How to Stop Your Receding Hairline
Maybe your hairline’s started to recede into a widow’s peak. Or maybe your normal hairline has started to transform into an M, U, or V. Or maybe you just could have sworn your forehead used to be smaller. One thing’s for sure – your hairline’s receding, and it’s receding fast.
What now? What are your options for how to stop a receding hairline?
A receding hairline, or a hairline that gradually moves further up your head over time, is a common early sign of male pattern baldness. Without treatment, your hairline will likely continue to recede in a predictable pattern – first along the hairline, then thinning at the crown until a bald patch emerges and a thin band of hair is left around the base of the scalp.
The good news? It IS possible to stop your receding hairline – and to slow or even reverse the progression of male pattern baldness altogether. Bosley offers surgical and non-surgical hair loss solutions – and they’re most effective at the early stages of hair loss, when your hairline has just started to recede.
Read on to learn about the top ways to stop your receding hairline and get your real hair back.
How to Stop a Receding Hairline
The best way to stop a receding hairline depends on your personal hair loss goals and the current state of your hair loss. Book a free consultation with a hair restoration expert to better understand the cause of your hair loss and to develop a personalized treatment plan.
If you’re interested in slowing or stopping the existing hair loss on your receding hairline, a prescription medication might be your answer.
If you want a permanent solution that reverses the recession and restores your former hairline, consider a hair transplant procedure from one of Bosley’s experienced hair transplant physicians. The results are natural-looking, and the procedure itself is virtually undetectable because we graft and transplant your own healthy hair. No one will know you got a hair transplant unless you tell them!
Best Hair Loss Solution for a Receding Hairline: A Hair Transplant
A Bosley hair transplant is the proven, permanent solution to genetic hair loss. This simple outpatient procedure takes hair follicles from healthy parts of your scalp and moves them to balding or thinning areas. Our physicians perform either a follicular unit extraction (FUE) or a follicular unit transplantation (FUT) procedure, based on your existing hair loss and your desired results. With a hair transplant, it’s possible to restore your former hairline with your own real hair.
Hair Transplant
Hair Loss Medications for Receding Hairlines
Finasteride
Finasteride slows or stops the effects of the DHT hormone, which is primarily responsible for hair loss around the hairline. When used consistently and as directed, finasteride can help you slow recession and keep the hair you still have around your hairline, but it won’t bring back hair you’ve already lost. Finasteride is a prescription hair loss medication available on BosleyRx.com.
BosleyRx® Finasteride
Minoxidil
Minoxidil is a well-known product that can help reduce the rate of hair loss. It can be effective for thinning hair on the top-back part of the scalp known as the vertex, slowing down or inhibiting the process. It can also help slow hair loss at the hairline. BosleyMD Minoxidil is available in three formats — drops, spray and foam — in varying strengths so you can choose the application method that’s right for you.
BosleyMD Minoxidil
Red Light Therapy
Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) products have also demonstrated success in promoting hair growth and can help stop receding hairline hair loss. Laser energy stimulates the scalp at the follicle, which can increase blood flow and circulation. This process revitalizes the follicle and strengthens hair.
The Bosley Revitalizer Flex is a laser cap that utilizes clinically proven technology to grow thicker, fuller hair. Each cap features soft-flex technology for a comfortable fit and dual treatment modes — allowing you to choose the treatment that works best for your schedule. It only requires 8 minutes every day or 30 minutes every other day.
Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT)
Scalp Micropigmentation
Scalp micropigmentation (also known as SMP) is a nonsurgical treatment that’s suitable for all types of hair loss, including receding hairlines. By applying a proprietary pigment to the scalp with a special microfine needle, technicians are able to create thousands of tiny impressions that give the appearance of fuller hair and a lower hairline — all without the need for surgery.
Before After Scalp Micropigmentation
An innovative new solution for the look of a fuller head of hair
Lifestyle Changes for Receding Hairlines
In addition to the surgical and non-surgical options listed above, there are several lifestyle changes you can implement that will help you achieve the best results possible. When you combine healthy habits with scientifically-backed hair restoration techniques, it’s possible to stop your receding hairline in its tracks.
- Eat a Healthy Diet
Help hair growth by eating hair-friendly foods (such as protein-rich foods and leafy greens) and adding more vitamins and minerals to your diet. Vitamin A and B12 play a crucial role in hair health, as does zinc. - Manage Stress
Stress has a lot of negative effects on our bodies, but many people don’t know that it can also lead to hair loss. Engaging in regular exercise, practicing mindfulness, and getting enough sleep are all ways that you can reduce your stress levels. - Stop Smoking
In addition to other health risks, smoking can affect your hair’s growth cycle and speed up the hair loss process. It also adds strain on our body’s core functions by causing vasoconstriction (the narrowing or constriction of blood vessels by small muscles in their walls), which can lead to higher risk of hair loss and thinning hair. - Try a New Hairstyle
Certain hairstyles don’t just cover up hair loss, they can actually help prevent hair loss in the first place. Avoid styling your hair too tightly or using harsh products to hold it in place. - Increase Blood Flow to the Scalp
Start incorporating scalp massages into your daily routine. There are plenty of tools that can help stimulate hair growth, like the Bosley MicoRoller and the Bosley Electric Scalp Massager. - Use Topical Hair Restoration Products
Simple swaps to your usual hair care products can help stop a receding hairline. BosleyMD hair care products help to visibly restore thinning hair.
Why is My Hairline Receding?
Most hairline recession can be traced to a hormone known as dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This derivative of testosterone is hereditary, meaning it’s part of your genetic makeup.
Men with DHT-sensitive hair follicles (usually found along the hairline at the top and front of the scalp) find that their hair slowly thins over time to the point of falling out. This very common hair loss pattern is progressive and is known as androgenetic alopecia, or male-pattern baldness.
If you’ve started noticing changes to your hairline, receding is often one of the first stages of male pattern baldness. At this stage, your hair can begin to thin around your temples, and you may also notice that your hairline looks more like an M, V, or U when viewed from above.
To determine the kind and extent of hairline thinning and loss, we use what’s known as the Norwood Scale. This classification system helps healthcare professionals in diagnosing and treating hair loss. The Norwood Scale is made up of seven different stages, from mild recession to moderate thinning to severe hair loss. If you treat your hair loss while it’s still in the first few stages, you increase your chances of retaining your existing hair. However, the longer hair loss progresses, the more difficult it becomes to treat effectively.
Less commonly, hair loss can also be the result of stress, tight hairstyles, or certain medical conditions. Read more about hair loss causes in men.
Stop Your Receding Hairline with a Custom Treatment Plan
At Bosley, we carefully examine each patient’s hair loss progression to create a custom treatment plan that considers the following factors:
- Age
- Facial structure
- Existing hairline
- Quality of hair
- Long-term goals
Receding hairline treatment plans are created by a Bosley physician and developed based on your personal hair restoration goals.
To learn more about your hair restoration options, schedule a free consultation with a Bosley specialist today.
What to do next?
To learn more about your hair restoration options and the average hair transplant timeline, The Complete Book on Hair Restoration, to see how great your hair can look. If you’re ready to do something about that bald spot or thinning hair now, schedule a FREE in-person or video consultation with a trained Bosley hair restoration specialist. Together with a Bosley Physician, we can help you find out what’s causing your balding and what treatment solution is right for you.