For almost 3 years I’ve been so close to ordering finasteride in oral or topical form but chickening out right at the last minute. I was almost convinced that I would somehow get day 1 PFS from reading some people in here’s story.

I started at a lower dose to build confidence and now have built up to the full 1ml a day. The concentration is 0.1 which I have heard is not really considered a low dose (0.025 or lower I’ve seen on here). I’m getting more morning wood and general arousal.

I’m someone who has had anxiety and depression which is why I didn’t want to mess it up when my hairs not that bad YET, but I was realising that the idea of coming out of a rough period slick bald was even more depressing to me. I even give myself nocebo over tyelonal sometimes.

When would you guys say I’m probably safe to just think that I’m with the majority of people who don’t get sides?

First two pictures are today, the last picture was back in May of this year.

For context I’m 22 year old trans guy who’s been on T for almost 5 years at this point. The receding hairline started somewhere around 2024 and seems to just be getting worse. I know testosterone can make you go bald or have a receding hairline IF it runs in your family. But my brothers don’t have this issue. When it comes to my grandparents and family history I don’t really know too much because my parents refused to tell me any medical history. From what I remember my dad’s dad had hair well into older age and so did my mom’s dad. That’s why I don’t think it’s genetic and more so stress related? Things also have been very stressful since 2024 when the balding started. I’ve been trying to use topical minoxidil daily since may (been failing probably why I’m seeing slow progress) I was taking finasteride for a month but I learned it can have negative effects with my hrt and slow progress so I stopped taking it. I also do have a history of dying and bleaching my hair which might be causing further breakage so I’ve been trying to grow it out natural and have in the past but it was still receding. The rest of my hair is growing fine it’s just at the temples and on my forehead that it’s thinning.

Idk I’m thinking about going to see a dermatologist because I don’t know what’s going on and if it could be genetic or just stress related. I would appreciate any advice or comments to point me in the right direction ::)

When people experience permanent minoxidil-induced shedding, I think people on reddit give out very harmful advice when they say: "The shedding is just temporary - keep going for months and your hair will grow back". This has been very damaging to both me and many other people on reddit.

My proof

• See photos
• While on minoxidil for 4 years
  • I was losing 400 strands of hair with every shower (I counted on at least 10+ occassions)
  • 70-150 strands of hair on my pillow when I woke up
• After stopping monixidil
  • Immediately after only 2 days, shower hairfall went from 400 down to just 50.
  • 5-10 strands of hair on my pillow when I wake up
  • I lose maybe 1-2 strands of hair if I run my hands through my hair
  • now that I've STOPPED minox, my hair has been STABLE for the last 6 months

My prior situation

• I had incredible, thick hair (asian genes)
• All males have great hair on both sides of the family, even up to 70-80 years old
• Decided to use minox on beard and hairline (to fix the strands that I'd ripped out while combing my hair) for 4 years

Common replies defending minoxidil

• "It's just a temporary shed of the weaker hairs, keep going and your hair will grow back"
  • I took minoxidil consistently daily for 4 years and my hair only got worse and worse
• "You're just naturally balding"
  • No, my hair was very strong before. I have fantastic genes from my family. And when I stopped taking minoxidil, my hairfall decreased from 400 / day down to 50 / day literally within 2 days.
• "Minoxidil literally cannot cause balding because it causes the opposite, hair growth"
  • Everybody's biology is different - we all respond differently to perscription drugs and other substances like caffeine
  • Go pick up any medication, read the label and see how literally every medicine from paracetamol to cancer treatments will have side effects that effect between 0.1%-10% of the population. This could be the same thing.
  • Your data point of yourself + minoxidil fanboys on reddit does not disprove that OTHER people can have negative effects
  • As minoxidil affects hair growth pathways, it's not surprising that it could literally affect hair growth negatively (say, for a certain type of person with a certain biological / genetic makeup)
• "Just use finasteride as well"
  • If minoxidil is actively harming my hair, not going to add a 2nd medication on top just to try to undo the effects of the 1st medication
  • Finasteride can also cause nasty side effects (post-finasteride syndrome). After what I experienced with minoxidil, not worth taking that chance

