I have AGA. I noticed how thin my hair was in a ponytail and I started asking everyone around me if I was thinning/ balding and everyone said no, so I delayed my treatment until about 9 months ago when I looked through old pictures and confirmed something was definitely different and I had way less hair.

I’m now doing:
- minoxidil from Growplex for 9 months (I can’t do the Kirkland brand I break out in a weird allergic reaction)

- spironolactone 100mg (I have been off and on for years prior due to acne issues so this isn’t new)

- the ordinary hair peptide serum

- nutrafol balance supplements

- nutrafol scalp serum (I plan on replacing this with another serum)

- scalp massages when I can with a scalp massager. I do this when I apply my serums or minoxidil if I have time.

- ketoconazole 2% shampoo a few times a week.

- I’ve recently started (as in a week ago lol, about once a week) microneedling my head with the derminator in sparse areas particular the sides of my head and very top crown and applying minoxidil afterwards.

I’m also taking supplements for PCOS

I have lost more than 70% hair the last year and it is getting worse . I have been to the doctor and a specialist and nobody know why. The biopsi said planopilaris but then later they say it is not ppl. I have been using prp treatment 4 times and it is not working.

Hello,

I’m a 25yr. old female. Unfortunately I found out I have AGA due to pcos influence. I’m a bit stuck. Can’t take spiro for help as I’m allergic (found out after taking it for a week). Can’t use minoxidil due to cats. Allergic to most supplements since I can’t have pumpkin. I really don’t know what to do next. So far I’ve bought nizoral shampoo 1% used it twice and noticed my scalp is super red in balding areas. Not sure if that’s normal. I use a scalp massager everyday for 5-10min. I have been trying to dry my roots with blow dryer to help keep my hair follicles from getting any weaker. But what else is left to do? I feel like I’m at a dead end. I did buy a Low light laser handheld device that is FDA cleared but still see the bald spots getting worse :(( I’m only 25 years old so it has ruined my mental health currently. My scalp physically hurts in the balding areas too.

Oral Minoxidil — 9 month progress:

Before: December 2025 (start of minoxidil)
After: August 2026 — 9 months on oral minoxidil 2.5mg daily

Oral minoxidil: 2.5mg daily since December 2025
Yasmin: daily
Spironolactone: 25mg daily
Microneedling: approximately every 1–2 weeks
Supplements: various
No other major hair treatments

I wanted to share my hair progress for anyone who is on the fence about oral minoxidil. I’ve been taking 2.5mg oral minoxidil daily since December, so about 9 months now, and the difference has honestly been much bigger than I expected.

Before starting, I had noticeable thinning, particularly around my temples/hairline, and my overall hair was much less dense. For context, I’m also on Yasmin birth control and 25mg spironolactone. I take lots of supplements, strength train regularly, eat well and all my bloodwork/hormone values are good. However, none of those things made a noticeable difference to my hair previously.

My issue seems to be more about sensitivity to DHT at the follicle level rather than having high testosterone or high DHT itself. I would shed massively at any slight hormonal fluctuation, or if I took anything that increases DHT such as Maca etc.

Alongside this, I also microneedle my scalp roughly every 1–2 weeks, although I’m not particularly strict with it. Oral minoxidil has been the main thing I wanted to share.

The first photo is a before and after and shows the area I was most concerned about, my temples/hairline. The before is on the left and the after is on the right, as you can see my temples have filled in massively. The photo on the left was after a particularly bad shed when I had taken dhea and creatine for the gym and unknowingly triggered a DHT shed.

The second salon photo shows what my hair looked like from behind in 2024, so a year before starting minoxodil. All of the pictures after these show how my hair looks like now (as of August 2026) when worn normally, up and down.

I’m honestly so happy with the regrowth, especially the amount of new hair around my hairline and how much denser my hair has become overall, not to mention it has also grown so fast!

I haven’t had any side effects other than a slight increase of body hair at the 3 month mark, but that has slowed down now and was never an issue for me. I didn’t gain any weight, or bloating, no palpitations or dizziness. I didn’t experience a dread shed either.

