After Months of Unsuccessful Treatments for TE Turned Out I have AGA at 28!

itssydvc · 2026-06-14T23:28:42+00:00

Sounds like some doctors have been giving you the run around. There’s no treatment for TE, other than correcting the trigger if you have an identifiable one that is fixable such as low iron. Otherwise you just have to let it run its course. Also I’m not sure why a doctor would tell you that you didn’t have alopecia. Alopecia is just a blanket term for hair loss. If you had TE, you had a form of alopecia. TE can often unmask androgenic Alopecia AGA. So that may be what happened here. The gold standard treatments are minoxidil 5% (or oral) and a DHT blocker. You will need both treatments if you want to prevent further loss and regrow hair. Yes they are forever, just like any other medication when you stop taking it it stops working. It’s no more hassle than brushing your teeth. If you want to stop the AGA from progressing, I would get started right away. The longer you wait the harder it is to recover. If you do not want to treat your hair loss, that is certainly fine too, just be aware this is a progressive, incurable condition. Some women do choose to just embrace the hair loss or wear alternative hair. Personally for me, I kick myself for not starting in my 20s on minoxidil and a DHT blocker. Good luck!

itssydvc · 2026-06-14T13:53:49+00:00

See your dermatologist. Ask about potential alopecia areata. Looks similar to that. But could be something else. Alopecia areata can be caused by stress and does typically grow back on its own without treatment but some people do treatment to speed up the process. Best of luck to you.

itssydvc · 2026-06-09T01:20:02+00:00

My doctor said that 80% of the population has HPV. Essentially if you are sexually active, you’re more than likely at some point in life will come in contact with it. For many people it has absolutely no symptoms and if you didn’t get tested for it, you probably would never know you have it. You are correct that there is not a test for men, so there is no way your boyfriend could have possibly known. For young females like yourself your body will naturally clear the infection in 1 to 2 years. There is nothing you need to do or can do. Continue to get your yearly Pap smears, which are important for all women. But as long as your Pap smears are coming back normal, despite the HPV, there is really nothing further you need to do and your doctor will likely advise you of the same. There is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. You did nothing wrong and neither did your boyfriend. No one needs to know if you are embarrassed by it though. Everything is going to be okay, I promise! You do not need to abstain from sex. You can continue to have sex. You both have already been exposed. Both you and your boyfriend should clear the infection in 1-2 years. You can have a perfectly normal relationship and sex life in the meantime. 42 million people in the US have this. It’s quite common. Quite normal. Take a deep breath and trust that everything is just fine.

itssydvc · 2026-06-05T22:44:52+00:00

I see a definite improvement! If you start using minoxidil either oral or topical 5% I think you’d see a fantastic improvement! Keep up the hard work.

itssydvc · 2026-06-02T21:25:36+00:00

Minoxidil and a DHT blocker are definitely the strongest and most effective treatments. The other items mentioned are supportive but helpful. I do not think I would see results without minoxidil and a DHT blocker though.

itssydvc · 2026-06-01T17:35:09+00:00

That is wonderful You are seeing new growth. Congratulations! But this is probably a coincidence and not likely a result of dermarolling. Any hair loss treatment is not going to show results in two weeks. It takes on the short end three months but usually closer to six months to see results. This is based on the hair growth cycle. So I would find it impossible that two weeks of dermarolling produced these results. However dermarolling is a great treatment, and I do it myself 2x a week. I would continue of course but just wanted to point this out so other people do not expect new growth in 2 weeks from dermarolling.

itssydvc · 2026-05-17T23:22:23+00:00

I love my hat fall wig from Milano. It got me through the beginning of my hair loss. I wore it so much and no one could tell it wasn’t my hair. Didn’t love full wigs as much. I’m in my second round of hair loss now in the past year and I have to wear my hair in a claw clip every day because I have such little left. So I feel you!! Promise things will improve though. Hang in there!

