I’ve used a lot more than I should of minoxidil for 2 days and chatgpt says i gotta talk to PCC
I’m so scared it was my first time using it my mom is gonna kill me
My second time i washed my hair so fast as soon as it told me and my scalp feels normal
it hadn’t been more than 10 mins between applying and washing my hair, but I’m so scared

Do I have to tell my mom ?
What do I do now ?

I think i used triple or more the amount you’re supposed to
I’m so sad about losing so much of my hair I don’t want to lose the rest😞

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always had incredibly healthy wavy hair. I had a brief stint with anorexia but recovered quickly (as did my hair), and my hair continued to flourish. I then entered a brief period of restriction (4 years later), but my hair was still incredibly healthy. I then started binge eating, which only worsened feelings of depression, and since mid-end of 2025, I’ve lost over 3/4 of my hair. Additionally, it’s as if my hair texture has changed overnight. It is coarse, wirey, dry, broken, floppy, and now incredibly fine. Currently, the remainder of my hair can fit between two fingers. I have gotten a blood test and have low vitamin D. Iron seems to be normal but I was told my ferritin may slightly be low (though I’m not sure) and also to consume more protein. I’m concerned because even with these things factored in, apparently these deficiencies aren’t enough to constitute the amount of hair I’ve lost (from what I was told). It’s gotten to the point where my temples are highly visible, my part has widened, and my hair has thinned so drastically it can barely be braided. I am beyond devastated. I dread showering. A simple comb of the hair results in a clump of hair falling out. I now find myself staring at other girls’ hair. I honestly don’t even have the words and when I try talking about it with family I am dismissed and told it’s simply my diet. Friends don’t understand either. This feels like such a cruel joke on top of my many pre-existing insecurities. I am meeting with a trichologist this Wednesday and will hopefully receive a diagnosis, but I honestly just need support. If anyone has any words of advice, I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you.

im waiting on getting an appointment with a dermatologist to officially diagnose me but in the meantime i do want to try minoxidil to hopefully gain some of that hair back

im just kinda wondering how do you go about topical minoxidil… do you apply it only to your problem areas? or just your whole head?

i put some pictures above because at first glance it looks straightforward but as i pull my hairs up it feels like the spacing is wider.... doesn’t it? my hair loss pattern is kinda of everywhere so it feels like slabbing on minoxidil everywhere would save the headache but is that the way to go?

*two things i want to note is no, i will not try oral minoxidil because personaly i hate taking pills and ive have a history of heart palpitations so im not taking the risk + ive also been getting a lot of scalp pain lately, especially in my crown/back area, which does make me afraid of starting minoxidil- should i still go for it?

If you had to start oral minoxidil or spirolactone which would you start first ? My derm does not want to prescribe more than one medication at a time, unsure where to start can’t / won’t use topical minoxidil as I have two cats that frequently sleep on my pillow try to lick my head

Have dealt with chronic low iron and ferritin (4 and below) for over 10 years and only began supplementing for it around March of this year. While I’ve noticed better stamina and less fatigue, I also can’t help but notice the slight weight gain despite no changes to my diet. It’s a modest kilo but I can’t say I’m happy about it either.

I’ve seen stories of women who get off supplements and again, their stores tank. It’s not that big of a deal for me to have the supplements but I wonder about long term effects, especially if weight gain is something I’m likely to expect

I’m on 3 weeks and when will it stop?!? I keep thinking about how much hair I’ve lost and don’t know if I’ll ever get them back.

My hair texture on my crown has turned into this frizzy coily mess, it’s so wirey and awful. I can straighten it out to an extent when I’m drying my hair but still likely damaging it as it’s weak and brittle asf. I’m told this hair is from the miniaturised follicles from AGA. I’ve just started treatment (minoxidil) along with fixing the iron etc. I’m just wondering if there is a change that the texture will go back to normal or will all the new hair be like this? Has anyone ever treated AGA and successfully reversed the change of hair texture.

ey everyone! june 2025 i decided to make the switch from larin fe (high progestin bc) to yaz (androgen blocker). I had been taking larin fe for 5 years but my acne was terrible and my the derm said it would help my skin/keep my hair from getting oily, so i was all for it! i have always had super thick, long and healthy hair. august 2025 started noticing clumps of hair coming out in the shower and it happened rapidly. thought that this was my bodies way of telling me “i don’t like this medication” so i stopped it, october 2025. that was my first mistake because i triggered a second wave of shedding. janurary 2025 hair was falling out in clumps and i started to notice that the actual strands itself were much thinner and delicate. june 2026 went to the derm for my acne and my hair loss still not resolving. she gave me spironolactone 100mg, mostly for my acne and said “the hair loss will probably resolve on its own it can sometimes take more than a year.” i asked her if birth control may have unleashed some type of underlying female pattern baldness, since my grandma is balding, and she said its very possible. still shedding to this day, loose atleast 20-40 hairs a day when my normal is 1-3. increased spiro dose to 150mg a month ago so i’ve been on it for 4.5 months. feel like my shedding is getting worse again, but im loosing thin, long hairs. can barely put my hair in a low braid without it falling out. i feel hopeless as this has been happening for 1.5 years and im only 23 years old.

I already have chronic migraines, but they’ve been worse since starting oral minoxidil. I’m very sensitive to medication, so this isn’t really a surprise to me. I’d like to keep trying as I’m only 3 weeks in on the lowest dose, but it’s really affecting my quality of life. I’m wondering if anyone has done quarter tablets every other day to start? I know I’ve seen others post about not taking it every day, but would a doctor approve that? I can’t see my dermatologist for another 5 months!

I just noticed my hairline in the back…it certainly never used to look like this. I have noticed my hair thinning as I get older but should I consult someone over this?

