Stopping or slowing down a receding hairline can involve a combination of lifestyle changes, treatments, and sometimes medical interventions. In this article, we review the best ways to slow or even stop a receding hairline.
A receding hairline is most commonly caused by androgenetic alopecia or pattern hair loss. [1] The right options to stop your hairline from receding can vary but commonly include initial therapies and medications to slow pattern hair loss, followed by a bespoke receding hair transplant.
One of the key aspects to bear in mind is that if you are concerned about a receding hairline or feel this impacts your appearance, you are far from alone. As many as 42% of men experience moderate or extensive hair loss, rising to 53% of men aged 40 to 49. [2]
The best solutions will depend on your age, the extent of hair loss and whether there is a likelihood that your hairline will recede further. We can provide tailored recommendations during a no-cost consultation at the nearest KSL Clinic to you.
Receding Hairlines: Quick Facts
- Receding hairlines are incredibly common, and while they primarily affect men, women can also experience thinning hair or hair loss around their temples, often due to conditions like frontal fibrosing alopecia. [3]
- An immediate hair transplant may not always be advisable since pattern hair loss progresses over time. If we believe your transplant would be successful but require further interventions in the future, we may suggest a non-surgical alternative in the short term, such as platelet-rich plasma therapy or a medication like minoxidil.
- That said, taking action is key since leaving it too late could mean a receding hairline transplant will not achieve the desired results if you have insufficient donor follicles to replenish your hairline.
Ways to Stop a Receding Hairline
KSL Clinic’s leading hair transplant specialists consult with thousands of clients every year who are dissatisfied with their hairline and have seen hair loss resulting in a widow’s peak, a pushed-back hairline, or thinning hair around the temples.
Dr Matee, our Director of Surgical Services, says, ‘There are multiple ways to stop a receding hairline from worsening or restore the hair lost, but we always require an in-person consultation to ensure we’re providing tailored suggestions based on a clinical evaluation of your scalp and hair.
Hair transplants are incredibly effective, but they need to be performed at the right time, ensuring your hairline is full, thick, and youthful, without the risk that you will need follow-up hair transplants in the future.’
Medications to Help Slow Down Hair Recession
Prescription medications like finasteride and minoxidil are often recommended for clients with pattern baldness who either are unsure about a hair transplant or are in the early stages of hair loss and wish to prevent this from escalating.
Finasteride [4] is suitable only for men and interrupts the hormonal processes where testosterone is converted to dihydrotestosterone. [5] This chemical impedes hair growth and is a key aspect of male pattern baldness.
A drawback is that you have to continue taking finasteride over the long term to ensure your hair loss doesn’t return to its previous pace, and it can take a few months to see any noticeable sign of hair regrowth.
Another option to consider is minoxidil [6] which is commonly recommended for people at earlier stages of hair loss because its impacts can be limited for those with more advanced signs of pattern baldness.
Hair Growth Serums and Shampoos for Receding Hairlines
There are millions of shampoos and serums on the market which purport to help with hair loss, although they tend to have limited effects. Some of the better options include Regaine, a well-known brand that contains minoxidil, which is the medication mentioned above.
However, we would advise that most serums and shampoos without a proven clinical ingredient may not have any effect at all, and most are cosmetic treatments designed to thicken your existing hair, rather than stimulate new growth.
Get a cost for your hair transplant
Looking for a consultation regarding the hair transplant cost? Book a free consultation with us today to see what we can do for you.
Professional Hair Restoration Therapies for a Receding Hairline
We often suggest interim treatments if you are not yet an ideal hair transplant candidate or if you would prefer to tackle a receding hairline in a non-surgical way.
Options might depend on the causes of your hair loss or thinning but can include laser light therapy to activate dormant follicles, or platelet-rich plasma therapy. The latter is an innovative approach that uses the biodynamic compounds in your blood to stimulate cellular activity in your scalp and hair.
Scheduling a Hair Transplant to Permanently Correct a Receding Hairline
Finally, a hair transplant is an effective, safe, minimally invasive procedure that provides a permanent fix, using your own healthy donor follicles to create a pre-configured growth pattern based on the appearance you’d like to achieve.
Our FUE hair transplant process is fast and hugely successful, with a local anaesthetic to ensure the procedure is pain-free and the latest in cutting-edge surgical techniques which support an expedited recovery period.
You are welcome to contact KSL Clinic at your convenience to learn more about hair transplants for receding hairlines or enquire about any of the solutions we have discussed here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Hide a Receding Hairline With a New Style?
Potentially, yes, many people opt to switch their parting or wear a fringe, brushing their hair forward to conceal the temples and make a receding hairline less obvious.
This is often easier for men who can comb or style their hair using waxes and gels, although shorter trims are also a good way to cover up a receding hairline and make the contrast between your hair and skin less noticeable.
However, a change in hairstyle is often a temporary fix, and we’d recommend a hair restoration consultation if your hairline is continuing to recede and efforts to hide this with styling are becoming less successful.
How Can I Check if I Am a Candidate for a Receding Hairline Transplant?
We provide a full suite of hair restoration therapies and transplants and can happily run through all the options during a free consultation at any of our clinics nationwide.
The best advice is never to suffer in silence or assume that because receding hairlines run in your family, there is nothing you can do. Whether it is medication, non-surgical therapy, or customised hair transplant, we can often provide an action plan to achieve the hairline you aspire to.
References and Sources
- National Library of Medicine: Androgenetic Alopecia
- National Library of Medicine: Prevalence of Male Pattern Hair Loss in 18-49 Year Old Men
- British Association of Dermatologists: Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia
- National Library of Medicine: Finasteride
- National Library of Medicine: Dihydrotestosterone
- National Library of Medicine: Minoxidil
