I Have Thick Hair, But Not As Thick As 10 Years Ago

Hi Dr. Rassman, I am a 43 year old musician and I am very lucky to have thick shoulder length hair. However, although still thick, it is certainly not as thick as it was 10 years ago, and I am beginning to notice some slight thinning at the crown and although my hairline is still low, some very slight thinning there too. My question is, should I use Rogaine preventatively? Is it better to start Rogaine at the very beginning of what might be a problem? Will I see benefits from Rogaine if my hair is still thick? Or at 43, have I likely escaped a serious hair loss problem and just take some vitamins or something? Thank you so much for your help.

To me, thinning hair either represents a change in hair thickness (possibly aging) — something we see when a baby becomes a young child, and then often when a young man takes the turn into puberty –or localized miniaturization in the areas where you notice the hair being not quite as thick as it previously was. To make that diagnosis, as I have said before, you need to get your hair mapped out for miniaturization and then the microscopic analysis will be clear as to what you are seeing with your eyes. In men, miniaturization is best treated with finasteride (Propecia), not Rogaine (minoxidil) as the drug of first choice. I now have an office in Newport Beach, and since you indicated that you are in Orange County, why not get your hair mapped out and find out that is happening to you?