I am using 5% minoxidil twice a day. However, I cannot stand the greasy/crispy feeling on my hair when I try to style it.

My regimen therefore is to get up and immediately put it on (for at least 1/2 hour) before I shower and shampoo. At night I put it on before I go to bed.

Is there a "window" in which it is effective? Is half an hour enough? Would 1 hour be better? Does it need several hours?

Anyone know the answer? Thanks.

Jeff

Jet -
there's no window of when it would be more effective, That I've ever heard of! I apply it once a day. AFTER a shower at night. When you sleep the dirt and sweat from the day is really getting the chance to settle in. I shower before bed, take 20 minutes to apply the Minox and wait another 10-15(to give it time to dry and settle) before I lay my head down for the night.

quote:

My regimen therefore is to get up and immediately put it on (for at least 1/2 hour) before I shower and shampoo.

I hope that was a typo! You're washing it off and waisting your time. Then I will shower again in the morning before I go to work, I don't wash my hair with shampoo in the morning. Just to let some warm water run down my scalp (no real scientific benefit to hair loss). Basically I only use at night, I figure my body is resting and rebuilding, thats when I want to give the time for the Minox to work.

No, it was no typo. I guess I am assuming that if something like minoxidil is to work, then it will have to soak into the skin to some degree. My hope is that the morning application can achieve some level of effectiveness before then.

I might start looking into the water/no shampoo in the morning, though, but I always felt that "keeping the scalp clean" was better for me.

Thanks for the reply.

Jet,

Minoxidil instructions for use advise against washing your hair for at least 4 hours after applying minoxidil. This is for optimal absorption.

I have a little trick to using minoxidil twice a day, as I hate the greasy head look myself. I apply both applications at night. While it may not be as good as applying them exactly 12 hours apart, its certainly better than no applications at all. I just ensure that the application times are at least 4 hours apart. You may want to consider this technique for yourself.

-Robert

Hmmm! that's a thought!

Jet- It's not good to wash the scalp too much. You will end up drying it out. There's a balance for the scalp. Trouble is most people don't really know what it is. I find the more times I wash in a day - the more dry my scalp gets, and that can't be too healthy for hair. I sweat like a pig in july! my skin (all over is OILY) but the times I wash more than once a day with shampoo, I get very dry and flakey.

Hmm? Sounds like the begining dialog of a corny hair commercial

LOL!

quote:

Originally posted by tymman:
I sweat like a pig in july! my skin (all over is OILY) but the times I wash more than once a day with shampoo, I get very dry and flakey.

TV announcer: "Does this sound like you? Are you tired of that mid-july itch? Tried everything with little or no results?" (snapshots of people frowning and scratching... their dogs barking at them... children pointing and laughing... wives wrinkling their noses in disapproval...) music fades in

"Well, now you can say goodbye to that flaky, itchy, dry scalp!"

...and so on and so forth.


Actually, tymman, you make a very good point. Well received. I was just under the impression that Nioxin would "keep the area clean". That's all. I suppose the real cleaning is the Propecia pill.

Jet-
Propecia doesn't really clean (from my understanding). It somehow makes DHT unable to form and thus renders it ineffective (I'm guessing) on hair follicles. Yes the Nioxin will keep you clean, but it very well could dry you out. Dry scalp isn't really healthy for hair. Try once a day and see how it goes.