Hair Loss
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Minoxidil 5%
Sons Minoxidil 5% scalp solution, applied twice daily to help regrow hair. Same active ingredient and strength as Regaine Extra Strength.
About Minoxidil 5%
Make sure your scalp and hair are completely dry before you apply it.
Apply 1 ml twice a day to the thinning area of the scalp using the applicator, as shown in the leaflet. Spread it over the affected area and gently rub it in. Do not use more than 2 ml a day, and do not use it more often to try to speed up results.
Let it dry fully before styling your hair or going to bed. Wash your hands after each use. Minoxidil is for use on the scalp only. Avoid your eyes, mouth and broken skin.
Apply 1 ml twice a day to the thinning area of the scalp using the applicator, as shown in the leaflet. Spread it over the affected area and gently rub it in. Do not use more than 2 ml a day, and do not use it more often to try to speed up results.
Let it dry fully before styling your hair or going to bed. Wash your hands after each use. Minoxidil is for use on the scalp only. Avoid your eyes, mouth and broken skin.
Exactly how minoxidil regrows hair is not fully understood. It is thought to work by:
• Widening blood vessels, which improves blood flow to the hair follicles
• Moving follicles into the growth (anagen) phase sooner
• Lengthening the growth phase, so hairs grow longer and thicker
Unlike finasteride, minoxidil does not affect hormones. Clinical studies show that 5% minoxidil regrows more hair than 2% in men with male pattern hair loss.
• Widening blood vessels, which improves blood flow to the hair follicles
• Moving follicles into the growth (anagen) phase sooner
• Lengthening the growth phase, so hairs grow longer and thicker
Unlike finasteride, minoxidil does not affect hormones. Clinical studies show that 5% minoxidil regrows more hair than 2% in men with male pattern hair loss.
Sons Minoxidil 5% and Regaine for Men Extra Strength contain the same active ingredient at the same strength: 5% minoxidil (50 mg in every ml). Both are listed under the same medicine entry in the NHS Dictionary of Medicines and Devices.
The differences are the brand, the bottle and applicator, and some of the inactive ingredients. Sons is a lower-cost option. If you have reacted to one product before, tell us in your consultation.
The differences are the brand, the bottle and applicator, and some of the inactive ingredients. Sons is a lower-cost option. If you have reacted to one product before, tell us in your consultation.
Minoxidil may not be suitable for everyone. You should avoid using minoxidil if you:
• Have no family history of hair loss or are losing hair in an unusual or patchy pattern
• Have sudden or unexplained hair loss, which may indicate an underlying medical condition
• Are under 18 or over 65
• Have a red, inflamed, infected, irritated or sunburnt scalp
• Have a known allergy or sensitivity to minoxidil or any of its ingredients
• Have high blood pressure, or heart, liver, or kidney disease (seek medical advice first)
Stop using it and get medical advice if you get chest pain, a fast heartbeat, dizziness or faintness, sudden weight gain, swollen hands or feet, or ongoing scalp irritation.
• Have no family history of hair loss or are losing hair in an unusual or patchy pattern
• Have sudden or unexplained hair loss, which may indicate an underlying medical condition
• Are under 18 or over 65
• Have a red, inflamed, infected, irritated or sunburnt scalp
• Have a known allergy or sensitivity to minoxidil or any of its ingredients
• Have high blood pressure, or heart, liver, or kidney disease (seek medical advice first)
Stop using it and get medical advice if you get chest pain, a fast heartbeat, dizziness or faintness, sudden weight gain, swollen hands or feet, or ongoing scalp irritation.
Hair grows slowly, so it takes time and daily use to see a difference.
In the first 2–8 weeks some men notice more shedding. This is usually temporary: older hairs fall out to make way for new growth.
Most men see results after around 3–6 months of twice-daily use. Judge your results at 6–12 months, and take photos in the same light every month to track progress.
