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 "Medicated hair spray")
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All content on this page has been medically reviewed by: Hassan Thwaini, Clinical Pharmacist and Copywriter, Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) on 25 August, 2026. GPhC Registration: 2221320View profile
What minoxidil is and how it works
Minoxidil is a topical treatment for male pattern hair loss. It comes as a spray that you apply to your scalp.
It works by relaxing and widening the small blood vessels around your hair follicles, so more blood reaches them. That appears to lengthen the growing phase of the hair cycle and increase follicle size, so hair grows for longer and comes through thicker than it otherwise would.¹
It works on follicles that are still alive, so it does more for thinning than for areas that have been bare for years. And because it helps hair grow rather than tackling what's causing the loss, it only works while you're using it.
Which strength is right for you?
Minoxidil has been licensed in the UK for decades, at 2% and 5%, and you can buy it without a prescription.2
The strength on the front of the box tells you less than you'd think. Licensed products exist for both men and women, and each one is licensed for slightly different things, so the leaflet inside is where the important detail can be found.
Minoxidil also comes in different formats. The solution goes on with a dropper or a spray and works through hair easily. The foam is thicker, dries faster, and contains no propylene glycol, which some scalps get on better with.2 Which one you pick comes down to preference and how your skin reacts.
If a different strength or preparation makes sense for you, that's a conversation to have with a clinician.
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How to use minoxidil
Apply it to a dry scalp, directly onto the areas where your hair is thinning rather than onto the hair itself. Part your hair so you can reach the skin. Your dose will depend on the formulation you've been prescribed, and this will be written on the label attached to your medication.
Wash
Make sure to wash your hands afterwards. Minoxidil grows hair wherever it lands, so anything that transfers to your face or hands can produce hair you didn't ask for.
Dry
Leave it to dry before you go to bed or put anything on your hair. Applying more than the stated dose won't speed anything up, and it raises the chance of irritation.
Repeat
Consistency is the aim with minoxidil. Make sure you use it exactly as directed by your label.
What to expect, and when
Nothing much happens for the first few weeks, but it's worth knowing what to expect at each stage to avoid any confusion.
Do know that some men see very little change, and there's no way to know in advance which group you're in. Whatever you gain, you keep only while you're still using it. Stop, and your hair returns to the pattern it would have followed anyway, usually within a few months.
The first couple months: Some people shed more hair than usual when they start. It can feel like the treatment is making things worse, and it's a common reason people stop early. Minoxidil shortens the resting phase of the hair cycle, so older hairs get pushed out as new ones begin to come through.
Months 3 to 6: Some people start to notice a change around here. It varies a lot, and plenty notice nothing yet.
Months 6 to 12: Most minoxidil trials measure their results somewhere in this window, which gives you a sense of how long the effect takes to show up.2 Consistency matters more than anything else across this period, because the effect depends on continued use.
Side effects of minoxidil
Most of minoxidil's side effects stay on your scalp, because that's where the medicine stays.
The common ones are redness, itching, dryness, and flaking where you apply it. If the solution irritates you, the foam is worth trying, since it could be a response to one of the ingredients which may not be in the foam.
Unwanted hair growth elsewhere is the other one people sometimes experience, usually on the forehead or cheeks, and usually because of transfer rather than absorption. Washing your hands properly after each application helps to avoid this.
Rarely, enough is absorbed to affect the rest of you. Get medical help the same day if you notice chest pain, a racing or irregular heartbeat, dizziness or faintness, sudden weight gain, or swelling in your hands, feet, or face.3
This list isn't complete. The leaflet that comes with your treatment covers more, and we recommend reading before your first application rather than after.
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Getting minoxidil treatment with Numan
Start with a few questions about your hair, your health, and what you've already tried. It takes a couple of minutes.
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Our clinical team stays available afterwards, and if it doesn't work, you're covered by the money-back guarantee.
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If treatment is suitable, it arrives in plain packaging with no branding on the outside. Delivery is free.
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Your questions answered
Yes. Topical minoxidil is licensed in the UK by the MHRA. You can buy it without a prescription, after a short conversation or online consultation with a pharmacist. For anything beyond the licensed over-the-counter strengths, such as 6% minoxidil, a clinician needs to review whether it's suitable for you.
Not for the licensed over-the-counter strengths. Those are pharmacy medicines, so no prescription is needed. If a clinician judges that something other than an over-the-counter strength is appropriate for you, that is a clinical decision and it happens through a consultation.
Clinician studies show that, yes, it can in some men, though the picture is more nuanced than before-and-after photos suggest. It's better at slowing loss and thickening what you still have rather than bringing back hair from areas that have been bare for years. Trials consistently show more hair kept and some regrowth compared with no treatment, and results build over months rather than weeks.¹ Some men see very little, and nobody can tell you in advance if that will happen to you.
It has a long track record for male pattern hair loss, which is what it's licensed for. It works best on the crown and on thinning rather than on a hairline that has fully receded, and it needs applying consistently. If your hair loss is patchy, sudden, or came with other symptoms, see a doctor first, because this suggests a cause other than male pattern hair loss.
Minoxidil widens the blood vessels around your hair follicles, which increases the blood supply reaching them. That appears to lengthen the growth phase of the hair cycle and increase follicle size, so hair grows for longer and comes through thicker than it otherwise would.¹
Your hair returns to the pattern it would have followed without it, usually within a few months. Minoxidil holds a position rather than fixing something permanently, so any hair you kept or regrew while using it will gradually be lost again once you stop. That's worth knowing before you start, because it is a long-term commitment rather than a course of treatment.
Knowledge
Hair loss: what you need to know
References
1 Messenger AG, Rundegren J. Minoxidil: mechanisms of action on hair growth. Br J Dermatol. 2004;150(2):186-94.
2 Kanti V, Messenger A, Dobos G, Reygagne P, Finner A, Blümel-Nowak A, et al. Evidence-based (S3) guideline for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia in women and in men. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2018;32(1):11-22.
3 Regaine for Men Extra Strength Scalp Solution. Patient Information Leaflet. electronic Medicines Compendium. [cited 2026 Aug 25]. Available from: https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc
4 Hu R, Xu F, Sheng Y, Qi S, Han Y, Miao Y, et al. Combined treatment with oral finasteride and topical minoxidil in male androgenetic alopecia: a randomized and comparative study in Chinese patients. Dermatol Ther. 2015;28(5):303-8.
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