Should I Switch to Oral Minoxidil While Continuing Dutasteride? Need Advice on Next Steps After Accelerated Shedding

General
1

Hey everyone,

I’ve been dealing with hair loss for some time now and have been on a pretty aggressive treatment plan. I could really use some advice on what to do next because I’ve hit a point where my shedding has increased significantly, and I’m considering changing my regimen. Here’s a breakdown of my current situation:

My Current Treatment Plan:

  • Oral Dutasteride (0.5 mg daily) – I’ve been taking this for over a year.

  • Topical solution containing minoxidil, finasteride, and tretinoin – I switched to this around 4 months ago, applying it once a day.

  • I previously used topical minoxidil and RU58841 for about 2 months but stopped the RU58841 about a month ago.

Recent Concerns:

  • Shedding: For the past 10 months, I’ve had noticeable shedding, but in the last 2-3 months, the shedding has accelerated massively. My hair is thinning at the temples and crown.

  • Dutasteride interruption: I had a 2-week gap in taking dutasteride recently due to a prescription delay (I only managed to take it 3 times in those 2 weeks). I’m wondering if this might have made the shedding worse, but I thought dutasteride had a long half-life, so I’m not sure if this could be the cause.

My Questions:

  1. Is it normal for shedding to increase like this after 4 months on the topical minoxidil, finasteride, and tretinoin solution?

  2. Could the 2-week interruption of dutasteride have made my shedding worse?

  3. I’m thinking about dropping the topical solution entirely and switching to oral minoxidil while keeping oral dutasteride. Has anyone made this switch? If so, how were your results, and did you experience any side effects from oral minoxidil (like water retention or unwanted body hair)?

  4. Would it be better to stick with the topical solution for a bit longer to see if the shedding stabilizes or make the switch to oral minoxidil for potentially better convenience and results?

I’m just trying to figure out the best next steps and whether oral minoxidil with dutasteride is the right move. Any feedback or similar experiences would be really helpful!

Thanks in advance for your advice!

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2

Any updates here? Shedding 4 months into the topical solution is a bit late but could still stabilize. The 2-week dutasteride gap likely didn’t cause the shedding since it has a long half-life, but staying consistent is key. Switching to oral minoxidil with dutasteride could work well for convenience, but watch for side effects like water retention or body hair growth—definitely talk to your doctor first. If the topical isn’t too much hassle, sticking with it for a bit longer might give it time to stabilize before making changes.