Receding Hairline in Men & Women: Causes, Signs, and Treatment
Aging brings a number of diseases and complaints and hair loss and baldness is one of them. Hair loss is more common in men as compared to women. The majority of people suffer from noticeable hair loss when they are in their 30s and this loss becomes serious as they go over 50 years old. As they enter their middle age, the thinning of hair begins turning into baldness and it is very upsetting to see your hairline receding day by day.
In this post, we’ll focus on the signs, causes, treatment, as well as receding hairline differences in men and women. So let’s start the discussion with receding hairline causes.
Receding Hairline Causes
There are several factors that contribute to receding hairline. Male pattern baldness is called androgenic alopecia and it originates through the production of dihydrotestosterone that shrinks the hair follicles by sticking to them. It causes sudden hair fall along the temples and leads to sparse hair in those parts. Some people are genetically prone to baldness and any side of the family can be responsible for this hair loss.
In such cases, androgen (a male hormone) is converted into dihydrotestosterone following the action of an enzyme that we know as enzyme 5 alpha reductase. All kinds of male pattern baldness are caused by inheritance that actually begins following this action and the problem worsens as long as dihydrotestosterone drags and connects itself to more hair follicles. Stress can also be a factor that causes receding hairline.
Receding hairline can occur as a result of taking drugs, alcohol, having gone through a trauma or surgery, being slowly poisoned, after effects of childbirth, or as a symptom of an ailment.
One of the main causes of receding hairline in women is the reduction of their estrogen levels. Similarly men can experience more hair fall when their testosterone levels decrease and that is why this problem is associated with ageing. As we age, our male and female hormone levels are reduced so we become prone to receding hairline. Medications and their side effects can also be a major reason of this problem.
Receding hairline in men and women can be a side effect of medicines of blood pressure, heart disease, depression, cholesterol, and gout. Cancer patients who have gone through chemotherapy suffer from a sudden and massive hair loss that continues even after the treatment.
Receding Hairline Signs in Men
In this section of the post, we’ll address the question of how to tell if hairline is receding. In men, this change is more noticeable as men have short hair and their hairline is easily differentiable. Mostly a man’s receding hairline is noticed by his friends earlier than himself.
Regularly check your hairline for any gaps of hair on your scalp. Center part your hair and pull hair down to reveal your scalp and see if somewhere the gap is widened than before. If that is the case, it is clear indication of thinning of hair that can lead to receding hairline.
Receding Hairline Signs in Women
Women can only notice the problem with thinning of hair as they rarely go bald so usually they don’t experience receding hairline. Thinning of hair can be extremely annoying for women as every woman loves her hair.
There are only two ways to detect the problem and one is to keep an eye on your hair tie like if you need another loop of the same hair band to secure your hair, it means that you have gradual hair loss.
Similarly check your hair brush regularly after every brushing session, if you daily see a lot of hair entangled in the brush, it is a clear sign of hair loss. Plus after every wash, there will be more hair seen on bathroom floor or in the bath tub when you are experiencing above average hair fall.
Receding Hairline Treatment
Treatment for receding hairline is optional provided if someone is happy and comfortable with his hair loss, then there is no need for treatment. There are several ways to disguise the problem like getting a cool hairstyle or hair weaving. Effective medication and treatment for receding hair loss includes Minoxidil (Rogaine) solution. You can apply it directly to your scalp and it will help stimulate your hair follicles.
Hair loss reduces after application and for some people the problem stops but unfortunately returns once again if you stop using this medicine. Some medicines activate the production of testosterone because lack of testosterone causes receding hair line. The medicine can also affect other functions of your body that are related to the natural presence of testosterone with regard to ageing. And this medicine is also useless when you stop taking it as your problem returns.
Hair transplants are also a part of treatment but this is not for everyone as it is costly and may cause complications for some people such as skin infections or minor scarring. The procedure involves taking away tiny hair plugs from areas where the patient has continuous hair growth and inserting them to bald spots.
You’ll find many over the counter hair products that stop receding hairline. These products normally improve regrowth of your hair and further reduce hair loss. You can use conditioners and shampoos to stop thinning of hair. While using this kind of hair products, take care that the product you use is gentle on your hair and see if there is panthenol or salicylic acid is written in the ingredient list on the bottle.
