19M — looking for a good dermatologist in Islamabad for diffuse thinning on top

Help / Advice

I'm 19, turning 20 in about 20 days, and I've been dealing with a strange pattern of hair thinning since I was around 18½.

My hairline itself is intact. The issue is basically the entire top of my head — from immediately behind the hairline all the way towards the crown. It's diffuse thinning rather than one particular bald patch.

What's confusing is that the hair on the sides and the rest of my head is extremely dense and thick. The difference between that and the density on top is pretty noticeable. Under certain lighting and from certain angles, you can clearly see through the hair on top.

When I first noticed it, I basically just grew my hair as long as possible so I could cover it. Because my hair naturally has quite a lot of volume, that worked reasonably well. I've recently cut it shorter again though, and the thinning is clearly still there.

It hasn't rapidly progressed over the last year or so. For the most part it seems relatively static, although there are certain areas where I feel it has become visibly thinner compared with when I first noticed it.

My sleep is reasonably okay, my diet is okay, and I'm taking vitamin D.

I know I need to see a dermatologist now rather than continuing to hide it with longer hair. What I'm specifically looking for is a good dermatologist in Islamabad who actually investigates hair loss properly.

I don't want to walk into a clinic, have someone look at my head for two minutes and immediately prescribe minoxidil or finasteride. I'm not saying I would never use either of them if they're genuinely appropriate. I just don't want to commit to long-term medication before someone has actually figured out what is going on.

I'd ideally like someone who examines the scalp properly (dermoscopy/trichoscopy if appropriate), takes a proper history, considers different possible causes, orders relevant tests if necessary, and then explains the diagnosis and treatment options.

Ultimately, I want to understand why the hair on top is thinning while the sides remain extremely thick, and whether there's a realistic way to get the density and volume on top closer to what I have on the rest of my head.

So if anyone has personally dealt with hair loss/thinning and had a good experience with a dermatologist in Islamabad/Rawalpindi, I'd really appreciate specific recommendations.

Also interested in hearing from anyone around my age who had a similar pattern — intact hairline, very dense sides, but diffuse thinning across the top — and what it eventually turned out to be.

Posted Sep 21, 2026, 6:18 PM UTC

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