You need to keep using minoxidil to keep the results. If you stop, new hair is usually lost within 3–4 months.
In the first 2–8 weeks some men notice more shedding. This is usually temporary: older hairs fall out to make way for new growth.
Most men see results after around 3–6 months of twice-daily use. Judge your results at 6–12 months, and take photos in the same light every month to track progress.
You need to keep using minoxidil to keep the results. If you stop, new hair is usually lost within 3–4 months.
How hair loss treatments work
Most hair loss in men is caused by DHT, a hormone that shrinks hair follicles over time. Finasteride works on the cause. Minoxidil works on the follicle. Many men use both.
Prevent hair loss
Finasteride is a daily tablet that blocks 5-alpha reductase, lowering the DHT that shrinks hair follicles. It stops further loss in most men and many see regrowth. Results usually show in 3 to 6 months.
Promote regrowth
Minoxidil 5% is a solution you apply to your scalp twice a day. How it works isn't fully understood, but it widens blood vessels around the follicle and lengthens the growth phase of the hair cycle. It doesn't affect your hormones.
Better together
Finasteride tackles the cause and minoxidil supports regrowth, so using both covers more ground. In studies, more men improve on both than on either one alone.
- 83%
- of men taking finasteride 1mg had no further hair loss after 2 years, measured by hair count, compared with 28% on placebo.
- Kaufman et al., Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 1998
- 45%
- more hair regrowth with minoxidil 5% solution than with 2% after 48 weeks.
- Olsen et al., Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2002
- 94%
- of men using finasteride and minoxidil together improved after 12 months, compared with 81% on finasteride alone and 59% on minoxidil alone.
- Hu et al., Dermatologic Therapy, 2015
Hair loss treatments that are suited to you
Hair loss is normal and treatable.
Thinning at the crown
Are you noticing thinning or a patch developing at the top of your head?
How it works
Getting started takes about three minutes.
Complete a simple consultation
A few questions about your health and goals. No appointment, no selfies.
Your treatment has been approved
A pharmacist reviews it
A GPhC-registered prescriber checks it's safe and suitable. You only pay if approved.
Discreet, tracked delivery
Sent Royal Mail Tracked in plain, unbranded packaging.
- Can I check something about my dose?
Of course, let's take a look.Ongoing support
Message your pharmacist any time, for as long as you're with us.
Our expert team
Meet the pharmacy professionals supporting your care — combining clinical expertise, safety-first prescribing, and modern digital services.
Jane Armstrong
Pharmacy Technician
GPhC: 5000043
Emad Mahmoud
Independent Prescriber
GPhC: 2219541
Minoxidil 5% FAQs
Sons Minoxidil 5% and Regaine for Men Extra Strength contain the same active ingredient at the same strength: 5% minoxidil. That active ingredient is what regrows hair, so you can expect it to work in the same way.
The brand, applicator and some inactive ingredients differ. If one product has irritated your scalp before, tell us in your consultation.
Sons Minoxidil 5% costs £19.99 for one 60 ml bottle (about one month) or £49.99 for three bottles (about three months). Delivery is charged at checkout.
If you also want finasteride, the finasteride and minoxidil kit costs less than buying both separately.
Often, yes. They work in different ways: finasteride lowers DHT, the hormone behind male pattern hair loss, while minoxidil supports regrowth at the scalp. Using both is a common approach.
Our pharmacists check your answers to make sure both are suitable for you.
Some men notice extra shedding in the first few weeks. Minoxidil moves follicles into a new growth phase, so older hairs fall out to make way for new ones. This usually settles within a couple of months.
If shedding continues after 2 months, or you have any concerns, message our pharmacists.
Hair that has regrown with minoxidil is usually lost within 3 to 4 months of stopping. Minoxidil only works while you keep using it.
This 5% solution is for men aged 18 to 65 with male pattern hair loss. Women should not use it. Speak to a pharmacist or your GP about options for female hair loss.
