How to Tell if Your Hairline Is Receding

The most common indication that you have a receding hairline is a visible difference in the thickness, length or coverage of hair density around the front of your temples, across the face and to the front of the scalp.

However, receding hairlines can look very different between people. You might, for instance, have barely perceptible thinning, see a widow’s peak developing, or spot an M or W-shaped hairline – often long before this is noticeable to other people.

Although there are multiple possible signs of a receding hairline, there are just as many potential causes and factors. For most, receding hairlines are genetic and something that runs in the family, also known as androgenetic alopecia.

For others, hair loss around the temples could be prompted by conditions like frontal fibrosing alopecia – which could dictate the right treatment options.

Our talented and highly experienced hair restoration experts can, of course, provide more tailored guidance about the nature of your hair loss or thinning on demand, with a no-cost consultation available across our network of clinics.

How to Check Whether You Have a Receding Hairline

Some clinicians define a receding hairline as one that doesn’t extend a specific distance from the brow, but we recognise that natural hair growth, facial features, and hair density are always different. Two people might have an identical hairline that doesn’t look remotely similar due to their face shape and bone structure.

For most, a receding hairline is a matter of perception, where you can see visible changes to either the coverage of your hair, the thickness of the growth, or the point on your temples where your hairline ends.

Below, we’ve listed a few examples that point to a receding hairline and how to check if this applies to you:

• A higher hairline: Measure the distance between your eyebrows and your hairline periodically, and you’ll soon see if this is changing and your hairline is creeping upward.
• M-shaped growth pattern, which you’ll be able to see if the hair to the sides of your temples reaches higher than the hair in the centre.
• Uneven hairlines, where receding hair impacts one side faster than the other – you can check for this by comparing the spot on your temples where the hairline reaches.

Dr Matee, Director of Surgical Services here at KSL Clinic, says, ‘A receding hairline is often specific to your hair. Clients with noticeable hair loss in the shower, who begin to be able to see their scalp through their hair, or who feel they have obvious thinning may be at the initial stages of a receding hairline.

If in doubt, I recommend a no-obligation consultation, during which we can provide more specific guidance.’

Here are some checks you can carry out to better understand whether your hairline is receding:

1. Check for a Change in Your Hairline Shape

• A mature hairline is a natural shift that occurs in many men after puberty, typically moving slightly higher.
• A receding hairline, however, creates an M-, V-, or U-shaped pattern, with deeper hair loss at the temples.

2. Compare Old Photos

Looking at past photos can help you spot gradual changes in your hairline over time. If your forehead appears larger or your hairline has moved further back, you may be experiencing a recession.

3. Look for Thinning Hair at the Temples

Early signs of a receding hairline often start with thinning around the temples. If you notice your hair is finer or less dense in these areas, it could be an early indicator.

4. Monitor Excessive Shedding

While shedding 50–100 hairs per day is normal, excessive hair loss—especially noticeable after showering or brushing—could be a sign of male or female pattern baldness.

5. Check for Miniaturisation

If your hair is becoming finer or shorter in certain areas, it could be due to miniaturisation, a process where hair follicles shrink and produce weaker hair before stopping altogether.

6. The ‘Finger Test’

Place three or four fingers between your eyebrows and hairline. If your hairline sits significantly higher than before, you might be dealing with recession.

7. Look at Your Family History

Genetics play a significant role in hair loss. If close relatives have experienced hairline recession, you may be more likely to develop it as well.

8. Check for Other Signs of Hair Loss

• Hair looking thinner overall
• More scalp visibility under bright light
• Changes in the way your hair behaves or styles

How to Manage a Receding Hairline

Like all types of hair loss, the right treatment or therapy will depend on the severity of the receding hairline, how long this has been continuing, the likelihood of further hair loss in the future, and the aesthetic you’d like to achieve.

Medications like finasteride, for example, can limit the speed of hair loss and might be ideal if you aren’t yet at a stage where an FUE hair transplant would be suitable or want to explore non-surgical interventions to correct hair loss first.

Other options might include platelet-rich plasma therapy to stimulate dormant follicles around the hairline or steroid creams if your receding hairline is down to a condition like frontal fibrosing alopecia.

Hair transplants can be an excellent, permanent resolution, and we only recommend the FUE technique. This uses your own donor follicles for a 100% natural, seamless result and is completed in one session on a walk-in/walk-out basis.

However, if you’ve not decided on a hair transplant or your receding hairline is only mild, we can happily discuss and recommend alternatives that are well-suited to you.

Please schedule a free consultation with your preferred KSL Clinic at any time if you’d like to chat about your hair loss concerns, verify whether you do indeed have a receding hairline, and run through the tailored treatment advice we offer.