Effect Of Isopropyl Alcohol On Follicles?

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Bklyn_23

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Hi, I'm wondering if anyone has any reliable information or first-hand accounts of how applying 70% or 90% isopropyl alcohol to the skin/scalp affects hair follicles. The reason I ask is that I switched to using isopropyl alcohol (on a paper towel, slightly diluted with water most times) to "clean up" my hairline after applying concealers about 18 months ago, and in that same time I've lost a lot of ground in the hairline region (front as well as sides/temples, all of which I apply the alcohol on). Note that I generally only do this 1-3 times per week.

I googled of course and everything seems to point back to this one page, or at least reiterates its findings: https://www.livestrong.com/article/276802-isopropyl-alcohol-effects-on-hair/

Is it just that it's drying to existing hair or can it actually damage the follicles themselves?
 
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dietcoke1987

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Bklyn_23 said:
Hi, I'm wondering if anyone has any reliable information or first-hand accounts of how applying 70% or 90% isopropyl alcohol to the skin/scalp affects hair follicles. The reason I ask is that I switched to using isopropyl alcohol (on a paper towel, slightly diluted with water most times) to "clean up" my hairline after applying concealers about 18 months ago, and in that same time I've lost a lot of ground in the hairline region (front as well as sides/temples, all of which I apply the alcohol on). Note that I generally only do this 1-3 times per week.

I googled of course and everything seems to point back to this one page, or at least reiterates its findings: https://www.livestrong.com/article/276802-isopropyl-alcohol-effects-on-hair/

Is it just that it's drying to existing hair or can it actually damage the follicles themselves?
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Well it's a compound that is essentially poisonous to the body that the liver filters out. It's likely a very bad idea to use it on the hairline. Ethanol topically is also a bad idea it up and down regulates genes you don't want to that affects hair. It's also an irritant and dehydrates the area which is known to cause hairloss from "environmental factors" which is why TMG is commonly in good hair products because it helps prevent hairloss from environmental stressors. Also there is a much better option anyways, it's called micellar water, it's extremely gentle and removes makeup easily and doesn't even have to be washed off and isn't drying. Some people use it just on the T zone prior to washing their face to treat/prevent congestion/breakouts because it cleans out the sebum from the pores so well. Hope that helps
 
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Bklyn_23

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dietcoke1987 said:
Well it's a compound that is essentially poisonous to the body that the liver filters out. It's likely a very bad idea to use it on the hairline. Ethanol topically is also a bad idea it up and down regulates genes you don't want to that affects hair. It's also an irritant and dehydrates the area which is known to cause hairloss from "environmental factors" which is why TMG is commonly in good hair products because it helps prevent hairloss from environmental stressors. Also there is a much better option anyways, it's called micellar water, it's extremely gentle and removes makeup easily and doesn't even have to be washed off and isn't drying. Some people use it just on the T zone prior to washing their face to treat/prevent congestion/breakouts because it cleans out the sebum from the pores so well. Hope that helps
Click to expand...

Thanks for the detailed response! Any info you could point me towards regarding the gene regulation you mentioned?
 
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Bklyn_23

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dietcoke1987 said:
under ethanol
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Ethanol and isopropyl alcohol have different chain lengths, though, so who knows if the effects would be similar. Thanks though. Regardless, I'll stop using it. I used to use soap/water, but getting the soap away from the hairline was difficult without affecting the concealer. I may look into that micellar water you mentioned.
 
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