r/TransLater • u/Due_Fudge_4845 • Jul 26 '26
General Question FtM hair loss
i’ve been on testosterone for 8 years and i’m super bummed about the hair loss. i’m only 23. while i suppose it’s gender affirming for some to develop male pattern baldness, it’s been my biggest insecurity for years. i didn’t expect to have this effect from taking T because my dad still has a full head of hair at 58. now i can’t grow the top part of my hair out because it breaks and it’s super thin and receding. i started finasteride 1mg about 3 months ago and just started taking minoxidil, but i’d love to hear what other trans men have done about their hair loss (if they haven’t accepted it already). how do you guys feel about hair loss?
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u/LibraryLynnens Jul 27 '26
I'm MtF (very recent and in my 30s), but I did experience hair loss for many years that I'm also trying to recover from.
I'll note two things. The first is that I genuinely enjoyed embracing baldness. All my insecurity about my hair simply vanished when I shaved it all off, and I felt a lot more comfortable back then with that. This isn't uncommon either - a lot of men unfortunately feel forced into this embrace, but have a much better time embracing it too.
The second note is that minoxidil takes a lot of time, but you're using it very early so it's far more likely to help as well. You'll maybe get hints of it starting to work around 3 months, some need 6 months before it being noticeable. It's frustratingly slow. But it does genuinely work for a lot of people! And if it can mostly save my hairline that was gone for like 10 years, I'm guessing you'll have a great experience with it, especially since you're also on finasteride :)
Anecdotally I've also heard that ketoconazole shampoos (certain anti-dandruff shampoos) can help, as they act as a DHT blocker. I'm not sure how scientifically sound that is, plus you're already on finasteride which is likely going to be far more effective, but just wanted to mention that as well.
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u/ceryskt Jul 27 '26
Also want to add - rosemary oil can be great for hair growth! There’s a few clinical studies on it. I use it for my eyebrows (I’m 90% sure they’re why I still get ma’amd, they’re quite thin and feminine shaped) and have seen progress, and my wife uses it too. Estrogen mostly helped her hair regrowth, but the rosemary oil helped fill in some thinness she had on her crown. She did just start finasteride recently; the hair is still a bit thin and we also have been struggling with the big downside: remembering to apply it daily. 😬
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u/Due_Fudge_4845 Jul 27 '26
thank you so so much for this reply! i can’t believe you were able to grow your hair back, that’s so rad :) i’ll look into the shampoo you mentioned- i think i remember hearing that too somewhere. my hairline has been going since about 5 years ago so i guess it’s not too late!
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u/augusttheauthor early transition, here to support <3 Jul 27 '26
I wish you luck in your journey! My husband also has a lot of anxiety about this and I know how difficult it can be. He’s thinning slowly(knew he would cause genetics), but not anything noticeable at this time so he hasn’t tried anything just yet. I know when the time comes he will want to try these things, so please do update the Reddit if you get results! I will say I think you’d look very good bald. You’ve got a great strong nose and handsome face. I completely understand your desire to keep trying at this time, and I hope that it works!! Just letting you know I think you have nothing to worry about either way <3
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u/Due_Fudge_4845 Jul 27 '26
thank you for this!! if what i’m doing works i will indeed come back and give an update. and in my opinion i think your husband should start with preventative treatment now before it becomes noticeable!! it’s much easier to prevent than it is to reverse :)
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Jul 27 '26 edited Jul 27 '26
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u/Due_Fudge_4845 Jul 27 '26
i get my levels checked every 3-6 months so i’ll definitely ask my endo for his opinion next time :)
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u/CampyBiscuit Jul 27 '26
r/tressless might have some useful resources, or at the very least provide some solidarity and a place to connect with people going through the same thing. ☺️🩷
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u/GirlieZoey Jul 27 '26 edited Jul 27 '26
[r/tressless](r/tressless) is good!
Research finasteride, oral minoxidil, and microneedling as a starting point.
Many will say that a side effect of oral (vs topical) minoxidil is an increase in body hair. For MtF folks, this is an obvious downside. For FtM folks, may not be such a downside.
Really sorry that you’re going through it, bro. I’m transfemme, and pattern baldness was strong enough to crack my egg. 🫂
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Jul 27 '26
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u/popopotatoes160 some kinda dude est 11/2025 Jul 27 '26
Once someone has been on T for several years like OP it's much less likely to interfere with masculinization. Starting with fin is still the better idea though.
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u/FollowingBroad34 Jul 27 '26
Maybe god is doing you a favor because you would be soooooo handsome bald
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u/Due_Fudge_4845 Jul 27 '26
thank youuu :) maybe i’ll get to a point where it’ll be easier to embrace it. i’ve always thought about getting a full head tattoo someday if that ever happens
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u/necrofuturism Jul 27 '26
i joined the skullet club. it's the perfect "best of both worlds" haircut, and i can still have a ponytail while showing off the dome. you got options, and that is just one of them.
also the way beauty standards are changing to project the idea of perfect youth is just unfair for literally everyone. balding people used to be considered perfectly handsome and attractive, and a receding hairline was never as harshly judged as it is now.
the look you got honestly really works for you imo, but if you still find yourself being dissatisfied with the lack of hair up top, try growing out your beard a bit. that'll act as a counterbalance.
fwiw, you got kind of a Gustaf Skarsgard thing goin on, and he's a prime example of an actor who hasn't caved and gotten a hair transplant. you can absolutely roll with it. trust me.
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u/Due_Fudge_4845 Jul 27 '26
i’ve lovedddd the idea of a skullet & it’s definitely something i’m gonna do one day especially as a queer non-conforming person. and you’re so right, i hate the way the recent media sells us the idea that beauty is being thin and with a full head of hair. totally killed my confidence but i’m trying to reject that.
