Regaine for Women Once a Day Scalp Foam 5% w/w Minoxidil 73ml

Regaine for Women Once a Day Scalp Foam, minoxidil 5% w/w – the pharmacy-strength foam licensed to treat female pattern hair loss in women aged 18-65.

  • Minoxidil 5% – extra strength
  • Once-daily application to a dry scalp
  • Licensed for female pattern hair loss (widening parting, thinning crown)
  • No prescription needed – a general sale medicine
  • Dispatched by a GPhC-registered UK pharmacy

£39.99

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Regaine for Women Once a Day Scalp Foam contains minoxidil 5% w/w and is the only pharmacy-strength foam licensed in the UK to treat female pattern hair loss. Applied once a day to a dry scalp, it works to reactivate shrunken hair follicles and can help regrow hair at the crown and along a widening parting.

What is Regaine for Women Extra Strength Foam?

It is a topical foam containing minoxidil 5% w/w, licensed for the treatment of female pattern hair loss (androgenetic alopecia) in women aged 18 to 65. Unlike the men’s extra-strength foam, which is applied twice daily, this women’s formulation is licensed as a once-a-day application — a meaningful difference in day-to-day use, and the reason the two are not interchangeable.

It is a general sale medicine, so no prescription or pharmacy consultation is needed — though our pharmacist is happy to advise if you are unsure whether it is right for you.

What is Regaine for Women used for?

Regaine for Women Extra Strength Foam is licensed for female pattern hair loss, which typically shows as:

  • A parting that is gradually getting wider
  • General thinning over the top and crown, with the hairline usually preserved
  • Hair that feels finer and less dense over months to years

It is not a treatment for sudden hair loss, patchy bald spots (alopecia areata), hair loss after childbirth, illness, extreme dieting or a new medicine, or hair loss with no family history. If your hair loss came on quickly, is patchy, or is accompanied by a sore, scaly or inflamed scalp, see your GP before starting minoxidil — those patterns need a diagnosis, not a topical treatment.

How does minoxidil work?

In female pattern hair loss, follicles progressively miniaturise: each growth cycle produces a finer, shorter hair until the follicle stops producing visible hair altogether. Minoxidil widens the small blood vessels around the follicle and prolongs the growth (anagen) phase, which allows miniaturised follicles to produce thicker, longer hairs again. It works on follicles that are still alive — which is why treating early gives better results than treating a scalp that has been bald for years.

How to use Regaine for Women foam

  • Apply 1 g of foam — about half a capful — once a day, to a completely dry scalp.
  • Part the hair to expose the thinning areas, dispense the foam onto your fingers and spread it over the whole affected area, then massage gently in.
  • Wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.
  • Let it dry fully before going to bed or using styling products.
  • Do not exceed the once-daily dose — more foam does not produce faster regrowth, it only increases the chance of side effects.

How long does Regaine for Women take to work?

Expect to use it for 12 to 24 weeks before judging it. Many women see an increase in shedding in the first two to six weeks — this is expected, and it happens because minoxidil pushes resting follicles into a new growth cycle, shedding the old hair first. It is a sign the treatment is acting, not a sign it is failing. If there is no improvement at all after 24 weeks of consistent daily use, stop and speak to your pharmacist or GP.

Regrowth is maintained only while you keep using it. If you stop, new growth is usually lost within three to four months and hair returns to the pattern it would have had. Treat it as an ongoing routine rather than a course.

Who should not use Regaine for Women

  • Men — there is a separate Regaine for Men Extra Strength foam; the two are not interchangeable
  • Anyone under 18 or over 65
  • Anyone with high blood pressure, treated or untreated
  • Anyone with a scalp condition such as psoriasis, sunburn, or broken or shaved skin on the scalp
  • Anyone allergic to minoxidil or to the foam’s other ingredients

Do not use it during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Do not use other topical scalp treatments or occlusive dressings at the same time.

