If you are wondering how to tell your hairline is receding, you may be worried about developing male pattern baldness. That is a valid concern, as this condition affects 85% of men by the time they are 50 [1].
Sudden changes in hairline appearance, such as significant distancing from the brow, the emergence of an M-shaped hairline pattern or an uneven hairline can all be signs that it is, indeed, receding.
But the good news is that even if you are experiencing the first signs of hair thinning and balding, there are safe and efficient treatments available which can help restore your hairline to its former glory. Keep reading this article to find out all you need to know about:
People are different and so are their scalps, thus there are many types of hairline. That is why it is difficult to say exactly what a healthy hairline should look like. Some medical professionals, such as Dr Anthony Youn, believe that a man’s hairline should be 6-8 cm from their brow, while in women, it should be about 5-6 cm [2]. However, that may vary with your genetics.
Moreover, it does not stay the same throughout your life, but changes with age, so it can be difficult to spot the difference between a mature hairline and a receding one.
However, there is consensus among hair specialists that if your hairline suddenly moves back over 1.5-2cm [3] from its original position and is also accompanied by hair thinning at the temples and/or crown, it is a clear sign of a receding hairline.
If you are unsure what a receding hairline looks like, there are some tell-tale symptoms to look out for. The most common signs of a receding hairline are as follows:
As you advance in age your hairline can naturally rise 1.5 – 2 cm higher above your brow than it was in your adolescence. But this would normally happen slowly, over time. If your hairline recedes more than 2 cm in just a few months, you may start suspecting frontal balding.
How can you tell?
Use a ruler or some tape measure to record the distance between your hairline and a fixed spot you choose on your forehead (e.g. your eyebrows) every month. Compare your notes and see if there are any changes. If you can see a progressive increase in distance, your hairline is receding.
An M-shaped pattern occurs when the hair above the sides of your forehead recedes above the strands in the middle, creating the appearance of a letter M (in some people, this can look more like a V if there isn’t much hair on the sides).
The M-shaped pattern does not always mean your hairline is receding (some have this hairline shape naturally), but it is a strong indicator of it. However, do not confuse this hair loss pattern with a widow’s peak, which is genetic and usually not a sign of hairline recession.
Use a washable felt tip to highlight the outline of your hairline. Does it resemble an M (or a V) or is it a smoother, straighter line?
Did your hairline use to look like an actual line, but now it is more of a zig-zag? Or can you see hair thinning on one side of the head, to the front? If so, you may be dealing with an uneven hairline recession (some portions of it recede faster than others). Football player Danny Ings, before his hair transplant, used to have an uneven hairline, which turned out to be a sign of recession.
Hold a ruler right under your hairline and see if the two lines are parallel throughout their length. If you see dips or slants that you’ve never noticed before, your hairline has likely become uneven.
Especially in male pattern baldness, a receding hairline is often accompanied by hair thinning or even bald spots on the crown or at the temples. If you notice that your hair is falling out more than usual, especially in the frontal area, it could be a sign of a receding hairline.
Before washing your hair, cover the shower drain with some gauze. After you are finished, carefully collect the fabric and count the hairs caught in it. While some hair loss is normal in the shower (we naturally lose 50-100 hairs per day), if the hair shedding is abundant and increases over time, it might indicate balding.
Sometimes, while your hairline is receding, you may also notice the strands it contains become thinner, shorter and softer, making your hairline look diffuse.
Compare the appearance and feel of the hair on your hairline and frontal scalp area to the hair on the sides of your head, above your ears. Do they look similar in thickness and texture or are the strands in front thinner and softer?
A receding hairline is often accompanied by further hair loss, which means lower hair density. If the density of your hair decreases, you will start seeing skin through the strands. If your hair is so thin you can see your scalp through the frontal part of your head, you may be experiencing male pattern baldness (although there could also be temporary reasons for this).
