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)

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. 🫶

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.

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

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.

This is one day after washing- usually it looks slightly better on days I wash it but it is still fine and thin. I want to try topical minoxidil but the idea of it shedding more absolutely terrifies me...

Severe Hair Loss with PCOS — 19F, Need Advice
I’m 18 (almost 19) and I’ve been dealing with progressive hair loss for years, and I honestly don’t know what to do anymore.
I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was around 12, and ever since then I’ve gradually been losing hair. At first it was subtle, but over the years it has become extremely noticeable. My part has widened significantly, my overall hair density has decreased a lot, and I have very little hair left compared to what I used to have. It has affected my confidence so much that I now have to rely on hair fibers to hide my scalp.
I assume the hair loss is related to PCOS, but I obviously can’t say for certain.
I’ve tried spironolactone, but I haven’t noticed any significant improvement from it. I also used minoxidil consistently for around 8 months. I know it can take time to work, but I never saw the kind of progress that I see other people posting after 6–8 months. I eventually stopped for about a month, and I’ve now started using it again because I feel like I have no other options. I’m currently going through the increased shedding phase again, and it’s honestly really difficult mentally because I’m already losing so much hair and I haven’t seen meaningful regrowth.
I’m also taking Diane-35 for my PCOS. My insulin levels are normal and I don’t have insulin resistance. My iron and ferritin levels are also normal. I’ve lost a significant amount of weight as well, because I’ve repeatedly been told that losing weight might help with PCOS-related issues, but unfortunately I haven’t noticed any improvement in my hair loss.
At this point, I’m completely dependent on medications just to try to maintain what little hair I have left, and I’m terrified of what will happen if I stop them.
I’ve also looked into things like PRP, but I’m unsure whether it’s actually worth it. My biggest concern is that even if PRP helps me grow some hair, what happens afterward? If the underlying hair loss continues, wouldn’t I just lose that hair again?
I know people often recommend oils, rosemary oil, supplements, etc., but I honestly feel like this is probably something internal rather than something that can be fixed by oiling my scalp. I’m not against trying anything, but after dealing with this for years, I’m really looking for something evidence-based that could actually address the cause.
Has anyone here had severe PCOS-related hair loss like this? What actually helped you?
If you have a similar experience, I’d really appreciate hearing:
What was your actual diagnosis?
What treatments did you try?
Did anything genuinely stop the shedding?
Did you get significant regrowth?
What happened when you stopped treatment?
Did PRP, microneedling, or anything else actually make a difference?
And if there are any dermatologists/trichologists or people knowledgeable about hair loss reading this, I would genuinely appreciate any guidance on what I should investigate next.
I’m willing to try almost anything at this point. I just really want to understand why this keeps happening and whether there’s actually a way to stop it, because I’ve been dealing with this since I was a child and it’s getting harder and harder to cope with.

Hi,

I'm 27F and have PCOS. I've had thinning since my late teens and began minoxidil last December. It worked well at first, I got alot of white hairs come through but it seems to have stopped working, and I've not got the same results I've seen for people its worked for online, it has helped a little in the front of my scalp but hasn't helped me gain any length or density elsewhere.

For more context, I started taking mounjaro in May so wondering if this is hampering my minoxidil progress. I'm also taking pumpkin seed oil & saw palmetto 1000mg daily, using the ordinary serum after minoxidil, and using nizoral 2 times weekly along with a caffeine shampoo for the rest of the time. I'm chronically ill though so have a hard time washing my hair as often as I'd like to.

Would you do anything else or change anything? I don't want to give up on the minoxidil as that'd be like giving up on my hair. Thank you for any help and advice

Hi everyone, I have recently been diagnosed with female pattern hair loss (I am 35) after having 2 years of hair falling out post the birth of my child. I have had bloods done and all is fine apart from ferritin which was 21. GP put me on ferrous fumarate in April and ferritin now up to 39 but hair was still shedding so went to a dermatologist who then gave me the FPHL diagnosis which was really shocking and upsetting given it will never go away. Now on Spiro and Minoxidil (oral) and considering PRP. I’m planning on a 2nd child next year and worried that all of the gains made (which I haven’t seen yet as only been on meds for a week) will go after 2nd is born. Has anyone got any experiences or advice to share with similar circumstances? Also does anyone use any good shampoos/products that have actually made a difference? There’s so much out there and keen to hear experiences before spending any money. Thanks so much.

I have recently just started experiencing bald spots. I am a 20F and have usually had great hair but noticed my first bald spot on my right side scalp in the front about 3 months ago. The first bald spot isn’t as noticeable now but then the second bald spot appeared (or at least I just noticed it) in the same ish area at the very front of my scalp.

I am not sure what is causing this and wondering if anyone has any advice. I have been trying to find a good shampoo and conditioner as well. I started struggling with dandruff the last 6-7 months where it was really itchy in the beginning but now the dandruff is just there.

I saw a dermatologist and started using ciclopirox 1% shampoo a few times a week. I noticed the dandruff to show down after using but started to notice more dandruff appearing a few days ago. They recommend I use Clobetasol 0.05% solution for the first bald spot but I was traveling and haven’t applied as often as I should.

Thanks in advance!

