Regaine

What is Regaine?

Regaine is a brand of topical hair loss treatment containing the active ingredient, minoxidil. There are four versions of it, with slight variations between them:

• Regaine for Men Extra Strength Scalp Foam 5% w/w Cutaneous Foam
• Regaine for Men Extra Strength Scalp Solution 5% w/v Cutaneous Solution
• Regaine for Women Once a Day Scalp Foam 5% w/w Cutaneous Foam
• Regaine for Women Regular Strength

Regaine for Men Extra Strength Scalp Foam and Regaine for Women Once a Day Scalp Foam are exactly the same product, just in different packaging, with different instructions. The foam for men should be used twice a day, whereas the foam for women should be used only once a day.

Regaine for Men Extra Strength Scalp Solution contains the same active ingredient in the same dose as the foam treatments, but will have different excipient (non-active) ingredients, which change the form of the treatment. They’re just as effective as each other, but will have different methods of application. The one you choose is down to you.

Regaine for Women Regular Strength is the odd one out in terms of dosage, as it’s the only treatment with a 2% strength. It comes as a cutaneous solution to be used twice a day.

How does Regaine treat telogen effluvium?

Regaine works in four ways to promote hair regrowth, by:

• reversing miniaturisation of hair follicles
• increasing blood flow around follicles
• stimulating your follicles to transition to their growth phase
• extending each follicle's growth phase

By working in these ways, Regaine has been shown to encourage hair growth in both men and women. But it’s not a cure for permanent hair loss, so once you stop using it your hair will gradually revert to its natural state.

For temporary hair loss conditions (such as telogen effluvium) it can be used to accelerate hair growth in cases where the primary cause has been identified and addressed, or as a ‘stop-gap’ in cases where the primary cause remains unknown.

Regaine isn’t licensed for telogen effluvium, but evidence shows it can be an effective and safe treatment for it, so it can be prescribed as an off-label treatment for temporary hair loss.

What doses of Regaine are there?

Three of the four Regaine products are the same strength, which is 5% w/v (weight by volume). And the other, Regaine for Women Regular Strength, is 2% w/v. But although both of the Regaine for Men products should be used twice a day, Regaine Foam for Women should only be used once a day – so your daily dose will still be different depending on your sex.

How to use Regaine for telogen effluvium

Regaine isn’t specifically licensed for telogen effluvium, so the leaflet that comes with the medication doesn’t tell you how to use it to treat this condition. But your prescriber will be able to give you specific directions when they give you an off-label prescription for it.

Generally, how you use Regaine will be dependent on the type you’re using. All Regaine products should be used on the scalp only. Make sure your hair and scalp are dry before using it, and that you wash your hands before and after application.

For more detailed instructions on how to use Regaine, check the patient information leaflet that comes with your treatment.

How long does it take Regaine to work?

The time it takes for people to get results from Regaine varies from person to person. It can start working in as little as two weeks, but most people don’t notice any difference for around 4-8 weeks of treatment. For some people it can take up to four months to start seeing the results. If you haven’t noticed any difference after four months, let our clinician know. You might need to try another treatment.

What should I do if I make a mistake when using Regaine?

If you forget your dose of Regaine, just use it when you remember and carry on as usual. While it’s important to use Regaine regularly to get the best results, a missed application shouldn’t matter too much. Just don’t double up on Regaine to make up for any missed applications.