Q 2-21.
How Long Does Topical Medicine Work on the Scalp?
Does topical medicine work effectively on the scalp for a long time?
Can we dry hair with a hair dryer immediately after application of minoxidil solution to the scalp?
A 2-21.
Many kinds of drugs are used in the form of lotion, ointment, and cream. The ingredient is absorbed through the skin when the drug is applied to the skin. The drug will lose efficacy son after it is removed from the skin.
If the medicine stays on the skin for a long time, the drug can have longer absorption time. That is to say, ointment works longer than cream, and cream works longer than lotion.
In order to make absorption time of minoxidil solution longer, it would be better to keep the scalp wet for a while in the author’s opinion.
If the scalp is dried with a hair dryer soon after application of the solution to the scalp, the time to absorb the drug will become short.
As for medicine coated on a tape, blood concentration of the drug rises to the therapeutic level in 10-20 minutes. The effect of the drug lasts with stable blood concentration for many hours up to 12-24 hours.
Blood concentration of the drug will drop soon after peeling off the tape.