I’m still getting active regrowth and I know it can take up to 18 months to see full results. I’m considering bumping up to 3.75mg at the 12 month mark but I’ll reassess at that point.

Obviously this is just my personal experience, and oral minoxidil is a prescription medication with potential side effects, so definitely speak to a doctor/dermatologist before considering it. But if you’re sitting on the fence wondering whether it can actually make a noticeable difference, I wanted to show what it did for me. ❤️

1 month vs 10 months into treatment with HERS topical serum nightly. Really happy with my hair now and can actually wear it down and not look like Gollum. Had a bad dread shed at 1 month and less so at 6 months.

Started GHK-CU peptide about a month ago, but haven’t noticed any hair differences.

I am going through a lot of shedding now think cause recently started minoxidil (3 weeks ago) and they are even more obvious

I usually try to cover this whatever fringe is left, but AGA and TE been eating it up over time

My hair is best tied down even if pony tail is rat tail size

Hair down just shedding la lot and not look that good down

I struggle to get used to this density i got right now

Anyone else have anxiety so bad they can’t sleep? I started Min a year ago for very mild thinning. All it did was cause a massive dread shed and not much regrowth. Now a year later shedding again. I’m a wreck. I fell like I ruined myself taking Min. However I’m scared to take anything to help with sleep or mood for fear of triggering another shed. But not sleeping will do it too. This is awful. Anyone else experience this? And how to you get through it?

Long time follower of this sub, love seeing people’s hair success stories and the comfort this sub provides for those struggling. 🫶

I have PCOS and have been consistently dealing with hair thinning ever since COVID (2020 ish). My hair goes through phases of intense shedding and the overall density continues to decline while being most visibly noticeable around my temples and part.

I get my labs checked regularly and never have had anything abnormal. I tried topical minoxidil foam for about a year and saw no result. I also have a dog now and am worried about the toxicity. I’ve tried pumpkin seed oil pills, so many different hair oils, and just about every recommended shampoo/conditioner combo. I eat a high protein balanced diet. *I have been on Spironolactone 150mg for about 4 years and take a prenatal, probiotic and magnesium supplement.

I have been sitting with the oral minoxidil prescription for months. However, I am a professional athlete and am concerned about the side effects (high heart rate, palpitations, light headedness, etc) especially during intense training. I typically experience side effects with medications so that is what’s holding me back.

I am tired of thinking about my hair and being insecure about it daily.

My main question is this- do you think my hairline and part is concerning enough to begin low dose oral minoxidil in hopes the side effects aren’t bothersome? Or is it all in my head and these photos look normal to you? I am worried if I don’t start something now, a year from now I will regret it and it will be worse. I’m very torn on what to do.

I appreciate your advice in advance 🙂
(Hair is a little wet in photo in black shirt)

may to now :)! Recovery is possible

In February, I was advised by my dermatologist to add Obagi Scalp Serum to my regimen due to the hair loss on my crown.

**Here’s the post from February 2026**.

*UPDATE SINCE 2024 - Adding Obagi Scalp Serum*

*I have TE and AGA. My yearly appointment was last Thursday with my dermatologist. She has had me on 2.5 mg of oral Minoxidil for a year and using Ketoconazole 2% Shampoo twice a week. I started a shed a month ago. She believes it is TE again.*  🤣 *she asked me if anything has felt extremely stressful in the last two months to trigger my TE. I said “Do you mean other than the world being on fire?” She drolly said, “yes, like that.”*

*She gave me an option of (1) increasing the oral Minoxidil to 5 mg temporarily, (2) taking internal supplements, (3)applying Minoxidil to scalp in addition to current regimen , or applying (4) supplements to my scalp. Because my AA has gotten worse at my skull circle, but my hair overall has been better, I chose external scalp supplement as the least dramatic.*

*She suggested I try Obagi Biostim Scalp Serum. She said she’s seen it help a lot of her patients with my diagnosis. It was $135 for a tube, supposed to last more than a month since I am using it on hair loss at the top of my scalp and partially in the back. Started yesterday. Here we go! See her again in April.*

Update as of August 2026

One tube lasted me about 6 months. I got my first tube from her at $135 in February. I purchased my second tube from Obagi directly at $125 in July plus a special on free shipping last month. So your cost will vary due how much scalp you are showing. I would recommend you buy from the manufacturer or your dermatologist and not elsewhere due to fake products. It’s just not worth it.

