What is Regaine for Men Extra Strength 5% Solution?
Regaine for Men Extra Strength 5% Solution is a topical medicine for common hereditary hair loss, also called androgenetic alopecia, in men aged 18 to 65. Each millilitre contains 50mg of minoxidil. Do not swallow this solution or take it by mouth. If you are looking for an oral treatment for hair loss, oral minoxidil tablets are a separate prescription-only medicine used off-label for hair loss and supplied only after a clinical assessment. Regaine solution may help prevent further hair loss and support regrowth, but not everyone responds and the amount of change varies.12
It is a General Sales List medicine, so no prescription is required. Select the pack you need and read the suitability information below before ordering. Ask our pharmacy team if you are unsure whether it is suitable for you.2
Always read the label and the patient information leaflet supplied with the medicine.
Buy Regaine solution online in the UK
Regaine for Men Extra Strength 5% Solution is £27.99 for a 60ml bottle, which should last a month. It is a General Sales List medicine, so there is nothing to complete and nothing to wait for: add it to your basket and check out. Orders placed before 3pm are dispatched the same working day in discreet packaging.
Hair loss treatment is not funded on the NHS, because pattern hair loss is treated as a cosmetic problem rather than a medical one.6
Who can use Regaine solution?
This product is intended for men aged 18 to 65 whose hair loss is gradual, follows a typical male pattern and occurs on an otherwise healthy scalp. Product information says men with a smaller area of thinning at the vertex (top of the scalp) may be more likely to respond, but an individual's response cannot be predicted. Sudden, patchy, unexplained or symptomatic hair loss needs assessment because it may have another cause.126
It may be suitable if
- You are a man aged 18 to 65 with gradual hereditary hair loss.
- Your scalp is normal, healthy and not shaved.
- You can apply it twice daily and understand that continued use is needed to maintain any benefit.
- You have read the leaflet and can follow the dose and safety instructions.
Do not use it if
- You are female, under 18 or over 65.
- You are allergic to minoxidil, ethanol, propylene glycol or another ingredient.
- You have treated or untreated high blood pressure.
- Your hair loss is sudden, patchy, unexplained, caused by a medicine, occurs without a family history or affects all scalp or body hair.
- Your scalp is shaved, sunburnt, inflamed, infected, irritated, painful or affected by psoriasis.
- You use a dressing over the treated scalp.
Speak to a doctor or pharmacist before use if you have heart disease, an abnormal heart rhythm, angina, circulation problems or use a vasodilator medicine. If you already use another medicine or a compounded or special treatment on your scalp, check with the clinician who prescribed it or a pharmacist before adding Regaine.12
How to apply Regaine solution
Regaine is a scalp treatment, not a shampoo. Part your hair so you can apply the solution directly to the skin of the thinning area. Do not apply it to the hair strands: solution that sits on the hair cannot reach the scalp where it needs to be applied.1
- Make sure your hair and scalp are completely dry.
- Part your hair as needed to expose the affected scalp.
- Apply 1ml to the total affected scalp area, not along the hair strands. Six pump sprays deliver 1ml.
- Use your fingertips to spread it lightly over the scalp. Do not rub it through your hair like shampoo, and avoid breathing in the spray mist.
- Avoid the eyes, mouth, broken skin and other sensitive areas. Rinse thoroughly with cool water after accidental contact.
- Wash your hands and rinse any skin away from the scalp that has touched the solution.
- Repeat twice daily, leaving at least 12 hours between applications. Do not exceed 2ml in 24 hours.
Using more or applying it more often will not make hair regrow faster and can increase the risk of side effects. If you miss a dose, continue normally; do not use twice as much or apply it twice as often.12
Seek immediate medical advice if anyone uses too much. If anyone swallows the solution, take them to hospital immediately and take the bottle if possible. The liquid is flammable: keep it away from heat, sparks, flames and smoking during use, storage and disposal. Store it below 25°C and out of the sight and reach of children.12
Using Regaine safely around pets
Minoxidil is toxic to pets, especially cats, and even small exposures can cause serious or potentially fatal illness. Dogs can also be affected. Drying reduces the chance of transfer, but dried residue is not safe for a pet to lick.812
- Apply Regaine away from pets and wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water straight afterwards.
- Let your scalp and hair dry completely before close contact, and never let a pet lick the treated area.
- Keep pets away from pillows, bedding, clothing and surfaces that may contain residue.
- Clean spills immediately and store the product, applicators and used tissues securely out of reach.
If your pet may have licked, swallowed or touched minoxidil, contact your vet immediately, even if they appear well. Do not try to make them vomit unless a vet tells you to. UK pet owners can also call Animal PoisonLine on 01202 509000 (24 hours; charges apply).812
How does Regaine solution work, and does it work?
Minoxidil's hair-growth mechanism is not fully understood. UK professional information describes effects on the hair-growth cycle, hair-shaft diameter and local follicle activity. These proposed actions do not predict whether an individual will respond.2
3 in 5 men reported hair regrowth after 48 weeks of continual use. This includes different degrees of increased scalp coverage.12
| Evidence | What it found | What it cannot promise |
|---|---|---|
| 48-week 5% solution trial9 | Five-percent topical minoxidil produced greater hair-count and assessment outcomes than 2% solution and vehicle in men with androgenetic alopecia. | Trial averages do not guarantee visible regrowth for an individual, and controlled-trial use may not reflect everyday adherence. |
| Systematic review10 | The review found evidence that minoxidil improves hair-growth outcomes compared with control treatments. | The included studies varied in formulation, duration, outcomes and participant groups; it was not a Regaine-brand trial. |
Using Regaine with a DHT blocker
Finasteride and dutasteride reduce DHT, a hormone involved in male pattern hair loss, while minoxidil works differently. For some men, using Regaine alongside prescribed finasteride can be more effective than Regaine solution alone. A 12-month randomised study found greater improvement with oral finasteride plus 5% topical minoxidil than with either treatment on its own. This study did not assess dutasteride.11 Finasteride tablets are licensed for male pattern hair loss, while dutasteride capsules are used off-label for hair loss. Do not take finasteride and dutasteride together. Only combine Regaine with either medicine if a healthcare professional has confirmed that both treatments are suitable for you.
