Minoxidil Math! (2 Part Question, Please Help)

[jbaxter68124]

Hey guys! This is a two part question.

1. What is your favorite brand of minoxidil and why? It seem like the choices are primarily: brand name Rogaine (liquid or foam), generic Walgreens minoxidil (liquid or foam), Kirkland brand, Perfect Hair minoxidil, and Lipogaine. The generic Walgreens liquid for me is really oily. I have loved the Perfect Hair minoxidil from eBay, as it dries fast and smells great (it smells like vitamins, sort of). I'm concerned about it though because it's not so popular and I'm worried if it's legitimate. Haven't really tried the rest. Can anyone verify the legitimacy of the Perfect Hair minoxidil brand?

2. I have searched the Internet and I can't find an answer to this simple question. Please don't waste everyone's time and answer the question unless you are sure. As you all know, most minoxidil is 5%. There are some places out of the country that appear to be selling it for 10 or 15%. My question, if you simply apply twice the amount of 5% minoxidil, would this be the same as using 10%? Or would three times the amount, be the same as using 15%? Any pharmacists or chemists? I'm really surprised I have not seen this discussed before.

 

[michel sapin]

part 2 of your question ; this is from a very knowleadgeable member , bryan ;" The maximum amount of minoxidil that can dissolve in propylene glycol is around 7.5% or so." so just apply more 5 % to get some 10 % ( something like 2 or 3 ml )

 

[jbaxter68124]

Thanks for the reply Michael. So if we could get a bit more simple and exact, is what I said exactly true? Using twice the amount of 5% minoxidil should be exactly the same as using the more expensive 10% minoxidil? True or false.

 

[jbaxter68124]

Bump

 

[jbaxter68124]

Um, anyone?......

 

[jbaxter68124]

Someone has to know......

 

[Nano123]

I'm not from the states but I think you can try this perfect minoxidil for 3 months and then rogaine for another 3 and find out which is better, as for using more 5% minoxidil yes this would be effective. basically 1 ml of 5% minoxidil has 50 mg of minoxidil, if you apply 2 mls you would be applying 100 mgs of minoxidil which will be equivalent to applying one ml of the 10% formula. There was a study about minoxidil responsiveness where they gave 15% minoxidil solution to patients who were deemed as non responders and 60% of them showed response (which is hair regrowth of 13.7% or more), so I think if you are a responder within the first 6 months don't up the dose as if you are then higher concentrations wont do more for you

 

[beaner]

Thanks for the reply Michael. So if we could get a bit more simple and exact, is what I said exactly true? Using twice the amount of 5% minoxidil should be exactly the same as using the more expensive 10% minoxidil? True or false.

2 ml of 5% minoxidil will contain the same amount of the active ingredient as 1 ml of 10% minoxidil. This is assuming that the 10% has been properly dissolved. The solution must contain an acid to dissolve the minoxidil beyond 7.5% or so as stated by the previous poster. You're probably better off using more of the 5%. I'd be willing to bet that these higher strength concoctions aren't very stable. There have been reports of crystallization with some of them in the past.

5% = 50 mg minoxidil per ml
10% =100 mg minoxidil per ml

 

[jbaxter68124]

That's good news. I don't think people buying the 10% and 15% realize this simple little trick. The only downside is that you go through the solution quicker.

 

[Nano123]

That's good news. I don't think people buying the 10% and 15% realize this simple little trick. The only downside is that you go through the solution quicker.

It's not so simple as for people with fewer hairs if they apply 2-3 mls of liquid it would make their hair more sticky and looking thin than if they just apply one ml of a higher concentration, both have good and down sides

 

[beaner]

That's good news. I don't think people buying the 10% and 15% realize this simple little trick. The only downside is that you go through the solution quicker.

It's not really a downside if you use Kirkland/generic minoxidil which can bought for just a few dollars a bottle on Ebay.

 

[yetti]

It's not really a downside if you use Kirkland/generic minoxidil which can bought for just a few dollars a bottle on Ebay.

or directly from costco, at least if you are in the US

 

[Pavi]

Do you guys have any knowledge in science? Apparently not. 2mL of 5% minoxidil is..... 5% minoxidil. Doubling the dose amount DOES NOT double the concentration. That's basic, high school chemistry. To double the dose %, one has to double the CONCENTRATION ( not amount) of minoxidil per mL.

I'll make my point through easy math. (These numbers aren't actual rogaine numbers).

5% minoxidil would be 5 particles of minoxidil per 100mL of solution. 5/100 x 100 is 5%.

If you double your dose, you get 10 particles of minoxidil per 200mL of solution.
10/200 x 100 is STILL 5%.

Therefore, you are not changing the concentration at all.

 

[Pephair]

Do you guys have any knowledge in science? Apparently not. 2mL of 5% minoxidil is..... 5% minoxidil. Doubling the dose amount DOES NOT double the concentration. That's basic, high school chemistry. To double the dose %, one has to double the CONCENTRATION ( not amount) of minoxidil per mL.

I'll make my point through easy math. (These numbers aren't actual rogaine numbers).

5% minoxidil would be 5 particles of minoxidil per 100mL of solution. 5/100 x 100 is 5%.

If you double your dose, you get 10 particles of minoxidil per 200mL of solution.
10/200 x 100 is STILL 5%.

Therefore, you are not changing the concentration at all.

You just blew their minds...

 

[jbaxter68124]

Pavi! That is wrong! We are not talking about changing the concentration! We are talking about doing equivalent amount of medication using different concentrations. 2ml of 5% is the same as 1ml of 10%. Are you confused?

 

[Pavi]

Pavi! That is wrong! We are not talking about changing the concentration! We are talking about doing equivalent amount of medication using different concentrations. 2ml of 5% is the same as 1ml of 10%. Are you confused?

That's just incorrect... 2mL of 5% minoxidil is still 5% minoxidil. Just because you double the amount of 5% minoxidil, DOES NOT make it equal to 1mL of 10% minoxidil. 1mL of 10% minoxidil is not equal to 2mL of 5% minoxidil. Refer to my simple math problem...

 

[jbaxter68124]

I think you are totolly wrong. The same amount of medication is delivered each way! I'm just not seeing your logic man. And I was a math major.

Anyone else??

 

[jbaxter68124]

Pavi I'm really trying to see your logic, but I don't. We don't care about the total volume of the solution applied. We only care about the active medicine that ends up on the scalp. 2ml of 5% equals 1ml of 10%. This is obvious. You're missing something.

Anyone else?

 

[Pavi]

Pavi I'm really trying to see your logic, but I don't. We don't care about the total volume of the solution applied. We only care about the active medicine that ends up on the scalp. 2ml of 5% equals 1ml of 10%. This is obvious. You're missing something.

Anyone else?

I respectfully completely disagree. Using math, show me how 2mL of 5% equals 1mL of 10%. It doesn't. You're only changing the volume in this equation and changing the volume does not proportionately increase the concentration. By your logic, 3mL of 5% equals 1mL of 15% min, 4mL would be equal to 1mL of 20% minoxidil. It's just not logical.

 

[yetti]

youre talking about 2 different things. the minoxidil concentration does not increase if you add more liquid at the same concentration, that is true. however if you add enough liquid then the total amount of drug can be equal to a lesser amount of liquid at a higher concentration of minoxidil. like, if you have a "concentration" of 1 white marble per bag of 100 marbles, if you have 2 of these bags, you have the same number of white marbles as compared to a single bag of 100 marbles with a "concentration" of 2 white marbles.