Minoxidil

Patient Drug Information 
Minoxidil 
Oral Tablets 

Written information about this prescription has been provided for you. Please read this information before you take this medication. If you have questions concerning this prescription, a pharmacist is available during normal business hours to answer these questions. 

Important Information About Your Prescription

Oral minoxidil tablets may cause life-threatening heart-related side effects. This may include chest pain or worsening of existing cardiac issues.

Contact your healthcare provider or 911 if you experience new or worsening pain in your shoulders, arms, or chest.

Taking Your Prescription

Low dose oral minoxidil tablets may be used to help stimulate hair growth in certain patients experiencing hair loss.

Minoxidil tablets are taken by mouth once daily, or as prescribed by your healthcare provider, with or without food. 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 medication to make up for a missed dose. Check your prescription label for the correct dose prescribed by your medical provider.

Precautions

Do not take minoxidil if you have an allergy to oral minoxidil or any of its components. Minoxidil is contraindicated for patients diagnosed with an adrenal tumor called pheochromocytoma. Tell your provider if you have had a recent heart attack or history of heart conditions before starting minoxidil therapy. Minoxidil may cause changes to your EKG; tell your doctor prior to an EKG if you are taking oral minoxidil.

Patients who are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant should not take minoxidil. Do not breastfeed while taking minoxidil tablets.

Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how oral minoxidil affects you.

This list may not be a complete list of all medications or health conditions that may interact with minoxidil. Talk with your healthcare provider and/or pharmacist about all the medications, supplements, vitamins, and other OTC products that you take before starting minoxidil therapy.

Side Effects

The most common side effect of low dose oral minoxidil treatment is hypertrichosis, or excessive hair growth on the face or body.

Other side effects of low dose oral minoxidil include, but are not limited to, the following: lightheadedness, palpitations, leg swelling, swelling around the eyes, nausea and vomiting, and rash. 

Oral minoxidil tablets may also cause hair shedding for some patients. This is an expected side effect that will improve with continued minoxidil use.

Tell your doctor or seek emergent medical care if you have new or worsening chest pain, shortness of breath, or very severe heartburn as these may be signs of a more serious reaction. Also tell your healthcare provider right away if you experience a fast or abnormal heartbeat; any changes to your vision or hearing; or have severe swelling or weight gain due to fluid retention.

Once you have determined your safety, please contact us. One of our pharmacists will assess what happened and provide guidance if needed. This may include pharmacist counseling to explain preventative techniques or recommend alternatives for your treatment.

This list may not describe all potential side effects. You may also report adverse events to the FDA by visiting: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch/index.cfm

Monitoring Drug Therapy

Oral minoxidil may take 6 to 12 months to see the best benefit for hair growth. If taking minoxidil at the prescribed doses does not improve your hair growth, stop taking it and contact your medical provider.

Storage

Store your minoxidil tablets at room temperature (between 68 and 77 degrees F) in the packaging provided by the pharmacy until you need it. Keep out of reach of children. Under certain circumstances a prescription drug’s effectiveness may be affected by exposure to extremes of heat, cold, or humidity.

Questions

This written information may not cover all possible information. If you have any questions, talk to your pharmacist or medical provider.

A local or a toll-free telephone service is available, staffed by a registered pharmacist, to answer questions about your medication.

© 2022 Hims & Hers Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
HIMS, HERS, H, and HIMS & HERS are trade marks of Hims, Inc.
(Issue 09.07.2022)