I have hereditary hair loss, but few would say I am noticeably balding yet. Is it too early to start applying minoxidil?

Treatments for AGA work best in the early stages. It's hard to predict if you'll be a responder or not ... but if you are you will have a relatively safe treatment to slow your hair loss. Shedding can happen, yes, but not in everyone. If you truly are a diffuse thinner, (a condition called DUPA - diffuse unpatterned alopecia), hair transplant may not be an option. So medical options are the key. Speak to your dermatologist about further advice. In general, treatments work best when started early. Other treatments to discuss include finasteride, LLLT and platelet rich plasma. 

Dear monkey_alt,

Male pattern hair loss can occur very early on depending upon
your genetic risk for reduced or diminished 5-alpha reductase activity in the
anterior third, middle third and posterior third of your scalp. Diffuse non-pattern hair loss is quite common
and very distressing when it occurs at a young age. This diffuse non-pattern hair loss is not
associated initially with recession of the temporal hairline or crowning, but
is rather a shedding of the entire top of the central oval of the scalp. In general, diffuse thinning at a very young
age in the early phase of diffuse thinning at a very young age surgery is not
usually your best option, but medical management is.

Medical management certainly includes the use of Minoxidil
and specially compounded serums with up to 15% Minoxidil can be acquired and
this can be combined in conjunction with low level light therapy, oral
antiandrogen suppression with medication such as Finasteride (Propecia) and
injectable stem cell therapy such as plasma enriched protein. All these medical treatments can be combined
in a coordinated program and can retard or delay the male pattern hair loss and
diffuse thinning that you’re experiencing.
Ultimately, as the diffuse thinning tends to dominate hair restoration
with densification of the anterior middle of the front and middle third of your
hair may become a good option, but not until thinning and balding has dominated
over shedding.

Seek the advice of a certified hair restoration both surgical
and non-surgical physician and stay focused on current and available medical
treatments.

I hope this information has been of some assistance and best
of luck.

For more information, please review the link below.

R. Stephen Mulholland, M.D.

Certified Plastic Surgeon

Yorkville, Toronto