2% or 5%

[mcpaulyb]

I am a diffuse shedder and plan on starting up minoxidil soon. Should I start with 2% or just jump into the 5%??

 

[Molecular Help]

I've been told by many that 5% once a day is just as good, if not better, than 2% twice a day. I was told this by the most informed posters on this forum. Perhaps it is a good idea to use the 5% once a day for 4-6 months and then decide if you want to use it twice a day.

You can get results from using it just once a day. Maybe you will be happy with your hair and have no need for another application. When using it once a day, you can apply it whenever it's most convenient. Most choose a few hours before going to sleep. This gives the solution time to dry and lets you sleep instead of showing off your minoxidil covered scalp, which can sometimes look greasy and cause you too itch. Then you can wash it out in the morning and face the day with a clean head.

If you go to twice a day then you have twice as much work, and a good block of time where you have to have minoxidil on your head when you're around other people during the day.

Also some people experience irritation from minoxidil use. People who use it 2x a day and had irritation often found the problem disappeared if they switched to 1x day.

So use the 5% once a day for awhile at least then figure out if you want to step it up. It's cheaper than 2% twice a day, easier and more user friendly than 2x a day application for either 2% or 5%, and may be all you need.

It is much less effective though. It's important to keep things as simple as possible, adding slowly.

MH

 

[mvpsoft]

If you use 5%, you might want to use one of the copper peptide products, Folligen or Tricomin, with it to cut down on the likelihood of scalp irritation. There is some evidence that those products also help with regrowth.

 

[gonna_win]

i recomend that you go the 2% first and if that doesnt work go to the 5%, the 5% is very strong and can feel quite glugy on your head

 

[mcpaulyb]

i recomend that you go the 2% first and if that doesnt work go to the 5%, the 5% is very strong and can feel quite glugy on your head

Start out once, or twice per day?

 

[ShedMaster]

2% is mostly for women, IMO. I would go with the 5% off of the bat if you are a diffuse thinner.

Depending how bad your hairloss is right now, you might consider going with only propecia and then determine if topicals are necessary. Its a judgement call.

 

[mcpaulyb]

2% is mostly for women, IMO. I would go with the 5% off of the bat if you are a diffuse thinner.

Depending how bad your hairloss is right now, you might consider going with only propecia and then determine if topicals are necessary. Its a judgement call.

I've been on finasteride for almost a year and it's working alright. There is a part of my head that is thinning worse than the rest and it's getting worse.

 

[Bryan]

I am a diffuse shedder and plan on starting up minoxidil soon. Should I start with 2% or just jump into the 5%??

In my opinion, the 2% and 5% versions of topical minoxidil are essentially the same thing, because they both probably just end up as concentrated solutions of minoxidil in propylene glycol, shortly after you've applied them to your scalp and the alcohol evaporates. It's all just a simple matter of how much TOTAL minoxidil that you apply, and that's determined by how much of EITHER solution that you apply.

Bryan

 

[mvpsoft]

I am a diffuse shedder and plan on starting up minoxidil soon. Should I start with 2% or just jump into the 5%??

In my opinion, the 2% and 5% versions of topical minoxidil are essentially the same thing, because they both probably just end up as concentrated solutions of minoxidil in propylene glycol, shortly after you've applied them to your scalp and the alcohol evaporates. It's all just a simple matter of how much TOTAL minoxidil that you apply, and that's determined by how much of EITHER solution that you apply.

But didn't the studies show a greater effectiveness for 5%? And a greater likelihood of skin irritation?

 

[Cassin]

Bryan

After the "2 year drop off" do you think someone could just go to 2% for the remainder of their minoxidil use after 2 years of 5% without any problems?

I love Dr Lees 5% because of the drying time, but just grabing generic 2% off the shelf would be easier and cheaper in the long run.

For those who have never used it, 2% minoxidil dries in 15 to 30 minutes, just like Dr Lees 5%.

 

[Bryan]

But didn't the studies show a greater effectiveness for 5%?

Sure, but that was AT THE SAME DOSE of 1 mL twice a day!

