Rubbing in Minoxidil

[Vigaku]

Other than for spreading it across the scalp, is there any noticeable benefit of using your fingers to rub it on? If it helps to answer this, I use specifically Rogaine Foam, not the liquid minoxidil with propylene glycol.

I want to know how much this will increase its effectiveness, because I have no reason to spread it manually with my fingers. I am able to apply the rogaine and have it spread as much as I want without having to touch it. It spreads as much as I want it to when it's in the process of changing to liquid.

I know one downside (at least from my perspective) is that my fingers are going to smear some of the solution off onto them, and I wouldn't want any rogaine to be subtracted from my scalp if you know what I mean. I figured then, I could just leave my fingers constantly wet with the solution, but this doesn't work either, as the solution keeps soaking into your fingers, not to mention it feels quite uncomfortable when that happens...

From what I can see, I THINK the only purpose of the rubbing is just to spread it. I don't think it makes the solution penetrate better, unless you had sebum on your scalp, and then your fingers "made way" for the solution by rubbing off the sebum, but I make sure my scalp is pretty clean before each time I apply the solution.

Thanks for your help guys.

 

[Johnx]

How do you spread it on the scalp without touching it?
I also hate the rubbing part because I imagine most of the foam/liquid gets into the hair..

 

[follicle84]

I dont think it would make much difference if applied correctly. Just leave it on for a good few hours before you wash your hair. The solution the minoxidl is in is made so that the minoxidil will stay saturated until it is aborbed into your skin and follicles.

 

[ComeOnPropy]

I apply the liquid with the dropper and do not rub it in at all, When i went to my Derm he got out a piece of paper and said this is how you apply, Placed a single line on the paper and within 1 minute that line had grown into a massive amount of space, the point was that the minoxidil will move itself and he also pointed out the rubbing minoxidil on your head only ruins the penatration because ur actually rubbing it off your head and most of it is getting on your hands and in your hair. Make of that what you will lol.

 

[longhair1983]

That is exactly how I do it. I try to apply the minoxidil solution by a dropper to a different "track" each time.

 

[Johnx]

I apply the liquid with the dropper and do not rub it in at all, When i went to my Derm he got out a piece of paper and said this is how you apply, Placed a single line on the paper and within 1 minute that line had grown into a massive amount of space, the point was that the minoxidil will move itself and he also pointed out the rubbing minoxidil on your head only ruins the penatration because ur actually rubbing it off your head and most of it is getting on your hands and in your hair. Make of that what you will lol.

This is interesting.. I was always thinking the exact opposite.. :dunno:
I guess I will try not to rub it with my fingers at all from now on. I will try to put many tiny drops on the crown thinning area, but I still find kind of hard to believe it will spread all over that area..
But I believe the temples still could use some light spreading with the fingers..

Are you saying this method also works with Rogaine foam? Foam kind of hangs onto the hair and needs to be pushed to the scalp in my opinion..

 

[follicle84]

I have to agree with ComeOnPropy. By rubbing the minoxixil on your scalp your also absorbing it into you fingers leaving less of it to absorb into your scalp. I would try using many tiny droplets with the application dropper so that you get it into area's in your scalp more easilly.

 

[Vigaku]

Which is more or less what I've been saying.

As for Rogaine, as I said it goes from foam to liquid so in the end it's like minoxidil. Just that the application was easier IMO and it spread more easily.

I'm happy it's agreed that there's no benefit to "rubbing in" the minoxidil. I think that's good only if it helps spread it out over the area you want the minoxidil to go on. In my case, I need to do no spreading at all.

 

[ANONHERO]

i've also wondered about this. the instructions on my Regaine say to rub in with fingers but I can see some of the solution goes on my hair and some of it drips down onto my face or neck. I figure if im using this twice per day and targetting certain areas then I will not cover the eact same scalp area each day but overall throughout the week, a wider area will be covered and if missed one day, sooner or later i will get the same section of scalp again if you know what i mean

 

[RP3X]

Ditto I tend to just the droppler to just evening spread the liquid.... it should spread like any other liquid and thats outwards...

The foam however easily spreads so not much of an issue.

So far been on liquid for almost 2 months and no difference to Foam however.