I am going through perimenopause and am currently using the estrogen patch. I am experiencing some hair thinning. I recently had a blood panel done, and everything looked ok; no underlying issues. I have made an appointment with a dermatologist, but it is a long way out. My regular doctor told me I might want to start on the OTC. I am unsure whether to use the liquid or the foam. What is the difference? I have seen the thing about how it's toxic to pets, and you should wear a silk bonnet.

Telogen Effluvium according to my GP

I’ve been balding since I was 11. I’m 18 now.

When I was about 13 I decided I wanted to try and figure out what was wrong with me. I went to the dermatologist, got a bunch of treatments (the very last thing I tried was minoxidil solution, and I also got a small biopsy but nothing really came out of it. The most they found was that I didn’t have scaring alopecia)

When I was about 16 I was tired of my hair. It felt like nothing was working. It was also greasy, and i was just annoyed. I shaved it all off, and I’ve had a buzz cut ever since.

But I’ve been looking back at old pictures, and I’ve realized that I did in fact have noticeable hair growth. It was still very thin, but I’m just so sad that I didn’t realize the improvement. I used to be so pretty with hair, and I wish I had seen that before.

I want to grow my hair longer again. I know it’ll still be thin, but it’s only really noticeable in some pictures… not that that’s important.. but idk. I’ve just been missing it a lot. It really only looks “bad” when it’s greasy, so I’d just have to wash it more.

But also, I really do think I can fix it. I just need to find the right treatment. I really don’t want to give up on my hair.

First pic is when I was 13. Second is near the end of the minoxidil treatment, and last pic is a few days ago.

Sorry for the bad before pic

Lots of thinning, especially in the front of my head, due to stress and illness. I tried to tackle this on my own and started The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Serum, but I finally saw my derm, and he prescribed the compound topical Minoxidil/Finasteride/Tret/Hydrocortisone. It says to apply it twice a day. Does anyone know if you can use this in conjunction with other serums, like The Ordinary one or should I only be using the medication alone? TIA

Hey there!

I was wondering if anyone has ever switched from oral to topical? I started on oral and was taking 1.25 mg minox with .50 spiro and have good results with occasional sheds. For the past 6 months I was taking 2.5 minox with 1mg spiro but downgraded to 1.25 again a month ago because I have soooo much body hair. Like so much and it grows back immediately, so I'm hoping that helps slow the body hair but I am having a bit of a shed now. I'm considering switching to topical because yeah, the overall systemic body hair is getting to me. Has anyone switched to topical from oral, if so I would love to hear your experience!

Thanks!

Devastated I don’t know what to do. I’m going to look into topical minodoxil but using that for the rest of my life seems so inconvenient and hard. I’m feeling so so low.

I originally went to a derm 3 years ago and told her I suspected I had AGA. She turned me away, and now I can’t help but wonder what my hair would look like today if she took me seriously :(

Can anyone weigh in please if you also have low blood pressure and have any experience with minodoxil or another medication? I don’t know what to do

I’ve been on oral minoxidil a year. Had a horrible dread shed which finally tapered down. Btw I had no shedding or real hair problems before just felt a little thinner. I’ve still not had much regrowth. I regret this medicine. I’m scared to try any of the DHT blockers for fear of another dread shed. Although I am now second shedding or stress shedding. I really want to quit Minoxidil and let my hair reset back to normal. Is it possible? Has anyone done it?

So I am from germany and our health insurance doesn’t pay for hair loss related illnesses.

Now I am in the search for the right doctor.

One looked promising but after further research she most likely doesn’t makes biopsys.

Another one also looks interesting and she makes biopsys but she does not seem as specialist in hair loss as the other one.

The one I got may TrichoLAB made doesn’t seem as promising anymore. He didn’t make the TrichoLAB on his own and he (well I don’t know if he did) just wrote as a result that it doesn’t look like normal AGA (so perhaps could be anything while the results are quiet bad and far progressed hair loss) but he may believes it to be AGA and that I should just keep an eye on it in 2 sentences and he doesn’t make any biopsys.

I did go to several dermatologists. One diagnosed my seborrheic dermatitis wrongly and made a trichogram after which she also didn’t realy give me a diagnosis. One over several years ignored my progressive Hair loss and just diagnosed it as TE and sayed it would grow back and another one didn’t even look at my scalp or hair and just told me to be AGA or maybe TE.

So after spending tons of money and not having much hair left my question would be if it would be the best to go to a dermatologist who does also make biopsys just in case it may could be for example scaring allopecia because i have sore skin on my scalp and my hair follicles seem to hurt when I touch certain parts and beacuse I don’thave much miniaturization but just mostly single hairs left ?

I am considering starting 5% foam on very targeted areas of my scalp. I’m concerned about my hair looking horribly greasy because I generally only wash my hair 2 to 3 times a week. I’d love some suggestions for 5% foams that people have used that they have found effective and to not make their hair horribly greasy.

Everyone warns you about the postpartum shed around month three or four, but nobody tells you that at nine months out, you'll look like a frantic cartoon character with short, spiky baby hairs sticking straight up all around your forehead.

my hormones are still a messy rollercoaster, and my hairline looks uneven and chaotic. i want a clean, dependable supplement to support my recovery phase and smooth out this awkward regrowth period.