Hey guys I’m a 20 year old male who’s been experiencing hair loss since I was 16 I recently turned 20 and I’ve been on topical minoxidil since 16 and topical finasteride by xyon when I was 17. I used it for about 6 months and i didnt see any regrowth. And in dec 2024 a few months after i was 18 I hopped on hims oral finasteride 1.1mg and 2.5mg minoxidil tablet blend all the way until August 2025 because again I didn’t see any regrowth or stabilizing at all. In August 2025 I went to my dermatologist and got a prescription of .5mg Dutasteride and 5mg minoxidil. I’ve been on that stack since and again I think I’m still losing ground and my hair is definitely worse from when I started 5 alpha reductase inhibitors treatments when I was 17. I’ve been losing some hairs in the shower for like a year+ now just thinking it was a never ending shedding phase. Recently I’ve started derma penning consistently for a couple weeks now. I was never consistent with derma rolling or derma stamping before. I’m also heavily confident I have DUPA because my sides are also thinning which basically means I’m cooked for a transplant and my older brother who’s 4 years old than me has the DUPA pattern as well. Given this knowledge I’ve been titrating up to 2.5mg Dutasteride and keeping my 5mg oral minoxidil daily. I’m currently titrated up to 1.5mg dut as of rn. I’ve seen a lot of forums online and on TikTok that 2.5 is the sweet spot of high levels of dht sensitivity for the scalp. I have decent coverage but thinning is a huge I usually part my hair in a middle part and use hair fibers and body knows I’m balding and a lot of people actually compliment my hair but it just feels so bad internally knowing I’ve been balding since 16. I recently just got into a relationship with a girl I really like and she hasn’t noticed I’m balding cause I use hair fibers everyday and always compliments me on my “thick Lucious hair” but I’m too scared to tell her or show her thinking she’ll leave. I want to regrow most of what I lost where I wouldn’t need hairfibers really anymore and I can comfortably let her touch my hair without being scared that she’s noticed or etc. here’s a few pics of my hair right after a shower when it’s wet and under direct lighting in the bathroom. Just looking for some opinions and advice. Thank you guys
With the combo of oral fin and dut, you’re tackling DHT effectively since dut covers both types. Shedding can be a normal part of the process, especially with treatment changes, and photos show typical AGA thinning. Going higher on dut or considering oral min could be discussed if your current regimen stalls. Try reintroducing microneedling; it can help with absorption and might aid regrowth over time. Keep monitoring, as treatments can take up to a year to show full effects. Check The Beginner’s Guide for more info. Stay consistent and patient with your routine.