Regaine

Regaine has an activating and stimulating effect on hair growth.

Indications Regaina

It is used to treat alopecia of androgenetic origin, and also to reduce the volume of hair loss and restore its normal level (for both women and men).

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Release form

The drug is released in the form of a liquid for local use - in bottles with a capacity of 60 ml. The drug also comes with additional attachments necessary for dosed treatment.

Pharmacodynamics

Regaine is used to treat alopecia and baldness. The active ingredient of the drug, the substance minoxidil, activates and stimulates hair growth in people suffering from androgenic alopecia.

After local treatment with the drug, symptoms of hair growth were noted after at least 4 months of use. The onset of the growth process and its intensity vary from person to person, depending on the individual response to the therapy. A 5% solution has a more significant effect on growth processes than a 2% solution. This fact is confirmed by the registered increase in the amount of vellus hair in those treated.

After the therapy is discontinued, the patient's new hair growth slows down until it stops completely. Over a period of approximately 3-4 months, the scalp returns to the condition observed before the onset of alopecia.

It has not yet been possible to reliably establish the mechanism of action of minoxidil during the treatment of androgenic alopecia.

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Pharmacokinetics

After topical application to intact scalp epidermis, minoxidil absorption remains poor. On average, less than 1.5% (range 0.3-4.5%) of the drug dosage used enters the bloodstream. When applying 1 ml of a 5% substance (50 mg of active ingredient), only 0.70 mg is absorbed. The effect of skin diseases on drug absorption has not been studied.

There is only limited data on the metabolic profile of minoxidil after topical application. It is known that the drug is not synthesized with protein within the plasma and does not cross the blood-brain barrier.

After stopping the drug, approximately 95% of minoxidil present in the bloodstream is excreted within 4 days (mainly through glomerular filtration in the urine).

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Dosing and administration

The medicine should be applied only locally - to the epidermis in the scalp. Other areas of the body should not be treated with this medicinal solution.

A single dose of the drug is 1 ml of the substance, which should be applied to the skin twice a day (in the morning and later in the evening). It is recommended to start the treatment procedure in the center of the problem area, and then around the affected area. For this, you can use both your fingers and the attachments that are included in the delivery set.

The size of a single portion should always be the same, regardless of the surface area being treated. No more than 2 ml of the substance (in total) can be applied per day.

People who have used the 2% preparation and have not achieved the desired result, and in addition, people who need to increase hair volume as quickly as possible, can use the 5% form of the drug.

The medication was most effective when applied to the middle parting (women) and the crown of the head (men).

Instructions for use of the drug.

The medicine should be applied only to clean and dry epidermis in the scalp. When choosing a treatment method, you should familiarize yourself with the functions of the attachments that come with the bottle of medicine. If the treatment is done with your fingers, you should wash your hands immediately after the procedure.

An attachment used for the procedure of rubbing in medicinal substances.

This attachment should be used when treating small areas where there is no hair.

Before the procedure, it is necessary to put the nozzle on the bottle with the solution, and then, holding it in a vertical position with the nozzle facing up, squeeze it to fill the upper part of the nozzle (volume 1 ml) to the specified mark. After this, turn the container over and begin to massage the bald areas of the head until the nozzle chamber is completely empty. After completing the procedure, remove the nozzle and put the outer cap on the bottle.

Spray.

This attachment is recommended for use when applying a medicinal substance to large areas of the scalp epidermis.

The spray head must first be released by removing the cap. After that, it is directed to the center of the bald area and the valve is pressed. Next, the substance is distributed with fingers over the entire problem area. This procedure must be repeated 6 times until the entire dosage of the drug (1 ml) is applied. During the treatment, avoid getting the medicine in the eyes or lungs. After the procedure, the bottle is closed with a lid.

An extended type nozzle used for spraying.

This type of nozzle is most convenient to use for spraying on small areas of baldness or when applying to the epidermis, which is located under the remaining hair.

The small spray head is first removed from the sprayer, and then the extended nozzle is attached to its sleeve. After this, the cap is removed from the nozzle, its tip is directed to the center of the bald area and the sprayer is pressed once. Then, using your fingers, the medication is distributed over the entire bald area, rubbing it slightly into the epidermis. This procedure should be repeated 6 times to apply the full dose of the drug (1 ml).