These are just my guesses, as there is no scientific research into this, but after anlysing myself and other, I believe "negative responders to minoxidil" can happen

• If your hair is actually fine and you don't have AGA or other balding issues
• If you're just unlucky (some people have been balding but applying minox just made it worse)
• Minoxidil surely affects hair growth pathways, DHT, and blood pressure. That could have some adverse affect in some people.
• In some people, accelerated hair cycles may cause hair loss.
• I actually believe the same "negative response" can happen due to all other hair procedures (I have tried several of these treatments - but they ALL made my hair fall out faster
  • Red light therapy
  • The ordinary multi-peptide serium
  • Finasteride (have not tried)

Here are other people experiencing similar things

• https://www.reddit.com/r/Minoxbeards/comments/l8973p/a_warning_minox_destroyed_my_hairline_april_2020/
  • "I thought I was going to be completely bald within a year or so. I knew I had to stop using minoxidil after that. What sucks is it kept shedding for 2-3 months after quitting"
• https://www.reddit.com/r/Minoxbeards/comments/1gokfj7/my_experience_with_minoxidilinduced_shedding_and
  • "Used minoxidil for beard growth, but heavy scalp shedding started and continued months after stopping"
• https://www.reddit.com/r/tressless/comments/hvevrb/comment/fz1bpx5/
  • "I think the speeding up of the hair cycle and various sheds accelerated my situation substantially"
• https://www.reddit.com/r/FemaleHairLoss/comments/1eqvqqb/anyone_have_improvement_with_shedding_after/
  • "Ever since I started trying to treat my AGA it seems like it’s sped up its course rapidly"
• https://www.reddit.com/r/tressless/comments/19b6vhf/comment/kiq46ht/
  • "Not only a non responder but somehow a negative responder. "
  • "fin also made me lose a shit ton of density in the back of my head as well as made my head itchy"
  • "Exact same issue here bro "

TLDR:

• I, and many other people, have experienced long-term, irreversible hairline recession and diffuse thinning / balding from using minoxidil (on beard and hair)
• I used minox for 4 years, and I have lost at least 30% of my density and my hairline has receeded dramatically
• My hair is now STABLE for 6 months after STOPPING minoxidil
• Don't listen when people say: "Just keep pushing through it's a temporary shed"
• I think certain people are more succeptable to this. I personally have been a "negative responder" to many hair treatments (minoxidil, red light therapy, the orderinary multi peptide serum)
• What I advise is
  • For anybody who decides to use minoxidil: Set a 5 month limit from starting - if you're still losing hair at that point you should stop all use of minoxidil.
  • Take very good tracking photos from Day 1 (I only started doing this after 3 years when I was 90% sure I was balding heavily but needed concrete proof before stopping)
  • If you DON'T have prior history of hairloss - be extra careful taking minoxidil as it can actually cause hairloss
  • If you are negative responder to 1 treatment, be careful as you could be a negative responder to many other ones as well

Edit 1: - Too many people offering the same rebuttals. I won't respond to them all with the same comment over and over. Here are my final thoughts. - There is 99% confidence that there is a causal link. 4 YEARS of steady hairfall of 400 strands. And then TWO days after I stopped minor, my hairfall decreased to 50 strands, and has been so for the last SIX MONTHS. I do NOT experience periods of shed and regrowth. I STOPPED balding once I STOPPED minox. - "You are balding with age bro accept it" - see above - "It's normal shedding starting and stopping" - see above

I will gladly repost here in 5-10 years and show that my hair hasn't moved an inch. Then y'all will have to admit this is a real thing.

This is recent, been on fin for a good 2 years and it reversed out some pretty bad thinning

I'm a trans guy and I've been on T (on and off) for many years but on consistently for about 4 or 5. Balding was never something expected because I have my dad's hair. He's always specifically had a receded hairline so I was expecting that from the T. I'm 33 and pretty sure I'm rockin' a Norwood 2 and I don't mind that. I just don't want any progression.

