Do you know the Minoxidil? Most likely not. But if you lived your childhood in the 90s, it is most likely that you do remember the Dimoxinilthat miracle drug against baldness or alopecia that gave Homer a thick head of hair in a legendary episode of The Simpsons.
The episode in question is the second of the second season, it is titled Simpson and Delilah, written by Jon Vitti (who is also a screenwriter for several episodes of The Office and even the movie angry Birds), aired in 1990 and many fondly remember its plot.
But the curious thing here is that it seems that it is until now in the middle of 2023, already in the 21st century, that many discover that this treatment actually exists and they already knew about it thanks to that cartoon with the yellow familybut with another name.
So today we decided to give a brief review, both of that legendary episode and of the real medicine that ended up inspiring it.
Minoxidil exists, it appeared on The Simpsons and it does help against baldness
All this is part of a curious report published by colleagues from Xatakawhere they analyze the search trends for Minoxidil in the country of Spain, where a clear increase in interest in the treatment is shown in that country.
So much so that it has become a matter of general interest, even leading to an interview with a specialist on the subject. This is what Dr. David Saceda, specialist in dermatology and trichology at the Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, points out when talking about the impact of the treatment on the medical community:
“For us it has been a revolution. At the world congresses of dermatology there is a session every year called ‘game changer‘ in which the most revolutionary new developments are presented. Last year, Minoxidil was top 2.″
In general, its use has become more popular and socially accepted in recent years, but in reality it has existed for decades.
Minoxidil is a topical solution medication used to stimulate hair growth and slow baldness. It was discovered in 1960 by researchers from the pharmaceutical company Upjohnwho originally developed it as a vasodilator to treat hypertension.
In 1971, clinical studies were conducted that showed that minoxidil could also stimulate hair growth. In 1988, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved it as a medication to treat hair loss in men.
This is how in 1991 we saw the episode of The Simpsons that talked about the subject. But it wasn’t until 1997 that the FDA approved minoxidil to treat hair loss in women.
In the end, it is a treatment that in the vast majority of cases helps slow down the rate of hair loss. But as soon as its use is suspended, the fall returns. Just as it happens in the episode.