Receding Hairline Cure With Food and Dietary Supplements
Receding hairline natural treatment is possible through eating food that is good for hair regrowth. Eat a lot of fish if you want to recover your lost hair. Fish contains omega 3 fatty acids, minerals, vitamin D, and a lot of proteins. Quinoa and pumpkin are iron rich sources to help prevent hair loss. Eggs and meat also provide iron and proteins necessary for hair growth.
Iron deficiency can be a major source of stopping hair growth in certain areas of scalp because it indicates that your blood circulation is not up to par. Premature hair loss is associated with the consumption of excessive refined sugars and sweets and in turn it relates to insulin resistance. It is also advisable to take a lot of zinc and selenium that comes from sources like nuts and fish. You can also take supplements on regular basis for iron, vitamin B, and omega 3 fatty acids.
Lifestyle Changes
There are certain lifestyle changes that can help cure receding hairline in men and women. You should buy only those hair products that are free of alcohol because alcohol produces dryness in your scalp region and becomes a source of receding hairline. Combing too often and with hard bristle brushes can also cause your hairline to recede. Though combing is said to stimulate hair follicles but it should be done rightly to avoid unnecessary hair fall.
Never comb your hair upside down when you already face this problem. Avoid exposing your hair to harsh hair chemicals like hair dyes, streaks, and bleaches. They will deteriorate your already fragile hair follicles and increase hair fall. Every bald spot on your scalp falls prey to thinning of hair before hair fall. So thinning hair is a clear sign of impending hair fall or baldness. As soon as you notice it, start taking vitamins that boost hair growth and thicken your hair.
Change your hairstyle and leave the old pulled back ponytails, pigtails, braids, or weaves. Instead go for a loose hairstyle that allows your hairline to relax. For a healthy change in food, you can start using fish oil in your meals instead of usual cooking oil. Using satin or silk pillow cases will make your hair relax while sleeping and reduce hair loss because silk causes less friction as compared with cotton.
Cool Haircuts Tips for Receding Hairline
The best solution is to be creative while styling your hair. You should do hairstyles that minimize your receding hairline and make your hair look thicker. Go for the ‘key in volume’ that thrills and this is what we normally see in TV commercials of shampoos and conditioners. Volume creates height in your hair that makes the impression of more hair. It is easy to create volume in women hair but men can also pump up their hair by using specific hair products.
Use hair thickening shampoo and conditioner as they will augment your hair volume. These products have an ingredient glycerin to help retain water in hair. But don’t use daily, twice is a week use should be enough to stop receding hairline in men. Below are a few haircuts to suit receding hairline in men:
1. Shag
Shag is good for very early stages of receding hairline. Ask your barber to give you a few shaggy layers. Keep the overall length to medium and the front layers longer so they cover most of your forehead. Apply a light weight gel and use your fingers to create tousled layers that are a cool trick to hide the first stage of receding hairline.
2. Tapered Sides
If your hairline is receding on top of your crown, and you’ve good number of hair otherwise, then you should do a short haircut overall. Ask your stylist to keep your sides and back a bit tapered. Apply some hair paste to towel dried hair and mess your top hair with fingers while keeping the rest as neat and tidy as possible.
3. Slicked Back Hair
This hairstyle works really well for those who have bald spots on the back of their heads and have thick hair otherwise. So you’ll first growing your hair long enough so when you back comb them, they can create an effective mask for your bald spots.
4. Faux Hawk
Many people dislike faux hawk as they are likely to give you a crook appearance but you can go for a toned down version of faux hawk. Ask your hair stylist to give you a short choppy cut along your natural receding hairline. Then apply a dab of styling wax and use your fingers to style your hair towards the center of your head. You’ll do it in a haphazard but nicely messed manner.
5. Short Spikes
If you are experiencing an overall thinning of hair instead of hair fall in a specific area, then you should do short spikes that will help mask your problem. Use some volumizing gel and make spikes and your head will appear like having full of hair. It places the focus on haired areas of your head and diverts the attention from sparse areas.
If you want to try to stop and reverse hairline, medications such as minoxidil (Rogaine) may be helpful.
This over-the-counter medication is a liquid that is rubbed into the scalp. Possible side effects include scalp irritation. Minoxidil tends to be more effective in restoring hair growth in smaller sections of the scalp, rather than in larger areas.
Another drug, finasteride (Propecia), is a pill that may help promote hair growth. Side effects associated with finasteride include reduced sex drive and a higher risk of prostate cancer.