and your follicles aren't dead then you need something to get the scalp healthy again. Typically you need to see a dermatologist about this problem and get a prescription. Don't attempt to bootleg it with over the counter preps that aren't formulated for hair loss. If you come to hair boards with a full head of hair that isn't growing fast enough for your liking then maybe you can do some experimentation with diet and nutritional supplements. But if your diet is already balanced then those won't make your hair grow faster either. So it's more a question of quality care and patience.

SummerSolstice said:

I was told by someone that it kills fungi that are restricting hair growth.
If monistat is working on your scalp, why not consider balancing your body from the inside, rather than using medicine in a way that it was not intended for?

Click to expand...

I get this, but people use medicine in ways not originally intended all the time. Isn't that exactly how botox and latisse became so popular? What was originally intended for spasms and migraines helped wrinkles; what was intended for glaucoma helped lashes grow. Models used Preparation H for years to help alleviate under-eye circles. Heck, my doctor gives me Zantac to help my allergies. I think the bigger issue is that people don't like using "coochie cream" for something other than yeast infections, and that's cool (even though if it were the active ingredient in something else I wonder if people would make nearly as big a deal about it). I just don't personally buy the "non-intended use" argument .

Ronnieaj said:

I get this, but people use medicine in ways not originally intended all the time. Isn't that exactly how botox and latisse became so popular? What was originally intended for spasms and migraines helped wrinkles; what was intended for glaucoma helped lashes grow. Models used Preparation H for years to help alleviate under-eye circles. Heck, my doctor gives me Zantac to help my allergies. I think the bigger issue is that people don't like using "coochie cream" for something other than yeast infections, and that's cool (even though if it were the active ingredient in something else I wonder if people would make nearly as big a deal about it). I just don't personally buy the "non-intended use" argument .

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I buy it... I don't trust doctors and I want people to know that most products are on the market to make money, not to heal us.
I won't even put monistat on my vagina... If I feel an imbalance I drink/eat some probiotics (good bacteria) and eat more vegetables... fungi thrive in an acidic enviornment. So really all that you need to do is eat food that will cut the acid production in your body (vegetables), cut out foods that cause acid production (carbohydrates) and bam... The hair grows fast and the yeast is gone without spending any extra money.
It really is that easy and I just wish more people knew that their health is right there in their hands.
I have some stuff on my website about candida overgrowth if anyone is interested. I think I will make a post about how it affects hair growth as well.
http://www.eatcleangroup.com/candida-albicans-faq/

SummerSolstice said:

I was told by someone that it kills fungi that are restricting hair growth.
If monistat is working on your scalp, why not consider balancing your body from the inside, rather than using medicine in a way that it was not intended for?

Click to expand...

Because it's too much work.

SummerSolstice said:

I buy it... I don't trust doctors and I want people to know that most products are on the market to make money, not to heal us.
I won't even put monistat on my vagina... If I feel an imbalance I drink/eat some probiotics (good bacteria) and eat more vegetables... fungi thrive in an acidic enviornment. So really all that you need to do is eat food that will cut the acid production in your body (vegetables), cut out foods that cause acid production (carbohydrates) and bam... The hair grows fast and the yeast is gone without spending any extra money.
It really is that easy and I just wish more people knew that their health is right there in their hands.
I have some stuff on my website about candida overgrowth if anyone is interested. I think I will make a post about how it affects hair growth as well.
http://www.eatcleangroup.com/candida-albicans-faq/

Click to expand...

@SummerSolstice ~ I know you said you had a client that was using it to alleviate scalp fungal issues...but, I don't think anyone in this thread is trying to balance scalp fungi. They are using it only as a growth aid.

Sorry, if you already knew that though. I just wasn't sure by your responses.

outspokenwallflower said:

I don't know too much about this, but I remember when it was first being mentioned that MN helps hair growth, but not in the sense that it stimulates growth, but that it creates a healthier/certain enviroment on your scalp that makes the promotion of growth easier to obtain...anyone who has more info, correct me if I'm wrong, that's all I remember, lol.