Shine a light on your hair before looking in the mirror. Change the angles of the light, for a better view. Normally, you should only be able to see the scalp on your parting and around your ears
One of the most relevant signs of a receding hairline is that it keeps advancing with time. If your hairline keeps changing appearance and the shedding doesn’t seem to stop, it may mean you are balding, as happened to football player Marc-André ter Stegen pre-hair transplant.
Take photos of your hairline monthly and compare them to see any changes in its height, shape and appearance which may have occurred.
If not addressed with hair growth medication, your receding hairline can progress. Here are the main stages of this process:
Depending on your gender, your receding hairline may be caused by one of these conditions.
The main condition which causes a receding hairline in men is male pattern baldness. It is caused by a combination of age, hormonal and genetic factors.
In most people, genetic sensitivity to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) causes some of it to bind to androgen receptors in hair follicles, making them shrink. This results in hair miniaturisation and, if left untreated, baldness that starts off with hairline recession [4]. That happens because your frontal area is the most sensitive to DHT.
While anyone can experience a receding hairline, the following people are more predisposed to developing one:
Once your hairline has receded, it will not normally grow back on its own without any kind of medical intervention. If the recession is caused by androgenetic alopecia, or frontal fibrosing alopecia, the hair loss will progress if left unaddressed.
In the rare cases when hairline recession is temporary, it may be caused by one of the following:
However, most of these conditions aren’t normally confined to your hairline, but cause diffuse hair thinning all over your scalp.
The best way to know for sure what causes your receding hairline and whether or not it will grow back is to consult a trichologist.
If your hairline recession is caused by androgenetic alopecia or frontal fibrosing alopecia, you may be unable to fully prevent it from developing. That is because its causes are not greatly influenced by hair care or lifestyle choices.
However, you can prevent a worsening of your symptoms and unnecessary hair loss by maintaining good habits for healthy hair and scalp, such as:
While you cannot always prevent a receding hairline, there are some very effective treatments which can fix a messed-up hairline. However, always be sure to see a trichologist before taking any medication, to make sure you are getting the most suitable treatment:
Hair growth medications work best in milder cases of a receding hairline, but there is one solution which also works well for advanced frontal baldness: getting a hair transplant.
Moreover, unlike hair loss medications that you need to keep taking forever, a hair transplant is permanent. Advancements in surgical techniques ensure that whether you opt for a FUE or FUT procedure, you will still get a discreet, natural looking hair transplant.
Studies [12][13] have shown that Finasteride works for a receding hairline, as studies show it stops frontal balding in 70% of men after a year of use. Furthermore, Finasteride can also regrow hair on the hairline of 38% of men.
Due to unwanted side effects in premenopausal female patients (birth defects, hormonal imbalances), Finasteride may only be recommended to men and postmenopausal women. However, it has also proven itself effective in treating frontal fibrosing alopecia [11].
Minoxidil works for a receding hairline by improving blood flow to your hair follicles. However, it is not as effective as Finasteride for hair regrowth on the crown [14]. But unlike Finasteride, it can be safely used by premenopausal women as well.
If your hairline recession is caused by frontal fibrosing alopecia, the most efficient treatment is with steroid injections Some offer an almost 60% improvement in frontal fibrosing alopecia symptoms, However, the best results are obtained in conjunction with Finasteride or Dutasteride [11] While this treatment will not always restore the hair you have already lost, it may prevent your hairline from receding further.
Using a derma roller for hair growth can increase your hair count and at the same time, you can use medicine such as Minoxidil and a derma roller together, as it will improve drug absorption through your scalp [15].
If you think you may be experiencing a receding hairline, let the experts help. Book a consultation with one of our experienced trichologists and they will provide a professional diagnosis and the best personalised hair loss treatment for men with frontal balding.
Moreover, if you are considering a hair transplant to fix your hairline, we are the perfect choice. The award-winning Wimpole Clinic works only with the best hairline transplant specialists, who have a success rate of 97-100% for this procedure. Check out our before and after hair transplant gallery to see the results for yourself.
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