Making a minoxidil shampoo to thicken and regrow some hair.

[mrmaximus]

Hello Everyone.

I am a new member to the forum and I have become uncomfortable with the state of my hair lately. Although you would not classify me as a bald man, it is thinning in the frontal third and I have a receding hairline (Norwood 2-3). It looks ok at medium length and I am only comfortable styling it in a forwards fashion. If I style it backwards you would easily be able to see through to the scalp..

These past few months I have been reading as much as I can about hair loss, solutions and their side effects and I have been debating with myself whether to start using minoxidil or not ( i want to stay away from finesteride/propecia). At the moment I am washing my hair with Nizarol 2% 3-4 times per week and letting it sit for about 3-5 minutes each time.

Considering cost, dedication, side effects and my lifestyle, this is what I am considering and I would really like your opinions on this.

I plan to buy a bottle of regenepure DR (224ml) and minoxidil 15% (60ml, it also includes some polypeptides, growth agents and other vitamins) and mix them together. Combined, this will be a 284ml shampoo containing about 4% minoxidil. I want to wash my hair with it either every day or every other day to thicken it up and regrow as much of my hairline as possible. I have read that applying minoxidil to a wet scalp increases the rate of absorption so I figured that a 1-2ml dose of this shampoo sitting on my hair for about 10 minutes while showering might produce the results I am looking for.

Will enough minoxidil be absorbed to thicken and regrow hair like this without experiencing side effects?

many thanks for your thoughts.

 

[hmm]

I doubt that will be enough to do anything.

 

[zzzzz]

Are you a chemist or something? Don't mix them together. You don't know what you are doing and probably are ruining the efficacy of the medication. minoxidil is good, start finasteride though. You are making a bad decision by staying away from finasteride.

 

[mrmaximus]

Are you a chemist or something? Don't mix them together. You don't know what you are doing and probably are ruining the efficacy of the medication. minoxidil is good, start finasteride though. You are making a bad decision by staying away from finasteride.

I am not a chemist just someone with a theory. My brother was on finasteride for a few months and he could not get a hard on.

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I doubt that will be enough to do anything.

what will be enough?

 

[zdm632]

Minoxidil needs to sit at leats 4 hours on the scalp for good absorbtion, 10 minutes is not enough.

 

[CarlJohanson]

My brother was on finasteride for a few months and he could not get a hard on

That doesn't mean its going to happen to you man.

 

[Rudolphus]

Minoxidil and Nizoral won't be enough on their own. Sure, these treatments might slow down your hair loss a bit, but in the end you will lose the battle. You need to get on finasteride if you are serious about treating your hair loss. By not using finasteride, you have chosen a very, very difficult path to travel.

 

[qerqrqwrqwr]

I think minoxidil shampoo would be dangerous.

that stuff is meant to be used lightly

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Minoxidil and Nizoral won't be enough on their own. Sure, these treatments might slow down your hair loss a bit, but in the end you will lose the battle. You need to get on finasteride if you are serious about treating your hair loss. By not using finasteride, you have chosen a very, very difficult path to travel.

I agree.

however propecia alternatives, although weaker, do exist

2 out of 3 is a good start

 

[resu]

Applying minoxidil on a hot wet scalp... just think about if this is a good idea.

 

[mrmaximus]

Applying minoxidil on a hot wet scalp... just think about if this is a good idea.

Shampoos that contain minoxidil exist. I have found two searching online. One contains 1.5% minoxidil and 0.05% finasteride but I could not determine the concentration of the other.

This is what I think based on what I have read online. When applying minoxidil to a dry scalp, approximately 50% of the medicine will be absorbed in the first hour and more than 75% of it will be absorbed at 4 hours.

Applying minoxidil to a wet scalp will increase the rate of absorption by 5-10 times.

Therefor, if applying minoxidil to a wet scalp for ten minutes, less than 50% will be absorbed as a lower estimate and less than 75% will be absorbed as an upper estimate.

Come to think of it, 4% minoxidil for ten minutes on a wet scalp is conservative.

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Minoxidil and Nizoral won't be enough on their own. Sure, these treatments might slow down your hair loss a bit, but in the end you will lose the battle. You need to get on finasteride if you are serious about treating your hair loss. By not using finasteride, you have chosen a very, very difficult path to travel.

if I can help it, I don't want to pop pills that play around with my hormones. Is there a topical alternative? I read that ketaconozole was effective at blocking DHT on the scalp.

 

[Rudolphus]

if I can help it, I don't want to pop pills that play around with my hormones. Is there a topical alternative? I read that ketaconozole was effective at blocking DHT on the scalp.

Studies do seem to show that Ketoconazole helps fight DHT. However, it is only a very mild anti-androgen, and it simply isn't powerful enough to halt the balding process by itself. RU-58841 is probably the best topical anti-androgen out there at the moment. I recommend you start researching it. It isn't as good as an internal DHT blocker (finasteride or dutasteride), but in my opinion it is definitely the next best thing that's currently available.

As you may know, Minoxidil is simply a growth stimulant and nothing more. Because Minoxidil doesn't treat the actual problem, its effects can only ever be temporary (five years seems to be the maximum for most people). When Minoxidil's effects fade after a few years, your hair will go back to how it would have been at that same point in time had you never used Minoxidil to begin with.

