Hey Guys, I have been on minoxidil for a few years on and off. I mostly jumped off because of the hassle in applying it (from a eyedropper to now a foam ). I have found a way to make life a bit easier, I take my generic CVS minox bottles and empty them into a small spray bottle which you can get at CVS or just use a empty eyeglass cleaner spray bottle. The key is a fine mist spray. I do it right after a hot shower since that is the best time for absorption. The hot water really opens up your pores. After my hair drys a bit, I really do not have a greasy feeling on the hair. I have also found that the tip of the sprayer bottle will clog after spaying unless you rinse the tip well with hot water. I am having much more success with minox this way, maybe the hot shower is key. It may also be that since it is easier to apply this way, and I am more consistent with it.

The BS we have to go thru with MPB!!! Good Luck Fellas

Very nice tip! I actually use one of those spray bottles with just water in it right now.

I may try your method later on. Right now I'm more or less bald post surgery and the foam doesn't have the irritating ingredients that the liquid does, so i'll stay put.

Later though I've been wondering if and how I might keep this up. Maybe this will be the way.

cheers,
mark h

Mark, Good luck with your grow in, be patient it takes a while but it will come, then you will start wanting more!! Are you planning a second session or just wait and see? I am planning my third but I consider this my second real one, I do not count the plugs I had put in the 1980s as a surgery that was more like butchery!!!

I went into the first HT assuming that I would finish with a second. Now I'm not so sure. It will depend upon thickness, particularly in the hairline.

I'm ambivilent about my hairline, but I suspect that if its thick and long enough that I'll be quite happy with it.

It looks too high to me, but if I examine where my hairline was pre HT its way lower now...or will be.

At this point I don't trust my own judgement, and must rely on the doctor's. That's why I'm glad I have Dr. Cooley whom I have high regard for.

How is your donor area healing and how much do you have left for additional work?

My donor area is healing well enough, if I'm any judge.

One month plus onward the scars on the sides are hardly there at all. In the back I can feel it more. Sometimes it itches, which I take as a sign of healing, but I don't think its healed as fast as the sides.

As for how much more work, I've no idea. I had about 4100 done, and about 1000 went into the crown, so he did get coverage all the way.

The crown will definately be the lightest. Will Propecia and Rogaine together help me turn the tide and make additional HT's unnecessary?

Turn the page...

If I'm happy with my hairline, and density is good enough, I could call it quits, but I made it clear to Dr. Cooley that I won't hesitate to go for seconds to get where I want to go.

In other words, I won't compromise, unless nature and science conspire to force me.

PS: I notice the HT that Dr. Feller posted has a hairline similar in height to mine, and if the subject wasn't trying to hard so be 18 again with the Beatle Cut I think his hairline would be in a good place. Looking past the doo from hell, I actually took heart from those pics.

mark h

So then is using the spray as affective as using the dropper?? I just bought Dr Lees Xandrox and if I use the spray, it doesnt necessarily reach the shafts. Does the application of minox have to reach the skin first? (ie Dropper) I am up in the air with this. Which is more affective?

Thank you for ur time!

I doubt that the best solution can be quantified. Heck, nobody even knows for sure what all minoxidil is doing!

Whether you spray, drop, or foam though, I suspect if you use a finger or two and massage in briefly you're likely to have better results. The point is to get it into your scalp, and ironically the more hair you have, the harder that is to do.

Personally, right now with my hair short...okay...basically bald, the foam is easy peasy, and because it does NOt contain the irritants that the spray/dropper version contains, Im motivated to use that now, and perhaps later too.

mark h

Sweet Cheeks, I do not have a lot of hair in the crown right now so the spray gets to my scalp easy. I am not patient enough with the dropper (I would need a spatula not a dropper )and want a quick way to take care of it. I spray it in after a hot shower so the scalp pores are open for better absorption. If you have hair to go thru to get to your scalp I would say you are lucky and get on propecia to save what you have. Good Luck!

Hey,

well i use the dropper and it's a pain in the arse. The spray, I am not sure its getting down to the shafts.
I am a NW 2 with the island. My hair is wavy so it gives good coverage and you have to lift up my hair on the sides to see the thinning areas. I an not crazy about the minox/azelaic acid 5% b/c it makes my hair look like I put log cabin syrup in it.
I know I am being anal but I used the minox/retin A combo for yrs utilizing the spray and applied it to my hair as well b/c the MD said it wouls work its way down to the shaft. Who knows maybe I was applying it worng all these yrs. I never massaged it in.

quote:

Originally posted by nobuzz4me:
Hey Guys, I have been on minoxidil for a few years on and off. I mostly jumped off because of the hassle in applying it (from a eyedropper to now a foam ). I have found a way to make life a bit easier, I take my generic CVS minox bottles and empty them into a small spray bottle which you can get at CVS or just use a empty eyeglass cleaner spray bottle. The key is a fine mist spray. I do it right after a hot shower since that is the best time for absorption. The hot water really opens up your pores. After my hair drys a bit, I really do not have a greasy feeling on the hair. I have also found that the tip of the sprayer bottle will clog after spaying unless you rinse the tip well with hot water. I am having much more success with minox this way, maybe the hot shower is key. It may also be that since it is easier to apply this way, and I am more consistent with it.

The BS we have to go thru with MPB!!! Good Luck Fellas

On the surface, your idea of a hot shower with minox right after seems like a good idea. I'm going to try it.

By the way, I've saved all of the old rogaine spray heads that used to come with rogaine. These work much better than the stupid eye droppers you now get when you buy rogaine. I don't know why they keep putting those useless things in the boxes.

Kramer

quote:

On the surface, your idea of a hot shower with minox right after seems like a good idea. I'm going to try it

I try to have a hot shower, but keep the bathroom as cool as possible. The foam is really finicky, and likes a colder room temp. Dry your head good, cool your hand down, apply, and I think you've done everything you can to get that stuff inside your head.

I actually think the directions discourage a hot shower, but I suspect thats for reasons of application, not efficacy. Why after all would you want to discourage circulation to your head.

mark

It's true that applying the minoxidil after a shower will grant better absorption because the pores are more open. However, since minoxidil can cause rapid heart beat and similar symptoms I don't think the makers of Rogaine will advocate any quicker delivery due to the potential danger to sensitive users. However, if you don't have a problem I say go for it. I do it myself.

I always wondered why Rogaine stopped putting the sprayers in the boxes. They only work if you have very little hair at the application spot. Otherwise, you just give your hair a minoxidil shower. I also recommend the minoxidil applicator that I have been using for 2 years now. You can check it out in this thread.

I also wrote up a blog post on the applicator on the Hair Loss Q & A blog.

-Robert

-Robert