Hair became curly, dry, and lifeless after starting oral minoxidil – is this the “ugly phase” or permanent?

Minoxidil 3/7/2026

This user experienced improvements in their hair density and texture through the use of finasteride (1.25mg) and minoxidil (5%) applied topically once a day over 8 months, with no reported side effects other than slightly lowered libido.

Many users experienced increased diffuse thinning after starting finasteride, with some switching to dutasteride or adding minoxidil in hopes of improvement. Thyroid issues and low ferritin levels were also discussed as potential factors affecting hair loss.

The post and conversation discuss the unpredictable nature of diffuse thinning, a type of hair loss. Users share personal experiences, with some mentioning treatments like oral finasteride and toppik, and the need for patience with these treatments.

A 20 year old male's experience with hair loss treatments, including finasteride, minoxidil, microneedling, nizoral shampoo, dutasteride, alfatradiol, stemoxydine and RU58841, over the course of two years. The user reported losing ground overall but their hair becoming curly, which helped hide more scalp.