i’m fairly young (20M) but i’ve been experiencing some hair loss since i’ve been about 16, i’m pretty healthy i just have the genes for it since every man on both sides of my family is bald & maybe some hormonal factors driving it idk. my hair loss rn isn’t THAT bad, my hairline has receded to the point that i definitely have a pennyworth style widow’s peak (the batman tv show) when i lift my hair up and the top in general is much thinner than it used to be but i don’t have any bald spots and you’d have to try to see through to my scalp (probably also helps that i have semi-curly medium-long hair).

anyways, to stop my hair loss from getting any worse, i’ve been taking topical minoxidil finasteride for the past 9ish months (dermatologist recommended it since they said the side effects were worse for the pill form) and honestly it seems like it’s been working, my hairline hasn’t receded anymore and my hair feels much thicker even if it isn’t the same as it was before.

however, the topical minoxidil finasteride gives me the WORSE dark circles around my eyes like i look like a panda or a raccoon. and it’s more than that i look like a zombie, like my face is slightly more pale/grey than the usual white/olive skin color. i recently ran out and couldn’t refill before i went on a family trip and my dark circles were completely gone by the end of the week and my skin in general looked so much healthier.

so i’m stuck wondering what should i do? i can’t get a straight answer out of google so hopefully someone in the comments can help (i should probably schedule another visit with the dermatologist but i just haven’t had the time yet). i want my hair and don’t want to lose it, especially so young, but i hate my eyes and face looking like that and i’m sure i’m harming my body by using it if it’s having that effect, so i’m wondering if there are any other solid options i can do for my hair? anyone else with similar experience that found something that worked for them?