Is it bad if you don't see initial shedding?

[PatientlyWaiting]

I'm 22, been on Finasteride for 3 months, I was shedding a lot of hairs last year, very noticeable when I shower[before getting on Fin], then hair loss stopped like 1 month in to taking Finasteride which i'm happy about. I added Minoxidil, I have been using it for 2 months. So 3 months of Fin, 2 months of Minox.

I haven't gotten that "initial shedding" that a lot of people talk about, which doctors say it's a good thing to shed because it means newer thicker hairs will grow soon.

So my question is, is it a bad thing if I never shed because it will mean that the treatment is just stopping hair loss and not regrowing anything? Or is it common for shedding to not happen early in the treatment, but happen down the line? In other words, should I expect shedding? Or does shedding just happen in the first 3 months of treatment and that is the only chance you have of regrowth?

[KeepTheHair]

Finasteride won't make u shed(does for SOME).

Minoxidil does, if it works. It might still work though. Not everyone has a big shed.


Answer is maybe. Maybe you DID shed and just didn't notice.

[PatientlyWaiting]

Okay thanks for your reply.

Do you remember what you experienced in your first year of using both of these? Did you get initial shedding, or did you not shed at all?

Yeah maybe I did shed and didn't notice but i'm pretty sure I always notice when i'm shedding and ever since getting on the Fin I don't notice any hair falling at all.

[jtn]

I didn't notice a shed in MPB areas, I wasn't looking for it either. There is regrowth in the hairline just before 6 months. I've heard from very respectable doctors that shedding is in no way required to experience results. The hair may just continue towards its telogen phase at the same rate of speed, shed, and grow back thicker if it works for you.

At 3 months, even looking closely at your hair is just going to be a mind game for you. Does it look better? Does it look worse? Can I tell? What if my penis falls off?

Do yourself a favor, don't look, don't count, don't worry.

Just live.

Also, when I say regrowth, I mean fine hair that is coming in thicker, now visible to the eye. Before it was not visible to the eye, it did not have volume.
In my opinion invisible hair becoming visible, and new growth from a resting follicle may as well be the same thing.

[HairyHair]

It's not "bad" that you don't see initial shedding but for Minxodil (or some users of Fin), initial shedding serves as a "sign" that the treatment is working. Observe how your hair and scalp react to Finasteride.