Are Hair Perfumes Safe for Thinning Hair if I'm Using Minoxidil?'

Poppy

Question: Hello. I have female pattern hair loss and am using minoxidil but I just started so it's still quite thin and I wanted to know if it's safe for me to use hair perfumes? It's just a spray so can I use it even though my hair is thin? And how long do I have to wait after using minoxidil? Thank you for your help and advice.

Answer: Hi, Poppy. It is absolutely fine for you to use hair perfume if you are using minoxidil. You don't need to wait a specific amount of time, just make sure you wait until your hair is fully dry before spritzing. When you do, spray the hair shaft from a distance of at least six inches to avoid spraying it on the scalp, especially if you have recently applied your minoxidil.

You may want to be careful when choosing a product to make sure the level of alcohol it contains is not too high. This is because alcohol is drying to the hair when used often and in large amounts and the reason hair fragrances have started to become popular as they tend to contain less drying components and more ingredients specifically included to help the hair's appearance than regular perfumes.

Female pattern hair loss can cause the hair to become thin and therefore weaker and prone to breakage. Therefore it is wise to try avoiding products which will dry the hair and make it more brittle, especially if you intend to use them regularly or in large quantities. Additionally, whilst there are no contraindications, the combined alcohol content of the hair perfume and minoxidil may overwhelm your scalp.

As a rule of thumb, you can tell how prominent alcohol is within a product by checking where it comes in the ingredients list. These labels feature each ingredient contained within the formula in order of the largest (first) to smallest (last) amounts present.

Given these products are relatively new, no relevant studies have been carried out but there is no medical reason we are aware of as to why hair perfume could not be used on thinning hair. There is, however, a cosmetic reason you may want to consider. Some hair perfumes not only add a pleasant scent, but also act as a shine spray. This serum-like action can sometimes make thinning hair look even sparser, especially if applied near the roots. Overall though, we don't see any reason why you shouldn't try them out but, as they may not give you the look you want, maybe take advantage of testers in stores to try them out first and see how you get on before purchasing.