So backstory: I started noticing substantial hair loss around 5-6 years ago, and my hair has been thinning consistently since then. I also found that over time the hair strands had become thinner (I used to have THICK scraggly hair as a child). I had TE about ten years ago during my A-levels, and my current hair thinning started around the end of my undergrad. I am in grad school now, so this could very well be a case of chronic TE because of academic stress. But I don’t think my stressors are gonna go away anytime soon so I am looking to get started on preventing more damage asap.

Now the dilemma: I have been putting off getting proper help on this because of financial reasons. I am a student still and my post-graduation employment is still up in the air. I have gotten referral from my GP and made an appointment at a public hospital, but they scheduled my appointment for 2028! So my only other option is to go private, which will cost me a hefty amount (at least by my living standards). Regardless of what the cause is, I think the most viable option would be to go on minoxidil anyway. A single doctor’s appointment would be equivalent to a year’s worth of topical minoxidil for me. So, given my financial constraints, do you think I should just go on minoxidil anyway without consulting a doctor? Or is it still worth visiting the dermatologist?

It would be nice if I could get some of your firsthand experience. Did you get a concrete diagnosis before starting treatment? Did it help to have the diagnosis or do you feel you could have started on them without a prescription?

Starting minoxidil without a doctor visit?