Hi,
I am a 24 year old male and have begun the early stages of MPB. My doctor has prescribed Minoxidil 5% and I know your suppose to apply it twice a day but that doesn’t really fit into my schedule, so I have only been applying it about once every other day. My question is, is there any harm that can be done applying 5% Minoxidil once every other day or is it simpy not as effective as using it twice everyday? Thanks.
You shouldn’t need a prescription for minoxidil 5% topical for use in treating hair loss, as it is available over the counter (at least in the U.S., though I can’t say for sure in other countries).
The recommended dose as you know is applying it twice a day. There is no harm is using it once every other day, but you will not be using it the way it is recommended and you may not get any benefit from infrequent use. I suspect poor compliance and/or not following the recommended directions are the main reasons why patients give up using minoxidil, because they don’t see a benefit.