Nizoral 1% vs Nizoral 2%

[rockandroll]

Hi guys,

Just to get it out of the way: I know that Nizoral 2% is the recommended one. Now, a friend got me a bottle of Nizoral (I was out of the country), but much to my dismay, it was only 1%, so before I throw it away or whatever, I had a question:

- Has anyone used Nizoral 1% instead of 2% and had pretty much the same results? I would like to use the 1% bottle before getting to 2% to avoid waste, but not if it's pointless!

 

[Weepy]

You've probably already read the article suggesting that 1% and 2% are of similar efficacy. But that's only one paper, and it seems to have been sponsored by the company. (I'm not sure; I can't find it at the moment.) Knowing that 1% is available OTC, while the 2% is available by prescription, one wonders.

To me, the 1% shampoo already seems very potent. I don't know whether going to 2% would be worth while. I myself only have 1%. I don't know whether it will do anything.

Anyone who has used both 1% and 2% can chime in...?

 

[global]

Yes one study did show the 1% to be as effective as the 2%, but like Weepy said its only one study.

Generally most drugs are more effective at higher concentrations so I prefer to use the 2% to be on the safe side.

Just use up the bottle of 1% and then get the 2% next time if you're worried by it.

 

[nohairnodandruff]

There's probably a good reason why 2% is prescription.

 

[Justlooking]

I have no experience with the 2%.. but I do use the 1% as it is much easier to get and you dont need to deal with doctors and all that jazz

 

[slaytanic]

i orderd some from 2% from canada for 16 bucks.

 

[GoldenBear]

I get 120ml of Nizoral off the shelf at any drugs store for like 10 bucks Canadian. Smells awful though, no doctors required. Can you even get 1% in Canada Ive never seen it.

 

[global]

There's probably a good reason why 2% is prescription.

In the UK you can get 2% without prescription now, its usully sold alongside the 1%.

 

[Dave001]

Yes one study did show the 1% to be as effective as the 2%, but like Weepy said its only one study.

What study is that?

 

[global]

Yes one study did show the 1% to be as effective as the 2%, but like Weepy said its only one study.

What study is that?

March 04, 2001 - American Academy of Dermatology Meeting - Washington DC - Scientists working for McNeil, makers of Nizoral anti-dandruff shampoo, presented the findings of a study done on 1% Nizoral shampoo which has good news for hair loss sufferers. It has long been known that 2% prescription Nizoral has beneficial effects on Androgenic Alopecia (male pattern baldness). It however has been unclear whether the same benefits can be obtained by using the non-prescription 1% version.
In the study presented (see below), one hundred male volunteers with mild to moderate dandruff and somewhat oily scalp, were using, in a double-blind fashion, either a 1% Nizoral shampoo or a 1% zinc pyrithione shampoo, 2-3 times a week for 6 months.
Analysis of the different parameters set up in the study shows that the hair diameter gradually increased with Nizoral use (+8.46%) over a 6 month period, whereas the diameter showed a trend to decrease with zinc pyrithione use over the same period (-2.28%). The sebum excretion rate was reduced with Nizoral (-6.54%) while it increased with zinc pyrithione (+8.2%) over the same period of time. The number of hair shed over a 24-hour period was reduced by 16.46% with Nizoral and 6.02% with zinc pyrithione after 6 months. Finally, the percentage hairs in anagen phase increased by 6.4% and 8.4% respectively during the study time.
The results are similar to a previous study done on 2% prescription strength Nizoral where it was shown that use of 2% Nizoral yielded a 7% average increase in hair shaft diameter similar to what was achieved by the control group using 2% Minoxidil and a non-medicated shampoo.
So for any hair loss sufferer, this research clearly indicates that using 1% or 2% Nizoral 2-3 times per week, will have positive effects on hair growth as well as controlling dandruff. It is still unclear at this time whether it's the anti-fungal properties or the anti-androgenic properties of Ketokonazole (active ingredient in Nizoral) thats responsible for the hair thickening effects, however because of the decrease in sebum rates as well, it is the authors opinion that the results are due to the anti-androgenic properties of Ketokonazole.

 

[Dave001]

Yes one study did show the 1% to be as effective as the 2%, but like Weepy said its only one study.

What study is that?

March 04, 2001 - American Academy of Dermatology Meeting - Washington DC - Scientists working for McNeil, makers of Nizoral [...]

That's a press release. What study is it referring to?

The news article briefly describes a comparison between 1% Nizoral shampoo and 1% zinc pyrithione shampoo in a 6 month study with one hundred males volunteers with "mild to moderate dandruff and somewhat oily scalp."

They conclude from the similar changes in hair diameter reported in another study, which used 2% Nizoral[1], that 1 and 2% Nizoral shampoo are of comparable efficacy:

The results are similar to a previous study done on 2% prescription strength Nizoral where it was shown that use of 2% Nizoral yielded a 7% average increase in hair shaft diameter similar to what was achieved by the control group using 2% Minoxidil and a non-medicated shampoo.

But there wasn't a direct comparison between the two concentrations, and it's not accurate to make cross-comparisons between sample groups from different studies in the way that they did. In addition, the participants from the second study were selected from persons that did not present signs of dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis.

1) Piérard-Franchimont, C., P. D. Doncker, et al. (1998). "Ketoconazole Shampoo: Effect of Long-Term Use in Androgenic Alopecia." Dermatology 196(4): 474-7.

 

[global]

Hence why I still use the 2%

 

[KiLLuMiNaTi]

here in australia both 2% and 1% are over the counter medications i hope they dont copy america like with everything else and make 2% prescription