If minoxidil is causing your scalp to be itchy and flaky with white specks in your hair, there is a simple remedy for this problem.
An itching and/or flaking scalp, when caused by minoxidil, is usually caused by the 5 percent men’s solution applied twice a day.
Liquid, Not Foam
I was experiencing a slight itching, and definitely the flaking, of my scalp when I was applying the 5 percent men’s minoxidil (purchased cheaply at Walmart under the brand name of Equate).
This is the same chemical as in the very pricey name brand, Rogaine.
To make a long story short, I cured the itching and flakiness of my scalp by “downgrading” to a ONCE A DAY application of the WOMEN’S 2 percent solution.
Now before you assume that this will halt regrowth or undo the regrowth that was triggered by twice daily applications of the men’s formula, check out the pictures below of my side hairline.
Before minoxidil ……………………………………………….
After minoxidil
The top image of the profile is before minoxidil. The one below that is after minoxidil – how it appears despite for MANY months, applying the women’s solution just once a day!
The dense side hairline is obvious – and easily maintained with that 2 percent solution, applied every night before bedtime.
It’s very tempting to conclude that the men’s vs. women’s minoxidil is a marketing ploy.
Many women want to feel that a product is made “just for them.” They don’t want to use something that originally was marketed towards men.
But pattern baldness has the same cause in both men and women.
The rate of regrowth in my case is the same, whether I use the men’s or women’s minoxidil.
Experiment
Go ahead, switch to the women’s version. For me, this eliminated the scalp itching outright.
Initially I was applying it twice a day, afraid that I’d lose regrowth if I went down to once a day.
Then I went down to once a day, and I did not lose any regrowth, and in fact, the regrowth continues to increase.
I’ll admit that there’s an occasional white fleck in my hair – unlike the clumps of white flakes that would build up in various areas when I was using the men’s 5 percent minoxidil.
Liquid vs. Foam
You might have read that the foam minoxidil, regardless of version, eliminates the issue of itchiness and flaking.
But there’s another big problem with the foam. In order to maintain regrowth and stimulate more hair follicles, the substance needs to make contact with your scalp and make entry into the hair follicles.
If you have regrowth, the foam is going to end up on the regrown hair – not the scalp!
I found it impossible to get the foam on my scalp, as all the regrowth was blocking the way.
I’d end up with wet hair, as the foam quickly transforms to liquid once it’s exposed to air.
It’s impossible to get the foam, no matter how fast you work, slathered on your scalp with all the regrowth in the way.
However, it’s easy to make direct contact with your scalp by penetrating the liquid dropper through the regrowth.
Keep your head tilted back, and have a wiping pad ready in your other hand to catch any drops that escape down your forehead.
A picture is worth a thousand words. Look at my before and after pictures again.
That is the result of using the women’s 2 percent solution only once a day, liquid form. NO itchy scalp, and far fewer white flakes.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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