I'm 55 years old. My hair is thinning in the crown in the back and by the temples. Can I use my minoxidil?

I suggest seeing an expert to evaluate your hair loss and start non invasive options like PRP/progesterone or consider transplantation.  Best, Dr. Emer.

In my opinion, should you have male pattern balding,minoxidil will be a helpful adjunct for your hair thinning. Please be aware that there are some possible cardiovascular and other side effects. Should you be healthy, that should not be an issue. As far as the temples, minoxidil was not tested on any other area other than the Crown. It should work on the temples even though it's not FDA approved for that indication. Hope that helps. Good luck.

75% of men will have response to minoxidil. You can use either the foam or the solution, they have the same active ingredient. The foam can be less irritating than the solution but either are effective. Minoxidil is only FDA approved for the vertex or crown, but in women's studies, the medication is used in all areas of hair loss and we know from patient usage that it can help hair grow in other areas besides the crown. As for your age, if your scalp is completely slick bald and has been for a long time, no medication including minoxidil likely to help much. But, if there is miniaturized hairs present, these can be stimulated to grow more robustly at any age.