Clinical data on the use of Regaine indicate that the initial symptoms of hair growth activation were usually observed with the following application scheme: 2-times treatment with the preparation per day for a period of 4+ months. The volume of growing hair, its quality, and the time of the beginning of this process are determined by the individual reaction of the human body. Only a single full restoration of hair was recorded after only 3-4 months of therapy.

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Use Regaina during pregnancy

It is prohibited to prescribe the medication to pregnant or lactating women.

Contraindications

Main contraindications:

• the presence of dermatoses in the epidermis area under the scalp;
• violation of the integrity of the epidermis on the head;
• the presence of intolerance to minoxidil or other components of the drug;
• people over 65 years of age.

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Side effects Regaina

Negative reactions of a local nature.

Side effects noted during clinical testing of the drug's effects were usually in the form of dermatitis, which developed on the epidermis in the scalp. Only rarely were there pronounced signs of dermatitis - redness, peeling, and, in addition, inflammation.

Itchy scalp, alopecia, contact dermatitis of allergic origin, seborrhea, folliculitis and excessive hair growth were recorded in isolated cases.

Negative signs of a general nature (less common than local ones).

This includes:

• epidermal lesions: swelling of the face and non-specific allergic response (urticaria or skin rashes);
• respiratory disorders: dyspnea and rhinitis of allergic origin;
• disorders of the nervous system: dizziness and vertigo, neuritis, and headaches;
• problems with the functioning of the cardiovascular system: pain in the sternum, fluctuations in blood pressure, increased heart rate or changes in heart rate, and swelling.

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Overdose

Accidental ingestion of the liquid may cause adverse symptoms that have a systemic effect (this is due to the vasodilating effect of minoxidil). It should be taken into account that 5 ml of a 2% solution of the drug contains 0.1 g of minoxidil (this is the maximum permissible daily dose of the drug for the treatment of high blood pressure), and 5 ml of a 5% solution contains 0.25 g of the substance (i.e., 2.5 times higher than that dosage). When large doses of the drug are taken orally, symptoms such as fluid retention, decreased blood pressure, and tachycardia are observed.

To get rid of fluid retention, diuretic drugs should be taken. In case of tachycardia, it is necessary to use β-blockers, and in case of a sharp decrease in blood pressure, a 0.9% NaCl solution should be administered intravenously. In such situations, it is not advisable to use sympathomimetics (norepinephrine or epinephrine), because they have too strong a cardiostimulating effect.

Interactions with other drugs

In theory, the concomitant use of Regaine with peripheral vasodilators may result in potentiation of existing postural hypotension, but no clinically confirmed data on such an interaction have yet been observed.

When using the drug in combination with oral minoxidil (for the treatment of elevated blood pressure), in theory, a slight increase in its serum levels may be observed. It should be noted that clinical studies regarding the development of such an effect have not been performed.

Prescribing the medication to people with high blood pressure and using guanethidine or its derivatives is permitted only under the careful supervision of doctors.

It has been found that the drug can interact with certain local medications. For example, a combination of the drug with a 0.05% cream containing betamethasone reduces the absorption of minoxidil, and combined use with tretinoin or dithranol (these substances affect the protective function of the epidermis) can, on the contrary, lead to increased absorption of minoxidil.

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Storage conditions

Regaine can be kept at temperatures not exceeding 25°C.

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Shelf life

Regaine in a 2% solution can be used within a 5-year period, and in a 5% solution - a maximum of 3 years from the date of release of the drug.

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Application for children

The medicine is not used by persons under 18 years of age.

Analogues

The drug's analogues include substances such as Alerana with Generolon, as well as Kosilon, Alopexi and Revasil.

Reviews

Regaine receives quite mixed reviews regarding its medicinal effect. Patients' opinions on this matter are divided approximately equally. The drug is mainly evaluated by women, with far fewer reviews from men.

Some patients believe that the medicine is really very effective and helps to avoid baldness, while others, thanks to its use, managed to only slightly slow down the process of hair loss, while others were not able to achieve the desired result at all.

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