When might you see results?
You may need to apply the solution twice daily for at least two months before new growth is seen. A meaningful assessment can take six to twelve months, and some men will not respond.15
- Weeks 2 to 6: temporary increased shedding can occur after starting.
- From around 2 months: some users may begin to see new growth, but timing varies.
- Around 6 to 12 months+: this is where you should start to see and increase in hair thickness, diameter, and overall coverage.
Initial shedding is linked to a change in the hair-growth cycle and does not prove that the medicine will work for you. If a shedding episode continues for more than two weeks after it begins, stop using Regaine and speak to your doctor.12
Continued twice-daily treatment is required to maintain regrowth. Regrown hair may disappear three to four months after stopping and the underlying hair-loss process will continue.1
Side effects, interactions and when to get help
Like all medicines, Regaine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. The current patient leaflet groups them by urgency and frequency as outlined below.12
Stop using Regaine and seek immediate medical help if you develop chest pain or swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue or throat that may make swallowing or breathing difficult.1
Stop using it and speak to a doctor if you develop
- An allergic reaction, low blood pressure, a fast heartbeat or palpitations.
- Faintness, dizziness, swollen hands or feet, shortness of breath or sudden unexplained weight gain.
- Persistent scalp redness, irritation or rash.
Other reported effects
- Very common: headache.
- Common: itching or dermatitis and unwanted hair away from the scalp.
- Uncommon: nausea.
- Rare: change in hair texture.
- Frequency unknown: depressed mood, eye irritation, vomiting, scalp dryness or flaking, acne-like rash, blistering, bleeding, ulceration, temporary shedding or a change in hair colour.
If you use another medicine or a compounded or special treatment on your scalp, check with the clinician who prescribed it or a pharmacist before adding Regaine. Some combinations can change how much minoxidil is absorbed, so do not layer products unless they have confirmed how to use them safely. Avoid children touching treated skin because unwanted body-hair growth has been reported in infants following accidental contact.12
Report suspected side effects through the MHRA Yellow Card scheme.7
Regaine foam or solution: what is the difference?
| Detail | Solution | Foam |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed age | Men aged 18 to 65 | Men aged 18 to 49 |
| Dose | 1ml, or six sprays, twice daily | 1g, or half a capful, twice daily |
| Container | 60ml bottle; about one month | 73ml can containing 60g of foam; about one month |
| No-response point | Stop after one year with no improvement | Stop after 16 weeks with no improvement |
| Propylene glycol | Contains propylene glycol | Does not contain propylene glycol |
Both are 5% topical minoxidil medicines but the Propylene glycol can cause irritation, if you find this is the case you may want to consider the foam over solution. View Regaine for Men Extra Strength 5% Foam for its specific instructions, and follow the leaflet supplied with that exact product.1234
Regaine solution FAQs
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No. It is a General Sales List medicine. Read the label and suitability information, and ask a pharmacist if you are unsure.1
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Six pump sprays deliver the 1ml dose. Apply that total amount across the affected scalp twice daily, at least 12 hours apart.1
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One 60ml bottle provides about 30 days of treatment when 1ml is applied twice daily as directed.1
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Continue with the next application as normal. Do not apply twice as much or use it twice as often.1
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No. This product is licensed for men only and must not be used by women, including during pregnancy or breastfeeding.1
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No. The leaflet says not to use it if you have treated or untreated high blood pressure.1
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Any regrown hair may disappear within three to four months and the underlying hair-loss process will continue. Continued use is needed to maintain benefit.1
Clinical sources and further information
This page does not replace the patient information leaflet supplied with your medicine or individual advice from a doctor or pharmacist.
Medicine guidance
- eMC: current Regaine for Men Extra Strength 5% Solution patient leaflet (accessed 19 August 2026)
- eMC: Regaine for Men Extra Strength 5% Solution professional information (accessed 19 August 2026)
- eMC: current Regaine for Men Extra Strength 5% Foam patient leaflet (accessed 19 August 2026)
- eMC: Regaine for Men Extra Strength 5% Foam professional information (accessed 19 August 2026)
- British Association of Dermatologists: male pattern hair loss (accessed 19 August 2026)
- NHS: hair loss (accessed 19 August 2026)
- MHRA: Yellow Card scheme for reporting side effects (accessed 19 August 2026)
- Veterinary Poisons Information Service: minoxidil and other dangerous medicines for pets (accessed 19 August 2026)
Published studies
- 2002 randomised trial of 5% and 2% topical minoxidil solution in men (accessed 19 August 2026)
- 2017 systematic review and meta-analysis of androgenetic-alopecia treatments (accessed 19 August 2026)
- 2015 randomised study of oral finasteride and 5% topical minoxidil used alone or together (accessed 19 August 2026)
- 2021 study of 211 topical minoxidil exposures in cats and dogs (accessed 19 August 2026)