This is why it is necessary to use a DHT blocker. A DHT blocker will fight the actual problem rather than just mask it. Start researching RU-58841. As I mentioned, I think it is definitely the next best thing after finasteride.

 

[mrmaximus]

Studies do seem to show that Ketoconazole helps fight DHT. However, it is only a very mild anti-androgen, and it simply isn't powerful enough to halt the balding process by itself. RU-58841 is probably the best topical anti-androgen out there at the moment. I recommend you start researching it. It isn't as good as an internal DHT blocker (finasteride or dutasteride), but in my opinion it is definitely the next best thing that's currently available.

As you may know, Minoxidil is simply a growth stimulant and nothing more. Because Minoxidil doesn't treat the actual problem, its effects can only ever be temporary (five years seems to be the maximum for most people). When Minoxidil's effects fade after a few years, your hair will go back to how it would have been at that same point in time had you never used Minoxidil to begin with.

This is why it is necessary to use a DHT blocker. A DHT blocker will fight the actual problem rather than just mask it. Start researching RU-58841. As I mentioned, I think it is definitely the next best thing after finasteride.

Thank you. I will take a further look in to this.

Can I also ask how much time and money you guys spend per day and month fighting hair loss.

 

[ThatHairStruggle]

I spend about $80 a month, but I use a few very expensive products that really aren't necessary.
All that's needed is minoxidil and finasteride which you can spend $20 a month on if you go with generics.

 

[qerqrqwrqwr]

It already exists.

Nizoral has shown to be as effective as rogaine after several months.

 

[mrmaximus]

It already exists.

Nizoral has shown to be as effective as rogaine after several months.

Thats right, 2% nizarol vis-a-vis 2% minoxidil. I have not noticed any regrowth with Nizarol though but I have only been using it for about 6 weeks. I have noticed far less hair fall though.

Part of the reason that I came up with the idea of mixing a 15% concentrated liquid of minoxidil with regenepure was to create something a little more potent and to simply replace my shampoo. The mixture will have about 4% minoxidil + about 0.6% ketaconozole. As well as some other nutrients and vitamins that may help stimulate thickness and regrowth.

I suppose I can only test my theory and track the results. It will cost about 85 euro and the shampoo should last 283 days if I use a 1ml dose every day, which is very cost effective and convenient and I will not have the stuff on my scalp and in my hair for prolonged periods of time.

 

[Rudolphus]

I personally am very skeptical of that study which found Nizoral to regrow as much hair as Minoxidil after several months. If Nizoral really was so effective, it would have become obvious to us all by now, and there would be no need for finasteride. I used Nizoral on its own for a while before beginning finasteride (now using dutasteride), and it did nothing. Since using finasteride/dutasteride, I've had some amazing results.

I believe that Nizoral most likely will help a little, but it won't be enough if used on its own alongside a growth stimulant. Something more powerful would need to be included in your regimen. Without using finasteride or dutasteride, your options are limited. As I mentioned, my best suggestion would be RU-58841. Topical spironolactone might also be of some benefit.

You've chosen a tough path to travel, but I wish you good luck.

 

[dps]

some say RU provides better results than finasteride.

 

[mrmaximus]

I personally am very skeptical of that study which found Nizoral to regrow as much hair as Minoxidil after several months. If Nizoral really was so effective, it would have become obvious to us all by now, and there would be no need for finasteride. I used Nizoral on its own for a while before beginning finasteride (now using dutasteride), and it did nothing. Since using finasteride/dutasteride, I've had some amazing results.

I believe that Nizoral most likely will help a little, but it won't be enough if used on its own alongside a growth stimulant. Something more powerful would need to be included in your regimen. Without using finasteride or dutasteride, your options are limited. As I mentioned, my best suggestion would be RU-58841. Topical spironolactone might also be of some benefit.

You've chosen a tough path to travel, but I wish you good luck.

I understand that my options are limited to clinically proven medicines, like minoxidil and finasteride if I really want to see and sustain results. Its just the potential side effects from both and the ongoing cost that makes me reluctant to adopt them because its a lifelong commitment.

Have you experienced any side effects from using either minoxidil or finasteride?

Where can I find RU?

 

[rcom440]

minoxidil shampoo is one of the worst ideas I've read on this forum.
It will be probably dripping on your face which is no-no + hot weather as someone already said And also the fact it can get in your eyes or mouth.
minoxidil needs to stay on the scalp for a few hours to get absorbed.
Please stay safe

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Btw. I missed Bryan, he would love to read this post about making minoxidil shampoo.

 

[mrmaximus]

minoxidil shampoo is one of the worst ideas I've read on this forum.
It will be probably dripping on your face which is no-no + hot weather as someone already said And also the fact it can get in your eyes or mouth.
minoxidil needs to stay on the scalp for a few hours to get absorbed.
Please stay safe

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Btw. I missed Bryan, he would love to read this post about making minoxidil shampoo.

I appreciate your concern as well as everyone else's and I have since reconsidered the idea.

minoxidil foam is probably the best way to go but at the moment I am living in a hot climate country. It is not unusual to generate a bit of a head sweat just from walking around outside. My concern would then be that this would create the same affect as it will carry the chemical down my back, on to my forehead as well as in to my face.