Minoxidil Topical Solution USP, 5%

Active ingredient: minoxidil 5% w/v. Purpose: hair regrowth treatment for men. Use: to regrow hair on the top of the scalp, at the vertex.

Read that Use line carefully, because it is narrower than the way this product is usually sold. The approved indication is the crown. Applying it to a receding hairline, the temples or a beard is off-label, meaning it sits outside the use the FDA has approved. The drug is the same and a great many people do exactly that, but you should know which side of the line you are on.

Inactive ingredients: alcohol, propylene glycol, purified water.

The propylene glycol is worth knowing about. It carries the minoxidil into the skin and it is also the ingredient most often behind itching or a dry, tight scalp. If that becomes a problem, the Foam leaves it out.

1 mL, twice a day, morning and night, about twelve hours apart. That is the dose on the label, and there is no benefit to more.

1. Start with a dry scalp. Wet hair spreads the dose around instead of leaving it where you put it.
2. Squeeze the bulb, put the pipette into the bottle and release it so the solution fills to the 1 mL line.
3. Part your hair into rows to expose the scalp across the area of hair loss.
4. Dribble the solution a little at a time along each parting until the millilitre is used, rather than emptying it into one spot.
5. Spread it along the partings with a fingertip. It should wet the skin, not run down your face or neck.
6. Wash your hands well straight afterwards.
7. Let it dry completely before bed, a hat, or any styling product. That takes two to four hours, which is why the evening dose is best taken well before you sleep.
8. Do not wash your hair for at least four hours after applying.

Starting out. Half a millilitre twice a day for the first week or two lets your skin adjust before you move to the full dose.

If you miss a dose, take the next one at the normal time. Do not double up.

Some shedding in the first weeks is normal and expected, and it is the point at which most people stop. Results generally appear at two months with twice-daily use, and some men need a full four months. Hair regrowth varies from person to person, and this product does not work for everyone.

Continued use maintains what you regrow. If you stop, hair loss resumes within three to four months.

The Dermaroller is the addition with the best supporting evidence alongside a topical minoxidil, and it works on the beard as well as the scalp. If the alcohol and propylene glycol leave your skin dry, the Face Hydration Cream is the fix.

For external use only. For use by men only. Flammable, so keep it away from fire or flame. It is alcohol based, so apply it in a ventilated room, and speak to a doctor first if you have asthma, since inhaling it can make asthma worse.

Do not use if you are a woman; if your hair loss is different from the pattern shown on the carton or is at the front of the scalp; if you have no family history of hair loss; if your hair loss is sudden or patchy; if you do not know the reason for your hair loss; if you are under 18; if your scalp is red, inflamed, infected, irritated or painful; or if you are using other medicines on the scalp.

Ask a doctor before use if you have heart disease.

When using this product, do not apply it on other parts of the body, avoid contact with the eyes and rinse with cool tap water if that happens, and be aware that changes in hair colour or texture have been reported. This product may be harmful if used during pregnancy or breast-feeding.

Stop use and ask a doctor if you get chest pain, a rapid heartbeat, faintness or dizziness; if you gain weight suddenly; if your hands or feet swell; if your scalp becomes irritated or red; if you grow unwanted facial hair; or if you see no hair regrowth after four months.

If you live with a cat, read this. Minoxidil is severely toxic to cats, and the exposure does not have to be direct. In a review of poison-control cases, the most common route was transfer from the owner's own treated skin or bedding, and around one in eight affected cats died. A cat that brushes against a treated scalp, sleeps on the pillowcase or licks a sleeve can take in enough to be poisoned. Keep cats away from the treated area until it is completely dry, wash your hands straight after applying, and wash pillowcases and towels separately. If your cat is exposed, treat it as an emergency and call a vet.

If there is a baby or a small child in the house. Cases of unwanted hair growth have been reported in infants after skin contact with an adult using topical minoxidil, including through shared bedding and clothing rather than direct application. Let it dry completely before you hold a child, wash your hands straight afterwards, keep treated bedding and towels away from them, and do not let a child touch the treated area. The effect reverses once the exposure stops, but it is worth avoiding in the first place.

Store at 20 to 25 degrees Celsius, tightly closed. Keep out of reach of children.