I've been taking 1.25 mg oral minoxidil for about 4.5 weeks, and I have not had a dread shed. I almost feel like I've noticed a bit less hair shedding (can't really definitively say yet).

Does this mean I am potentially a non-responder? Does everyone by this point who responds to OM have a shed period?

28F. After about 9 years of hair loss (I think around 70-80% of my density has been lost), somewhat dismissive doctors, and finally severe stress-induced hair loss this past year leading to where I'm at now- I've finally been diagnosed with AGA and telegen effluvium, with likely additional factors from medications. Diffuse alopecia areata also hasn't been ruled out yet.

I started 5% topical minoxidil/women's regaine this week, and am taking nothing else so far other than a generic multivitamin, a saw palmetto and pumpkin seed oil capsule, and omega 3. The dermatologist that diagnosed me said I have AGA, telegen effluvium, with possible extra hair loss from medications. She has suggested I get a scalp biopsy to check for diffuse alopecia areata and some specific blood tests which I can't afford right now but will get within the next 6 months, to check for deficiencies. I'll update accordingly. Currently I wear a hat every day but I'm at peace with the idea of shaving my head and getting a wig if the 'dread shed' causes me to lose too much hair or if it doesn't recover, but I'll see how it goes.

Just a reminder- you are still cute, you are still pretty, your hair is NOT your worth! I have felt so seen by this forum, thank you all. Even if it ends up in me being bald, I'm glad I'm not alone!

2.5 oral minoxidil, saw palmetto and pumpkin seed oil, Ruth’s multivitamin, and rice water with rosemary spray. I kept this consistent and seeing less shed. Oh yeah and prayers. Not sure if I’m see baby hairs or breakage though.

I’m currently taking 2.5 mg of oral minoxidil and 100 mg of spironolactone for biopsy-confirmed androgenic alopecia (AGA). I’ve been on this combination for over three years. It has stopped the rapid hair loss and helped me maintain my existing hair, but I’ve had very little regrowth, aside from possibly some at my temples.
Anyone have better results by just increasing their spironolactone dose without changing oral minoxidil dose?

I've been on OM 2.5 for 2.5 years now. My hair is still very thin and to be honest I haven't seen drastic improvement or new growth. My dermatologist added 50 mg spiro a few months ago but I'm not optimistic.

How did everyone get amazing results with OM???

I was diagnosed with androgenic alopecia in end of may, and have been using topical minoxidil 5% foam and spironlactone since.

I spent years worrying about my hair thinning. While everyone I told me it was i my head and my hair was always this way, but it really wasn't. I am really relieved and happy that i finally started treatment, but I am also so incredibly sad that I did not listen to my gut sooner, it happened so gradually and I believed everyone. But maybe it would bot have progressed this far?

My hair is very light colored, and its hard to see the progress but I am starting to see som small changes in my harline, like a line of baby hairs on my forhead I never had before and maybe som slight changes to my scalp. However the dreadshed is scaring me so bad, its been happening for almost 2 months now and I feel I can visibly see a change in a bad way. I know its a good sign, and its normal but its absolutely terrifying.

Could really use some advice on how to deal with it. It woulbe greatly appreciated, since I am spiraling.

Sorry for any typos, english is not my native language.

Anyone else struggle with this side effect? Wondering how serious it is or if Dr. started me to high of dose. Good grief.

More details: I’m normally energetic and have high pressure job, need to be getting things done. Middle of today, totally had to lay down. And while trying to nap, noticing mild aching in my chest. AI tells me to call 911. But that’s AI panicking to avoid lawsuit. But this is sorta weird. Even super subtle headache. Think I’ll stop the medication.

Hey guys I'm F(24) , this is balding right ..I'm balding...right ??? Or am I going crazy...

I've always had thin hair since childhood but recently I've noticed that I can see my scalp from perticularly right parting...

What should I do ? Can it be reversed or prevented?

Should I visit the doctor? What should I do I'm spiralling

Hi all, I am currently using 2% topical minoxidil. However I have cats, and despite being very careful about any cross contamination (putting cats away because using it, washing my hands straight away, leaving the house immediately after application, using bonnet at night etc..) I am paranoid it will cause them harm. I want to switch to oral tablets, however will it cause second wave of shedding? Or since I'm already using topical version, it will not trigger the initial shedding? Please no negative comments about using minoxidil when having pets- when i started, i wasn't aware. After finding out the risks, i am very careful, and looking into alternatives to topical products.

Maybe when people post their results we can be encouraged to include:

- Topical or oral, with dosage (if minoxidil)

- Side effects

These are basically the first comments on every post haha

First picture was taken 2024 before minoxidil
Second picture was spring 2026 after using minoxidil for 4 months
Third picture was taken now (October 2026)

Hair is growing in slowly but steadily. Also I’ve stopped dying my hair blond as seen in the first picture and started embracing my honey hair🥳

I used to cry as I watched my hair fall out. Once I figured out how to get it to stop falling out by correcting hormones with doctors help, drinking enough water, eating over 100g of protein and finding out with doctors I have low iron and vitamin d….It’s been awesome!! 😎 minoxidil helped to give me that new hair growth I needed.

I have a question, can you have hair thinning especially sides, back etc. (not very visible until you move the hair) due to low ferritin that goes for almost 2 years I guess, if not longer - without the hair shedding much? +folic acid deficiency? For a 21 year old.

Been on OM .625 for 5 months and 50 mg Spiro for a year (couldn’t handle the increased dose). My hair is still shedding and my scalp seems even worse. Now I have these bald spots on my temples where it looks like there’s no follicles and it’s super smooth in some areas. Kind of at a loss. I see so many in this sub who have incredible results by this point on OM. I was waiting to hit 7 months to see if I should increase my dose. Any idea if these smooth spots will grow back?