which strength minoxidil?

[blink777]

i've been taking 5% rogaine foam for just over a year, however i didn't notice any improvement in my hair (thinning from front to back)... i stopped taking it as my batch of 6 cans ran out and now noticed some shedding which i'm not too happy about....so i'm guessing it did help my hair

i was looking to start a new treatment with the belgravia centre in london, which was an 8% minoxidil with MPG (a dht blocker) but they are just too expensive so now i want to go down the DIY route again but i don't want to go back to 5% rogaine foam which i didn't think improved my condition

so basically my question is, which type and strength of minoxidil should i get? the stronger with DHT blocker the better? be interested to know u guys thoughts

cheers

FYI...i've already ordered some finasteride which i will be starting soon

 

[Bryan]

so basically my question is, which type and strength of minoxidil should i get?

I'll just mention here as a matter of course (not that it ever does much good, this information doesn't seem to have any effect on guys on hairloss sites like this) that when you apply either version of liquid Rogaine (2% or 5%), they BOTH turn into saturated solutions of minoxidil in propylene glycol. The more volatile components of the carrier vehicle (ethanol and water) evaporate fairly quickly when you apply it to your scalp, leaving the minoxidil dissolved in the oily propylene glycol. The maximum amount of minoxidil that can dissolve in propylene glycol is around 7.5% or so.

 

[blink777]

Hi guys/Byran, so your basically saying that 7.5% is the max I should go for...? Yes ive seen some people on this forum with unwanted shedding from 15% mindox... BUT which brand and strength should I go for based on the fact I didn't notice any improvement from 5% rogaine foam?

Cheers
Paul

 

[Bryan]

Hi guys/Byran, so your basically saying that 7.5% is the max I should go for...?

No, that's not what I'm saying. What I'm saying is that when you apply 1 milliliter of 5% Rogaine to your scalp, you get a larger total quantity of minoxidil than when you apply 1 milliliter of 2% Rogaine to your scalp, even though they both turn into saturated solutions of minoxidil in propylene glycol. In general, I think you should apply whichever solution (2% or 5%) gives you the cheaper price per milligram of minoxidil. That's usually the 5% version of Rogaine.

 

[WarLord]

i've been taking 5% rogaine foam for just over a year, however i didn't notice any improvement in my hair (thinning from front to back)... i stopped taking it as my batch of 6 cans ran out and now noticed some shedding which i'm not too happy about....so i'm guessing it did help my hair

i was looking to start a new treatment with the belgravia centre in london, which was an 8% minoxidil with MPG (a dht blocker) but they are just too expensive so now i want to go down the DIY route again but i don't want to go back to 5% rogaine foam which i didn't think improved my condition

so basically my question is, which type and strength of minoxidil should i get? the stronger with DHT blocker the better? be interested to know u guys thoughts

cheers

FYI...i've already ordered some finasteride which i will be starting soon

Why not to buy cheap 5%Kirkland and mix it with more expensive 15% minoxidils? Remember please that the game with minoxidil concentrations is a Russian roulette. You will never know, how you will react. For some people, 15% is the right dosage producing excellent regrowth, yet for others it is too strong and causes permanent shedding. Personally I am a very good responder to minoxidil, the 5% version maintains my hair very comfortably. Higher concentrations apparently overstimulate my hair and make more harm than good. I can't even tolerate the 10% version every other day, it destroyed my hairline and I can only hope that I will get the lost hairs back.

After these experiences, I became a fan of more treatments used together in moderate dosages, rather than one treatment applied in excessive amounts. This means that if I were you, I would combine 5-10% minoxidil with finasteride.

 

[Bryan]

Why not to buy cheap 5%Kirkland and mix it with more expensive 15% minoxidils?

There's no guarantee that such a combination would even stay dissolved. I think he would be taking big chances, if he were to try something like that. I think it's better to play it safe, and not go mixing wildly disparate products together (like 5% and 15% versions of minoxidil).

 

[blink777]

thanks for getting back to me guys, and yes i have read on here that 15% solution can be a bit of a gamble so yes i would like to try a 5%-10% solution, but the question is....which one?

i reacted fine to 5% rogaine foam...although do i need a DHT blocker included? if so, which solutions are out there, lets say 8%? The Belgravia Centre in London do an 8% + MPG (a DHT blocker, but not sure what it stands for), but they are such a rip off so i want to do it DIY

also can mixing solutions (ie 5-10%) be a bad thing?

would appreciate your advice

cheers
paul

 

[WarLord]

You can buy 5% Kirkland and mix it with e.g. 15%DualGen from MinoxidilMax to achieve 10% concentration. You can increase it gradually to avoid a shock to hair follicles. And you could add finasteride or dutasteride as well. As I said, I now prefer more treatments in moderate dosages, instead of an overdose of one treatment.

