Noticing hair loss is always a scary moment. You may have enjoyed a full head of hair your entire life, only to one day realise, while looking in the mirror, that your hairline recedes further back than it did before. Or, you may look closely at a photograph and notice that your hair looks far thinner than it did a few years back. It’s never a good feeling, but it happens to many people!
One type of hair loss that might be particularly worrisome is a receding hairline in women, as this type of hair loss is usually more associated with men. If you want to learn more about women with receding hairlines – including the causes and hair loss treatment options – keep reading.
What is a Receding Hairline?
A receding hairline refers to hair loss that occurs around the frontal area of the scalp, including the temples. It brings the hairline further back on the scalp, often giving the appearance of either a larger forehead or an M-shaped hairline. Sometimes, it starts slow, with people not noticing a receding hairline until it’s fairly obvious – other times, the hair may thin or fall out quickly.
Can Women Get Receding Hairlines?
Now onto the basic question: do women with receding hairlines actually exist? Of course, the answer is yes! While typical hair loss in women results in thinning hair and a wider parting, women can also experience thinning and balding around the temples, often leading to an M-shaped hairline. This is a more common characteristic of male pattern baldness but still does affect the female population.
The Common Causes of Receding Hairlines in Women
So, what leads to women with receding hairlines? These are the most common causes:
Genetics
Many forms of hair loss are hereditary. If you’re a woman with a mother or grandparent with a receding hairline, you are more likely to experience that yourself.
Ageing
Hair tends to fall out more as you age. Androgenetic alopecia (female pattern baldness) becomes more common with age; while women may experience it as early as their twenties, half of women in their seventies experience some kind of female pattern baldness. [1]
Stress
Sometimes, high-stress levels can lead to hair loss. This often causes telogen effluvium, a type of reversible hair loss brought on by stress.
Menopause
One of the most common causes of hair loss in post-menopausal women is menopause itself. The hormonal changes experienced during this time can lead to hair thinning and even total hair loss.
Nutritional Deficiencies
Certain nutritional deficiencies can lead to hair loss, resulting in a thinning hairline in women. The most common deficiencies that cause hair loss include iron, vitamin B12, and biotin.
Rapid Weight Loss
Losing weight too quickly can also cause hair loss – like with stress, this causes telogen effluvium. Many women will notice this hair loss first at the hairline.
Tight Hairstyles
Even hairstyles can lead to a receding hairline! Too tight hairstyles pull on the hair follicles, which can lead to the hair breaking off, called traction alopecia. In more severe cases, the hair follicle gets destroyed, meaning the hair loss is permanent. The most common hairstyles that cause this include braids, cornrows, and dreadlocks.
Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia
Frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) is a specific type of hair loss that targets the very front of your head and scalp. It leads to hair loss on the eyebrows, eyelashes, and sometimes the front of the hair, such as the temples.
If you have a receding hairline and you are unsure what’s causing it, it’s best to speak with a doctor, as it could be due to an illness, hormonal changes, or a nutritional deficiency. In some cases, treatment is very easy – in others, it may be genetic, and you need to go down the route of hair loss treatments like a hair transplant.
How to Tell if You Have a Receding Hairline
Most people can tell if they have a receding hairline. However, if the hair falling out happened slowly, it might not be as easy to tell. The best way to see is by examining your hairline in the mirror, looking out for these particular signs:
- A Further Back Hairline (usually over 1.5cm)
- A Widening Part
- Finer Hair than Usual
You may also notice that your hair doesn’t grow as fast as it used to.
How to Restore Frontal Hair
While a receding hairline is always disheartening, you will be pleased to know there are several women’s receding hairline treatments that may help restore your hairline to how it once was.
Hair Loss Medications
There are several hair loss medications available to try and restore your hairline. The only one fully approved for women is minoxidil, a topical hair restoration treatment you can purchase over the counter. Minoxidil works by boosting blood flow and prolonging the hair growth phase in users, leading to more growth wherever you apply it for long periods of time (you need at least three months to see results). You should use minoxidil every single day (perhaps twice a day) to keep up with the results – people who stop the treatment find their hair falls back out.
Addressing Deficiencies
As mentioned, certain deficiencies can lead to hair falling out. The best way to know whether you have a deficiency is to see your doctor and get a blood test. If the results show you have a deficiency (such as an iron deficiency, also known as anaemia), your doctor will be able to prescribe a medication or recommend an over the counter supplement.
Managing Stress
Stress can lead to hair loss. If your hair loss is due to too much stress in your life, the only real way to prevent that is by working on your stress levels. Of course, this is easier said than done, but there are some steps you can take. Incorporating more exercise into your daily routine is an excellent start, as exercise releases happy endorphins that can lower stress and keep you feeling positive. Other habits like meditation and eating a healthy diet can also do wonders.
Using Hair Oils
Did you know certain hair oils can help you regrow your locks? It’s true. If you have a receding hairline as a woman, consider using a hair oil like rosemary oil or pumpkin seed oil, as there’s some evidence to suggest these actually work. In fact, there are studies showing that rosemary oil can be just as effective as minoxidil at regrowing the hair!
Addressing Hormonal Imbalances
Hormonal imbalances may cause hair loss, whether you are going through menopause or otherwise. To address a hormonal imbalance, it’s best to speak with your doctor. Good lifestyle habits can also help, such as keeping a healthy weight, getting enough sleep, and exercising regularly.
PRP
A hair restoration option for women with receding hairlines is PRP, also referred to as platelet-rich plasma. It’s all about using the blood, but don’t worry, the procedure itself isn’t too scary. It involves a blood draw to extract platelets from your blood, which then gets injected into the scalp with the goal of stimulating blood flow and healing in the hair follicles. Many people who undergo this treatment experience hair regrowth after six months.
A Hair Transplant
In some cases, a hair transplant may be necessary to treat a receding hairline. Often, hair transplants are best for women who have androgenetic alopecia – if you cannot treat your hair loss with a supplement or lifestyle changes, a hair restoration procedure like this makes a lot of sense. The best type of hair transplant for women is FUE (follicular unit extraction). This method extracts single hair follicles at a time for a perfectly natural result that heals well and leaves little to no scarring. While it’s a surgery, it’s minimally invasive, and most people can return to their lives within a matter of days. Check out our patients gallery to see the results you can expect!
Is a Hair Transplant Right for Your Receding Hairline?
A hair transplant shouldn’t be something you rush into. Instead, consider what’s causing your hair loss and whether you’d make a good candidate. Speaking to a hair transplant specialist is always a good route forward, as you can discuss your medical history, including when your hair loss started and how it has progressed. If you want to know whether you’d make a viable candidate for this procedure, download our hair track app, as it puts you in touch with the best surgeons in the business.
Receding Hairlines in Women: Final Thoughts
Receding hairlines affect women of all ages, although hair loss becomes more common with age. It’s never nice to see that your hair isn’t as full as it once was. The best route forward is determining the root cause of the hair loss and then deciding on a treatment based on that. With so many treatment options, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to restore your hair to the density it once had.
Sources:
- https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hair-loss/coping-tips-for-women/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25842469/