The science-backed fixes behind stronger, cleaner, better-growing hair

Minoxidil Pointers

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inoxidil (Rogaine) is considered to be the best treatment for thinning hair. The foam form is recommended over the liquid version, as the latter contains propylene glycol, which can cause skin irritation.

Typically, minoxidil is available in gender-specific formats. The men’s version is 5% strength; the women’s version is half that strength. Don’t be put off by the blue box on the product that says, “Not for use by women.” There’s no reason women can’t use the men’s version — the FDA approved 5% strength minoxidil for men to use twice a day, and for women once a day. (If you need reassurance, the Kirkland Women’s Minoxidil is 5% strength, and the instructions say to apply once daily.) Women should be careful to apply it specifically where needed, using a small brush like a toothbrush for accuracy, because wherever minoxidil ends up, it will cause hair growth.

Minoxidil isn’t active on its own. For minoxidil to work, it relies on a specific enzyme called sulfotransferase to be present within the hair follicle. When minoxidil interacts with the enzyme, sulfotransferase converts it to minoxidil sulfate, which in turn increases blood flow to the hair follicle.

Not everyone has sufficient amounts of sulfotransferase in their hair follicles, so for them, minoxidil doesn’t work as they’d hoped. If you haven’t seen results from minoxidil after a few months, apply retinol to the scalp before minoxidil. This can be done with a storebought retinol like Roc or Differin adapalene or with a prescription retinoid (up to .025%. More than that will be too irritating). Retinol boosts sulfotransferase levels, which in turn should properly activate the minoxidil. Retinol will also help minoxidil penetrate deeper.

Your hair should be clean but dry before applying; wet hair will dilute the medication. Shampooing every other day should be sufficient for a clean canvas.

Grease Begone

Your scalp can’t be “trained” to produce less oil, so if you struggle with a greasy scalp, just shampoo it. Oil and buildup aren’t good for scalp health, and by extension, hair health, so cleanse as needed. Use a clarifying shampoo, like Garnier Fructis Pure Clean, or a salicylic acid shampoo such as Neutrogena T-Sal or Target’s Up & Up version, and ideally shampoo twice. You want to achieve that “squeaky clean” — literally — feeling. When applying shampoo, apply it on top and on the base, at the neck, under the hair. Your focus should be on the scalp, not the hair strands.

When conditioning, keep clear of the scalp. You should apply conditioner only to the ends of hair, no higher than, say, the earlobe. The scalp doesn’t need help with moisturizing; the longer parts of the hair do, since hair isn’t alive and doesn’t renew itself.

Blow-dry hair rather than letting it air-dry; blow-drying can help keep grease at bay. This is also recommended for those with dandruff, as wet hair creates a moist, bacteria-friendly environment for yeast to flourish. Takeaway: Don’t go to sleep with wet hair.

You should clean your pillowcases regularly to prevent oil from redepositing on hair. The same goes for hairbrushes. Hairbrushes get nasty pretty quickly, and all that gunk simply ends back onto the hair if you don’t remove it from the bristles. I do this by removing as much buildup as possible by hand, then bringing the brush into the shower weekly to get a clarifying shampoo treatment (this isn’t appropriate for hairbrushes with wooden handles, obviously).

Glycolic acid, like The Ordinary 7% Glycolic Acid, is an excellent pre-shampoo treatment for oily scalp and dandruff; it sloughs off lingering sebum and flakes from the scalp. Apply it to your scalp 10 to 30 minutes before showering; you can put it in a spray bottle for easier product distribution.

If you like to use dry shampoo, apply it after blow-drying your hair, rather than on already greasy hair. By applying it before oil accumulates, it can soak it up before it becomes a problem. In my single days, I used storebought dry shampoos, but found cornstarch to be an ideal, fragrance-free alternative. Sprinkle a tiny amount on your hair, fluff it through, then brush it out.

If oil caught up with you and a shampoo isn’t possible just yet, try micellar water. Soak a cotton round in micellar water, like Garnier Micellar Water for Oily Skin, and after dividing hair in sections, swipe it along the roots.

(Originally featured in Family First, Issue 979)