With 49% of women and 30-50% of men over 50 experiencing hair loss, a receding hairline is quite common. However, you don’t have to accept it as inevitable.
Identifying the cause of your receding hairline can help you find the right treatment for your hair. That is why this guide delves into everything you need to know about receding hairlines. This includes how aspects like lifestyle changes, diet and hair transplant surgery can help to encourage healthy hair growth.
Read on to learn more about receding hairline treatment options and why early intervention is so crucial to reverse hair loss.
Understanding a Receding Hairline vs. Maturing Hairline
It is important to first note that changes to your hairline are normal as you age and mature. This includes movement back from the forehead due to shrinking hair follicles and hair loss.
The slow rate of these changes can move your hairline, which is hard to notice initially. However, you may realise at some point your appearance has been altered by the movement and not know the cause.
If it is simply due to age and time, it is likely to be a mature hairline change. It may otherwise be the hairline receding due to lifestyle or genetic factors.
So, how do you know if your hairline is receding or maturing?
What is a Mature Hairline?
Your juvenile hairline, typically low and straight during childhood and adolescence, naturally matures during your late teens and early adulthood. It commonly recedes slightly, creating distinct shapes such as a widow's peak. By your 30s, a mature hairline stabilises unless further recession occurs.
What is a Receding Hairline?
Although a receding hairline can begin at the same time as a mature hairline, it is a different process altogether.
Regardless of age or gender, your hairline may begin to thin or move significantly enough to differentiate from maturation. This can be an initial sign that you are developing androgenetic alopecia, more commonly known as male pattern baldness.
For women, hairline recession is less common. However, it can also be an indicator that you are undergoing female pattern hair loss.
Either way, a receding hairline differs from a mature one by beginning at the temples. It does not move back in a straight line like a mature one does. Rather, it moves more rapidly and can eventually lead to thinning hair or a balding crown.
Common Causes of a Receding Hairline
Mature hairlines are typically caused by time and age. In contrast, many factors can cause a hairline to begin receding.
By understanding the underlying causes, the most beneficial treatment option can be formulated. Hence, it is more efficient to stop a receding hairline, especially when supported by hair growth experts.
The more common causes of a receding hairline can include:
- Hereditary factors: Genetic predispositions like male or female pattern baldness.
- Hormonal changes: Menopause in women or hormonal fluctuations.
- Haircare practices: Overuse of harsh chemicals, tight hairstyles, or excessive heat styling.
- Stress levels: Chronic stress causes hormonal imbalances and hair shedding.
- Medical treatments: Certain medications like chemotherapy.
- Lifestyle choices: Smoking, poor diet, or nutritional deficiencies.
- Health issues: Illness, scalp infections, or conditions like psoriasis.
Most of these factors persisting over a long period can lead to hair thinning or loss. While some cases can be temporary, like hair loss caused by stress levels, others may be permanent.
If you are experiencing a receding hairline, even if you are unaware of the underlying cause, it may be time to look into treatment options.
Key Methods to Consider: How to Stop A Receding Hairline Effectively
There is not a singular guaranteed method to stop a receding hairline, but a multifaceted approach tailored to your specific condition may yield the best results. Essentially, early intervention and personalised care are key.
The following methods range from simple lifestyle changes to more permanent techniques to stimulate hair growth. Explore your options and reach out to a hair growth expert if needed to determine your treatment plan.
Lifestyle Changes
Just as lifestyle choices can exacerbate hair loss or recession, so too can lifestyle changes bring about new hair growth. So, maintain your overall hair health and begin restoring hair growth by integrating the following changes into your everyday life:
- Lower stress levels
- Eat a balanced diet packed full of vital vitamins and nutrients
- Reduce alcohol intake
- Cease smoking
- Get enough sleep
- Stay physically active
- Avoid tight hairstyles, especially for long periods
General attempts to improve your overall well-being can help prevent further hair loss and recession of your hairline.
Diet and Nutrition
Regularly eating a balanced diet can help treat a range of health conditions, including receding hairlines.
Be sure to eat foods high in essential vitamins and minerals. Including foods high in antioxidants can also keep your hair healthy, strong, and secured to your existing hairline.
Staying hydrated can also aid in maintaining your hair's health.
Stress Management
Stress is one of the more common lifestyle causes of a receding hairline. So, managing stress in your everyday life can be beneficial to stopping that receding hairline from growing.
The reason why stress leads to hair loss is that it consistently generates a hormone within the body that limits hair regrowth. The hormone corticosterone can lead to telogen effluvium (excess shedding), one of the more prominent receding hairline stages.
By lowering the overall level of corticosterone in the body, and hence the levels of stress you regularly experience, further hair loss can be avoided.
You can lower stress levels by:
- Regularly taking breaks/time for yourself
- Spending time outdoors
- Performing activities that bring you joy or calmness
- Employing relaxation techniques such as measured breathing or meditation
- Connecting with others
- Eating well
- Staying hydrated
- Being physically active
- Limiting alcohol intake
- Avoiding cigarettes, vapes and other harmful inhalants
Find what works best for you and your mental state. Over time, your corticosterone levels may drop to a healthy level. Hence, it prevents you from losing hair along your hairline.
