minoxidil and retain a q

[thechampishere]

i have some extra retin-a cream over from a past percription....how do i apply it to make it effective wtih my minoxidil do i just put it on my head than use minoxidil or combine the two in the minoxidil bottle (fyi i have veyr short hair)

 

[The Gardener]

I would be hesitant to mix anything into your minoxidil bottle. One wrong move with it, and all the minoxidil might precipitate out of the solution.

Additionally, the minoxidil has a liquid vehicle specifically designed to ensure absorbtion, and the retin a has a cream vehicle designed likewise. Mixing the two substances might make reduce the efficacy of the carrier substances of both chemicals and make absorbtion sub-optimal.

 

[thechampishere]

......but wait u use a retin-a minoxidil combo....why then?

 

[The Gardener]

I do use a retin-a and minoxidil combo, but my retin-a is dissolved into the same alcohol and PPG carrier substance that the minoxidil is.

The problem is not the mixing of the retin a and the minoxidil, the problem is the mixing of the two carrier substances, one being alcohol and PPG, and the other being the cream that stand-alone retin a comes in.

 

[Petchsky]

What about MSM ? I use and mix that into my minoxidil and have for about 4 months....not noticed anything bad, so i guess it's okay for MSM.

 

[The Gardener]

I don't know about that one in particular, Petch. Are we talking about MSM in powder form, or in liquid? I would think a powder would probably be okay.

My main concern with the original question was the mixing of the two carrier substances, especially with respect to the minoxidil. I believe that introducing any form of moisture into a minoxidil bottle will hasten the breakdown of the minoxidil carrier substance and render it less effective. So, in effect, it is the cream vehicle that is carrying the retin a that I would be worried about, not the retin a per se... nor the MSM per se in your case.

If the MSM you are taking is in liquid form, then I would not mix the MSM liquid with the minoxidil and store it that way. I keep them separate, and only mix them only for that day's batch.

 

[Petchsky]

Cheers G-man, nah it's powder.

 

[hair_tomorrow]

you can apply a thin layer of retin-a lotion directly to your scalp.

evening time is best as the stuff breaks down in sunlight (and florescent lighting).

this could help to make your scalp more susceptible to sun-damage - so be cautious. also be prepared for flaking and peeling and possible scalp irritation.

 

[thechampishere]

are u syaing this cuz retin-a will help my hair or it will help in conjunction with minoxidil?

 

[hair_tomorrow]

are u syaing this cuz retin-a will help my hair or it will help in conjunction with minoxidil?

For many people - both.

Retin-A helps increase the absorbtion of minoxidil.

There are also reports that retin-a has some of its own hairloss prevention & regrowth properties.

Never helped me though. Just the opposite - seemed to make my hair fall out faster and never regrew.