How To Properly Apply Minoxidil?

[Bigsby]

Hey all,

I started applying Minoxidil 2 days ago and had some questions about how to apply it.

I'm a diffuse thinner. I have pretty good hair (with the help of finasteride) but there are some spots that are thinner than others.

Now the directions on the bottle (I use the RegenePure Precision Spray 5%) say to use 6 pumps on the thinning area. However, as diffuse thinners might know, this will only cover one spot. And I have 4 spots that I want to hit: the crown, the vertex, a small patch on the right side of my head, and part of the front of my hairline.

Of course, preferably, I would want to cover my entire head as it's all thinning to various degrees, if not now then later. However, with my hair (which is short, but with a good amount of density and curly), it's impossible for me to do that. So I basically just pick the biggest problem areas. And I'm still using a lot!

I do, basically, 6 pumps on each area. That's about 24 pumps!

Am I doing this wrong? I know I'll go through the minoxidil really fast this way, which sucks. I'm also getting some acne.

I'm fine with this if this is the correct way to do it if you want to keep your hair length.

So I just wanted some input to see if I'm on the right track or if there are more harmful sides or damage I'm doing to my body that I don't realize yet or I'm just applying it incorrectly/wastefully. I don't get any lightheadedness or fast heart beats or anything yet. I definitely got that when i was on the Rogaine Foam, and I used less of it I think. But since it's liquid, it drips down onto my face with basically every spray (though it doesn't really get past my forehead since I quickly wipe it off).

I also haven't gotten any shedding yet. Maybe a couple small hairs here and there but nothing like what I remember finasteride was like. But then again, it's only been three days now so maybe soon? Not that I want that haha.

Also, I only apply at night. So maybe the extra pumps aren't a bad thing. And according to Dr. Bernstein (who I've met with before), applying at night is fine. He recommends using double the dosage if you are to do this.

I won't budge on the nightly application thing; I need to look good for my job and this Minoxidil stuff makes it such an unmanageable mess. Also, Finasteride has really stabilized my hair loss and given me some regrowth and my hair is generally good. This is icing on the cake to really get into the nooks and crannys, so to speak.

Thank you again guys!!

 

[robot_hair]

I'm a diffuse thinner too, and I can't use the foam. It all ends up in my hair!

I buy the liquid instead. To apply, I stick a comb into my hair horizontally, then pull up gently on the comb. This holds my hair "up", so that the hair is in a vertical position, so it is not lying against my scalp. I then place the eye-dropper against different parts of my scalp, dispense a few drops at a time, and rub the liquid through my scalp with my fingers. I then move to a new location and repeat. I also use double doses (2ml), because I can't really cover my scalp with just 1 ml.

 

[optik2]

thanks

 

[Bigsby]

I'm a diffuse thinner too, and I can't use the foam. It all ends up in my hair!

I buy the liquid instead. To apply, I stick a comb into my hair horizontally, then pull up gently on the comb. This holds my hair "up", so that the hair is in a vertical position, so it is not lying against my scalp. I then place the eye-dropper against different parts of my scalp, dispense a few drops at a time, and rub the liquid through my scalp with my fingers. I then move to a new location and repeat. I also use double doses (2ml), because I can't really cover my scalp with just 1 ml.

Ahh, gotcha. The question now is: how do I know how much is enough? For example, If let's say I want to do a part in my hair, the part runs from the front of my head to near the top, which leads to a thinning patch. Do I do 3 drops on the thin patch and then 3 drops (or whatever the drop equivalent of a spary is) along my hairline?

Or am I spreading the Minoxidil too thin?

I wonder if I should just focus on the two big areas, the top of my head and the vertex, put 6 sprays on each and then call it a day?

Also, I do it at night so are they really saying do 12 sprays on each thin spot??

 

[Funkymonk1]

This is probably a stupid question but do people only apply Min to the areas that are thinning and receding or do they apply it on the whole scalp? Because if you have male pattern baldness the rest of the hair is probably going fall out at some point anyway.

 

[Bigsby]

You'd preferably do your whole scalp due to that exact, correct line of reasoning.

 

[huck77]

I'm also a little confused on applying rogaine. I haven't ordered it yet so I'm trying to research.

 

[robot_hair]

Or am I spreading the Minoxidil too thin?

I'd think that in all cases, you'd want to apply it to the whole scalp. As I wrote earlier, I use 2 ml instead of the usual liquid dose of 1 ml. I rationalize that this ok, for the following reasons:

1. Because I still have most of my hair, much of the liquid ends up in my hair. 2 ml probably gets as much minoxidil on my skin as 1 ml does on someone with less hair.
2. Standard minoxidil is a 5% solution. There are people on these forums that use a 15% solution. I figure that a "double" 5% solution is still less chemical on my skin than a 15% solution.

