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Variety of delivery options including next day & free delivery.
Pharmacy, clinic and prescribers based in Greater Manchester.
Start your treatment with a quick and free online consultation.
Fill in a quick online consultation for our licensed pharmacists to review.
Our pharmacists will review your treatment to ensure it’s suitable.
Your treatment will be delivered to your door quickly & discreetly.
| Medication Name | Regaine For Men Extra Strength Scalp Solution 5% w/v |
| Medication Form | Cutaneous solution |
| Used for | Hereditary hair loss (male pattern baldness) |
| Who can use | Men aged 18 to 65 years |
| Active Ingredient(s) | Minoxidil 5% w/v |
| Usual Dose | 1ml applied to the scalp twice daily |
| Common Side Effects | Headache, itching or dermatitis, unwanted hair growth away from the scalp |
| Prescription Required | No |
| Patient Information Leaflet | Regaine For Men Extra Strength Patient Information Leaflet |
Regaine for men extra strength scalp solution is used to treat common hereditary hair loss, also known as male pattern hair loss, in men aged 18 to 65. It’s a solution for men only that contains minoxidil to prevent further hair loss and help hair regrow.
Hereditary hair loss is usually recognisable by a few things:
The active ingredient in Regaine is minoxidil, which is thought to work by aiding the blood flow to the hair follicles on your scalp. Regaine minoxidil is applied directly to the scalp so it reaches those follicles. A better blood supply to the follicles is what supports hair regrowth and can help stop further hair loss.
Any re-growth you see may be soft and downy at first, and it may not be the same colour as the rest of your hair. With further treatment, it can change and become the same colour and thickness as your existing hair.
Regaine Extra Strength is for use by men aged between 18 and 65 years who are experiencing hereditary hair loss. It shouldn’t be used by women, including anyone who’s pregnant or breastfeeding.
Regaine Extra Strength scalp solution works best in men with hair loss or thinning at the top of the scalp. Men who are younger, who’ve only recently started losing their hair, or who have a small area of baldness are the most likely to see results. You’re unlikely to benefit if you’ve been bald for many years or have a large area of hair loss.
Don’t use it if you:
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using it if you:
If you aren’t sure about a medicine you’re taking, show the bottle or pack to your pharmacist.
Apply 1ml of Regaine Extra Strength solution to the affected area of the scalp twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. Two applicators are supplied, so choose the one that suits you. The pump spray applicator works best for applying the solution to large areas of the scalp.
The extended spray tip works better for small areas of the scalp or for getting under the hair. To use it, fit the pump spray applicator to the bottle first, as above. Then remove the small spray head from the top of the applicator and push the extended spray tip firmly onto the spray shaft. Take the small cap off the end and set it aside. Apply the same 6 sprays, then replace the small cap when the tip isn’t in use, remove the applicator and screw the child-resistant cap back in place.
Leave at least 4 hours between applications, and don’t exceed the 2ml daily total. If you do choose to shampoo first, wait about an hour so your scalp is thoroughly dry. Styling products such as gels and sprays can be used, but apply the solution to a dry scalp first and let it dry before anything else goes on.
Re-growth is a slow process. You may need to use this product twice daily for several months before you notice a change, and treatment needs to continue to maintain the effect.
Like all medicines, regaine solution can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
These may affect more than 1 in 10 people:
These may affect up to 1 in 10 people:
These may affect up to 1 in 100 people:
These may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people:
It isn’t known how often these occur.
Stop using the medicine and talk to your doctor if you get any of the following:
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse, including any not listed here. You can also report them directly through the MHRA Yellow Card Scheme.
Stop using the medicine and seek immediate medical help if you get chest pain, or swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue or throat that makes swallowing or breathing difficult. Call 999 or go to your nearest A&E if symptoms are severe.
Each 1ml of solution contains the following.
Active ingredient: Minoxidil 50mg in each 1ml, equivalent to 5% w/v
Other ingredients: Ethanol (alcohol), propylene glycol and water
The 5% w/v strength is the licensed concentration for this product in men aged 18 to 65, so it isn’t too strong when it’s used as directed. Sticking to 1ml twice daily matters more than the concentration itself, as using more won’t improve results and can increase the risk of side effects. If your scalp becomes irritated, stop and speak to your pharmacist.
Re-growth is a slow process, so you’ll need to use it twice every day for several months before judging the effect. Some men notice temporary hair shedding in the first 2 to 6 weeks after they start using Regaine, which is usually a sign that the hair growth cycle is adjusting. If that shedding carries on beyond two weeks, stop using it and talk to your doctor.
Missing the odd application isn’t a cause for concern; if you miss one or two, just carry on as normal without doubling up. Regular twice-daily use is what maintains the effect, though, so longer gaps make it harder to see a benefit. Try to get back into your usual routine as soon as you can.
This product is licensed to treat hereditary hair loss and works best where there’s thinning at the top of the scalp. A receding hairline isn’t the area it’s designed for, so results there are less predictable. Speak to your pharmacist about what’s realistic for your particular pattern of hair loss.
No prescription is needed, as this is a pharmacy medicine. A pharmacist will still check your answers to make sure it’s suitable for you before your order is sent out.
Continued use is what maintains any improvement you see, so stopping means the effect wears off. Hair loss is likely to return to the pattern it would have followed without treatment. If you’re thinking about stopping, speak to your pharmacist first.
Regaine hair growth usually shows up first as soft, downy hair that may not match the colour of the rest of your hair. With further treatment, new hair growth can change to match the same colour and thickness as your existing hair. The first few weeks of using Regaine won’t tell you much, so it’s worth keeping to the routine before drawing conclusions.
Spread the solution over the thinning area with your fingertips so it covers the whole area, then leave it to dry on its own. Don’t use a hair dryer to dry the solution itself. Wash your hands afterwards, and rinse thoroughly with plenty of water if any gets onto your skin away from your scalp.
You can buy Regaine Extra Strength by completing the online consultation above. Our pharmacists will check it’s suitable for you before your order is dispatched. When you buy Regaine online from a registered online pharmacy, that check is part of the process.
This product isn’t licensed for beard growth and is for use on the scalp only. Applying it anywhere other than the scalp isn’t something we can advise on here. Speak to your doctor if you’re considering minoxidil for facial hair.
Page content authored by Mr Mohammed, last reviewed by Dr Hussain Ahmad on 7th September 2026.