I think if you adjusted the doses to get equal amounts of minoxidil (for example, 2 1/2 mL of a 2% solution twice a day), then the results would be the same. And who knows, I suppose it could conceivably be even BETTER, because of the higher amounts of alcohol!

Bryan

 

[mvpsoft]

I think if you adjusted the doses to get equal amounts of minoxidil (for example, 2 1/2 mL of a 2% solution twice a day), then the results would be the same. And who knows, I suppose it could conceivably be even BETTER, because of the higher amounts of alcohol!

Is there evidence that alcohol has an effect on maintaining or growing hair? Also, if you have to put on, say, 25% or 50% or 150?, as you suggest, more minoxidil at the 2% dosage to get the same effects as 1 ml of the 5% dosage, isn't there a much greater chance of the extra liquid simply running off to spots on your head that you don't need it, such as the forehead, back and sides? I mean, I have enough trouble keeping just 1 ml to the spots where I need it. <g> And if it does simply run off, won't it be that much harder to match the 5% results when using 2%? And what about Pfizer's claim that a dosage higher than 1 ml has not been shown to be any more effective than a 1 ml dosage?

 

[Bryan]

Bryan

After the "2 year drop off" do you think someone could just go to 2% for the remainder of their minoxidil use after 2 years of 5% without any problems?

I'm assuming here that you mean at the same dose, i.e. 1 mL twice a day? I think you'd probably get a small drop in performance. Two different studies have now shown that 2% is not as effective as 5% (at the same dose of 1 mL twice a day).

I love Dr Lees 5% because of the drying time, but just grabing generic 2% off the shelf would be easier and cheaper in the long run.

Yes. But if you use 2 1/2 times as much as normal to get equal amounts of minoxidil, you'll have even MORE propylene glycol on your scalp than if you were to simply use 1 mL of the standard 5% Rogaine.

Bryan

 

[Cassin]

Yes I was speaking of the same dose.

Well I suppose that is a bad idea it seems. I just wish lower PPG formulas were commonplace on the shelves instead of a few obscure internet doctors.

You can get some pharmicies to make a batch at a premium price.

Thanks Bryan.

 

[Bryan]

Is there evidence that alcohol has an effect on maintaining or growing hair?

There was a mouse study (should still be here in the Research section) that found that the greatest penetration of minoxidil through their skin was with a vehicle that was 90% ethanol and 10% propylene glycol. Whether or not the same is true for humans with their associated hairgrowth stimulation remains to be seen.

Also, if you have to put on, say, 25% or 50% or 150?, as you suggest, more minoxidil at the 2% dosage to get the same effects as 1 ml of the 5% dosage, isn't there a much greater chance of the extra liquid simply running off to spots on your head that you don't need it, such as the forehead, back and sides? I mean, I have enough trouble keeping just 1 ml to the spots where I need it. <g> And if it does simply run off, won't it be that much harder to match the 5% results when using 2%?

Yeah, that's obviously a practical consideration to think about...

And what about Pfizer's claim that a dosage higher than 1 ml has not been shown to be any more effective than a 1 ml dosage?

The FDA makes them say that because it's never actually been tested that way!

Bryan

 

[mvpsoft]

Thanks for answering my questions Bryan, I have one more for you. There is a product called Minsaw-A that claims to have 7% Minoxidil, plus Saw Palmetto, plus Retin-A. Now, I know that the SP is probably useless even as a topical, but are you familiar with this product? Do you have an opinion on it? I have tried it, and if I use it twice a day every day, the Retin-A (I'm guessing) is too much for my scalp, tears it up, with big chunks of dead skin coming loose. My understanding is, however, that the cell turnover that Retin-A causes may have beneficial effects in stimulating hair follicles. Also, for some reason, the Minsaw-A formula appears to be a little thicker or something, easier to keep on the appropriate places on my scalp without running off. But is its delivery mechanism as effective as the Kirkland/Pfizer minoxidil formulation? I've been thinking about using this product perhaps three times a week, the Kirkland 5% formula the rest of the time.