Receding temples impact a huge proportion of people – and, most often, men. This is because as many as 53% of men aged 40 to 49 experience male pattern hair loss, or androgenetic alopecia, with most seeing hair loss initially to the temples and front of the hairline. [1]
Female pattern hair loss is also more common than many assume, and 40% of women aged 50 or above see some thinning or hair loss – although this tends to begin around the crown and top of the head, characterised by a widening parting. [2]
The good news is that various treatments and therapies are available to slow receding hair or replace hair loss. Specialist receding hair and widow’s peak transplants are available across the KSL Clinic network and performed by our sector-leading surgical teams.
Receding Temples: The Key Facts
- A receding hairline, where hair growth moves back upward from the forehead, is very common and predominantly impacts men as the first sign of hereditary pattern hair loss—although there are other potential causes.
- The right action may depend on how far your hairline has receded, but for many clients, a treatment, medication, or hair transplant provides the best chance of slowing receding hair or replenishing areas of hair loss.
- It is advisable to seek help at any stage if your hairline is causing concern or impacting your self-esteem since we can recommend both initial therapies to reduce the pace of receding hair and full hair transplants, based on the stage of hair recession and your requirements.
Reasons Why Your Hairline May Be Receding
As we’ve noted, a receding hairline at the temples is the typical first sign of male pattern hair loss, a genetic predisposition affecting many men. That said, there are potentially other contributing factors or causes which may impact the hair restoration strategy we suggest:
- In women, hair loss around the temples might be linked to female androgenetic alopecia or pattern baldness. However, this is less likely since, for most women, this begins around the crown rather than at the front of the hairline.
- More often, hair loss close to the forehead in women is linked to traction alopecia [3], caused by wearing very tight hairstyles, such as a high ponytail, that pull and tug at the follicles until hair stops growing around the front of the face.
- Chemicals and other high-pressure treatments, such as using hair relaxants, wearing heavy extensions, dreadlocks or restrictive head gear for extended periods, can also contribute to traction alopecia.
- Frontal fibrosing alopecia [4] can affect men and women, although it is most common in women. It can result in a receding hairline, often alongside hair loss to the eyebrows.
The first step to understanding why your hairline is receding is to book a consultation with your nearest KSL Clinic. We’ll evaluate your scalp and hair, discuss your medical and lifestyle history, and offer insights into the most likely causes and the solutions available.
How to Correct Hair Loss Around the Temples
Part of the reason we request every prospective client attend a private consultation is to conduct a clinical appraisal of their scalp and hair—the most suitable treatments will always depend on numerous variables.
We may, for instance, suggest a change in lifestyle and scalp hygiene to prevent further hair loss if receding hair is associated with traction alopecia, often alongside a topical treatment like minoxidil or finasteride. Of these medications:
- Minoxidil, sold under the Regain brand in the UK, has proven effectiveness, with studies reporting that 62% of patients involved in clinical trials had reduced areas of hair loss after using a higher-concentration topical solution. [5]
- Finasteride is a male-only medication that can tackle or slow down male pattern hair loss. It works by lowering the levels of dihydrotestosterone, a hormone produced from testosterone. [6]
Other clients might opt for a hair restoration plan, including platelet-rich plasma therapy. This advanced non-surgical approach uses platelets extracted from a blood sample to stimulate dormant follicles and promote cellular activity in the affected areas.
In other scenarios, where follicles are unlikely to regrow or are permanently damaged, we could recommend a hair transplant. This walk-in/walk-out procedure involves the extraction of individual donor follicles for reimplantation at the site of hair loss, with plenty of information about the FUE hair transplant process available through the KSL Clinic pages.
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.
What to Expect From a Receding Hairline Transplant
Hair transplants for widow’s peaks or receding hairlines provide a permanent and customised outcome. We work closely with each client to understand their expectations and how they’d like their hairline to look.
That could mean a minor hair transplant to replenish thinning around the temples, a full transplant to the temples and front of your hairline, or a more extensive procedure to replace follicles lost around the face and leading back towards the crown.
Dr Matee, our Director of Surgical Services, says, ‘Hair transplants are a precise and bespoke treatment option, but they may not be suited to every client or could be better performed at a later stage if you have very early hair recession and want to avoid a further procedure in the future.
However, hair transplants can also provide a permanent solution to receding hair around your temples and give you the freedom to design your own perfect hairline. All procedures are completed by our GMC-registered teams within our network of CQC-regulated clinics.’
To learn more about receding hairline transplants or any services mentioned here, please book a consultation with the KSL Clinic location closest to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Hair Loss Medications as Effective as a Hair Transplant for Receding Hair?
Some clinically efficient topical medications work well at slowing the speed of hair loss or helping to improve the thickness of hair, but they cannot replace lost follicles entirely.
Likewise, finasteride is available only to male clients since it works as a dihydrotestosterone (DHT) blocker to address the hormonal imbalances that cause male-pattern hair loss. It would not be appropriate for a female client with any type of hair loss.
Can Lifestyle Changes Reverse a Receding Hairline?
We’ve noted that receding hair is usually caused by pattern hair loss. While you can take steps to improve your general health and nutrition, this rarely has a substantial effect on your hair growth—although it could potentially minimise the speed of hair loss if nutritional deficiencies have exacerbated this.
References and Sources
- National Library of Medicine: Prevalence of Male Pattern Hair Loss in 18-49-Year-Old Men
- National Library of Medicine: Demographics of Women With Female Pattern Hair Loss
- National Library of Medicine: Traction Alopecia: The Root of the Problem
- British Association of Dermatologists: Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia
- International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery: Effectiveness of 5% Minoxidil in Treating Male Pattern Hair Loss
- National Library of Medicine: Assessment of the Usefulness of Dihydrotestosterone in the Diagnostics of Patients With Androgenetic Alopecia
