How important is to wash hair before appying minoxidil?

[hairgrass]

Some instructions I've read about applying minoxidil say you should wash your hair prior to applying minoxidil. Others don't mention it. Has anyone read anything as to 'why' its necessary?

 

[Vigaku]

VERY FVCKING NECESSARY!!!!!!111! :shock: here's why...

If you don't wash your hair, sweat, sebum, and other sh1t will be lying, waiting on your scalp to mess around with the minoxidil.

Minoxidil's purpose is to penetrate the skin and reach the follicle. How will it do that with a layer of sebum on your head?

 

[striker9]

but washing everyday don't make the follicle don't dry, push more hair to fall and rub more the scalp that stimulates more oil?

 

[striker9]

??

 

[pproctor]

Drugs penetrate into hydrated ( "water-soaked" ) skin as much as ten-fold better than dry skin. This is why shampoos, etc. are such effective means of dosing with topical medications, even though the time of application is short. As a practical matter, the drug gets quickly taken up into the top layer of skin and then slowly released.

Absorbtion from an epidermal "depot" is thought to be the main mechanism of minoxidil dosage even when the drug is administered to dry skin. Issues of too much systemic absorbtion are why the minoxidil package-insert says only to apply to dry skin.

Peter H. Proctor, PhD,MD

 

[BodyDysmorphic]

question regarding this topic

i usually wash my hair every night and then apply the liquid minoxidil

in the following morning i usually do not take a shower

i just use the foam on my already dry scalp

is this method ok?

or should i tough it out and take another shower in the morning to possibly increase absorption of minoxidil

thanks guys in advance for your thoughts

 

[arison]

What if apply minoxidil TWICE a day?

R u going to wash your hair Twice a day then?

I mean Ill do that if it makes it work better but I think that would be too much on your scalp to wash it twice a day....

 

[yvakin]

I mean Ill do that if it makes it work better but I think that would be too much on your scalp to wash it twice a day....

I think so too. I'm washing my hairs only 2 times a week and that's more than enough for me.

 

[BodyDysmorphic]

anyone?

 

[striker9]

Absorbtion from an epidermal "depot" is thought to be the main mechanism of minoxidil dosage even when the drug is administered to dry skin. Issues of too much systemic absorbtion are why the minoxidil package-insert says only to apply to dry skin.

Thanks, so what's the conclusion, if there is more systemic absorption..

Is better to use minoxidil with the head washed or with it dryed for hours?

 

[hbdale309]

I'm having great results with minoxidil using this method.

In the morning I apply after my shower, and at night I wet my hair/scalp then apply minoxidil. I don't think you have to wash your hair twice a day; just wet the scalp for better absorption.

It's also easier to apply minoxidil with wet or damp hair if you have longer hair like myself. I can comb my hair in layers to ensure the minoxidil reaches mostly the scalp. I can't do this with a dry scalp and as a result it seems loads are wasted by getting soaked up by the hair.

 

[striker9]

And what about regrow?

So i'll use foam in the morning to better absorption.

And the liquid at night to make my scalp wet and work better.

 

[hbdale309]

And what about regrow?

So i'll use foam in the morning to better absorption.

And the liquid at night to make my scalp wet and work better.

I would not apply your nightly minoxidil liquid to a dry scalp. If it works better when applied to a water soaked scalp then splash some water on your head first. uke:

 

[striker9]

So i'll be washing my hair twice a day almost... Isn't that a bit too much?

Having the hair always wet, i don't think it's good for the hair.

 

[ethan]

So i'll be washing my hair twice a day almost... Isn't that a bit too much?

Having the hair always wet, i don't think it's good for the hair.

...No. You'd only WET (not wash) your hair to apply the minoxidil at night.

 

[pproctor]

Absorbtion from an epidermal "depot" is thought to be the main mechanism of minoxidil dosage even when the drug is administered to dry skin. Issues of too much systemic absorbtion are why the minoxidil package-insert says only to apply to dry skin.

Thanks, so what's the conclusion, if there is more systemic absorption..

Is better to use minoxidil with the head washed or with it dryed for hours?

I cannot make specific treatment recommendations First, application to hydrated skin is a common technique used ito enhance skin penetration of topical drugs and thus in theory their effectiveness. For some drugs, there is as much as a ten-fold enhancement of penetration, relative to just applying to dry skin. I am not aware of any studies done on minoxidil.

Second, the Rogaine package insert says not to do it. This is because of FDA concerns in the early 1990's about too much systemic minoxidil absorbtion. Whether this is a practical concern or not, nobody knows.

Use at your own risk, naturally.

Peter H. Proctor, PhD,MD

 

[Aus]

So we are talking about rinsing your hair, not necessarily shampooing?

 

[hbdale309]

So we are talking about rinsing your hair, not necessarily shampooing?

I've heard that you just need to dampen your scalp. Rinse your hair then towel dry it so the water doesn't dilute the minoxidil.

 

[Bryan]

I doubt that it would be sufficient just to "dampen" your scalp that way. Shampooing would obviously be the best way of all, but an alternative to that would be to keep your scalp moist for several minutes, then drying and immediately applying your topical.

Back a few years ago when I was using topicals religiously, I'd keep a plastic bottle with a sprayer filled with water right here near the computer. I'd warm it up first in the microwave (don't forget to remove the sprayer part of the bottle before doing that, because it has metal springs in it), then I could sit here working at the computer, keeping my scalp moist for a while by spraying my head occasionally.