What is Regaine for Women Once a Day Scalp Foam?
Regaine for Women Once a Day Scalp Foam is a licensed topical medicine for hereditary female pattern hair loss in women aged 18 to 65. Each gram contains 50mg of minoxidil (5% w/w). It is applied once daily and may help reduce 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. A retail 73ml can contains 60g of foam and provides approximately two months of treatment when used at the licensed dose.23
Always read the label and the patient information leaflet supplied with the medicine.
Is it suitable for your type of hair loss?
Female pattern hair loss usually develops gradually. The central parting may become wider and the hair over the top of the scalp may look less dense, while the frontal hairline is often retained. Sudden shedding, round bald patches or an inflamed scalp can have another cause and need a different assessment.56
It may be suitable if
- You are a woman aged 18 to 65 with gradual hereditary thinning over the top of the scalp.
- Your scalp is normal, healthy and completely dry when you apply it.
- You can use it once daily and understand that continued use is needed to maintain any benefit.
- You have read the leaflet and can follow its dose and safety instructions.
Do not use it if
- You are pregnant, breastfeeding, under 18, over 65 or male.
- You have treated or untreated high blood pressure or are allergic to minoxidil or another ingredient.
- Your hair loss is sudden, patchy, unexplained, started after childbirth, is caused by a medicine or occurs without a family history.
- You have total baldness or complete loss of all body hair.
- Your scalp is sunburnt, inflamed, infected, irritated, painful, affected by psoriasis or shaved.
- You are using another medicine on your scalp. Do not layer Regaine with a prescribed, compounded or over-the-counter scalp medicine.
- You use a dressing or bandage over the treated scalp.
See your GP before choosing a commercial hair-loss treatment if the cause is unclear, the shedding followed an illness or childbirth, or you also have symptoms such as irregular periods, new acne or increased facial hair. Those features can need assessment rather than self-treatment with Regaine.56
How to apply Regaine for Women foam
Apply the foam to the scalp, not the hair strands. It is not a shampoo. Part the hair so the foam reaches the skin in the thinning area; foam left on the strands cannot treat the scalp underneath.14
- Make sure your hair and scalp are completely dry.
- Rinse your hands with cold water and dry them so the foam does not melt too quickly.
- Hold the can upside down and dispense a total of 1g, approximately half a capful, onto a cool hand or dish.
- Part the hair several times and spread the measured foam directly over the affected scalp.
- Massage it lightly into the scalp, working from the back of the affected area towards the front.
- Wash your hands thoroughly after applying it and replace the cap.
- Use it once daily. Do not exceed 1g in 24 hours.
Let the foam dry fully before going to bed, wearing a hat, using styling products or blow-drying. If you miss a dose, continue with the next application as normal; do not apply twice as much. Using more will not make it work faster and may increase side effects.14
For external use only: do not swallow the foam or take it by mouth. Accidental ingestion can cause serious effects. If anyone swallows the foam, take them to hospital immediately and bring the can or packaging if possible. The can is an extremely flammable pressurised aerosol, so keep it away from heat, sparks, flames and smoking, and store it below 25°C.1
Does Regaine for Women work?
The precise mechanism by which topical minoxidil stimulates hair growth 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
In a 24-week randomised trial involving 404 women, once-daily 5% minoxidil foam produced a mean increase of 13.4 non-vellus hairs per cm², compared with 4.3 hairs per cm² with vehicle foam. The net difference was 9.1 hairs per cm², and participant- and expert-rated scalp coverage also favoured active treatment. These were average measurements in a defined study area, not a guarantee of noticeable regrowth for an individual.29
| Evidence | What it found | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|
| 5% foam versus vehicle9 | Once-daily 5% foam improved mean non-vellus hair count and scalp-coverage ratings over 24 weeks. | A group-average hair count cannot predict an individual's visible result. |
| 5% foam versus 2% solution10 | Both groups had similar numerical mean hair-count changes at week 24. | The trial did not meet its prespecified non-inferiority criterion, so it does not prove that the regimens are equivalent. |
| Cochrane review11 | Pooled evidence supported topical minoxidil over placebo for female pattern hair loss. | The trials varied in formulation, dose, duration and evidence quality; they were not all studies of this exact foam. |
When might you see results?
Hair growth may be seen after 12 to 24 weeks, although response and timing vary. Early regrowth can be soft and downy before becoming more similar to the surrounding hair. If there is no improvement after 24 weeks, stop using the foam and speak to a pharmacist or doctor.12
- Weeks 2 to 6: temporary increased shedding can occur after starting.
