BlackoutFear

Hi everyone!
I need to use a product called minoxidil but this contains alcohol, i would apply it on my scalp(hair loss med), anyone here use this too? Can rubing alcohol on skin broke my sobriety?

doggonecarl

I use alcohol-based aftershaves and hair tonics regularly. As long as I don't drink them, my sobriety is intact.

JD

There will be those that disagree with me, but to me sobriety means not drinking alcohol for the sole purpose of well drinking alcohol. I personally don't have a problem of using products that have alcohol in them or even food that may have been cooked using some alcohol. But others may have different thoughts and that's OK. It's really is up to the individual and what works for them.

Andante

Seems to me most of these "Is my sobriety broken if I do 'x'?" questions can be distilled down to one word: intent.

I've always thought that if any part of you has any intent to use the product to get a buzz, then your sobriety is broken.

I say "any part" because sometimes being honest with one's self about one's own motivations can be a lot more difficult than determining whether the product itself contains a significant amount of alcohol.

For me personally, I don't worry about trace amounts of alcohol in products or cooked foods because I know my intent isn't to get drunk. Others simply make a policy of not using any product containing alcohol so there's no possibility of confusion about the issue.

"To thine own self be true," as they say.

BlackoutFear

Guys, thx for the help.
In my case i have OCD too, so, i'm always worried about alcohol, when i go out i never drink a soda or water that isn't sealed, because i have the fear that it is contamined with alcohol.
Well, the same happens with some products(after-shave for example), i worry that the alcohol on it will get into my system.

SoberCAH

Topical alcohol is okay.

But I am very careful to never get it near my mouth.

I use after shave every morning.

But I don't use mouthwash with alcohol.

Your concerns are actually rather normal.

Glad you brought this up.

Bunny211

Just don't drink it

Gottalife

Alcohol comes in many forms. In terms of skin contact I find I seem to be sensitive to acetone when using it to clean up after using epoxy and paint. Acetone is linked to the phenomenon of craving in the way an alcoholic liver processes alcohol. Anyway, I am always cranky the next day if I get it on my skin. So these days I do all I can to avoid skin contact.

Ken33xx

[pproducts ucts E=BlackoutFear;6022359]Hi everyone!
I need to use a product called minoxidil but this contains alcohol, i would apply it on my scalp(hair loss med), anyone here use this too? Can rubing alcohol on skin broke my sobriety?[/QUOTE]

No. Not at all.

As was mentioned intent is the key.

For example I find nothing wrong with using alcohol based products as a disinfectant.

scintillady

I am taking antabuse in order to make sure I cannot drink. I know that if I use mouthwash that contains alcohol I will have a reaction so I am very careful. I also found out the hard way that I cannot use skin care products that contain alcohol. I forgot and used a cleanser/toner on my face while taking antabuse and my face burned like crazy. I personally do not think sobriety is broken when alcohol based products are used, and if I was not taking antabuse I probably wouldn't worry about it.

Ken33xx

Right if you don't drink or say gargle with it personally I wouldn't worry at all.

SoberCAH

I took Antabuse for 15 - 16 months.

I'm glad I did.

I wanted every last bit of help I could get my hands on.

TrapezeFreak

Another thumbs up for Antabuse here. It's been in my sober tool kit the last few months and I a very grateful. I too feared the reaction from skin products while being on it. However after research stayed with my same products and have had no reaction. We are all different. Do what you think is right for you and keeps you safe.

Iopu

I've been using minoxidil for years. And it never even dawned on me their was alcohol in it! As long as you don't drink it it's ok. And surely doing that would make you feel pretty ill.

Iopu

You can actually get alcohol free formula minoxidil online.

August252015

Another grateful Antabuse user here - took it for the first four months and stopped just a few weeks ago (I am at day 132).I didn't feel I needed it physically, but my psych and I agreed that I would sign and have a witness sign a paper that I took it every day- that paper became a constant companion!! There are also anti-craving meds.

In rehab, you can't have products with pretty much any kind of alcohol (and there are many) mainly because addicts are known to drink, well, ANYTHING, out of desperation.

In our regular lives, some people are very sensitive to products, for various reasons. My mom had to stop using all but one rare perfume, if she wanted to wear any, because of her rxn to alcohol in pretty much all perfumes.

I also vote you are not breaking your sobriety. Products we need to use - not ingest- are ok by me; in fact, I have been getting whiteheads on my chin lately and plan to buy some rubbing alcohol to treat them today.

I hope you can begin to allay your anxiety.

elihoping

This has probably been answered a thousand times over - but what do people think about cough medicine with alcohol in it? The only one I've been able to find without alcohol is this weird herbal one which doesn't really do anything for my cough. Twice since getting sober, I've asked the pharmacy to recommend one without alcohol and both times, they sold me one that still had alcohol in it. One of the guys even got defensive about how it was such a small amount, it didn't matter.

ScottFromWI

I personally try to stay away from them. There are several name brand cough medicines that don't contain alcohol, talk with your doctor if you are concerned. Even a quick google search brings up several OTC cough medicines that contain no alcohol.

August252015

Haven't had a cough or cold yet, but I would take one with alcohol in it. Goes back to my thing about all the different kinds of alcohol. Fruit, for example, has sugar alcohol. Eat it daily.

I say go with what works for you mentally, and physically. We don't want to do things that harm ourselves anymore, right? So whether it actually irritates you or mentally stresses you, don't do it I worry more about any medicine I take for headaches, or general pain- for example by OTC painkillers in general are hard on your system. I had severe liver damage and will always need to be vigilant about what I contribute to my liver health.