Rogaine foam: which option ?

[Jake97]

So basically I'm a diffuse thinner so I have to use the foam not only on the temples but other places to. Even with the Rogaine foam, doing this 2x a day, doesn't look to good cosmetically. So now, I'm bouncing off 2 ideas:

- only apply the foam once a day, at night, full cap
- apply it twice a day BUT also shampoo my hair every day

So what is more beneficial or causes more damage to my hair ? Using foam only once a day (but double the dose) or shampoo my hair every day ?

 

[hairhoper]

I really think you should be shampooing your hair every day if you are putting any form of minoxidil in it.

I don't have any problems with the foam cosmetically, in fact it stiffens up my hair brilliantly, and I've tried mousses to get the same effect and failed so far to find one that is as good.

Just leave it in your hair for 15 mins then run a comb through it which will get rid of the 'whiteness' (and make it a bit less crusty).

I use a cheaper liquid (Kirkland) at night to save money. Using foam 2x daily is expensive, but if you're a diffuse thinner (I am too) I think you need a twice daily application of minoxidil.

 

[Jake97]

How do you cover all the areas (since you're a diffuse thinner like me) ? Especially above the hairline and further, I feel like I hit different areas with each application. Like I'm not consistent in foaming the same areas. Because that usually depends on how greasy my hair is, how I style it before hand. Man, being a diffuse thinner and using Rogaine is a pain in the ***.

Is it easier and more effective (covering more area) to do so with liquid or are you using strictly for economic reasons ?

 

[Going2beBald?]

When I start using rogaine foam can I apply it to every where on my hair or just the areas that I think are thinning ?

 

[hairhoper]

How do you cover all the areas (since you're a diffuse thinner like me) ? Especially above the hairline and further, I feel like I hit different areas with each application. Like I'm not consistent in foaming the same areas. Because that usually depends on how greasy my hair is, how I style it before hand. Man, being a diffuse thinner and using Rogaine is a pain in the ***.

Is it easier and more effective (covering more area) to do so with liquid or are you using strictly for economic reasons ?

If you're trying to add the foam after styling that may be your problem.

I use the foam after getting out of the shower. I towel dry my hair, then just use as much foam as I need on top of my head to feel like I've covered the whole area (which is probably at least twice the dosage the instructions give you). Once the foam has dried I run a comb through it then style as normal using a minuscule amount of wax, occasionally hairspray etc. I can't get away with any 'heavy' products that would reveal more scalp.

Yes I often feel like the scalp isn't getting quite as good a soaking as when I use the liquid in the evening. It is easier to cover a large area with the liquid. I guess it's partly economic, partly peace of mind that I've not given up the liquid (as my initial improvements were from using Regaine liquid alone twice a day - I would never go back to using liquid in the morning tho, it was a nightmare!).

 

[Jake97]

Thanks. I always apply it before styling.

I still don't quite understand how can you actually cover the whole area. Because you have to part you hair right ? Well, us being diffuse thinners, at least for me, that results in having to part my hair above the hairline to crown. Basically I make a line horizontally and part my hair. But I feel like on every application I always part hair in different areas. I hope you know what I mean. Do you part your hair horizontally or vertically ?

But right now I've actually decided to do this:

Here's how I apply the foam: I first liquify it and then use a dropper. I fill a cup with hot water, fill the cap of the foam bottle with foam. Hold the cap with the foam into the cup with hot water so the foam melts. ( ofcourse be carefull not to spill any water into the cap ) Then you can use a dropper just like with the liquid minoxidil. You keep the benefits of the faster drying and it's much easier then messing with the foam.

Seems like this way, I'll be able to apply it more efficiently and there's no need to buy liquid which could give me irritation.

BTW since you seem very informative, what happened to that big *** CB-03-01 thread ? Where people were were talking about buying it, testing it out...

 

[Agahi]

Not so much diffuse myself, but I apply the foam in a nw7 pattern (just in case), so I use a bunch and have to part my hair, so figured i'd chime in.

I part my hair 4-5(dont always get the same exact parts) times across the top of my head to about the start of where vertex thinning would be if I had any. I then get a second mirror and part the vertex part of my hair 3 or 4 times.

I apply straight from the nozzle of the can and not from the cap onto my finger then into my hair which helps a bunch.

 

[Jake97]

Cool, I get it. I'd imagine you must use a lot of foam for this. I only part it twice. But I know I should do it at least 5 times. Hopefully with the liquid I will be able to cover more area,

One more question. Like I've said I have decided to liquifiy the foam and use a dropper. I've never used liquid minoxidil before so I have to ask. You use the dropper, drop some of the minoxidil on exposed scalp...do you have to rub it in with your fingers after you drop it (like with the foam) or do you just simply put it on the exposed area and leave it as it is ?

 

[Agahi]

I used to just pat on the area i apply to so it didn't run all over the place (liquid minoxidil). I now gently rub it in because I heard you get better absorption that way....who knows if its true or not, but I have not noticed a decreased effect so I still do it.

 

[Jake97]

One last question, and I'll probably end up looking like an idiot. But why does this woman say it's enough if you only part your hair down the middle:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpgEiB16EUc

And here's a thread http://www.heralopecia.com/interact/vie ... &sk=t&sd=a where the women discuss how it's systemic, so you can easilly only apply it on the middle parted hairs.

 

[Agahi]

I think maybe because female pattern baldness is typically in the middle region, and has less recession type of a pattern perhaps? Not sure whats shes getting at exactly.

I know from my years(almost 5 now I'd say) of using the rogaine on the temples only(only in the past 4 months have been applying everywhere), that the places I applied(temples) was the only location I got results. Now that I apply everywhere, Im getting results everywhere. Though I did add finasteride at around the same time... dammit never any for sure answers lol

 

[Jake97]

Ha ha true. If only Rogaine was in a pill format like Propecia. Things would've been so much easier...

 

[Agahi]

Oh how I wish there was a pill form growth stim as good as minoxidil.

 

[hairhoper]

Jake I sense your hair is probably not in such a bad way as mine.

My hair is really patchy and thin, and I keep it short so parting is not as big a deal to me, I just rub it all over the top of my head, rubbing it into my scalp 'through' my hair.

(It looks awful wet, but fine when it's dry-styled).

If you have thicker hair I can see it would be more of a problem.

 

[hairhoper]

Heh, yeah I almost added something among those lines.

'If you hair is thick enough that you're having problems applying foam you probably don't need to worry all that much about your hair'

 

[Jake97]

Not so sure about that . It's just hard for me probably because I'm new at this and a diffuse thinner.

BTW since I'm gonna melt the foam and use a dropper. I don't have the minoxidil dropper so I used a normal glass one. Not so good. The liquid kept turning into gel. So I'm gonna buy a plastic one. The Rogaine dropper is plastic right ?

 

[mires]

Not so sure about that . It's just hard for me probably because I'm new at this and a diffuse thinner.

BTW since I'm gonna melt the foam and use a dropper. I don't have the minoxidil dropper so I used a normal glass one. Not so good. The liquid kept turning into gel. So I'm gonna buy a plastic one. The Rogaine dropper is plastic right ?

Yup, it's plastic.