Hair Matrix™

Most users begin noticing reduced shedding within 3–4 weeks.
Visible regrowth often starts around week 6–8, with fuller results by day 90 when used daily.

Topical finasteride reduces DHT (a hormone that causes hair loss in men) in the scalp

• The most common side effects are mainly localised to the scalp and include itching, irritation, burning sensation, flaking of the scalp and redness.

• Sexual side effects have not been reported in clinical studies.

• If your partner is currently pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or breastfeeding, finasteride should be avoided as it may cause harm to the unborn baby.

Topical minoxidil promotes hair growth by reactivating dormant follicles and keeping them active for longer

• Topical minoxidil can cause shedding at first as new hair growth cycles begin, but this improves with continued use.

• Topical minoxidil can cause scalp irritation. Other possible side effects include hair growth at unwanted sites from inadvertent application (e.g. topical minoxidil drips onto the face).

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 Compounded Tablets and what are they used for

This 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.

• Finasteride is a 5 alpha-reductase inhibitor to treat hair loss. Finasteride has been shown to lower the levels of DHT in the scalp, a major cause of male pattern hair loss. With continued use, Finasteride can help to reverse the balding process and prevent further hair loss. Finasteride and Minoxidil have been shown to work synergistically to treat male pattern baldness.

If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your medical provider or pharmacist.

2. What to know before taking Compounded Tablets

Do not take these 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.

• are already taking Finasteride, Dutasteride or any other 5-alpha reductase inhibitor for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) 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.

• need to have a blood test called prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Finasteride may alter the result of the test.

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.

• Finasteride should not be used by women. Women who are or may potentially be pregnant should not come into contact with Finasteride. If Finasteride is absorbed through the skin or taken by mouth by women pregnant with a male foetus, the child may be born with malformed genital organs. When the patient’s sexual partner is or may become pregnant, the patient should discontinue treatment with this medicine. If a woman who is pregnant comes into contact with these tablets, speak to your medical provider. For this reason, it is important to maintain good oral hygiene.

• Finasteride may affect male fertility. Patients who are planning to father a child should consider stopping treatment.

• Mood alterations such as depressed mood have been reported in patients treated with oral Finasteride tablets. If you experience any of these symptoms from using the treatment, stop using the treatment and contact your doctor for further medical advice.

3. How to take Compounded Tablets

Always take this medicine exactly as your medical provider or pharmacist has told you. Check with your medical provider or pharmacist if you are not sure.

The recommended dose is 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 to expect results using Compounded Tablets

Since normal hair grows approximately 1.25 cm per month, hair regrowth with 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 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 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.

• Finasteride: in clinical trials 3.8% of patients receiving a treatment of oral Finasteride tablets noticed some sort of sexual side effects, compared to 2.1% of patients who were taking the placebo. These side effects included less desire to have sex, difficulties with erectile function and decreases in the volume of semen released during sex. Other possible side effects include breast tenderness or enlargement and rash. The side effects are usually temporary and disappear when the treatment is stopped. Stop taking Finasteride and talk to your doctor immediately if you experience depression (feeling of severe sadness and unworthiness).

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 or lumps under your skin (hives).

• changes in breast tissue such as swelling, tenderness, pain, or if there is any discharge from the nipple.

• chest pain or testicular 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 Compounded Topical Combination Spray

• keep out of the sight and reach of children
• do not use this medicine after the expiry date printed on the bottle
• store upright, below 25°C and protect from direct sunlight
• when the bottle is empty, the bottle and applicators must be disposed of safely

7. What is in this medicine?

Active ingredients: The spray contains 0.3% Finasteride, 7% Minoxidil, 2.2% Ketoconazole and 0.2% Biotin

The other ingredients are: ethanol, propylene glycol, citric acid and eucalyptus essential oil.

8. Who makes this medicine?

This medicine was compounded and dispensed by London Specialist Pharmacy Limited, Yew Tree Avenue, Dagenham, RM10 7FN, United Kingdom.

A clinician will review all your responses to determine if this treatment option is a good fit. If prescribed, please inform your regular GP of your treatment.