 

[Bryan]

You can buy 5% Kirkland and mix it with e.g. 15%DualGen from MinoxidilMax to achieve 10% concentration.

Do you really think that mixing 5% Kirkland with 15% "DualGen" would result in an intermediate value of 10%, or are you just HOPING and PRAYING that that would be the result?

 

[WarLord]

Do you really think that mixing 5% Kirkland with 15% "DualGen" would result in an intermediate value of 10%, or are you just HOPING and PRAYING that that would be the result?

And why not?! I actually used this 10% mixture on my temples for 7 months. And when I quitted it, all hell broke loose. The hair became dependent on it and my regular 5% minoxidil was not able to save it.

 

[Bryan]

"Do you really think that mixing 5% Kirkland with 15% "DualGen" would result in an intermediate value of 10%, or are you just HOPING and PRAYING that that would be the result? "

And why not?! I actually used this 10% mixture on my temples for 7 months. And when I quitted it, all hell broke loose. The hair became dependent on it and my regular 5% minoxidil was not able to save it.

Yeah, because maybe it was just the 15% mixture from the DualGen that was having the beneficial effect on you, NOT any supposed 10% mixture. Honestly, you just don't appear to understand the fine points of pharmaceutics very well.

 

[WarLord99]

I don!t understand, what you mean. Why should someone stop minoxidil use?! He would be bald within 6 months. Once you jump on it, you must take it till the end of your life!

 

[blink777]

thanks guys for all your comments, although i haven't made a decision on what to do so i panicked and got back on 5% romaine as my temples are getting worse from 2 months of not using it


hairscience - yes i'm based in london, england. i understand that having a bespoke minoxidil is better, but how would they know what to make up and what would work for me? and is there not a solution out there right now that you would recommend me trying?


i am a newbie here and don't understand all your scientific talk… i'm looking at the DualGen10 from minoxidilmax would be a good place to start seeing as 15% minoxidil could be a gamble?


either way i need to make a decision fast, even if it is buying more rogaine foam, as i have 1 can.... (although i've never noticed an improvement in my hair from that, only that it has slowed down the thinning process)

 

[Beingbaldsucksass]

Dont mix anything your not an alchimist, just use the 5% the FDA approved and best responder, and propecia

 

[blink777]

Dont mix anything your not an alchimist, just use the 5% the FDA approved and best responder, and propecia

well i was on 5% rogaine for years not noticing improvements, only to lose hair from not using it after 2 months... so would the 10% with dht blocker from Minoxidilmax be better?

what is a responder? i'm a newbie here, soz

oh, i'm already on finasteride btw

 

[Beingbaldsucksass]

well i was on 5% rogaine for years not noticing improvements, only to lose hair from not using it after 2 months... so would the 10% with dht blocker from Minoxidilmax be better?

what is a responder? i'm a newbie here, soz

oh, i'm already on finasteride btw

If you dident sew improvement on the 5% you will not see on others as well, maybe more shedding and itchiest scalp,

 

[blink777]

If you dident sew improvement on the 5% you will not see on others as well, maybe more shedding and itchiest scalp,

ok, can anyone else give me their 2 pence worth on this?

 

[nikemata]

what is available in the market is the exact strength of minoxidil which is 5% as the maximum overdosing and under dose is not good.

 

[WarLord]

well i was on 5% rogaine for years not noticing improvements, only to lose hair from not using it after 2 months... so would the 10% with dht blocker from Minoxidilmax be better?

what is a responder? i'm a newbie here, soz

oh, i'm already on finasteride btw

The effect of minoxidil is dose-dependent. The 5% version is still sub-optimal for many people. Some achieve big success on 15% minoxidil. But it is not for everyone, rather for the worst responders. I react to minoxidil very well and the 15% version destroyed my hair.

 

[nikemata]

Do you know that he mechanism of action of minoxidil in hair follicles is unknown. Chronic dosing studies have demonstrated that the effect of minoxidil is NOT PERMANENT, and cessation of treatment will lead to hairloss in 4-6 months. Percutaneous absorption of minoxidil in normal scalp is minimal, but possible systemic effects on blood pressure should be monitored in patients with cardiac disease.