EOs are volatiles, mostly terpenes (about 90%). They absorb or evaporate rapidly on contact with body heat -- mostly absorbed. Terpenes are a
transdermal delivery system in pharmacy. EOs have to be combined with waxes or other fats (think lip balms) in order to be retained for long periods, otherwise they disappear. If the EOs are very high quality, then there should be no residue.
Pure EOs are highly unlikely to clog pores. If anything, they will cause dermal irritation as they burn or penetrate the skin barrier, triggering immune responses. Peppermint and rosemary are relatively gentle compared to say, thyme or tea tree.
Funny you mention Nioxin, that's the shampoo I use! Nioxin 2. Wish I knew about it years ago, I only discovered it relatively recently. It makes things simpler.
I transfer some Nioxin from the huge bottle into a smaller bottle, to which I add caffeine, the EOs, and the other ingredients I mentioned above.
I was using the EOs on their own already, and they helped. An old folk remedy is to put the EOs into vodka and dab or spray over the thinning area, so I started with that. Then I just used a 50/50 blend of neat rosemary and peppermint, right on the scalp, and I could tolerate it (which is a feat, given how sensitive I am). Usually within 20-30 mins, I can feel the EOs in my face, I can smell them in my sinuses, etc. So they do absorb.
Then I was looking at combining aspirin, caffeine, niacinamide, succinic acid, and the EOs into ethanol/water to make a spray for hair loss, but in my research I stumbled across Nioxin and decided to use that as the base instead. I dissolve the caffeine and succinic acid into warmed apple cider vinegar and then add it directly into the Nioxin, give the bottle a shake, and call it a day. Nioxin already has aspirin and niacinamide in it, which saved me some effort. I add apple cider vinegar because that was in a hair loss shampoo I used a long time ago (at great expense) and I found that formulation also helpful. The ACV cuts excess oil on the scalp and it has a PH balancing quality that prevents fungus. (I still use ketoconazole too though.) In the future, I may add saw palmetto, but I don't want to suppress DHT too hardcore because I start to feel like shit.
Ditto. I was not willing to wait any longer to see if they got better. It was ruining my life and I felt like I had been poisoned. I felt so depressed and psychologically messed up.
There are less than 1500 people in that group, so that's a very small sample size. I'm not saying Minoxidil can't produce intolerable side effects, but it's far less likely at the lower doses. I misspoke earlier, I'm not taking 2.5mg/day, I'm taking 1.25mg/day. I take the 2.5mg pills and halve them. Like you, I'm super sensitive and avoid pharma whenever possible, but I don't seem to have bad effects from these pills. Again, ask me in a year.
I don't like taking oral Minoxidil, but there do not seem to be many good options for male pattern baldness. I tried a lot of other things before landing my current successful protocol. In the years of time I wasted, I permanently lost hair on my crown. I've saved the rest of my hair, but that bald spot will require a hair transplant, which I'm not willing to do because it's invasive and barbaric. One day I'll just stop all this and let my hair fall out, I think... but not for years to come. I am still too young. I've shaved my head before and I look good bald, but I'm still attached to my hair.