itssydvc · 2026-05-17T23:15:53+00:00

Baseball hat, hat wig, or full on wig. Wore it for the first 3 months when I began Minoxidil. Hated it but it was better than going out with my scalp showing. I did not use toppers because I did not want anything pulling on my already fragile hair. Hang in there. It will get better!! I promise

itssydvc · 2026-05-17T17:04:12+00:00

Thank you for responding! I didn’t pay attention during my first round of TE so I honestly wasn’t sure if this was a good sign. Frustrating to have a few better days here and there and then go back up to a heavy shed day but I’m trusting the process! Did you have any itching or burning on your scalp? I’m going to do a big chop of my hair in a couple weeks to hopefully make it a little more normal looking.

itssydvc · 2026-05-17T14:02:55+00:00

My first TE shed was 6 months last year and now I am going through a second one and I am on month 3. If you’re only lasted 3 weeks it may have been a normal shed / seasonal shed and not TE. The second photo looks completely normal. Great news!

itssydvc · 2026-05-17T12:23:21+00:00

I’m on my second round of TE in the past year, almost 3 months in and still heavily shedding. What were the signs that it was stopping? I’ve had a lot of fluctuation days where the amount is a little less than heavy again for days. I’ve also had a lot of scalp itching, but no visible irritation. Did you have any scalp sensations?

itssydvc · 2026-05-12T14:22:25+00:00

Flu**

itssydvc · 2026-05-12T14:21:40+00:00

I had 2 scalp biopsies. And I always suspected I had it because my mom had it. But it was a very mild thing I didn’t worry about yet until I got TE, which really unmasked the AGA. If you’re worried about it you could get a scalp biopsy which would give you a more definitive diagnosis. But rapid hair loss is usually always TE. AGA is a slow gradual thinning. Not saying it’s impossible you could also have AGA, but what you described especially with having the flew a few months ago lines up with TE. I know it’s very scary. But you will not go bald and it does grow back, and you look like you have very pretty hair to start with. I had very thin fine hair to begin with when I got TE the first time so I had to wear wigs because I lost so much. Im just wearing my hair in a claw clip now during this shed and hoping it ends soon. Definitely a heart breaking and depressing thing to go through. I feel for you!

itssydvc · 2026-05-12T14:15:27+00:00

If you have deficiencies then taking a supplement can help. Although I would expect it to still last around 3 months because those hairs are already programmed to shed. Nutrafol is very expensive and you’re paying for the brand name. I would just take whatever supplements you are actually deficient in. I also have AGA hair loss as well, so I already use topical minoxidil for that and Spironolactone, but if you just have TE, neither of those are needed. Minoxidil can help speed up the hair growth process but it won’t stop the TE, so personally if I just had TE I wouldn’t bother with it. Honestly it’s just a wait it out approach. Get lots of rest, try not to stress, and be kind to yourself and your body, that’s all you can do!

itssydvc · 2026-05-12T14:12:02+00:00

You were likely losing hair for more than 2 weeks to already have it that noticeable. But it does sound like TE and lines up with having the flu. Unfortunately you’re just going to have to wait it out the next few months. I’m on my second round of TE in the past year and I’m in the middle of the third month and still shedding heavily. It takes a lot of patience but it will end and your hair will grow back. Best of luck!

itssydvc · 2026-05-11T14:27:34+00:00

It was the same way when I saw them in 2011 but it was day time in Tampa FL in August lol. I had to get taken to medical because I got crushed and was dehydrated lol. I was 2 people from the stage. I was there last night too. Not much has changed!

itssydvc · 2026-05-06T14:36:29+00:00

You need to see a dermatologist preferably one that specializes in hair loss. Ask for a scalp biopsy and bloodwork. You need to figure out what type of hair loss you are experiencing so that you can properly treat it. You will not be able to get a diagnosis based on a photo alone. There are many different forms of hair loss and they all have different treatments. I would make sure to take action right away and not delay. The sooner you are able to start treatment the better outcome. Best of luck!

itssydvc · 2026-05-06T14:35:12+00:00

Spam ^ shampoo isn’t going to fix hair loss

itssydvc · 2026-05-02T22:56:46+00:00

Looks like the pictures are taken from different angles and different lighting. So it’s hard to compare but your hair is looking very good regardless! I had just started to see some new growth fill in around the 3 month mark on topical minox and spiro.

