Minoxidil Hair Hybrid
This is a compounded prescription product and has not been approved by the MHRA. The MHRA does not verify the safety or effectiveness of compounded medicines.
Your compounded medication was compounded to your prescription. This medication should only be taken by the patient whose name appears on the prescription label.
1. What are Chewable Compounded Tablets and what are they used for?
This chewable compounded medicine is for the treatment of hereditary hair loss in men aged 18-65 (otherwise known as male pattern baldness, or androgenetic alopecia). Male pattern baldness is identifiable by the areas it affects, its gradual onset and its progressive nature. This medicine works best in men experiencing early hair loss at the top or crown of the head, as well as a receding hairline. You are less likely to benefit if you have been balding for many years or have a large area of hair loss.
Active Ingredients:
Minoxidil is a vasodilator and antihypertensive used off-label at low doses to treat hair loss. Minoxidil is thought to work by dilating the blood vessels around hair follicles and increasing nutrient supply to the follicles. With continued use, the hair follicles gain greater volume, which helps prevent further hair loss and promotes the growth of longer and thicker hairs.
Biotin is a B Vitamin used to supplement the diet.
Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) is an antioxidant and vitamin used to supplement the diet.
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) is a B vitamin used to supplement the diet.
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) is a B vitamin used to supplement the diet.
2. What you need to know before you take Chewable Compounded Tablets
Do not take these Chewable Compounded Tablets if you:
are younger than 18 years or older than 65 years.
are a woman (because this medicine is for men).
are allergic to any of the ingredients listed in Section 7.
are already taking Minoxidil for hypertension or any other condition.
have hair loss caused by drug treatment, or hair loss that is sudden and unexpected.
have total baldness or complete loss of all body hair.
have adrenal gland tumour.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you:
are taking medicines for high blood pressure that dilate (widen) the blood vessels, such as hydralazine. There is a potential risk that Minoxidil will increase their effect.
suffer from heart disease, including abnormal heart rhythms or rates, angina or chest pains and/or circulatory disorders.
Warnings and Precautions
Minoxidil may cause serious heart related side effects. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have had a recent heart attack or history of heart conditions before starting minoxidil therapy. Minoxidil may cause changes to your electrocardiogram; tell your doctor prior to an electrocardiogram if you are taking oral minoxidil.
High amounts of biotin can also create false positives in laboratory tests, including specific tests to aid in the diagnosis of a heart attack. Stop taking this medication and consult with your healthcare provider if you experience any of these symptoms.
Large doses (>2000 mg per day) of Vitamin C can increase your risk of kidney stones.
This product contains added sweeteners. Diabetics should consume with caution.
3. How to take Chewable Compounded Tablets
Chew and swallow one tablet once daily with or without food.
Do not take more than 1 dose (1 tablet) within a 24 hour time period.
If you miss a dose, take a dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, wait until then and take a regular dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up for the missed dose. Check your prescription label for the correct dose prescribed by your medical provider.
4. How soon can I expect results using Chewable Compounded Tablets?
Since normal hair grows approximately 1.25 cm per month, hair regrowth with Chewable Compounded Tablets also takes time. You may need to use this treatment for 4 months before you start seeing results. New hairs may initially be fine and soft (similar to baby hairs) but should eventually become the same colour and thickness as the other hairs on your scalp. The full effect of the treatment can be expected after 9-12 months. The best results will be achieved by using the medicine as instructed above.
When you first begin to use the Chewable Compounded Tablets, your hair loss may worsen temporarily for 2-4 weeks. This is likely a sign that you are shedding old hairs in order to regrow more new hairs. This hair shedding should be expected and is part of the process of how the Chewable Compounded Tablets regrow new hair. Remember, this increased hair loss is temporary, but if it continues after 4 weeks, it is advisable to see your doctor.
Once your hair has started to re-grow, you need to continue using this medicine daily for the growth to be maintained. If the treatment is stopped, the beneficial effect is likely to disappear after 9 to 12 months.
Some people may not experience improvements in hair growth. If you have no improvement in your hair growth after 6 months of use, you should speak to your doctor about whether to continue using this treatment.
5. Possible side effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. These effects are normally mild to moderate in nature. Please refer to your prescription label to determine which of the following active ingredients are contained in your medication.
Minoxidil: If you have high blood pressure, contact your doctor immediately if you are feeling faint or dizzy, if your body is holding on to more water than normal, if you find that you get more wheezy, breathless and tired or if you notice angina (pains in your chest) for the first time. May affect more than 1 in 10 people: increased heart rate, inflammation of the lining that surrounds the heart, abnormal electrocardiogram, increased hair growth on the body, hair colour changes. May affect up to 1 in 10 people: accumulation of fluid around the heart, compression of the heart due to a buildup of fluid, fluid retention. May affect up to 1 in 1000 people: decrease in white blood cells, reduction in blood cells, reduction in blood platelets, which increases risk of bleeding or bruising, serious illness with blistering of the skin, mouth, eyes and genitals, inflammation and blistering of the skin, rash.
Biotin is generally well tolerated, but when taken in excess, side effects may include stomach ache, trouble sleeping, excessive thirst, skin rashes, digestive upset, problems with insulin release, and kidney problems.
Vitamin C is generally well tolerated, but when taken in excess, side effects include stomach pain, diarrhoea, flatulence.
Vitamin B5 is generally well tolerated, but when taken in excess, side effects may include diarrhoea.
Vitamin B6 is generally well tolerated, but when taken in excess, side effects may include lack of muscle control, rash, heartburn and nausea, sensitivity to light and numbness.
If you experience any of the following side effects stop using the medicine and seek medical help immediately:
signs of allergic reaction, such as swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat, which may cause difficulty in swallowing or breathing.
chest pain.
Stop using the medicine and talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you experience any of the following:
dizziness, feeling faint due to low blood pressure.
palpitations and/or fast heart beat.
swelling in the hands, feet or legs, or shortness of breath.
sudden, unexplained weight gain (more than 2kg).
increased difficulty in breathing.
new or worsening pain in the chest, arm, or shoulder or signs of severe indigestion.
Other common side effects include:
temporary hair loss (or shedding) may occur during the first 2-4 weeks of use. This is likely to be a result of a change in the natural hair growth cycle. This should stop within a couple of weeks.
headache.
This is not an exhaustive list of possible side effects. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you get any other side effects or if you have any concerns. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App store. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
6. How to store Chewable Compounded Tablets
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children. Store the tablets at room temperature (below 25 degrees C) in the packaging provided by the pharmacy. The effectiveness of your medicine may be affected by exposure to extremes of heat, cold, or humidity. Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the prescription label. Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment.
7. Contents of the pack and other information
What Chewable Compounded Tablets contain
Please refer to your prescription label to determine which of the following active ingredients are contained in your medication: Minoxidil, Biotin, Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid), Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid), Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine).
Inactive ingredients (excipients): bitterness masking powder, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, dextrose, citric acid, silicon dioxide, sucralose, red flecks FD&C Red No. 40, natural orange flavour.
What Chewable Compounded Tablets look like and contents of the pack
Chewable Compounded Tablets are white with coloured flecks. The tablets are provided in packs with varying numbers of tablets, depending on the prescription.