Topical Treatments
In some cases, increased hair thickness and growth can be encouraged through topical treatments. Creams, serums and sprays of FDA-approved hair growth medications can be prescribed by trusted medical professionals or hair loss experts.
Minoxidil is one of the more popular topical hair loss treatment options in Australia. It can also help when a hairline is receding, so long as you follow the instructions and prescriptive dosage from a trusted professional.
Be consistent in your daily application, and improvements to your hairline may become visible in 3-6 months. However, topical Minoxidil does not work the same or as effectively for everyone. So, consider discontinuing if results are not visible after prolonged use or if side effects persist.
Oral Medications
There are a couple of oral options when it comes to hair growth medications, such as dutasteride or spironolactone.
However, one of the more notable prescription medications for treating hair loss is Finasteride. Thus, your doctor may offer a prescription for the treatment of a receding hairline.
Finasteride helps treat hair loss by blocking DHT, the hormone responsible for male pattern baldness. Hence, it can be used for a receding hairline to prevent further male hair loss. There is a stronger alternative in dutasteride, but Finasteride is the more commonly prescribed option in Australia.
Women and children cannot use this medication for treating hair loss or receding hairlines.
Always take Finasteride as directed by a medical professional.
Hair Care Practices
Beyond not frequently wearing tight hairstyles, especially for prolonged periods, other hair care practices can work as a hair loss treatment. Most notably:
- Regularly perform a scalp massage to increase blood flow and stimulate hair growth
- Avoid shampoos that contain harsh chemicals such as sulphates, parabens, and phthalates to prevent hair from becoming thinner and more brittle
- Do not excessively brush hair as this may encourage too much hair shedding
- Ensure you are not overwashing your hair, especially if using harsh hair care products, to prevent it from becoming dry and brittle
Take the time to determine what products work best for your hair. Consider your hair's texture and needs, such as additional hydration, to ensure it continues growing strong and healthy.
Hair Transplant
The only permanent treatment for hair loss, a hair transplant may be considered if at-home treatments do not work. It is an especially appealing treatment option for receding hairlines as it allows you to design your hairline however desired.
Book a consultation with a hair transplant expert and allow them to tailor the hair loss treatment to your exact needs. By considering your hair type and desired result, they can provide you with an expected timeline of results.
Generally, however, 6-9 months is needed before you may enjoy a full hairline that looks completely natural. These results will be permanent with the support of prescription hair care and your hair specialist's advice.
Herbal and Natural Remedies
Although scientific evidence is limited, some herbal remedies may support hair growth and improve hair density when used consistently. Notable options include:
- Ginseng for hair thickness
- Aloe forex or oregano oil can support medications like Finasteride in improving the rate of hair growth
- Rosemary oil and cedarwood oil to stimulate hair growth with regular application
- Peppermint oil for early stages of hair growth
- Lavender oil is thought to prevent hair loss and encourage new growth
- Saw palmetto to improve density
- Indian gooseberries, otherwise known as alma, for reducing hair loss
Other Potential Treatments
A hair transplant is not the only surgical option available for treating a receding hairline. You can always consult a hair growth professional to determine if any of the following options may provide the results you desire:
- Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy: Blood is drawn to extract plasma, which will then be injected into the areas of the hairline that are receding. Over time, new growth will appear at the injection site. This is an efficient procedure that only takes around 10 minutes to complete, with recipients coming back every few months for another round.
- Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT): Red light at an exact frequency is used on hair cells at areas of the hairline that are receding. It increases blood flow to the area and stimulates growth from the cells for both men and women alike.
- Microneedling: Targeted pricks from a needle can stimulate the scalp's natural healing response. Over time, it can promote hair growth, especially when used alongside other treatment options.
Taking a holistic approach to your hairline receding can help bolster the effectiveness of treatments. Be sure to collaborate with your hair growth expert to find a treatment plan that works for both your comfort level and hair needs.
Important Points to Remember: Why Early Intervention Matters
Once hair follicles become inactive, regrowing hair in these areas becomes more difficult. Hence, stopping this process before it really begins is one of the best means of treating a receding hairline.
Early intervention is best done at the first signs of a receding hairline. So, try your hand at any of the preventative measures below:
- Lower stress levels
- Eat healthy and stay hydrated
- Avoid tight hairstyles
- Regularly massage your scalp
- Use gentle hair products that encourage growth
- Begin using prescription hair care products
- Consider a permanent solution with a hair transplant
Talk with a hair loss expert early on to receive a plan tailored to preventing recession of your hairline. They will be able to advise you on both non-invasive methods and possible clinical options for a more permanent solution.
Once you notice the signs of a receding hairline, take action now to save more hair in the future.
Choosing the Right Approach: Have a Chat with an Expert
Early intervention and preventative hair care can do a lot for preventing a receding hairline. However, a personalised approach devised by a hair growth professional can yield more effective results.
Noticed your hairline starting to thin? Talk to an expert at your nearest GRO Clinic and take the first step toward restoring your hair.
We can tailor a treatment plan according to your exact needs, whether it is prevention strategies, prescription treatments, or hair transplants. At our clinics, your hair comes first.