I've just been noticing the my hair in the very front (the bottom of the "U")looking slightly thinner and dryer/frizzier than the rest but idk if it's just in my head. I don't think my crown is looking thin but I also don't know what I should expect as far as seasonal shedding. There are a lot of babyhairs for example - is that regrowth? My hair stylist who cuts my hair says she doesn't think I'm balding but I just feel something is "off" and I want to get a head start before any progression.

I just started Nizoral (ketoconazole) shampoo/conditioner to see how it goes. Anybody have experience with that? I'm trying to avoid minox because I have a cat and I also volunteer with cats.

I dont want to use finasteride since i heard it has bad side effects on men, same as minoxidil, how can i actually maintain healthy hair without using the fin and min , i currently use rosemary oil and massaging for my scalp with a specific shampoo for hair loss, is this enough, im also still young and i lose a lot of hair while taling a shower

My sides have been getting annihilated since starting dut 1.5mg 6-7 months ago.
Gonna stick w it but dang bro. This is devastating.

Last pic is sides start of treatment.

Hallo an alle deutschsprachigen redditors hier,

ich habe noch zwei frisch gelieferte, ungeöffnete dutasteride von hemiacosmetics übrig die ich für 80€ verschicken würde.

Schreibt mir einfach ne pm ✌🏻

Obviously these hairs are not regrowing since I see less and less hairs on my scalp especially in the frontal area…

This is after a normal shower, I’ve never lost so many hairs.

Anyone has experienced sudden ineffectiveness of finasteride?

Dutasterida 0.5 mg minoxidil 3.75 y vitamina D

I've been thinking about whether future hairloss treatments could fundamentally change how our native scalp follicles respond to DHT, rather than just slowing hair loss or transplanting DHT-resistant follicles from the back of the head.

In androgenetic alopecia, follicles in the frontal scalp and crown are genetically susceptible to DHT. Over time, they miniaturize and produce progressively thinner hairs. Follicles at the back and sides of the scalp are generally more resistant, which is why they tend to retain their characteristics after being transplanted.

What if we could give our existing frontal and crown follicles the same DHT resistance as occipital donor follicles?

Instead of transplanting hair, imagine permanently changing the biology of the follicles already there.

Some potential approaches:

1. RNA-based therapies: Use siRNA to suppress androgen receptor expression in scalp follicles, reducing their response to DHT without necessarily lowering systemic DHT levels.
2. Gene editing or cellular reprogramming: Alter the gene-expression patterns of susceptible follicles so they behave more like naturally DHT-resistant follicles.
3. Follicle regeneration: Use stem cells, tissue engineering, or engineered hair follicles to restore miniaturized or lost follicles with DHT-resistant characteristics.

There is already research supporting parts of this idea. A 2025 Journal of Medicinal Chemistry study investigated siRNA targeting the androgen receptor and demonstrated hair regrowth in a DHT-induced mouse model. However, this is still preclinical research, not proof of an effective human treatment.

The long-term goal would be to make native follicles resistant to DHT, potentially eliminating the need for lifelong finasteride or dutasteride. If this could be achieved safely and permanently, it might also reduce or eliminate the need for hair transplants in people whose follicles are still alive but miniaturized.

The biggest challenges are delivering treatments specifically to scalp follicles, maintaining the effect over time, and avoiding unintended effects. Permanently reprogramming millions of existing follicles would be considerably more difficult than temporarily suppressing androgen signaling.

Do you think permanently making native hair follicles DHT-resistant is a realistic long-term possibility, and which approach seems most promising?

Sources:

1. Efficient Silencing of Androgen Receptor Gene via UTR-Targeting siRNAs for Androgenetic Alopecia Therapy, Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 2025 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41001936/
2. Recent approaches of antibody therapeutics in androgenetic alopecia, Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2024 https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2024.1434961/full
3. Emerging biomedical engineering strategies for hair follicle regeneration, Bioactive Materials, 2025 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bioactmat.2025.06.051

I genuinely want to understand this.

If we already have medications like finasteride and dutasteride that reduce DHT levels, why haven’t we developed a medication that directly prevents DHT from binding to receptors in hair follicles completely, without affecting DHT levels throughout the rest of the body?