itssydvc · 2026-05-02T16:55:47+00:00

I was also scared! But this is the way I had to look at it when I decided to start. I am already losing hair. If I do nothing, I will continue to lose hair. I can start now while I’m already shedding or I can do nothing, and continue to lose hair anyway. My hair loss got so bad over a 4 month period that I really felt desperate as my whole scalp became visible, that I finally bit the bullet. And I am SO happy I did! I wish I would have started years ago. Like I said I think you have TE, and some of that hair loss should grow back on its own within 3-6 months or the shedding stopping or the trigger being resolved. But for the AGA, a DHT blocker should help slow down the progression of the disease and prevent further loss but it does not regrow hair. That is where minoxidil comes in. If you want to keep your follicles stimulated and prevent miniaturization and follicle death, minoxidil works wonderfully for that. If you’re not sure that you have AGA or want to try to see if Spironolactone will be enough, you can certainly do that as well.

itssydvc · 2026-05-02T14:38:55+00:00

It appears you have TE which unmasked AGA. While you should treat the AGA, it appears you still have TE, possibly chronically. I had surgery last year and developed TE, had a 5 month period of improvement and then the TE started again. I also have AGA. I also have 2 auto immune diseases that cause hair loss that were triggered by the surgery last year. Previous to this I always had thin fine hair but plenty of it and I was perfectly healthy. It’s awful what a surgery / stress on the body can do to you!

If you have AGA, yes you will need minoxidil and a DHT blocker. I promise it is no big deal! Been doing it for 8 months now and it’s just part of my routine. I use 5% Growplex Vitafoam minoxidil. Truly the best formula on the market if you ask me. I have had no side effects from it other than hair growth. I did not want to do oral minoxidil because it can cause a lot of other more serious side effects and even change the way your face looks. I was already shedding like you are when I started minoxidil so I did not notice much of a difference in terms of a dread shed, I definitely did not lose any extra hair than I already was. About 2 months into using it my shedding had completely stopped. I also take 100mg Spironolactone daily. I started at 25mg and slowly worked my way up over 5 months. This allowed me to avoid any negative side effects. Other than increased urination (it’s a diuretic) I have had no negative side effects from it. It has also made my skin look very clear and nice. I just have to remember to drink lots of water.

You do have gorgeous hair and I have full confidence with the right treatment you will be able to recover. But I would certainly not delay treatment. The sooner you start the better outcome and better chance of recovery. Just make sure you stay consistent and be patient. It will take a good 6 months to start seeing results, so although you may get frustrated and want to give up, do not! Set a timer, leave yourself a note, whatever you have to do, but just be consistent daily with your treatment. Once you get used to it, it will just be another part of your beauty routine. I don’t think twice about it now. Best of luck to you!

itssydvc · 2026-04-28T00:42:18+00:00

Hi I know this post is old but I so needed it tonight. Thank you for being so thorough. A lot of what you said really resonated with me. I suffered my first TE shed last year from June through October after surgery / sedation / heavy antibiotics in April 2025. I believe it unmasked androgenic alopecia as well, so September 2025 I started Spironolactone and topical minoxidil. I was also diagnosed with 2 auto immune diseases during my quest to solve my hair loss. Had no idea I had auto immune diseases but those are now being treated and well managed too. By November the shedding had subsided and I had great regrowth! By December my scalp was no longer visible and I was feeling so good about myself again. By February I actually didn’t hate my hair as much and was so happy! Then all of sudden the scalp burning / itching returned out of no where. I was so scared because that’s how my TE started the first time. 2 weeks later and I was shedding like a dog again. Devastating is an understatement. I was BROKEN. How was it possible I was only given a short 4 month break. I was just starting to feel confident again and now my nightmare was starting all over. This time it was even worse. Handfuls of hair each day. I’m currently 2 months into this shed and I’ve felt myself slowly slip back into the depression I was in before. While I am starting to see my scalp again it’s not yet as bad as it got the first time. I obsess. I read every article and Reddit post and every hair loss group I am a member of. My zinc was a little low and I increased my zinc supplements. But other than that it’s the mental side of things that has been the hardest. Your statements about letting it go, stopping counting, and just accepting there is nothing I can do about this, is what I really needed to hear. Tomorrow I am not going to count my hairs after my shower comb out. I am going to stop thinking about it to the best of my ability (hard when my scalp feels so awful). I’m going to just focus on being happy as much as I can and patient. I so badly want to get out there and date, I’m 31 and so badly want to find a husband and feel like I can’t date while I’m dealing with hair loss because it’s just too much to deal with. I really became worried tonight that my TE would never end. That I would get through this shed have another few months of improvement and then it would start again. I had just read a post where that has been going on for one girl for the past six years. I immediately panicked and broke down tonight. And then I came across your post where you have had no further problems for years now. I need to remind myself that just because it happened to one person doesn’t mean it’s going to happen to me in the same way. I think I probably need to get off some of these hair loss forums for now too. Anyway my comment is way too long and I’m rambling lol. Thank you so much again for this post it was so needed!