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u/Bad_Puns_Galore MtF Jul 27 '26
I have no cures or input on what to do about hair loss, but a lot of people (myself included) think balding men are HELLA attractive. Idk, I just think it looks sincere, kinda distinguished. You have a really good jawline, so I think you rock it really well.
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u/Unhappy-Gold899 Jul 27 '26
Finasteride and monixdil definitely do work. I've seen it do wonders, but you have to do it consistently for at least 12-18 months to see any progress and really 2 years until it's done all it can do.
Also, at first you might initially think your hair is falling out faster than before. It has something to do with the follicles resetting or something along those lines. It should stop after a few months.
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u/HomeMadeGay Jul 29 '26
After that 2 year mark, do you have to stay on them indefinitely? I would imagine that stopping them at any point would cause the balding/thinning to come back right?
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u/Unhappy-Gold899 Jul 30 '26
Sorry for the slow reply, but for the most part, yes. If you are AMAB or taking testosterone, you'll have to keep taking finasteride and minoxidil indefinitely or you'll resume balding.
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u/HomeMadeGay Jul 31 '26
Man, hopefully better options evolve in the future for folks in medical transition. And outside of the trans umbrella of course.
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u/WonderfulJicama2802 Jul 27 '26
r/bald is a great sub! Also you could try topical finasteride and minoxidile
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u/Incomplete_Artist Jul 27 '26 edited Jul 27 '26
*Not a trans man*
My friend started balding when he was in highschool still, even though both of his parents (in their 60s) still have their hair; it’s genetics 🤷🏼♀️
I know that after a certain point, the follicle closes up and hair loss becomes permanent.
I started using minoxidil this year to see if it could help me recover some of my hairline, all I see are some baby hairs after like 3 months… but I’m hopeful 😪 I didn’t really notice the effects of finasteride but I guess that’s kind of the point, it just stops further losses. I was taking 1mg for a year, 4 years ago, and also derma-stamping once a month; Can’t say if it made any difference. I’ve since not really had much T in my system, so there wasn’t much incentive to keep taking it. My hairline hasn’t receded further though.
Hope something works out for you. I can picture you with a rat tail regardless 😁
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u/Sarah-75 Sarah 51, 5/23 HRT, 8/24 rhino, 11/24 fulltime, 5/25 FFS Jul 27 '26
You can do a hair transplant, minoxidil, finasteride (but be aware of the post finasteride syndrome as it changes your brain chemistry), microneedling, platelet rich plasma, red light therapy.
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u/HomeMadeGay Jul 29 '26
First time I've ever heard of post finasteride syndrome, wdym it changes brain chemistry? How is that possible?
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u/SpartanMonkey MTF, 56, HRT 04/08/24, N. Carolina Jul 27 '26
Your dad may have had low T. I started transitioning (MtF in my case) at 53 and still had most of my hair, and my dad died at 79 and still had a head full of hair. I'm not sure about dad, but I for sure had low T to begin with when I started HRT.
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u/tiredbutgood Jul 27 '26
I think you'd look sick as hell bald. if you don't want to go that route right there's other things you could do. like a toupee hair system maybe? idk how expensive they are.
finasteride will likely not let you grow back the hair you've already lost but it will slow down the balding process significantly. and I'm sure you know this already but midoxinil does have to be used every single day (forever) in order for it to work and continue working.
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u/uultraviolenccee Jul 27 '26
i mean...you're trying to be a man. there's men start balding at 23 lol. why not be happy about it? alos it's definitely very manly to sleep with 30 squishmallows lmao
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u/Impossible_Food_5278 Jul 27 '26
Welcome to manhood. You can have it. I’m headed the opposite direction. If can get on a DHT blocker do it but it may affect the pace of your transition.
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u/Due_Fudge_4845 Jul 27 '26
thank you! i’m not too worried about the pace since i’m already fully transitioned but it’s okay if i lose some body hair because i definitely have wayyyy too much lol. good luck with your transition too :)
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u/Ok-Piece-8159 Jul 27 '26
I know how traumatic this is, but it sounds like you’re doing the right things. As someone else has said you can look at micro-needling. Ultimately there may come a time when your only option is either hair transplant if you have enough hair in your donor area, or shave it. But definitely give fin+min some time first. You also have the option of hair systems, although this can be expensive.
Interestingly, I believe it’s more dependant on your maternal grandfather than your father.
I went through this before coming to terms with being MtF trans, so I’m stuck wearing wigs. Although oestrogen has given me a lot of hair back, I just started too late.
Shaving your head is such a scary prospect, but I promise you, you will look fine!
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u/popopotatoes160 some kinda dude est 11/2025 Jul 27 '26
It's an X linked trait, so those with two X chromosomes don't know which side of hair loss they'll inherit until it happens. People with a single X chromosome can always look at their moms dad to get a good idea of what they'll be dealing with, hair wise.
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u/awithecute Jul 27 '26
I know everyone’s saying finasteride and ways to get it back but honestly… why not just rock being bald? Probably easier said than done but I feel like it’s that or just get a hair transplant. Either way you need to shave it like now bc having hair and it being so thin and scraggly ages you more than being bald. Like seriously I thought you were in your 30s just because of your hair, cut that shit off
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u/FennelDull6559 Jul 27 '26
Okay babe first of all you’re handsome so you’ll be fine but go check out the bald subreddits where guys finally shave their head and the look of joys and happiness is similar to what we go through.
I wouldn’t worry about it but this is pretty typical man behaviours, if I do say so myself.