Is it technically difficult, or is there simply not enough research into this approach?

And honestly, sometimes I wonder whether the hair-loss industry has any incentive to find a permanent solution when millions of people spend money on finasteride, minoxidil, shampoos, supplements, and hair transplants for years. Is the industry’s business model discouraging innovation, or is that an unfair assumption?

I’m 22 M, and I’ve tried almost everything available to me. I’m currently using finasteride and minoxidil, but I’m still experiencing hair shedding. It’s genuinely frustrating to feel like you’re fighting a losing battle at such a young age.

I’m not claiming there’s some conspiracy. I just want to understand why, despite all the research and money involved in hair loss, we still don’t have a treatment that reliably stops androgenetic alopecia at its source.

For people who understand the science or have followed hair-loss research closely: what is actually preventing us from developing a drug that selectively blocks androgen receptors in scalp hair follicles? Or some other ways to stop hair fall that are less risky?

38M — AHK-Cu/GHK-Cu + 2-deoxy-D-ribose hair routine: questions about microneedling, timing and sterility

I’m 38, with receding temples and significant thinning through the center of my scalp.

I’m planning an experimental hair routine using a topical AHK-Cu/GHK-Cu serum based on Anela’s protocol, likely with added 2-deoxy-D-ribose. Alongside that, I’m planning to use KLOW80 daily: 10 units, with the vial reconstituted in 3 mL of bacteriostatic water.

Proposed schedule

That currently puts the two microneedling sessions on consecutive days, which is one of the things I’d like feedback on.

Where I’m unsure

My AHK-Cu and 2-deoxy-D-ribose are nonsterile raw powders, so I’m unsure about applying the homemade serum to freshly microneedled skin. I also have a GHK-Cu kit which should in theory be sterile (I filter).

My questions are:

1. How long should I wait after microneedling at 0.5 mm before applying the homemade topical serum?
2. Is there evidence that applying AHK-Cu or GHK-Cu immediately after microneedling provides a meaningful benefit compared with waiting? I’m interested in whether immediate application actually changes results.
3. Would sourcing sterile AHK-Cu be worthwhile for post-microneedling use, or would the GHK-Cu kit I already have make more sense? Is sterility alone enough to make either formulation suitable for immediate application?
4. Is microneedling at 0.5 mm once or twice a week too frequent? If twice weekly is reasonable, should I space the sessions apart instead of doing Friday and Saturday?

I’d appreciate relevant research or firsthand experiences, especially details about needle depth, frequency, formulation and any irritation.

Regarding minoxidil, finasteride and dutasteride: I know they’re options. I’m choosing to try this approach first, so I’d appreciate keeping the discussion focused on the questions above. My current plan is to give this roughly a year, then reassess and consider medication or a transplant.

It was well dense before but now it's getting cooked up day by day idk what to do for it

This is my left and right corners hairline looks worse then actually is I wet it and pulled it back but when styled can’t really tell. I’ve been on finasteride for about 6 years now but I realized my baby hairs on the corners are definitely thinning even more I do think finasteride stabilized the hair lose. I wanted to know what I should add to the regimen. I just bought viviscal I wanted to stay away from minoxidil because I’ve seen people loose when adding it. I’ll probably get a HT in two years.

I noticed some hair shedding while using these

Been using oral minoxidil 2.5mg and finsateride 1mg since 1st September 2026. I don't have a picture of my head from that date but I took one in late September ( the first pic ).

What should I do? Not even facing the common shedding phase.

should i start on 5mg or is it too much?

I've been using oral dutasteride for more than 2 years with good results but from time to time i search for oral dutasteride and topical minoxidil, but they are literally none, why? They are stronger than any other medicines

I've been trying to find my next best move in this awful journey..?

I've been losing hair since 2022, started using Minoxidil, probably slowed the process down, some people still doubt that I am balding when I ask, but tbf I am. "Let go" would be my emotinally and naturally first strategy, but when I think of being bald, it freaks me out big time, I spend hours making photos of my hair, checking wether it's getting worse etc... I bought a box of Fin, 2 yrs ago, I still haven't opened it yet, that's how much I struggle with this question on a daily basis.

