Taking topical minoxidil isn’t a bad thing at all, in fact most HT doctors recommend this along with finasteride especially for NW4+ unless you are open to having hair transplants again in future and depleting your donor area.
The key thing here is research. If you start minoxidil, it should be with the aim of using this medicine indefinitely, with gradual reduction over a period of time…eg. twice daily for a year, then once daily after a year and then maybe few times a week but you cannot completely stop (ideal scenario would be to continue twice daily). Otherwise, you will lose any gains you would have made, and return back to pre-min stage. If you don’t plan on using this medicine indefinitely, don’t start at all.
Asuman says to stop after 6 months, I think it’s wrong advice and the results on this forum also proved this, patients will inevitably lose the hair gained when stopped using minoxidil. I too have been told this but I have respectfully disregarded this point from Asuman.
I say research carefully before making any decisions on min and fin.