21 and have thinning hair

I am 21.used to have very thick hair.have had diffuse hair loss all over my head except at the back and the sides for the past 3 years.visited a couple of dermatologists but each one said its due to dandruff.finally am rid of it but still losing hair.not anaemic and dont have thyroid problems.could this be male pattern baldness?hair line hasnt receeded and dont have any characteristic M-shape.but hair all over is v.v. thin.scalp shows everywhere.feel horrible.should i use minoxidil?no history of hair loss.father is 60 and mother 58, both with unreasonably thick hair for their age.all four grandparents had thick hair even in old age.no balding aunts or uncles either.plz plz help.........

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
Apart from male pattern baldness, telogen effluvium also needs to be evaluated. It is nonscarring alopecia characterized by diffuse hair shedding, often with an acute onset. There is a chronic form also which persists for a longer duration and starts with insidious onset. Chronic telogen effluvium is hair shedding lasting longer than 6 months. Treatment consists of medications like Minoxidil, surgical approach(hair transplantation) and improvement in diet.

My sincere advice is to consult a trichologist. It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.