27M on Minoxidil/Finasteride for 1 Year, No Regrowth; Next Steps?

General
1

As of last week i’ve now been on 2.5mg minoxidil and 1mg finasteride for a year. I’ve seen no regrowth (confirmed with my dermatologist he agrees) but also no shedding or extra loss. I’m 27 years old and have been slowly balding since 18. It was noticeable at 18 on a bad hair day, now it’s very noticeable. It’s not quite barren, still some coverage but pretty thin.

I asked my dermatologist if we should up my dose but he said we shouldn’t because then we almost guarantee side effects. If low libido is the most common side effect, honestly I’d welcome that.

I’m going to find another dermatologist for other reasons after my prescription expires, but am I at the max dose or something? Should I get a second opinion? How long might it take to see results if not a year? Has anyone had experience with it taking more than a year?

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you’re using the usual doses for min and fin, and these can take longer than a year to show results. if your hair loss has stabilized, that’s a good sign. upping fin dosage isn’t common because it doesn’t usually enhance effectiveness much but can increase side effects. give it more time to see results, and consider adding microneedling or topical treatments for an extra boost. check out The Beginner’s Guide for more info.

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Have you spoken with him to consider using the topical solution?
Are you doing microneedling?