A receding hairline can start to develop in males as they age. While hair loss can be stressful and upsetting, it’s nothing to be ashamed of, and it’s very common.
In fact,
The most common form of hair loss in men is called male androgenic alopecia. If you have this form of hair loss, you’ll notice your hairline receding (moving away from your face) and hair loss around your temples.
Females can also lose their hair, though they’re more likely to experience thinning hair than a receding hairline. But it can still happen. Some examples include frontal fibrosing alopecia and traction alopecia.
Read on to learn more about why your hairline may be moving backward and what you can do about it.
For males, a receding hairline can start any time after the end of puberty. By the time many males reach their late 30s, they have a receding hairline.
The process usually starts above the temples. From there, the hairline moves back across the top of the head. This often leaves a ring of hair on the top of a bare scalp. Thinning hair may continue to grow on top.
Though receding hair may begin above the temples, hair in the middle may stay closer to the forehead. This V-shaped hair growth in front is often called a widow’s peak.
The sides and back of the head can eventually become bare, though many males usually still have some hair unless they shave it off.
In females, hair loss usually starts in the middle of the scalp at the hair’s part. Over time, this can become more pronounced, and they might also start losing hair at the temples.
Learn more about male pattern baldness and female hair loss.
Your scalp has hundreds of thousands of hairs that grow from follicles beneath the skin’s surface. These hairs regularly fall out and are replaced by new ones. In fact, you may lose dozens of hairs every day.
But if hair follicles are damaged or a medical condition disturbs the growth cycle, the result can be a receding hairline.
The following are causes of hair loss:
Family history
It appears that a receding hairline is a hereditary trait that affects both males and females. If you have a genetic predisposition to hair loss, your hair follicles will eventually shrink and stop growing hair.
The timing of hair loss is often similar from one generation to the next.
Hormone changes
Changes in hormones may also cause hair loss in females, though the role of hormones in female pattern hair loss is less clear than in male pattern hair loss. Menopause, for example, can lead to thinning hair, though the hairline doesn’t always change.
Aging
Hair loss is part of the natural aging process, and it will affect most people at some point. Your hair growth will slow and eventually stop, and your hair may also change color.
Learn more about different causes of hair loss.
To understand the type of hair loss you’re experiencing and its cause, you should see a dermatologist. They’ll ask for your personal and family medical history and visually examine your scalp.
One test your doctor may perform is called a pull test. They will gently pull on a few hairs to see how many fall out or how easily they fall out.
A biopsy of scalp tissue or hairs may also help a doctor determine whether a scalp infection is causing hair loss. With a biopsy, your doctor removes a small amount of tissue from the affected part of the body. The tissue sample will be tested in a lab for signs of infection or disease.
You may also have a blood test to look for conditions such as thyroid disease that may be contributing to your hair loss.
If your receding hairline is simply an age-related development and not the result of an infection or other medical issue, you won’t need treatment. If a medical condition is causing the hair loss, medication may be necessary.
Medications
If you have hair loss, your doctor may recommend prescription medications that can help. You can also purchase some medications over the counter (OTC). Here are some medications a doctor might recommend:
- Minoxidil (Rogaine): This antihypertensive drug is
commonly used to treat hair loss. You can take it in tablet form by prescription or use OTC creams and foams. - Prednisone: If you have an immune disorder, a drug such as prednisone can help suppress an overactive immune response.
- Finasteride (Propecia): This oral medication may help promote hair growth. Side effects associated with finasteride include reduced sex drive and a higher risk of prostate cancer.
Surgery
Surgical solutions for a receding hairline include hair restoration surgery. 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.
These plugs of skin may continue to grow hair healthily in their new location. Hair may continue to grow as usual in the areas that supplied the plugs, too.
A receding hairline can be the first step toward going bald, or a slight change in your hairline that never progresses further. It can be difficult to predict how far your hairline will recede.
Sometimes looking at the hair loss pattern of a genetically related parent or sibling can give you a possible preview.
If you want to try restoring hair growth in affected areas on your head, some medications and procedures have been proven effective. A conversation with your dermatologist is a good place to start.
While a receding hairline is more common in males, females can also experience hair loss. Male hair loss usually looks like thinning at the front and temples, and females typically have hair loss starting at the part.
Although hair loss can be upsetting and difficult, it’s very common. If you choose to, you can take steps to manage it with medication and surgery.