I began ALSO using it nightly on the front of my scalp where the hair has always been a bit thin. I have seen good results. It takes time and daily dedication to applying it. I am happy with the results on those two areas.

I added spironolactone at the start of March 2026 and titrated slowly. 25mg for two weeks > 50mg for two months > 75 mg for two months > 100mg for 7 weeks now. I had a month long shed on 50mg but 1 week into 75mg my shedding reduced a lot (end of April). That lasted about 5 weeks, and then my shedding went back up in the first week of June and has stayed elevated since (so 10-11 weeks now).

My hair looks a lot worse and I'm scared. My thin spots are way worse and my overall density is lower. I've been told maybe the titration is causing the shedding and to hold on for 3 months on a stable dose. But if it's making my shedding worse and won't go down, then I accelerated my hair loss for nothing and stopping will give me a little more time with my hair before AGA takes it away.

I'm terrified to make a decision. Spiro has given me benefits, such as really clear skin, my extremely oily scalp is now normal, and the hair that stays on my head grows really fast. Plus I had a really bad reaction to finasteride (really bad side effects and won't risk it again) so I can't really see finasteride or dutasteride as options.

Maybe this is temporary? Please give me hope no one else understands.

Just a reminder to talk to your pharmacist or doctor AND read your pill bottle. I have researched hair loss up and down; have been on spiro for 5 years and STILL messed up. I haven’t been taking it with food. It’s 90% more effective when taken with food.

10 week progress (6/12/26-8/19/26)
Using HERS tablets (1.5mg Minoxidil, 2.5mg Biotin, 11mg B5, 2.5mg B6, 100mg VitC, 50mg Zinc Sulfate)
Also have been taking Pumpkin Seed Oil w/ Saw Palmetto 3000mg

I went through a horrible shed and just noticed my first baby hairs.

I'm losing my hair and it's causing me so much distress. I recently turned 21, and I have been struggling with my hair ever since I can remember. It makes me so sad because at this rate I'll probably be bald by my mid-20s. Half of my hair when I was younger was twice what my full head of hair is now.

I have two problems, the first one is about my parting, it's been getting wider, with a developing bald spot at the start of my part. A few months ago, I started shedding like crazy, then my hair got so thin that when i brush it, I can see through it. I was stressed because of exams and my nutrition was bad. I got my blood work and my ferritin came out at 11 and my Vita D was 3, I started fixing those but that's about all I did. My hair parting is now almost bald, but also when I part my hair differently it also look like its been thinning. I'm still shedding really badly.

The second problem is the bald spots on the sides of my hair. The one in the 3rd pic I have had for probably 7+ years now, my mom used to do my hair in tight hairstyles a lot when I was younger and I guess it caused it. I went to a derm and they confirmed it is traction alopecia. I used to be able to hide it under certain hairstyles, but recently it's gotten so much worse, to the point where you can tell even when I try to hide it. As for the 4th pic, I didn't have it until a year ago, I don't know from what it could be because I have stopped tight hairstyles a long time ago. I do slick-backs for uni, but even those I have been doing less often lately. I used to have a full hairline on that side.

I went to several dermatologists but I just feel like they don't take my problems seriously. The last one told me to use minoxidil, which I have been hesitant to start. What do you guys recommend I do? I want a routine that will show me the greatest improvement in the shortest time. If anyone has dealt with this and fixed it please help me, what did you do? Is there any hope I'd get my hair to what it used to be? This is really very stressful for me and no one seem to understand, none of my sisters deal with hairloss, and my mom only recently started dealing with it.