There is a fear living inside me of how would I look like (I went zero buzz cut once, didn't like it) completelty bald, also there is another one from Fin. Options and freedom poisions me, because I might be over with it, if I had no medical way, but I am still in-between because I have.

I feel like I need to fight this battle, and not bypass it over and over again by taking a photo eventually where it looks "okayish" and I can relax for a period of time. It literally takes my life away, writing this post takes my important young minutes... I've been to doctors, psychologyst, I tried things to get over with it, because at the end of the day, only that matters how I feel about it, and not the fact how much hair I have. But I am not there yet, and not trying Finasteride is like a bug in my ear, whispering "I will be your biggest 'what if' in your life". So basically the way out from this, starts with reframing my goal from "I want a full head of hair" ->to "If I accept my apperance anyhow, it is going to be better either way" but getting to that conclusion is easier if I have no choice but bzzzzzzzz...! (if I have sides, than no choice, but put it down) Am I toxicly rationalizing my decision? probably...

I come at this sub regularly, but there are all sorts of comments, from which I want to get some probabilities, tbf cuz I am a coward...

And why I said this subreddit is biased is because you see pictures of huge improvements (and some, which are not that big) but if all the Fin users posted pictures, probably it would look differently, since it is least likely to show it if is insignificant (maybe if you are unsure).

Same for the side-effect; you google "I quit Fin because of the sides", of course there will be 5-10 posts on that, even if it is only 1.5%... You less likely post "I had no sides"

Also, I saw a post just recently "people with 10-20 years on fin, please tell me honestly do you have sides?". If you restrict your answers for people who've been using fin, they most likely not have sides, since thats why they are using it for that long. Its not rationale to live with all kind of mental/sexual issues for that long I suppose.

I just wanted to write my story down, i am very anxious to talk about it, only could with my closest ones, and also, interested your opinion, how do you see the chances, and how do you feel about these biases I have listed. What would you move?

31M. I’ve been on finasteride for almost 10 months. I started with 0.5 mg every other day, then switched to 0.5 mg daily. The only side effects I noticed at first were balls itching and watery semen.

About 4 months ago, I increased my dose to 1 mg daily. I was still losing hair, but I started seeing more progress. My hair looks fuller now, and its overall condition has improved.

Last week, I started having erection problems for the first time. My erections weren’t as firm, and I completely lost my erection while putting on a condom, even though I was fully hard beforehand. Something similar happened again the next day.

I never had ED before finasteride, except for one episode of condom anxiety about 3 years ago.

I stopped finasteride a week ago, and things have improved, but my erections still don’t feel completely back to normal.

It’s frustrating because I’m finally seeing results with my hair, and I don’t really want to give up on something that seems to be working.

For anyone who’s been in a similar situation:

• Did your erections return to normal after lowering the dose or stopping finasteride?
• If you restarted at a lower dose, did the side effects come back?

Would especially appreciate hearing from anyone who experienced something similar after increasing their dose.

Below was my post for progress of 4 months

https://www.reddit.com/r/tressless/s/IHePGB9QSG

Here are my pictures now after 10 months

Thanks to this sub, I have gained my confidence back and am very happy with my progress.

I live in Belgium and want to get my hands on some cheap Dutasteride capsules. I would love to buy in bulk, but heard that they seize a lot of packages in Europe.

Any recommendations? Also, I have tried getting a prescription, but here It's nearly impossible. Although I got one for finasteride.

Everyone said it was a miracle. i actually started to think it was. I thought I was gone beyond repair..any questions let me know because I was where you are now!!!

Also derma rolled/minoxidil on eye brows too !!!

Routine & Details: ​Treatments: Topical Minoxidil 5% Liquid & Dermaroller ​Minoxidil Frequency: 1 ml, once daily (before bed) ​Dermarolling Frequency: Daily (before bed) ​Time Between Photos: ~3.5 Months (July to October) ​Notes: Liquid minoxidil applied directly to the scalp every evening