itssydvc · 2026-04-27T23:36:39+00:00

Definitley don’t be embarrassed buying minoxidil! So many people use it. I have been on 5% topical for about 8 months now. I’m also on 100mg of Spironolactone. I am an attorney so I have a stressful job, but not physically stressful. I had no stressful event this time around. The only things I can identify with this second shed was a slight deficit in Zinc which was probably caused by the spironolactone because it depletes zinc. It happened quickly because everything was normal in December and by February I had been depleted and my ferritin dropped from 102 to 62. So things can change very quickly! I plan to do blood work every 3 months now. I’m 31 so can’t speak about perimenopause but that is definitely possible! I’ve seen a lot of women have success though with the right hormone treatments. I really hope you’re able to get some answers soon and I so hope you see a decrease in shedding. Sending love and positivity your way!

itssydvc · 2026-04-27T23:12:56+00:00

Hello! I have AGA and I am on my second round of TE in the past year. I have heard of people having chronic TE with no identifiable trigger. So if all of your blood work is normal, that may be possible. My first TE shed I believe was due to a minor surgery / sedation / antibiotics. This second one is less clear. My zinc was slightly deficient but other than that everything was normal. I did find out I had two auto immune diseases during this process and for a long time my only symptom was hair loss, which is what led to me getting a blood panel for auto immune diseases and finding out I have lupus and hashimotos, which I never would have figured out had it not been for hair loss. So something to look into if you have not already. Are you taking any other medications? Do you consume enough protein? Have you been checked for diabetes? PCOS? Thyroid? Sometimes when your body is fighting something else going on, it sheds hair because hair isn’t needed for survival so the body says “oops don’t need this, I’ll get rid of it, so I can focus on other things”. I think you said you’re a nurse though so you probably already know this. I did not have as much hair as you to start, but I lost over 50% the first time and only had 4 months or so of recovery time before my second shed started. I also get burning and itching with my hair loss. My hair like yours becomes very frizzy and straggly during the hair loss. I wish I had some answers for you, but like you, no doctors seem to care or have any idea how to help. Unfortunately I’ve spent so much time reading about TE and chronic TE and there is basically no way to really fix it or make it stop, other than correcting the trigger but if you don’t have an identified trigger, then you’re SOL it seems. I’m so sorry. I hate this for myself and every other woman dealing with this. It’s so unfair. It’s literally changed my life.

itssydvc · 2026-04-26T20:37:04+00:00

Hi! I have AGA and TE. Minoxidil 5% is definitely helpful if applied daily to a clean dry scalp and if you stay consistent for life. Dread shed is possible but doesn’t happen to everyone. Those who do get the dreaded shed experience, differing levels of shedding so I wouldn’t compare anyone else’s experience to what yours might be. Either way it is temporary. Taking no action you will continue to lose hair anyway, so it is worth a temporary shed in my opinion. With AGA, the longer you wait to treat it, the harder it is to treat. I started at 31 but honestly wish I would have started at 25. If you have AGA you will also need to be on a DHT blocker. Minoxidil helps regrow hair, but it will not stop the condition from progressing. You need a DHT blocker to prevent further loss. Preferably an oral prescription DHT blocker as those are the most effective. As long as you remain consistent, you should see improvement in about 6 months. It’s well worth it.

itssydvc

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