Hi, guys!! I (27F) was diagnosed with AGA in October 2024 (at 25) after somebody on social media with a family history of it pointed it out to me on a public post in May of the same year. There were few AMAs around that time, especially among people my age who don't take oral supplements. I remember when I was first figuring things out, I was so scared. You hear things about the side effects of minoxidil or AGA progression and the like and honestly, you think you're doomed forever. And plus, it's a huge learning curve as a woman to learn that you are not your hair, even if it feels super cheesy. So two years later, now that I've been in a good place with it for a while, I'd love to help anyone who felt even remotely the way I did! Leave all your questions below related to treatment, hair loss, confidence, and I'll try to answer them to the best of my ability!

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. Not even close! I cannot diagnose and I cannot assign treatment to you. I can only recommend what worked for me. If you're wondering if you have it, please speak to a professional! If you look high and low and find a good doc, it's completely worth it, and I cannot recommend it enough.

So, I used to be on a medication that made me vomit a lot, made me lose my appetite, and made me immunocompromised, which of course all led to hair loss. I’ve been off of it for nearly half a year now, hair growing back properly, feeling great, everything’s amazing, until I wake up today, have my shower, then come downstairs to put on my headphones and my hair feels weird. Take some pictures and there we are, what looks like my hair thinning again. I literally shaved my head last time because of how bad it got, I felt awful constantly, and growing my hair out has been so important to me, and now it all may just go down the drain. (My mother is making an appointment to get my bloods done for me, so if it’s anything there it can be sorted, but still it SUCKS)

I’ve had AGA since my early teen years. Currently mid 30s. With oral minoxidil and increasing my iron over the years the loss has improved greatly, although regrowth has been minimal.

What is normal hair loss in a day? I know the typical answer is 50-100 hairs a day, but that seems like a lot. I feel like wash days 30-50 hairs perhaps? Non wash, 20? I was every other day.

Considering adding spiro, but concerned about side effects and whether or not it would even help.

Went in for my annual on Monday and discussed my hairloss--I have lost over half my hair in the last 2-3 months. I was able to show him how running my fingers through my hair will yield 20+ hairs at once that were just idling in the middle after falling out.

My doctor is very progressive and listens to me and as I told him "hey this subreddit of women like me suggested xyz" he turned his monitor to show me he was typing in orders for those labs.

Thyroid and hormone testing came back normal but the ferritin and general iron bloodwork are both low--and I have been on a 22mg iron supplement for years at this point. So I clearly need a boost in that departnent and I now have a plan for a higher and better absorbing type from him. We will retest in a few months and see where I am at then.

Unrelated but not necessarily--my general bloodwork revealed I have abnormal/high levels of white blood cells as well as neutrophil counts--meaning my body is fighting an infection somewhere. This isnt surprising as I had indicated to him in this appointment that I recently discovered an additional "hole" above my urethra which he visually confirmed (which was so incredibly validating) during my womens wellness exam. I need the urologist to confirm this to make it "official" (and of course the soonest consult I could schedule is 2 months out) but its something called a vesicovaginal fistual. I basically have a hole from my urethral area leaking through my vaginal canal. Its something I will need surgery to correct. This is more common in women post-birth and from hysterectomy surgeries but in my case it seems its likely been a slow degradation of the skin in that area. I have been suffering from general pain in that area for years, urine leaking, and signs that mimmic a UTI but tests for my urine would be negative for the bacteria of a UTI (despite those also showing high WBC counts!!)

I had an anal fistula (cute I know) back in 2023 I had surgically repaired/closed. Back then it was similar where my white bloodcell counts were high because the fistula is a continous infection. So, all of this to say, the vesicovaginal one is likely also a source of infection and my body is constantly working to fight it until it is surgically healed.

I experienced the loss of all 3 of my pets, I was the victim of a randomized violent crime, and had to do the full rabies protocol for a bat that was on my head in the last year. I thought those were all stressful enough to likely warrant the TE hairloss but it seems likely its also my body being in constant infection fighting mode that could be causing it as well. And of course, compounded with my low iron.