Click to expand...

This is what I remember as well. It's not a growth stimulant per se, but it creates an optimal environment for hair growth to occur.

fitnessmommy said:

@SummerSolstice ~ I know you said you had a client that was using it to alleviate scalp fungal issues...but, I don't think anyone in this thread is trying to balance scalp fungi. They are using it only as a growth aid.

Sorry, if you already knew that though. I just wasn't sure by your responses.

Click to expand...

LOL. I did but in that instance she was using it to relieve the fungus infection. So I was trying to say that inadvertently thats what people who are using monistat are doing.

sikora said:

This is what I remember as well. It's not a growth stimulant per se, but it creates an optimal environment for hair growth to occur.

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Apparently fungus slows hair growth, so killing the fungus would make your hair grow at a regular rate.
Someone can create an optimal environment just by eating properly.

So slightly off topic.

But how do you know you have a fungus on your scalp? Or how do you not know, use monistat get growth but not equate the anti-fungal with doing its job?

Confused?

Really what I want to know is how would I know if I have a fungus on my scalp slowing down growth. If I assumed my slow growth was normal, if I didn't have an itch or flaking scalp, noticeable bumps etc.

Damaged but not out said:

So slightly off topic.

But how do you know you have a fungus on your scalp? Or how do you not know, use monistat get growth but not equate the anti-fungal with doing its job?

Confused?

Really what I want to know is how would I know if I have a fungus on my scalp slowing down growth. If I assumed my slow growth was normal, if I didn't have an itch or flaking scalp, noticeable bumps etc.

Click to expand...

2 indications can be bumps or lesions on the scalp or moist dandruff. Sometimes the fungus is there but it is asymptomatic aside from restricted hair growth. Most people do have fungal overgrowth but it is mild so they don't notice.

If you really want to grow from the inside I would up your sulfer intake using MSM or if that is too harsh (normally it isn't) then make yourself a veggie juice and add onions and garlic. I have a few recipes if you like. They taste more like cold soup than anything There's also a bunch of herbs you can use as well. Cutting yeast inside your body is the biggest thing though.

Thnks SummerSolstice


I don't think I have a yeast build up( but ya never know), my diet is and has always been pretty good( cheetos aside). Will definitely look at that link you sent.

The hypochondriac inside me was just making sure I haven't been missing some hidden symptoms. The crazy hair person inside was dreaming of possibly going from .5inch per month to a whole inch

Damaged but not out said:

Thnks @SummerSolstice


I don't think I have a yeast build up( but ya never know), my diet is and has always been pretty good( cheetos aside). Will definitely look at that link you sent.

The hypochondriac inside me was just making sure I haven't been missing some hidden symptoms. The crazy hair person inside was dreaming of possibly going from .5inch per month to a whole inch

Click to expand...

Do you eat processed carbohydrates? try the cleanse if you're game. you might notice some differences in issues that you didnt even notice
Yeast overgrowth is a problem in 80% of Americans but that stat is probably more considering most doctors overlook this issue and just throw meds at you and don't tell you to eat properly.

Try eating onions and garlic every meal if the juice is too much. And carry gum

What I was going to add to this discussion has already been explained in a very thorough way. The bottom line is that it vasodilates - hence why some women suffer migranes when using it as a growth aid. We all know increased circulation/blood = increased growth. In addition, I've seen SEVERAL women document their growth very well while using. Both with and without so you can see that it isn't just better care of their hair. That being said...I've never and won't use it. I'm already migrane prone and refuse to risk triggering them. Plus - to be honest, I spend enough money on my HHJ. To add this isn't worth it for me, but I do use a sulfur based oil occassionally (Bee Mine).

Worked for me when I started my journey! It worked extremely well actually! I may go back to it, when I want to grow mine out again!

It works. I'm sure tis is already in a secret blend of sone products on the market. Research and Development teams of cosmetic companies read these type of blogs more than the Bible.