Introducing our new service - Oral Minoxidil Tablets for Hair Loss

That’s right! We now supply oral Minoxidil tablets for men experiencing Male Pattern Baldness/Androgenic Alopecia via our online doctor service.

Find out more about how to buy Oral Minoxidil Tablets for Hair Loss legally and safely here in the UK.

Oral Minoxidil UK

Do Minoxidil tablets work for Hair Loss?

Yes they do. Minoxidil is a proven and successful treatment for hair loss which has been used for decades.

It works by increasing blood flow to the hair roots, this enables hairs to grow for longer and new hairs to grow more quickly.[1]

Studies have shown that about a third of men taking Minoxidil tablets will experience reduced shedding and another third will experience improved growth by around 6 months of treatment.

Do note that you should expect to experience increased shedding for up to the first 6 weeks of treatment first.

Men also report that their hair strands are stronger, thicker and deeper coloured when using Minoxidil tablets.[1,2]

So 2 in every 3 men using Minoxidil tablets are likely to see and feel a benefit. We recommend you use Minoxidil tablets for 6 to 12 months to experience full effectiveness.

How to take Minoxidil tablets for Hair Loss

Our Minoxidil is supplied as generic Minoxidil 2.5mg tablets made by Roma Pharmaceuticals and occasionally as the branded version Loniten, made by Pfizer, in the 2.5mg strength.

The dose for treating hair loss is half a tablet (1.25mg) once daily for 2 weeks, then increase to one tablet daily if tolerated.

We recommend this slow start to ensure that you and your body can get used to Minoxidil gradually, reducing the chance of side effects.

Both brands of Minoxidil we supply are small off-white tablets which are neatly scored down the middle.

Minoxidil tablets Benefits

Minoxidil tablets are 30% more effective at stopping and reversing hair loss than the liquid or foam and can work for you even if the liquid or the foam have not worked in the past.[3] 

This is because the enzyme (Sulfotransferase) responsible for breaking down Minoxidil into its active ingredient (Minoxidil Sulphate) is not found in high concentrations in the scalp. It is present and readily available in the liver, which is where Minoxidil tablets are broken down by the body.

Minoxidil works differently to Finasteride/Dutasteride, it has been shown to increase the length, thickness and depth of colour in the hair strands. As such, it can be an excellent complementary therapy to Finasteride or Dutasteride or is also effective as a solo treatment.

What are the Side Effects of Minoxidil tablets for Hair Loss?

Minoxidil is generally well tolerated and most people experience no side effects. It is therefore unlikely that on the low doses we use to treat hair loss you will experience any side-effects. Any side effects experienced are often mild and will reverse quickly when you stop treatment.

In a study of 400+ men, only 0.5% had to stop treatment due to a side effect.[4]

The principle side effects reported by people on higher doses of Minoxidil are;

Hypertrichosis (excess hair growth) - specifically, elsewhere on the body than the head. This can be annoying but is not often a strong enough reason to stop treatment.

Temporary Shedding - this is very common within the first 6 weeks of treatment with Minoxidil tablets and will stop within 4 weeks of you noticing it. The small plus is that this shedding indicates that the treatment is working.

Low Blood Pressure and/or feeling Lightheaded - this is far more common with higher doses of Minoxidil (used to treat high blood pressure) but it can be noticeable in men who know they’re sensitive to changes in blood pressure or have a history of fainting/lightheadedness.

See the Minoxidil tablets product page for more details on possible side effects.

Minoxidil tablets Considerations

While Minoxidil solution and foam are approved to treat MPB/AA in the UK, Minoxidil tablets are not and are as such an unlicensed treatment.

To read in more detail what this means, see our dedicated article about Unlicensed Medicines in Hair Loss.

In real-world terms, this means that the patient information leaflet that comes with your tablets will be written as if you are using the medicine for lowering blood pressure and not treating hair loss.

Minoxidil tablet FAQs

A summary of answers to our most common queries regarding Minoxidil tablet treatment

Can I use Minoxidil tablets for Hair Loss alongside Finasteride or Dutasteride?

Yes you can, as they work in very different ways. It is not only safe to use them together but doing so could increase your chance of halting hair loss and triggering regrowth.

Do I need a prescription for Minoxidil tablets for Hair Loss?

Yes, Minoxidil tablets are a Prescription-Only Medicine. Our in-house team of UK doctors can prescribe for you following a short online consultation, providing that it is safe to do so.

Our dispensing team will then dispatch your order via recorded delivery to reach you as soon as the next working day.

Please ensure you complete your consultation honestly and thoroughly in order for us to give you the quickest and safest service.

Learn more about how we prescribe safely online for you here.

Can I use Minoxidil tablets and Minoxidil Liquid or Foam?

We would not recommend this, it is best to use one or the other. Using both will not cause hair loss to cease and regrowth to begin any faster and will only increase your risk of side effects.

When should I not use Minoxidil tablets for Hair Loss?

This treatment might not be right for men who are already on medication to reduce blood pressure (anti-hypertensive medication).

Additionally, because alcohol lowers blood pressure, we recommend that you reduce how much you drink during oral Minoxidil treatment, especially during the first weeks.

Is Minoxidil licensed for hair loss in the UK?

Minoxidil tablets are not, but Minoxidil liquid and foam are. To understand more about why this is and what it means, see our dedicated post here.

Can I get Minoxidil tablets for Hair Loss on the NHS?

No, not for Male Pattern Baldness/Androgenic Alopecia. The NHS does not prescribe any medicines for this condition.

This is not personalised advice. To speak to one of our clinically trained team about finding the right hair loss treatment for you, email us at [email protected] or call us on 01295 262925.

References

1.     Sharma AN, Michelle L, Juhasz M, Muller Ramos P, Atanaskova Mesinkovska N. Low-dose oral minoxidil as treatment for non-scarring alopecia: a systematic review. Int J Dermatol. 2020;59: 1013–1019. doi:10.1111/ijd.14933
2.     Jimenez-Cauhe J, Saceda-Corralo D, Rodrigues-Barata R, Hermosa-Gelbard A, Moreno-Arrones OM, Gil-Redondo R, et al. Characterization and management of hypertrichosis induced by low-dose oral minoxidil in the treatment of hair loss. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2021;84: 222–223. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2020.08.124
3.     Jimenez-Cauhe J, Saceda-Corralo D, Rodrigues-Barata R, Hermosa-Gelbard A, Moreno-Arrones OM, Fernandez-Nieto D, et al. Effectiveness and safety of low-dose oral minoxidil in male androgenetic alopecia. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2019;81: 648–649. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2019.04.054
4.     Jimenez-Cauhe J, Saceda-Corralo D, Rodrigues-Barata R, Moreno-Arrones OM, Ortega-Quijano D, Fernandez-Nieto D, et al. Safety of low-dose oral minoxidil treatment for hair loss. A systematic review and pooled-analysis of individual patient data. Dermatol Ther. 2020;33: e14106. doi:10.1111/dth.14106