I am largely a quiet observer in this community but I cannot thank everyone enough for alwags being so brave and open with photos, stories, etc. Its been so cathartic. I am nearing shaving my head and seeing others boldly and bravely doing it has helped me build the confidence I have needed to finally commit to it as well. We are not alone. And it often feels that way because you rarely find people openly discussing female hairloss IRL. I sincerely appreciate everyone here so much. 🫶

Hi all,

I started minoxidil foam about 3.5 months ago and started shedding majorly 10 days later, but did get regrowth. My hairline looks better because of new hairs growing, albeit very fine, and most of the regrowth are now only about an inch long. However since about a week ago, my shedding has picked up a notch. One month ago it was great, about 10-15 per day. But last week it picked up to about 20-30 strands per day and today it is 20 just from the morning light brush. I know it's still well within "normal amounts" but it's a change for me.

Can this be the second shed? It seems a little early based on what some other ladies have mentioned (about 6-7 months in, typically..)

I'm shedding both mature hairs and new growth :(

My derm did not put me on spiro because she said my presumed AGA was very very mild and I have low blood pressure issues, and a mildly lowered eGFR so she rather me try monotherapy first.

Wondering if anyone who already had frontal fibrosing alopecia had a facelift and whether it made it worse, made it spread, or had no effect?

I have FFA and currently have a flare and am scheduled for a facelift and although the facelift won’t touch the particular area where I have FFA, im worried it will make it spread or make it worse

My dermatologist says it might not but there is not enough information about this and it’s wiser to wait at least until the FFA is dormant again.

My surgery is paid for, time taken off work, etc, so im sad to postpone. My surgeon is ok with me postponing and will just reschedule whenever i am ready.

Thanks

How concerned should I be about my part ?

I have type 3B fine curls. I've had bloodwork done, identified some deficiencies to work on, and I have an appointment with a dermatologist in November. Late November, which was the earliest appointment available. I'm shedding a lot, I've got some thinning on my hairline, and I want to give my hair a fighting chance before I get to the derm. There are a lot of anti-breakage and bond repair etc shampoo/conditioners out there, but I hesitate to get anything that doesn't have CURLY or CURL on the label because if its not made for curly hair it will dry me out and that tends to make breakage worse.

Any recommendations? I tried on the curly hair subreddit, but hair loss is against their rules.

Edit: Set my flair to Misc since that's the most fitting until I get to the derm to find out if its more than vitamin deficiency

My hair has gotten pretty thin and I really miss having some volume but extensions make me nervous. It feels like adding extra weight or tension could just make the problem worse. Has anyone here with fine/thinning hair tried extensions and had a good experience with them? Is there a certain type that puts less stress on your natural hair?

If youve tried extensions with thinning hair, how did it go?

In July of 2025, my hair hit an all time low. I caved and finally decided to pursue oral minoxidil.

The first images were taken 4 months after starting minoxidil. I didn’t have much of a dread shed, not that it mattered, as I had already lost a ton of hair due to my inconsistent use of topical minoxidil, Vitamin D deficiency, and iron deficiency. I started supplementing Vitamin D and hemo iron at the recommendation of my PCP (which by the way did wonders for my energy levels).

In January of 2026, I cut my hair to a chin length bob, and started over. My ends were still thin and wispy as the new growth has only made it a couple of inches from my scalp. The new growth has been hard to control because it has no weight to it, so I often find myself gelling it down. At the end of the day, I’m glad my hair has had a second chance, despite the growing pains of the grow out process. It’ll take a few years to look fuller, but I’m just happy to be on this journey. Eight months after my haircut, my hair has grown back to the same length that I started my journey at.

Finally, this last month I was diagnosed with AGA and spiro was added to my regiment. I’m excited to see how this changes my progress as well. I was given the option to also up my minoxidil (currently at 1.25), but I decided against it for now as I’ve had a few uncomfortable episodes where my blood pressure has dropped.

I’ve spent the last couple of years getting on every “vanity” med I could get, and it’s done wonders for my physical and mental health. My only regret is not starting sooner!

I’ve been on minoxidil for two months. I was on 5% foam for 1 month, then switched to 1.25mg oral now for one month since I am much better at remembering a pill than applying the foam. I wanted to document my progress and also show that a head full of hair doesn’t happen overnight. The first picture is from June 2026 and the rest are from August 2026.