Medication questions Minoxidil
What is the difference between 2% and 5% minoxidil?
Short answer
In the UK the strength is tied to who the product is licensed for. Men's licensed products are 5%. Women's licensed products are a 2% solution used twice a day and a 5% foam used once a day. Women must not use the men's 5% products. In 48-week trials, 5% gave more hair regrowth than 2% but caused more itching and irritation, so a higher strength is not simply a stronger choice.
Key facts
- Men: licensed minoxidil is 5% (solution to age 65, foam to age 49), twice a day.
- Women: licensed minoxidil is a 2% solution twice a day, or a 5% foam once a day, to age 65.
- Women must not use the men's Regaine products, and men must not use the women's once-a-day foam.
- 48-week trials of 2% and 5% solutions found more regrowth by hair count with 5%, and more itching, local irritation and (in women) unwanted hair.
- Using more or more often than the label does not speed up regrowth.
Which strength is licensed for whom
Men: Regaine for Men Extra Strength is 5% minoxidil, as a solution (men aged 18 to 65) or a foam (men aged 18 to 49), applied twice a day.
Women: Regaine for Women Regular Strength is a 2% solution, applied twice a day. Regaine for Women Once a Day is a 5% foam, applied once a day. Both are licensed for women aged 18 to 65.
The SmPCs for the men's products list use by women as a contraindication, and the women's once-a-day foam lists use by men as a contraindication. So the choice between "2% or 5%" is mostly made by the licence, not by preference. Our guide on women and minoxidil covers the women's products.
What the 48-week trials found
Two randomised, placebo-controlled trials compared 5% and 2% solutions applied twice a day for 48 weeks.
Men (Olsen and colleagues, Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2002): 393 men aged 18 to 49 with androgenetic alopecia. The 5% solution was significantly superior to both 2% and placebo for change in non-vellus hair count and for patient and investigator ratings, and gave 45% more regrowth than 2% at week 48. Responses appeared earlier with 5%. Itching and local irritation were more frequent with 5%.
Women (Lucky and colleagues, same journal, 2004): 381 women aged 18 to 49. The 5% solution beat placebo on all three primary measures; the 2% solution beat placebo on hair count and investigator assessment but not on patient assessment. Itching, local irritation and unwanted hair were more frequent with 5% than with 2% or placebo.
These were trials in people with common pattern hair loss, and results vary between individuals. The men's leaflet notes that those who are younger, have been losing hair for a short time or have a small area of baldness are likely to do best. Hair loss that is sudden, patchy or of unknown cause is outside the licence.
Side effects across strengths
The SmPCs list the same side-effect bands for all four licensed products: headache is very common; hypersensitivity, chest pain, unwanted non-scalp hair, itching, rash, dermatitis, swelling of the hands or feet and weight gain are common. Women using minoxidil can develop unwanted facial hair, and the trial above found it more often with 5%.
If minoxidil reaches the bloodstream, it can cause effects related to low blood pressure, such as chest pain, a rapid heartbeat, faintness, dizziness, swollen hands and feet. The leaflets say this is extremely unlikely when used as directed, but more likely with overuse or if the scalp is damaged, for example by psoriasis. For that reason, anyone with high blood pressure should not use any of the licensed products.
Not more is better
The leaflets say plainly that exceeding the dose will not regrow hair faster and increases the likelihood of side effects. Moving to a higher strength or applying more often is not a way to speed things up. Our guide to how to apply minoxidil has the licensed amounts.
Strengths outside the licensed range are only available as unlicensed specials. WMG Meds prescribes compounded solutions at 2.5% and at 5% with azelaic acid 2%, which are unlicensed and prescribed off-label after assessment by a GMC-registered doctor; they are not licensed products and have no leaflet of their own. Which strength, if any, is appropriate for you is a clinical decision. The free online assessment is the starting point.
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Can women use 5% minoxidil?
Women can use the licensed Regaine for Women Once a Day 5% foam, which is applied once a day. Women must not use the men's 5% solution or foam, because their SmPCs list use by women as a contraindication.
Is 5% minoxidil more effective than 2%?
In a 48-week trial in men, 5% gave 45% more regrowth by hair count than 2%. In women, the 5% solution was superior to 2% on patient-rated benefit. The 5% also caused more itching and irritation, and results vary from person to person.
Does 5% minoxidil cause more side effects than 2%?
In the trials, itching and local irritation were more frequent with 5%, and in women so was unwanted hair growth. The licensed products list the same overall side-effect bands.
Which strength do men use?
The licensed products for men are 5%: the solution for men aged 18 to 65 and the foam for men aged 18 to 49.
Can I mix 2% and 5% minoxidil to make a different strength?
No. Use each product as directed on its label, and speak to a pharmacist or doctor about any change.
Sources
- Regaine for Men Extra Strength Scalp Solution 5%: summary of product characteristics (eMC, revised 17 December 2024)
- Regaine for Men Extra Strength Scalp Foam 5%: summary of product characteristics (eMC, revised 15 June 2026)
- Regaine for Women Regular Strength 2% solution: summary of product characteristics (eMC, revised 17 December 2024)
- Regaine for Women Once a Day Scalp Foam 5%: summary of product characteristics (eMC, revised 12 May 2026)
- Olsen EA et al. A randomized clinical trial of 5% topical minoxidil versus 2% topical minoxidil and placebo in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia in men. J Am Acad Dermatol 2002 (PMID 12196747)
- Lucky AW et al. A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 5% and 2% topical minoxidil solutions in the treatment of female pattern hair loss. J Am Acad Dermatol 2004 (PMID 15034503)
Facts checked against these sources on 22 October 2026. This page is general information, not personal medical advice. Read our editorial policy.