Ntf transgender afraid of minoxidil

21, ftm transgender man, got double mastectomy at 19 and telogen effluvium from the surgery triggered ongoing hair problems. ive been on topical minoxidil for about a year and i think it’s helped somewhat (i didnt take progress pictures because i was incredibly embarrassed about my situation). my dermatologist is thinking about oral minoxidil, especially since i’m going through my first finasteride shed rn. but i know that oral min can cause body hair growth and that’s causing a lot of hesitation for me. i really prefer to be androgynous irl (dunno why exactly, i just feel most comfortable that way) and hate being too hairy, i got my beard lasered off when i turned 18. i have dark hair on my legs and arms and a trail on my stomach but that’s really it and i’m happy with that amount. i really don’t want chest or back hair. i value having a mix of masculine and feminine traits and i feel like too much hair would tip the scales too much. but at the same time i obviously want to get the best results possible for my head hair. so i’m just trying to weigh my options. will oral min cause new body hair growth or just thicken hair thats already there? or is it a case-by-case basis? would keeping it on a low dose be worth it? i know for a fact that i’m an outlier on this sub, i’ve never seen any posts approaching hair loss from a similar position of wanting to maintain some femininity, so i don’t expect to hear from very many people in the same boat if at all. but info from people who know more about oral min than me, or just any advice or encouragement, would be really helpful.

This is a real concern that you have.  Small doses of minoxidil might cause an increase in your body hair.  If you try it, these hairs will be dependent upon minoxidil so when you stop it, these hairs should fall out.  It is a real risk, but I doubt a permanent gain in hair will be the result of any experimentation you do.  there are many good alternatives for preventing hair loss on your head, so this should be managed by a good, knowledgable doctor.