- Weeks 12 to 24: some users may begin to notice regrowth or improved coverage.
- At 24 weeks: stop and seek advice if there has been no improvement.
Initial shedding is linked to a change in the hair-growth cycle and does not prove the medicine will work for you. If an increased-shedding episode lasts for more than two weeks, stop using Regaine and speak to a doctor.12
Continued once-daily treatment is needed to maintain regrowth. If treatment is stopped, the underlying hair-loss process can resume and newly grown hair may be lost.15
Side effects and when to get help
Like all medicines, Regaine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. Headache is listed as very common. Common effects include scalp itching, rash or dermatitis, unwanted hair away from the scalp, chest pain, swelling of the hands or feet and increased weight.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 makes swallowing or breathing difficult.1
Stop using it and speak to a doctor if you develop
- A fast heartbeat, palpitations, low blood pressure, faintness or dizziness.
- Unexplained weight gain, swollen hands or feet, or shortness of breath.
- Persistent scalp redness, irritation or rash.
Speak to a doctor or pharmacist before use if you have heart disease, an abnormal heart rhythm, angina, circulation problems or use a vasodilator. Do not use Regaine at the same time as another medicine applied to your scalp. If a clinician has prescribed a compounded, special or other scalp treatment, do not add Regaine yourself; ask the prescriber or a pharmacist which treatment you should use.12
Report suspected side effects through the MHRA Yellow Card scheme.7
Pregnancy, breastfeeding and contact with children
Do not use Regaine for Women during pregnancy or breastfeeding. If you are trying to conceive, discuss the treatment with a healthcare professional before starting or continuing it.12
Wash your hands after every application and avoid children touching the treated scalp or contaminated surfaces. Excess hair growth has been reported in infants after skin contact with a caregiver's minoxidil application site.2
Using topical minoxidil safely around pets
Minoxidil can seriously poison cats and dogs, including after small exposures from drops, spills, treated skin or contaminated bedding. Cats appear particularly vulnerable.12
- Apply the foam away from pets and wash your hands with soap and water immediately afterwards.
- Let the treated scalp and hair dry fully and do not let a pet lick or rub against it.
- Keep pets away from contaminated pillows, bedding, clothing, tissues and surfaces.
- Clean spills immediately and store the can securely out of reach.
If a pet may have licked, swallowed or touched minoxidil, contact a vet immediately, even if the animal appears well. Do not try to make it vomit unless a vet tells you to. UK pet owners can also call Animal PoisonLine on 01202 509000 (24 hours; charges apply).812
Women's foam, 2% solution and men's Regaine
The women's 5% foam is licensed as half a capful once daily. Women's 2% minoxidil solution is a different formulation with a different measured dose and application schedule. In a direct trial the two regimens produced similar numerical hair-count changes, but the prespecified non-inferiority test was not met. This means the evidence does not establish that one is universally better or that their doses can be converted.110
The men's and women's foams both contain 5% minoxidil, but their licensed populations, doses and evidence are different. Women should use the women's product once daily according to its leaflet rather than substituting Regaine for Men Extra Strength 5% Foam or Regaine for Men Extra Strength 5% Solution.12
Hightown currently supplies prescription hair-loss medicines only to eligible men through its online prescribing service. This Regaine product is a separate non-prescription option for suitable women with hereditary female pattern hair loss.
We are developing a separate lower-dose oral minoxidil service for women and hope to offer it in the near future, subject to completion of our clinical and prescribing review. It is not available yet and no launch date is confirmed, so please check back for updates.
Regaine for Women foam FAQs
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Apply 1g, approximately half a capful, to the affected dry scalp once daily. Do not exceed 1g in 24 hours. Applying more will not make it work faster.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 Women Once a Day Scalp Foam patient leaflet (accessed 19 August 2026)
- eMC: Regaine for Women Once a Day Scalp Foam professional information (accessed 19 August 2026)
- Kenvue Professional: Regaine for Women 73ml product information (accessed 19 August 2026)
- Regaine UK: how to use the women's foam (accessed 19 August 2026)
- British Association of Dermatologists: female 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)
- UK Animal PoisonLine: urgent advice after suspected pet poisoning (accessed 19 August 2026)
Published studies
- 2016 phase III trial of once-daily 5% minoxidil foam versus vehicle in women (accessed 19 August 2026)
- 2016 trial of once-daily 5% foam versus twice-daily 2% solution in women (accessed 19 August 2026)
- 2016 Cochrane review of treatments for female pattern hair loss (accessed 19 August 2026)
- 2021 study of 211 topical minoxidil exposures in cats and dogs (accessed 19 August 2026)
