What REALLY is the difference between 2% and 5% Rogaine?

[neis]

Chris is my name , Johns is my surname, sorry for the confusion.

I have seen a doctor and told me to continue with rogaine and propecia. The only mystery that worrys me is that I can't understand why that second and the current time that I use rogaine I haven't regrew that hair that I had regrew with rogaine the first time I used it.Lots of people told me that that's because rogaine now needs more time to take effect(I am using it now for 3 months).

 

[Bryan]

I don't know why it's doing that, either. All you can do is continue your treatments and hope for the best.

I can think of soooo many studies that I'd LIKE to see done, but doctors and scientists haven't bothered to do them! One such study would be similar to just what you've been talking about: have some test-subjects use topical minoxidil for a while (maybe a year or so), then have them STOP using it for a while (maybe another year), then have them resume the minoxidil again. It would be fascinating to see the haircounts and hairweights over all those on-again off-again periods. It could help answer more definitively some of the questions that we have to speculate about on hairloss sites like this one.

 

[neis]

Tnx Bryan for your help,
I will continue my regimen and hope all gone well ........I want to belive that a miracle will happen and , I will regrew all the hair that I regrew the first time I used rogaine.......I hope , I keep having positive attitude
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[stampede]

Relax. I also use the foam because its so easy on the skin. I'm pretty sensitive to treatments and the high alcohol is a bit rough if I use it too long. The foam is very gentle and relieves the itching I build up from Dr Lees.

It's things like this that these studies miss - any discussion of "better" or "worse" really has to take factors like this into account to mean anything.

 

[Cassin]

Relax. I also use the foam because its so easy on the skin. I'm pretty sensitive to treatments and the high alcohol is a bit rough if I use it too long. The foam is very gentle and relieves the itching I build up from Dr Lees.

It's things like this that these studies miss - any discussion of "better" or "worse" really has to take factors like this into account to mean anything.

Yeah I mean its all well and good if something like Nizoral and Dr Lees item #500 work well but you have to think any added benefit is off set by damage to the scalp if you can't tolerate them.

I prefer Dr Lees #500 but I simply cannot use it for more than 15 or so days in a row before my scalp starts to itch due to the high alcohol content.

But again...I am very sensitive to everything. Every drug I take for whatever purpose works for me very well and works very fast but I am guaranteed to get some of the side effects. With this in mind I tend to avoid medication at all costs and when I am forced to take them I adjust my dosage lower while also shortening the length I take the drug.

 

[Petchsky]

Smart thing to do, know your body, or scalp in this case

No point pouring liquid on your scalp if it inflamed as it's counter productive...

 

[Joey Ramone]

How can a monkey be a donkey?

 

[ali777]

I use both 2% and 5% minoxidil.... I had to use 2% minoxidil back in July and I thought it was more efficient than 5%, so I got a few more bottles of it. Now I just alternate between the two. The extra alcohol means that it dries very quickly so I use 2% in the mornings and 5% in the evenings.

I'm pretty sure 2% minoxidil is absorbed much quicker and much more efficiently. I also noticed that I get more dark circles around my eyes when I use 2%, it must be either the alcohol or the quick absorption of minoxidil.

 

[Old Baldy]

I agree with what you are saying Bryan but it's harder to keep, let's say 5 percent minoxidil solution on the top of your head when you want to mimic 15 percent minoxidil IMHO. Too much of it runs off.

Putting it on in doses works pretty well though. But cosmetically it sucks compared to the pre-made stronger solutions IMHO.

 

[otis]

Dr Lee has a 12 % minoxidil mix ,why dont you give it a try.

 

[Old Baldy]

Yes Otis, I do use his 12.3 percent minoxidil and it is cosmetically acceptable IMHO.

Thanks for the info.