Oxford Female Hair Loss Programme

In order to give you the best possible treatment for your hair loss, our service has a number of steps:

1. Complete your online consultation – Answer questions about your hair loss and medical history, and upload 5 clear, timestamped photos so our prescriber can see the full pattern of hair loss across your head.

2. Prescriber review – A prescriber reviews your consultation and photos. If they need more information, this may be added to your notes before you can proceed.

3. Blood test – We arrange a simple finger-prick blood test (posted to you) to check for underlying markers that can affect hair loss and whether hair loss treatment is suitable for you. Where possible, we also check your NHS Summary Care Record (or ask you for a recent copy of your health record) to support this review.

4. Results reviewed by our pharmacist – Once your results are in, our clinical team checks them alongside your consultation for anything that needs following up.

What happens next depends on your results:

• All results within normal range – Your order is passed back to the prescriber to approve hair loss treatment (an initial 3-month supply), and we'll email you your results.

• An abnormal result unrelated to vitamin D – We won't proceed with treatment. We'll call you to explain, email you your results, refer you back to your GP for further investigation (for example, a full blood count), and process a partial refund for the cost of the hair loss treatment.

• Vitamin D is the only abnormal marker – A pharmacist will call you to talk through the result and if appropriate discuss adding a vitamin D supplement alongside your hair loss treatment. If you agree, both are added to your order and sent for prescriber approval. If you'd rather not proceed, we'll cancel and provide a partial refund.

If you are eligible for hair loss treatment after a blood test:

Your treatment is dispatched – Once approved, your medication (and supplement, if relevant) is sent to you, along with your blood test results by email for your records. Initially, you will receive 3-months of treatment.

How to take the Female Hair Loss Treatment

You will take half a tablet a day for 14 days and one tablet a day thereafter. After 3 months, we will send you a repeat order link where you will need to complete another questionnaire to update medical history, medications, side effects, and blood pressure. If there are any concerns flagged, our prescribers could ask for another follow-up blood test.

If no follow-up blood test is required, we will review prescribing another 6 months of treatment. We may call you to check in and ask some follow-up questions if necessary.

Please note: A repeat blood test may be requested at the prescriber's discretion at any point in your journey. A prescriber reviews all repeat requests. A pharmacist telephone consultation is conducted at any point where clinical concerns arise, at the prescriber's discretion.

Who cannot use this service?

You will not be able to use this service if you:

• Are pregnant (confirmed or suspected)

• Are vitamin D deficient

• Are ferritin deficient

• Are TSH or Free T4 deficient – this can indicate thyroid issues

• Are vitamin B12 deficient

• Are breastfeeding

• Are planning to conceive — treatment must be stopped and cleared at least one month before conception

• Have a known allergy or hypersensitivity to minoxidil

• Have a phaeochromocytoma (a rare tumour, usually found on the adrenal glands)

• Have low blood pressure

• Have significant cardiovascular disease — including diagnosed heart failure, pericardial disease, severe coronary artery disease, pulmonary hypertension, or serious arrhythmia — do not prescribe; refer to cardiologist

• Have significant renal impairment

• Have significant hepatic impairment

• Are using guanethidine (blood pressure medicine)

• Do not clearly match androgenetic alopecia pattern (e.g. patchy loss, scarring, acute onset)

• Are taking antihypertensive medication

• Are under 18 years of age and over the age of 65

Common side effects (1 in 10 people):

• Increased fine body and facial hair growth (hypertrichosis — usually mild but the most common reason patients stop)

• Initial hair shedding in the first 3 months as above

• Mild ankle swelling

• Dizziness on standing

• Headaches

• Occasional palpitations (5)

Most common side effects are mild and settle with time.

When to seek medical attention:

• You should stop taking treatment and seek medical advice if you develop any of the following:

• Chest pain, palpitations, or awareness of rapid or irregular heartbeat

• Shortness of breath, especially at rest or when lying flat

• Persistent ankle or leg swelling (oedema)

• Rapid unexplained weight gain (>2 kg in 2–3 days)

• Syncope (fainting) or pre-syncope (feeling faint)

• Positive pregnancy test (5)

See the Patient Information Leaflet for a full list of side effects.