face swelling: minoxidil on my pillow?

[cyberprimate]

ok i know some of you will think it's just my imagination but i don't think so. I do notice a light swelling (nothing too scary though) of my flesh on the face.

And i wonder, i always put minoxidil straight before going to bed, and never wash my head before that, could that be the cause of the swelling.

I mean there's always going to be some bits of minoxidil that will end up on my pillow at some point in the night and the night after,... And i don't experience any swelling anywhere else than there.

 

[Stingray]

How bout putting it on 30 minutes before sleep?

Anything's possible i guess.. Might be mildly allergic to it.

 

[HairFreak]

You should put minoxidil at least an hour before you go to the bed.
Read the instructions :hairy:

 

[The Gardener]

Methinks

I have heard that minoxidil has side effects such as facial water retention, severe itching and irritation... but I have so far suffered NONE of these effects.

I have to add, the process of taking meds adds stress to one's lifestyle and routine. Are you sure that what you are seeing is indeed REAL swelling and not something psychosomatic, i.e. something you have noticed only because you are hypersensitive to any even slightly noticeable difference in your look because you are overly worried about side effects from the hair preservation meds?

Unless you feel pain, which is the body's way of telling you that you are doing something wrong, I strongly suggest that you stick with the minoxidil and give it time to work.

Many posters here have stuck with minoxidil for months, through the initial discomfort stage, through significant sheds, only to find that after 4-6 months that that minoxidil has made the hairs they had stronger and thicker and made previously vellous (balding) hairs cosmetically significant.

I suppose, in short, my point is that you make sure that before quitting minoxidil that your reaction is something honestly biological and lasting before giving up on it. And if this is the case, then forget the minoxidil and try a plan B based on DHT blocking. You still, and always, have options. Don't give up hope!

Gardener

 

[Redbone]

You need to let it dry at least an hour- one of my biggest mistakes was applying then brushing my hair 10 minutes later wich removed allot of the medicine. All yours seems to be going on your pillow. Let that sh*t dry.

 

[cyberprimate]

thanx guys.

I'll let it dry for an hour and maybe will rinse my shaved head before going to bed. We'll see.

 

[HairFreak]

Whatever you do, DO NOT rinse.
minoxidil needs at least 6 hours to fully absorbs.

 

[Guest]

Whatever you do, DO NOT rinse.
minoxidil needs at least 6 hours to fully absorbs.

I have seen all kinds of assertions about minoxidil and how long it needs to be left on to be "absorbed", ranging from 1-6 hours.

The more credible sources (MDs , researchers etc.) say 4 hrs but even they admit they have no clinical data to support this number.

The solution drying may or may not indicate absorption!

Certainly, it is a good idea to let it dry for an hour or so before heading off to bed. Kinder to the pillow.

Glad I could complicate this a bit!

 

[Bryan]

The more credible sources (MDs , researchers etc.) say 4 hrs but even they admit they have no clinical data to support this number.

That 4-hour estimate is based on careful measurements taken in the study: "Relationship between Contact Time of Applied Dose and Percutaneous Absorption of Minoxidil from a Topical Solution", Ferry et al, J Pharm Sciences Vol 79, No 6, 1990.

They found that relative to the amount of minoxidil that was absorbed at 11.5 hours, >75% was absorbed after 4 hours. Keep in mind, though that they used a 2% solution. I strongly suspect that a 5% solution would be absorbed a little more slowly.

Bryan

 

[Ams99]

Wow, 4 hours??? Do you think combing your hair with your fingers an hour or 2 after application will affect absorption? I do think because it makes the thinning area less visible and because I want to get out some of the chalky white residue.

 

[Bryan]

That's probably ok, as long as you're careful not to scrape the minoxidil off your scalp with your fingers!

BTW, the other often-quoted statistic from that study is that ~50% of the minoxidil was absorbed after only 1 hour. The process is faster at the start, then slows down as more time passes by.

Bryan

 

[Guest]

The more credible sources (MDs , researchers etc.) say 4 hrs but even they admit they have no clinical data to support this number.

That 4-hour estimate is based on careful measurements taken in the study: "Relationship between Contact Time of Applied Dose and Percutaneous Absorption of Minoxidil from a Topical Solution", Ferry et al, J Pharm Sciences Vol 79, No 6, 1990.

They found that relative to the amount of minoxidil that was absorbed at 11.5 hours, >75% was absorbed after 4 hours. Keep in mind, though that they used a 2% solution. I strongly suspect that a 5% solution would be absorbed a little more slowly.

Bryan

Good point and thanks for update. However, if I am correct, I believe the carrier solution of 5% is different from 2% so would not all bets be off on the absorb rate?

Also, would not shampooing before hand alter the results?

Thanks Bryan.

 

[scud666]

i just checked the rogaine website and they mentioned nothing about facial swelling. i've got one fat *** face already. i would hate to make it more punchable.

what are the % of getting facial swelling? think of it, my face started getting thinner around a year ago. and thats when my hair started thinning. is there so relationship between face fat and hair thinning? maybe the face's pores are shrinking and this in turn makes ur head shrink. this in turn also makes the hair follicles/pores shrink casuing thinner hair.

in case u're guessing, yes, hairloss has got the better of my mind and i'm turning insane. :hairy:

 

[Bryan]

Good point and thanks for update. However, if I am correct, I believe the carrier solution of 5% is different from 2% so would not all bets be off on the absorb rate?

According to those excellent 'in vitro' studies that you can read right here on this site about the effects of different ratios of ethanol/propylene glycol as vehicles for topical minoxidil, the ones with higher amounts of PPG were much slower to absorb than the ones with more alcohol. That's why I think the 5% version of Rogaine would be absorbed more slowly than the 2% version.

Also, would not shampooing before hand alter the results?

It might! I wish somebody would do a test on that!

Bryan

 

[Guest]

Me too.

 

[Cassin]

How much area of scalp does one drop of minoxidil 5% affect?

For example; 1 drop affects 1/2 inch or what?

 

[richlocks]

I suffered a full year of fat face due to minoxidil.. It retains water in your face, no doubt to this AT ALL. Believe it.

Unfortunately i don't think it's from you rubbing your face on your pillow.. it's from systemic absorption. I would use less or a 2% solution and see how that changes things.

 

[Jghost]

I no it gets on my pillow because when I wake in the morning my eyes are swollen I'm convinced it's making my face swell also this sucks I'm now on it once a day half a cap and constantly washing my pillow it helps but not completely

 

[William Campbell]

OP must be NW6 by now, LMAO.