I have the typical diffuse thinning that many women experience after menopause. Most dermatologists are generalists and know the basics of hair loss, yet don't stay current on the medical literature. What they do know reflects the studies done on men. After test-driving a few derms and being told to pick up a box of minoxidil at Costco and report back in 6 months, I realized what I was up against.
While I was considering my next step, I started with topical liquid minoxidil 5% and immediately realized that this was not a sustainable protocol for me. Given the diffuse thinning of my hair, I had to treat my entire scalp. Keeping the liquid off my hair while thoroughly covering my scalp was impossible. The product leaves a film from the carrier solution that dries out my hair, leaving it stiff and unmanageable. Moreover, I have naturally curly hair. Massaging the product into my scalp required that I overhandle my hair, disrupting my curl pattern and leaving me with a headful of frizz not fit for public display. Soon my entire day was scheduled around the minoxidil treatment.
Through my library I got institutional access to medical journals and read everything on hair loss that I could find. I also located a team of hair specialists in Australia who have an educational YouTube channel. These doctors are the real deal. I had a video consult with one and definitely got my money's worth of solid advice. While he could not take me on as a patient due to his inability to personally confirm my AA diagnosis, he did make recommendations based on my health history and hair loss profile. The challenge would be to find a generalist derm in the US who would go along with the plan.
Finding a US derm willing to prescribe the finasteride dose he recommends for post-menopausal women was challenging. Their only familiarity is the low dose typically prescribed to men. Unfortunately, that dose is not particularly effective for women in my age group. Providing a copy of the study supporting the higher dose helped me sell my case. I've been using oral finasteride for nearly 6 months now.
Meanwhile the nasty topical minoxidil protocol continued. As horrific as it is, I must say that after one year I've had pretty good results with overall increased density. My objective now was to find a US derm who would prescribe oral minoxidil in the dose recommended by the Australian doctor. It took me awhile to find a generalist derm who was willing to prescribe oral minoxidil in any dose, given that I was already taking a high dose of oral finasteride. I finally hit pay dirt with a new derm who actually uses oral minoxidil herself and has personal experience balancing the risks against the rewards. While she's waiting for me to send her a copy of the study supporting the dose recommended by the Australian doctor, she suggested that I get started with the lower dose that she currently uses. So I've been on the oral minoxidil for about a week now. So glad to be rid of that nasty topical brew.
While I was considering my next step, I started with topical liquid minoxidil 5% and immediately realized that this was not a sustainable protocol for me. Given the diffuse thinning of my hair, I had to treat my entire scalp. Keeping the liquid off my hair while thoroughly covering my scalp was impossible. The product leaves a film from the carrier solution that dries out my hair, leaving it stiff and unmanageable. Moreover, I have naturally curly hair. Massaging the product into my scalp required that I overhandle my hair, disrupting my curl pattern and leaving me with a headful of frizz not fit for public display. Soon my entire day was scheduled around the minoxidil treatment.
Through my library I got institutional access to medical journals and read everything on hair loss that I could find. I also located a team of hair specialists in Australia who have an educational YouTube channel. These doctors are the real deal. I had a video consult with one and definitely got my money's worth of solid advice. While he could not take me on as a patient due to his inability to personally confirm my AA diagnosis, he did make recommendations based on my health history and hair loss profile. The challenge would be to find a generalist derm in the US who would go along with the plan.
Finding a US derm willing to prescribe the finasteride dose he recommends for post-menopausal women was challenging. Their only familiarity is the low dose typically prescribed to men. Unfortunately, that dose is not particularly effective for women in my age group. Providing a copy of the study supporting the higher dose helped me sell my case. I've been using oral finasteride for nearly 6 months now.
Meanwhile the nasty topical minoxidil protocol continued. As horrific as it is, I must say that after one year I've had pretty good results with overall increased density. My objective now was to find a US derm who would prescribe oral minoxidil in the dose recommended by the Australian doctor. It took me awhile to find a generalist derm who was willing to prescribe oral minoxidil in any dose, given that I was already taking a high dose of oral finasteride. I finally hit pay dirt with a new derm who actually uses oral minoxidil herself and has personal experience balancing the risks against the rewards. While she's waiting for me to send her a copy of the study supporting the dose recommended by the Australian doctor, she suggested that I get started with the lower dose that she currently uses. So I've been on the oral minoxidil for about a week now. So glad to be rid of that nasty topical brew.