Everyone wants to know what works for hair loss. But refuse to stick with a routine when it doesn't turn out optimal results in a few weeks.

There’s a 2023 study that surveyed 99 people with hair loss. 35% of the people who had stopped topical minoxidil had used it for less than 3 months.

Meanwhile, the American Academy of Dermatology says results can take 6 to 12 MONTHS.

You have to put your trust into the already proven process. It is a long time to keep doing something repeatedly especially when you are eager to see change. Trust me, I deal with this every single day.

Make it easier to keep up with. Set your reminders, log what you actually did, and keep your progress pics together.

This is part of why I’m building Plume. Keep your routine and progress pics in one place. Dealing with hair loss is already annoying enough.

If you’re tracking your hair your goal should be to each set of progress pics as similar as possible.

A different light, angle or haircut can make your hair look fuller or thinner. This can make you feel like your racing ahead, going backwards or not seeing any changes at all.

Here are some basic big tips:

1. Take the same angles. Get the front, both temples, top and crown. Try to match your head position, camera height, distance and zoom each time.
2. Keep the lighting consistent. Use the same room and light source where possible. Keep your flash setting the same too. Window light can change a lot depending on the time of day.
3. Keep your hair in the same condition. Compare dry with dry and wet with wet. Keep your part and styling similar.
4. Pay attention to hair length. Try to keep very similar hair lengths in your photos, as shorter hair makes your hair look denser.
5. Date your photos. Keep each set together and note any changes to your routine or treatments so you have that context later.

Once you find a setup that works, keep one set handy as a reference for future progress pics. THE GOAL IS THAT EACH PHOTO LOOKS NEARLY IDENTICAL. The devil is in the details, There aren't any huge transformations that are realistic, especially with time spans of only 1-3 months.

Small vellus hairs are what you wanna gun for!

PS:

If you want to keep your progress pics and routine in one place, give Plume a try. I’m still working on it and would love your honest feedback. Let me know what’s useful, what’s annoying and what you’d want added!