Weekly trackers identify treatment response 40% faster than monthly trackers, making this protocol essential during the critical first months of a new treatment or when you suspect rapid progression. This is not a replacement for the monthly tracking ritual but an intensive supplement for periods when closer monitoring matters.
When Weekly Tracking Makes Sense
Weekly tracking generates four times the data of monthly tracking. That additional data is valuable in specific circumstances but adds unnecessary burden during stable periods.
Use Weekly Tracking When:
- Starting a new treatment: The first 6 months on finasteride (1mg daily) or minoxidil (5% topical) are when response patterns emerge. Weekly data lets you detect early signs of response (or non-response) and share more detailed information with your dermatologist.
- Experiencing a sudden increase in shedding: If your shedding jumps noticeably over 1-2 weeks, weekly monitoring distinguishes between temporary telogen effluvium and accelerated pattern loss.
- Post-transplant recovery: After a FUE procedure (7-10 day initial recovery), the transplanted grafts go through shedding at weeks 2-4, followed by dormancy and then regrowth starting around months 3-4. Weekly photos document this process.
- Adjusting treatment dosage: If your dermatologist changes your finasteride dose or adds a treatment, weekly tracking captures the transition response.
Do Not Use Weekly Tracking When:
- Your hair has been stable for 6+ months with no treatment changes
- You find the weekly routine stressful or obsessive (more on this in the mental health section below)
- You are in maintenance mode on a stable treatment
The 5-Minute Weekly Protocol
Efficiency is the priority for weekly tracking. If the process takes too long, you will not stick with it. This protocol targets 5 minutes per session.
Step 1: Quick Photo Capture (2 Minutes)
Take one or two photos focused on your primary area of concern. Unlike the monthly protocol (which captures five standardized angles), weekly photos target specific zones.
If your concern is frontal recession:
- One photo of the front hairline, straight on, hair pulled back
If your concern is crown thinning:
- One top-down photo of the crown
If you are on treatment and monitoring overall response:
- One front hairline photo and one crown photo
Use the same location, lighting, and camera distance as your monthly sessions. Consistency between weekly and monthly photos is essential so they feed into the same trend data.
Step 2: Wash-Day Shed Check (2 Minutes)
On your regular wash day (ideally the same day each week), pay attention to the amount of hair in the drain or on your hands after shampooing. You do not need to count every hair. Rate it on a simple scale:
| Rating | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 - Normal | Typical amount; no change from your baseline |
| 2 - Slightly elevated | Noticeably more than usual, but not alarming |
| 3 - Elevated | Clearly more shedding than your baseline |
| 4 - High | Significantly more shedding; you notice it throughout the day |
| 5 - Very high | Alarming amount; hair coming out in clumps |
A sustained rating of 3 or above for 3+ consecutive weeks warrants a dermatologist consultation. A single week at level 3 is usually seasonal or stress-related and not cause for concern.
Step 3: Quick Log Entry (1 Minute)
Record the following in your tracking app, spreadsheet, or treatment tracker:
- Date
- Shed rating (1-5)
- Subjective density score (1-10) for your focus area
- Treatment adherence (did you take/apply your treatment every day this week?)
- Side effects (if on finasteride: any sexual side effects? If on minoxidil: any scalp irritation, heart palpitations, or facial hair growth?)
- Notable events (high stress, illness, poor sleep, dietary changes)
Reading Your Weekly Data
Weekly data is noisier than monthly data. Expect fluctuations. The goal is to read the trend, not react to individual data points.
The Treatment Response Timeline
If you started finasteride or minoxidil, here is what weekly tracking typically reveals:
Weeks 1-4: Baseline readings with normal variation. Some minoxidil users experience increased shedding (the "dread shed") as telogen hairs are pushed out to make room for new growth. This is a positive sign, not a negative one.
Weeks 4-8: Shed levels may remain elevated for minoxidil users. Finasteride users typically see no visible change yet, but DHT levels are already reduced by 60-70%.
Weeks 8-16: Shedding from minoxidil should normalize. Early density improvements may appear in weekly photos, though they are often subtle. Finasteride users may notice reduced shedding.
Weeks 16-24: This is where weekly tracking pays off. Responders show measurable density improvements in AI analysis. Non-responders show continued slow decline. With monthly tracking, you would have only 4-6 data points by now. Weekly tracking gives you 16-24 points, making the trend far clearer.
Distinguishing Signal From Noise
Apply these rules to your weekly data:
- Single-week spikes in shedding: Ignore unless accompanied by other symptoms. One bad week means nothing.
- Three consecutive weeks of elevated shedding: Worth noting; monitor closely for the next 2-3 weeks.
- Six consecutive weeks of elevated shedding with declining density scores: Consult your dermatologist. This pattern suggests either treatment non-response or a separate hair loss trigger.
- Gradual improvement in density scores over 8+ weeks: Treatment is likely working. Continue the current protocol.
Common Mistakes in Weekly Tracking
Over-Interpreting Short-Term Changes
The biggest risk of weekly tracking is anxiety from normal fluctuation. A single photo that looks slightly thinner than last week does not mean you are losing ground. Lighting shifted. Your hair dried differently. You tilted your head 3 degrees differently. These micro-variations create noise.
Rule: Never make a treatment decision based on fewer than 4 weeks of data. Preferably wait for 8-12 weeks of trend data before concluding anything.
Inconsistent Photo Conditions
Weekly convenience sometimes leads to laziness about conditions. Taking a photo in a hotel bathroom with different lighting, or right after a workout with sweaty hair, produces unusable data. If you cannot replicate your standard conditions on a given week, skip the photo rather than adding bad data to your set.
Tracking Without a Goal
Weekly tracking should have a defined endpoint. Common goals include:
- "Track weekly for the first 6 months of finasteride to assess response, then shift to monthly"
- "Track weekly for 8 weeks to determine if increased shedding is temporary or sustained"
- "Track weekly for 12 months post-transplant to document the regrowth timeline"
Without a goal, weekly tracking becomes an indefinite habit that can fuel anxiety rather than reduce it.
Transitioning Between Weekly and Monthly
The weekly protocol is designed to integrate with the monthly protocol, not replace it.
How They Work Together
- Monthly sessions (15 minutes): Full five-photo set, physical measurements, comprehensive log entry. This is your primary data source.
- Weekly sessions (5 minutes): Quick focus-area photo, shed rating, brief log. This supplements your monthly data during critical periods.
When your weekly data shows the trend you were monitoring for (treatment response confirmed, shedding normalized, or post-transplant regrowth on track), step back to monthly-only tracking.
Begin Your Tracking Protocol
Whether you are starting a new treatment or just want closer monitoring, the first step is establishing where you stand today. Upload a photo to myhairline.ai/analyze to get your baseline Norwood stage and density assessment, then build your weekly tracking schedule from there.
Medical disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Hair loss treatments like finasteride (2-4% sexual side effect rate) and minoxidil should be discussed with a board-certified dermatologist before starting. Individual responses to treatment vary.