Minoxidil 2.5 mg Tablet for Hair Loss

Oral minoxidil is prescribed to treat male-pattern hair loss and female-pattern hair loss. In low doses, oral minoxidil is well-tolerated and effective at treating hair loss. It can be particularly helpful for individuals who do not tolerate topical minoxidil well or those who want to pair oral minoxidil with a different topical hair loss treatment.¹

Oral minoxidil comes as a tablet to take by mouth. It usually is taken once or twice a day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take minoxidil exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.

Hair regrowth from oral minoxidil typically develops three to six weeks after beginning treatment.

Oral minoxidil dosing is up to 5 mg per day for males and up to 2.5 per day for females.

Minoxidil is available only with a prescription from a licensed medical provider.³ You can purchase from a pharmacy or an online pharmacy like RedBox Rx.

With RedBox Rx you can get minoxidil for as low as $15 per month, no insurance required.

Oral minoxidil is an oral tablet that belongs to a class of medications called vasodvasodilators. It was developed and is still prescribed to treat high blood pressure.⁴ Through patient use, physicians noticed that oral minoxidil caused hair growth, and scientists started testing it for patterned hair loss. Initially, oral doses that were prescribed were too strong and caused unwanted side effects. However, a topical version was developed with favorable results.⁵

In more recent years, low-dose oral minoxidil has shown in studies to be a safe and effective treatment of patterned hair loss in men and women.⁶

The main difference between oral minoxidil and minoxidil foam is the mechanism of treatment. Oral minoxidil is a low-dose tablet that is taken orally on a daily basis. Minoxidil foam is a topical treatment applied to the skin in areas the user would like to regrow hair. The oral and topical forms of minoxidil also have different side effects.

Oral minoxidil side effects include:⁷

• Increase in size or darkness of fine body hair.

• Breast tenderness.

• Headache.

• Nausea.

• Vomiting.

Topical minoxidil side effects include:⁸

• Stinging and redness at the application site

• Rash (rare)
  

Before taking minoxidil:

• Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to minoxidil, any other medications or any of the ingredients in minoxidil tablets. Ask your pharmacist for a list of the ingredients.

• Tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: diuretics (water pills), guanethidine and other medications for high blood pressure.

• Tell your doctor if you have pheochromocytoma (adrenal gland tumor). Your doctor will probably tell you not to take minoxidil.

• Tell your doctor if you have had a recent heart attack, or if you have heart or kidney disease.

• Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant or are breastfeeding. If you become pregnant while taking minoxidil, call your doctor.

• If you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking minoxidil.

• You should know that this medication may make you drowsy. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how it affects you.

• Ask your doctor about the safe use of alcohol while you are taking minoxidil. Alcohol can make the side effects from minoxidil worse.
  

Your doctor may prescribe a low-salt or low-sodium diet. Follow these directions carefully.

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.

Hair growth will continue as long as you continue to take oral minoxidil. After stopping treatment, the body will return to previous hair growth levels but may take a few months to return to baseline.⁹

Minoxidil may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

• Increase in size or darkness of fine body hair.

• Breast tenderness.

• Headache.

• Nausea.

• Vomiting.

Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of the following symptoms, or those listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, call your doctor immediately:

• Rash.

• Fast heartbeat.

• Swollen ankles or feet.

• Unexplained weight gain.

• Difficulty breathing.

• Dizziness.

• Fainting.
  

Keep this medication in the container it comes in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom).

Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children and other people cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist, or contact your local garbage/recycling department to learnabout take-back programs in your community. See the FDA's Safe Disposal of Medicines website for more information if you do not have access to a take-back program.
It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children, as many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches and inhalers) are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily. To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location — one that is up and out of their sight and reach.

In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at 1-800-222-1222. Information is also available online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. If the victim has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing or can't be awakened, immediately call emergency services at 911.

Your doctor may ask you to check your pulse (heart rate) daily. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to teach you how to do this. Call your doctor if your heart rate increases by more than 20 beats per minute while at rest.

Weigh yourself every day. Call your doctor if you experience rapid weight gain.

Do not let anyone else take your medication. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription.

It is important for you to keep a written list of all the prescription and nonprescription (over the counter) medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals or other dietary supplements. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital. It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies.

Loniten®.
This branded product is no longer on the market. Generic alternatives may be available.

1. National Library of Medicine

2. Health.com

3. Mayo Clinic

4. National Library of Medicine

5. Cleveland Clinic

6. National Library of Medicine

7. National Library of Medicine

8. Mayo Clinic

9. Mayo Clinic

View our telehealth and online pharmacy FAQs here