However, be aware that side effects can occur with too much Minoxidil, so be watchful for them. (I've never noticed any side effects.)

 

[yetti]

I'd think that in all cases, you'd want to apply it to the whole scalp.

If you just have a small bald spot at the crown, I dont think its necessary to cover your entire head with minoxidil.

 

[Bigsby]

Okay, so I'm still slightly confused.

I want to cover: a big area on my crown and the two parts on either side of my head.

I'm only applying at night so I need to do double the doses.

It says 6 sprays per affected area. So that's 18 sprays multiplied by 2 (because I'm doing a double dose at night as opposed to an AM/PM routine) for a total of 36 sprays??

I say 6 sprays per area because I can't just spray my head 6 times and just lather it around because of all my hair.

That's gotta be too many sprays though. That's 6mL a day! I'd finish a bottle in 5 days.

Any help?

 

[Goldee Lox]

I'd think that in all cases, you'd want to apply it to the whole scalp. As I wrote earlier, I use 2 ml instead of the usual liquid dose of 1 ml. I rationalize that this ok, for the following reasons:

1. Because I still have most of my hair, much of the liquid ends up in my hair. 2 ml probably gets as much minoxidil on my skin as 1 ml does on someone with less hair.
2. Standard minoxidil is a 5% solution. There are people on these forums that use a 15% solution. I figure that a "double" 5% solution is still less chemical on my skin than a 15% solution.

However, be aware that side effects can occur with too much Minoxidil, so be watchful for them. (I've never noticed any side effects.)

What has your experience with minoxidil been like, Robot Hair?

 

[Rudiger]

Just vaguely reading this thread has me worried I've been applying my foam all wrong (Regaine).

I try and massage into my scalp but a significant amount does make my hair wet, am I not getting all the minoxidil into the problem area? I have short hair and I rub the foam usually until it's completely dry, take a minute or two.

 

[Dench57]

I use an a*** suppository for maximum absorption.

 

[Agustin Araujo]

Part your hair and apply Minoxidil to the areas of the scalp where needed, that's what I do. I use the foam version instead of the liquid, but that's my preference.

 

[Bigsby]

Part your hair and apply Minoxidil to the areas of the scalp where needed, that's what I do. I use the foam version instead of the liquid, but that's my preference.

Hey Agustin,

I agree, but how much do you put on per thinning area?

If you read my post above, my regiment would have me doing 36 sprays (6 sprays being 1mL). I also bought a dropper which I'm planning on using tonight but I just don't know how much is enough per area.

 

[Rudiger]

I've never considered more than 5% minoxidil, for a few reasons.

OK I'm a pussy but I'm scared of shedding, I've been lucky enough to have gradual re-growth on minoxidil and finasteride without any real noticeable shedding, I think if it happened I'd have to live underground for about 12 weeks. That being said, I'd go throw shedding if it meant more re-growth but:

I'm not convinced it makes a difference for any long term user of minoxidil to move up in percentage. I've been using for over 4 years, without finasteride, and it only really did anything for a year or two, but I'm sure mixed with finasteride for the last 6 months it's still helping to maintain. However, I don't think upping the percentage will do anything except maybe cause un-necessary shedding.

I could be wrong. if I was sure 12% or whatever would make a difference and bring more re-growth I'd definitely take it though.

 

[Agustin Araujo]

Hey Agustin,

I agree, but how much do you put on per thinning area?

If you read my post above, my regiment would have me doing 36 sprays (6 sprays being 1mL). I also bought a dropper which I'm planning on using tonight but I just don't know how much is enough per area.

I'll just take the can of Minoxidil foam and apply it really liberally. One can will last me roughly two weeks, maybe a little less since I have a large area of my scalp to cover.

Since you're going to use the liquid version, perhaps a maximum of 2 milliliters will do, that's how much I use when I apply my RU58841 solution. Using 1-1.5 milliliters will be good if you keep your hair rather short.

I've never sprayed a treatment onto my scalp, so I'm not sure what that's like.

 

[debyne]

Using Minoxidil is like getting botox on your anus...sure it may work, but it's a pain in the ***.

 

[Bram]

Hee Guys,

This thread hasn't been used for a while but I just started using liquid minoxidil 5%, and I was wondering if there is any method that I can use to make the application quicker and less messy?

I came across the hydrobrush.. but that thing just seems like a hairbrush instead of something you would want to apply minoxidil with.

Does any of you have a good tip?