Side effects

The most common effects are local: scalp itching, dryness, flaking or irritation, and increased shedding in the first weeks. Stop using it and seek medical advice if you develop chest pain, a rapid or irregular heartbeat, dizziness or light-headedness, sudden unexplained weight gain, or swelling of the hands or feet. The foam contains ethanol, butylated hydroxytoluene and cetyl and stearyl alcohols, which can cause local skin reactions.

Extra Strength 5% foam or Regular Strength 2% solution?

The 5% foam is the stronger option and needs only one application a day. The Regaine for Women Regular Strength 2% scalp solution is a liquid applied twice daily, which some women prefer for very fine hair or a sensitive scalp, but it means two applications a day rather than one. Both are licensed for female pattern hair loss in women 18–65. See the full hair loss treatment range.

Buy Regaine for Women online

Bury Healthcare Online is a GPhC-registered UK pharmacy (registration 1126145). Orders are checked and dispatched by our pharmacy team, and you can ask our pharmacist for advice on hair loss treatment before you buy.

Always read the label and the patient information leaflet before use. If your hair loss changes or does not improve, speak to your pharmacist or doctor.

Medically reviewed by Hassan Khan, MPharm, Independent Prescriber — Superintendent Pharmacist, Bury Healthcare Online (GPhC-registered pharmacy 1126145). Last reviewed: July 2026.

Regaine for Women FAQs

Does Regaine for Women actually work?
In clinical use minoxidil 5% foam helps a majority of women with female pattern hair loss either regrow some hair or stop losing more, but results vary and it is not a cure. It works best on follicles that are thinning rather than areas that have been bald for years, so starting early matters. Judge it at 12 to 24 weeks of consistent daily use.
How long does Regaine for Women take to work?
Allow 12 to 24 weeks. Increased shedding in the first two to six weeks is normal and expected – minoxidil pushes resting follicles into a new growth cycle, which sheds the old hair first. If there is no improvement at all by 24 weeks, stop and speak to your pharmacist or GP.
How often do you apply Regaine for Women foam?
Once a day. Apply 1 g – about half a capful – to a completely dry scalp, spread over the thinning areas and massage in gently. This is different from the men’s extra strength foam, which is applied twice daily.
What happens if I stop using Regaine?
Regrowth is maintained only while you keep using it. If you stop, the new hair is usually lost over the following three to four months and your hair returns to the pattern it would otherwise have had. It works as an ongoing routine rather than a course of treatment.
Can I use Regaine for Men instead – it’s cheaper?
No. The men’s extra strength products are contraindicated in women, are applied twice daily rather than once, and are licensed for a different pattern of hair loss. Use the product licensed for you.
Is Regaine for Women a pharmacy-only medicine?
No – Regaine for Women Once a Day Scalp Foam 5% is a general sale (GSL) medicine in the UK, so you can buy it without a prescription or a pharmacy consultation. Our pharmacist is still available if you want advice first.
Why is my hair falling out more since starting Regaine?
This is the expected early shedding phase and it usually settles within the first six weeks. Minoxidil shifts follicles out of the resting phase into a new growth phase, and the old hair is released as the new one starts. It is a sign the treatment is acting on the follicles.
Can I use Regaine for Women if I’m pregnant or breastfeeding?
No. It should not be used during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Speak to your GP or midwife about hair loss during and after pregnancy – postnatal shedding is very common and usually resolves on its own without treatment.
Can I use Regaine on a receding hairline or a bald patch?
Regaine is licensed for female pattern hair loss – gradual thinning at the crown and a widening parting. It is not licensed for patchy bald spots (alopecia areata), a sudden receding hairline, or hair loss following illness, childbirth or a new medicine. Those patterns need a diagnosis first, so see your GP.
Can I colour or style my hair while using Regaine?
Yes, but let the foam dry completely before applying styling products, and apply it to a dry scalp rather than damp hair. If you are colouring your hair, rinse the product out and apply the colour to a clean scalp, then resume your normal routine once the scalp is dry and not irritated.

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