I'm a male college student and my family has no history of male pattern baldness.
About five years ago, my hair started to fall out as a side effect of the medication Topamax. It stopped or was reduced after I stopped taking the medication. My hair was only slightly thinned where I had my hair parted at the time, not enough for anyone to notice. I thought it would grow back but it didn't. About a year ago it felt like it was getting worse, still no big deal though. My dermatologist recommended that I try using Rogaine once a day, which I did. Ever since I've been experiencing hair loss to a much greater degree and a year later I have a bunch of patchy thin spots and a minor receding hair line, still apparently not enough for people to notice but I do, and it will probably get worse. It seems to come in waves, but it feels like every time I touch my head there's a bunch of hair on my hand. Initially I assumed they were just shedding periods, but after a year it hasn't stopped and I have zero regrowth. I never tried any additional hair loss medications because it wasn't a big deal and I was concerned about the (possibly permanent)sexual side effects. At this point, I'm thinking I should risk it though.
My questions: Should I stop using Rogaine and try finasteride or dutasteride? Continue using Rogaine and add something like finasteride or dutasteride? Or just accept that maybe since the Rogaine didn't work that my type of hair loss doesn't respond to treatment.
Any advice would be appreciated, thanks.
About five years ago, my hair started to fall out as a side effect of the medication Topamax. It stopped or was reduced after I stopped taking the medication. My hair was only slightly thinned where I had my hair parted at the time, not enough for anyone to notice. I thought it would grow back but it didn't. About a year ago it felt like it was getting worse, still no big deal though. My dermatologist recommended that I try using Rogaine once a day, which I did. Ever since I've been experiencing hair loss to a much greater degree and a year later I have a bunch of patchy thin spots and a minor receding hair line, still apparently not enough for people to notice but I do, and it will probably get worse. It seems to come in waves, but it feels like every time I touch my head there's a bunch of hair on my hand. Initially I assumed they were just shedding periods, but after a year it hasn't stopped and I have zero regrowth. I never tried any additional hair loss medications because it wasn't a big deal and I was concerned about the (possibly permanent)sexual side effects. At this point, I'm thinking I should risk it though.
My questions: Should I stop using Rogaine and try finasteride or dutasteride? Continue using Rogaine and add something like finasteride or dutasteride? Or just accept that maybe since the Rogaine didn't work that my type of hair loss doesn't respond to treatment.
Any advice would be appreciated, thanks.