Beach R, McDonald K, Barrett B. Tolerated, Effective, Successful: Low Dose Oral Minoxidil for Treating Alopecia, A 3-Year North American Retrospective Case Series. J Am Acad Dermatol 2020 doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2020.10.032. Baltazar Sanabria, Tamara de Nardo Vanzela, Hélio Amante Miot, Paulo Müller Ramos. Adverse Effects of Low-dose Oral Minoxidil for Androgenetic Alopecia in 435 patients. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology,

As with all medicines, there can be potential side effects to taking minoxidil. While not everyone will experience them, there is a risk of the following side effects. Minoxidil can be absorbed into the skin and cause severe side effects, although this is rare. Stop using Minoxidil and get medical help straight away if you experience any of the following severe side effects:Users should be aware that, whilst extensive use of Regaine for Men Extra Strength Scalp Solution 5% w/v Cutaneous Solution has not revealed evidence that sufficient minoxidil is absorbed to have systemic effects, greater absorption because of misuse, individual variability, unusual sensitivity or decreased integrity of the epidermal barrier caused by inflammation or disease processes in the skin (e.g. excoriations of the scalp, or scalp psoriasis) could lead, at least theoretically, to systemic effects. Cardiac effects of minoxidil in dogs are species-specific in terms of the low doses that cause profound haemodynamic effects and associated changes in the heart. Available data indicate that similar cardiac effects do not occur in humans treated topically or orally with minoxidil. Hypersensitivity reactions (including face oedema, generalised erythema, pruritus generalised, swelling face, and throat tightness) Applying sprays, gels, wax or mousse to your hair if the minoxidil solution you have applied is still wet

Animal reproduction toxicity studies in rats and rabbits have shown signs of maternal toxicity and a risk to the foetus at exposure levels that are very high compared to those, intended for human exposure. A low, albeit remote, risk of foetal harm is possible in humans. Not recommended. The safety and effectiveness of Regaine for Men Extra Strength Scalp Solution 5% w/v Cutaneous Solution in children and adolescents below the age of 18 years or adults over 65 years has not been established. It's available in two strengths – regular strength (2 percent) and extra strength (5 percent) and different products are recommended for men and women – ask your pharmacist for advice on which one to choose.Your doctor may direct you to combine Minoxidil with Finasteride. You can read more about finasteride here. Hair consultation and prescription of Minoxidil

Accidental ingestion may cause serious cardiac adverse events. Therefore this product has to be kept out of the reach of children. Assessment was undertaken by patients using a 100mm visual analogue scale and assessing scalp coverage where point 0 represented much less scalp coverage, 50mm no difference and 100mm much more scalp coverage. In addition, an assessment was undertaken by 2 blinded reviewers who compared photographs taken at baseline and after 48 weeks. Differences were assessed using a 7 point categorical scale viz: severe allergic reaction - characterised by itching, rash, hives, swelling of the mouth, lips, tongue or face, difficulty breathing, a feeling of tightness in the chest If minoxidil isn’t an option for you, but you’re feeling low about your hair loss, reach out to your GP for support and advice on alternative treatments. Topical minoxidil is only indicated for the treatment of alopecia androgenetica and should not be used in other types of hair loss for example when there is no family history of hair loss, hair loss is sudden and/or patchy, hair loss is due to childbirth, or the reason for hair loss is unknown.Minoxidil is a medicine that's used to help prevent further hair loss and help hair regrowth in people with male and female pattern baldness (androgenic alopecia). This is the most common type of progressive hair loss, affecting about half of men over 50. Regaine has been shown to encourage hair regrowth in as little as eight weeks, however this could be up to 16 weeks for some people. You also must bear in mind that the first six weeks of using Regaine may see a temporary increase in hair loss. Get hair aware & familiarise yourself with the side effects of taking minoxidil as a treatment for male & female pattern baldness For those patients receiving oral Minoxidil all monitoring tests, prescribing and follow-up consultations will need to occur at the Clinic as NHS GPs are under no obligation to continue prescribing or monitoring unlicensed medications. This means that if you elect to go on oral Minoxidil, you cannot continue this under the care of your GP. How do I prepare to start oral Minoxidil?