Complete Fin + Min protocol — the definitive guide
I'm writing this because when I first noticed hair loss I spent weeks on forums piecing together information that should have been in one place. Here's the complete picture as I understand it after 3 years of doing this.
Hair loss in young men is almost always androgenetic alopecia — the pattern kind, driven by DHT binding to follicles and miniaturising them over time. If your father or maternal grandfather went bald, your odds are elevated. Doesn't mean it's inevitable or untreatable.
The two big guns are finasteride (fin) and minoxidil (min). They work through different mechanisms and they stack.
Finasteride is a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor. It blocks the conversion of testosterone to DHT, reducing scalp DHT by around 60-70%. It treats the cause. Typical dose: 1mg daily. Some people do well on 0.5mg every other day. The sexual side effects get talked about a lot — they affect roughly 1-3% of users and are reversible on cessation in the vast majority of cases. Do your research, make your own decision.
Minoxidil is a vasodilator that was originally a blood pressure medication. It opens potassium channels in the follicle, prolonging the anagen (growth) phase. It does not address the hormonal cause, but it genuinely regrows hair. Available as 5% topical (most common), 2% topical, or low-dose oral (0.625-2.5mg). The oral is increasingly popular because it distributes more evenly and works on all scalp areas.
Combination therapy: the data is clear that fin + min together outperforms either alone. If you're serious about keeping your hair, you want both.
The shed: minoxidil causes a shed phase 2-8 weeks after starting as it pushes hair follicles into a new growth cycle. Finasteride can also cause initial shedding. This is normal and temporary. It does not mean the product is making you lose more hair — it's cycling out weak hairs to replace them with stronger ones.
Timeline: you will not see full results for 12-18 months. The standard assessment window is one year. If you quit at month 4 because you don't see results yet, you've just wasted 4 months.
My protocol: oral finasteride 1mg/day in the morning, topical minoxidil 5% applied to dry scalp in the evening. Dermaroll with a 0.5mm roller once a week on the same evening as min application, immediately before applying.
Dermarolling is optional but the evidence for it being synergistic with minoxidil is solid — the micro-injuries upregulate growth factors and improve minoxidil absorption. Use a clean roller, don't press too hard, clean the roller with isopropyl alcohol before and after.
Good write-up. On the oral minoxidil point — I'd emphasise that blood pressure should be checked before starting and periodically after. Oral min can cause fluid retention and in some people a noticeable drop in blood pressure especially on standing. Not common at low doses but worth knowing. If you feel dizzy when you stand up quickly after starting, that's the mechanism.
How long before the fin shed stops? I'm at week 6 on fin only and noticeably more hair in the shower drain than before I started. Getting a bit anxious.
Fin sheds are usually less pronounced than minoxidil sheds and tend to stabilise by month 3-4 for most people. At week 6 you're right in the thick of it. Track your progress by taking photos in the same lighting monthly — the hair in the drain is always alarming but photos are the only reliable way to actually assess what's happening. If you're still shedding significantly at month 6, talk to a dermatologist, but week 6 anxiety is completely normal.
Is it worth starting min without fin? Worried about the fin side effects and wondering if min alone would be enough.
Min alone can maintain and partially regrow hair but it doesn't address the underlying DHT cause. If your hair loss is active — meaning you're still losing — min alone is often fighting a losing battle. You might slow the progression significantly, but you're not eliminating the driver. A lot of people start with min alone and then add fin when they see it isn't enough. The smarter play is to start both at the same time if you've done your research and decided fin is right for you.
Bookmarking this thread. Just noticed my temples starting to recede at 24. Going to go get a dermatology referral this week. Really glad this resource exists.