A receding hairline – also known as male pattern hair loss, female pattern hair loss or androgenetic alopecia – is extremely common.
A receding hairline in men typically starts at the corners of their temples before moving back over the top of their head. Women, on the other hand, tend to experience hair thinning in the middle of their head.
Receding hairlines are extremely common, though more so for men. In fact, eight in 10 men over the age of 65 are estimated to have a receding hairline. Male pattern baldness also tends to start earlier than female pattern baldness, affecting men in their twenties or even teenage years.
Whether you’re male or female, a receding hairline can knock your confidence. But while there’s no outright cure for hair loss, there are treatments and lifestyle changes you can use to manage the condition and prevent it from worsening.
Three key takeaways
A receding hairline can be a natural part of ageing, or it can be caused by hormonal changes, genetics, certain medications, and lifestyle factors, like smoking.
The main treatments for a receding hairline are medications called minoxidil and finasteride. However, you can also explore the option of a hair transplant.
You can manage hair loss and hair thinning with lifestyle changes, like eating plenty of antioxidants.
What causes a receding hairline?
A receding hairline is ultimately caused when your hair follicles become damaged, or if a medical condition disrupts the growth cycle of your hair. However, there are a number of underlying causes of these factors:
Ageing
Hair loss is a natural part of the ageing process and will affect most people at some point in their lives. The risk of hair loss increases with age, with more than half of men over the age of 50 estimated to have some type of hair loss. However, by age 70, nearly 80% of men and 50% of women are affected.
Hormonal changes
Males make an androgen hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT) that can affect the hair growth cycle and cause male-pattern baldness. Too much DHT, or a sensitivity to it, can speed up the hair growth cycle and prevent your hair from regrowing.
Meanwhile hormone changes during pregnancy and menopause can cause hair thinning in women. However, if your hair loss is caused by pregnancy, this is likely to resolve when you stop being pregnant and your hormones get back to normal. Women affected by polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) can also experience hair thinning.
Family history
A receding hairline has been identified as a hereditary trait in both men and women. This means, if you have a family history of male or female pattern baldness, you are much more likely to develop it yourself due to a genetic predisposition. For example, men with bald fathers have been found to be 5-6 times more likely to lose their hair.
Medications or treatments
Some medications and medical treatments may cause hair loss. For example, undergoing chemotherapy during treatment for cancer is commonly known to cause your hair to fall out.
Lifestyle factors
Lifestyle factors that are known to cause a receding hairline include:
over-styling your hair (especially using heat)
tight hairstyles
colouring your hair using chemicals such as bleach and peroxide
eating a diet high in saturated fat, processed foods, preservatives, and sugar
smoking
Stages of a receding hairline
A receding hairline can develop at the end of puberty or anytime throughout adulthood. In males, it usually progresses in a very distinct way:
It starts at the top of the temples and appears uneven at first, before developing into an “M” shape.
You may then notice the hair on the top or back of your head beginning to fall out, causing a bald spot.
Over time, these two areas of hair loss spread and meet, causing a larger bald spot. The remaining hair typically takes on a horseshoe shape around the sides and back of the head.
Can a receding hairline grow back?
“Your receding hairline isn’t going to come back on its own. However, the earlier you intervene, the better chance you have at not only preventing further hair loss but even stimulating hair regrowth.
“Medications like minoxidil or finasteride can start to help encourage growth, while hair transplants are an increasingly common option for people looking to reverse their receding hairline. You may also want to consider gentler hair products in order to minimise hair loss.”
What treatments are available for a receding hairline?
If you’re looking to stop a receding hairline, your GP may recommend:
Minoxidil
When applied to the scalp via a cream or foam, it is thought that minoxidil treats hair loss by widening the blood vessels underneath the area it’s applied to. This allows more nutrients and oxygen to flow to your follicles and stimulate hair growth.
Minoxidil is also thought to extend the hair growth cycle, preventing hair loss and encouraging hair regrowth. In fact, minoxidil has been found to cause new hair growth in approximately 40% of people who use it. Both men and women can use minoxidil for hair loss. However, it’s important to be aware of the side effects of minoxidil before settling on it as a treatment.
Finasteride
Finasteride, which is the generic version of Propecia, inhibits the enzyme that converts testosterone into DHT. Taken orally, finasteride has been found to promote scalp hair growth and prevent hair loss. However, women who are or can become pregnant are typically not prescribed finasteride because it can cause birth defects in male infants.
Even more so than with minoxidil, it’s important to check with your doctor that finasteride is safe for you to use. This is because one of the side effects of finasteride can be depression.
You can also experience a rare condition called post-finasteride syndrome (PFS). This comprises of a range of side effects that can continue even after you have stopped taking the treatment.
Hair transplant
A receding hairline can also be treated using a surgical intervention known as a hair transplant. This involves a surgeon transplanting small sections of your scalp and hair follicles from the back of your head to areas that no longer grow hair.
The intention is to encourage hair growth in the new locations while the areas that supplied the plugs continue to grow hair as well. However, a hair transplant isn’t available on the NHS, so if you want to pursue this option, you’ll need to look at accessing it privately.
Lifestyle changes to manage a receding hairline
There are some lifestyle changes that may help to slow down hair loss and promote hair regrowth, such as:
Changing the way you style your hair: this can help to take attention away from thinning spots of hair. For example, you might opt for an undercut, where you grow out the hair on the top of your head but cut the sides shorter.
Switching to gentle shampoo: some shampoos contain chemicals that strip sebum (oil) from your scalp and aggravate hair loss. However, certain gentle shampoos are designed to stimulate the hair follicles and encourage hair growth.
Gentle hair care: brushing your hair too much, wearing tight hairstyles and generally being rough with your hair can contribute to your hair receding, so try making some changes to the way you look after your hair.
Essential oils:natural remedies such as rosemary oil, peppermint oil, and lavender oil have all been found to help encourage hair growth. Try mixing them into a carrier oil, such as almond oil, coconut oil, or jojoba oil, before rubbing them into your scalp.
Scalp massage: research from 2016 indicates that regularly performed scalp massage may help you to grow thicker, healthier hair. This is due to increased blood circulation at the site of your hairline. To make use of this technique, try massaging your scalp for at least four minutes each day.
Eating a diet high in antioxidants: antioxidants are known to help fight oxidative stress, which can contribute to hair ageing. As a result, foods rich in antioxidants (blueberries, spinach, kidney beans and walnuts) may help your hair look fuller and healthier.
FAQs
Does wearing a hat cause a receding hairline?
No, wearing a hat doesn’t cause a receding hair line. However, wearing anything on your head, including hats, can cause another type of hair loss called traction alopecia.
What’s the difference between a maturing and a receding hairline?
A maturing hairline is a natural part of ageing. It’s different to a receding hairline because it occurs much more slowly and causes less hair loss overall. If your hairline is maturing, it only tends to recede 1.5–2cm from its original position. However, a receding hairline recedes beyond this point.
At what age do most hairlines recede?
There is no specific age at which most hairlines recede. However, men naturally develop a mature hairline between the ages of 17 and 30. After this, your hairline shouldn’t change significantly unless you have male pattern baldness.
Is balding different from a receding hairline?
A receding hairline is a type of balding. It is known as patterned balding because it occurs in such a distinct way.
Can you treat a receding hairline in women?
Yes, a receding hairline in women can be treated using the same methods listed above. However, finasteride is not typically prescribed for women of child-bearing age and is only ever prescribed ‘off-label’ by a specialist.
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