Why Is My Hair Thinning on the Side?

Hair that thins on one side is fairly common because our scalp and follicles don’t always react or grow in precisely the same way or at the same speeds. The most common cause is androgenetic alopecia, or pattern hair loss, which affects as many as 50% of all people – male and female. [1]

One-sided hair loss or thinning can also be due to stress and pressure on your scalp caused by the way you style your hair or tight headgear, especially if you wear protective helmets or glasses that feel tighter on one side.

In this article our sector-leading hair transplant team will review some of the potential factors that contribute to your hair thinning, with tips and advice on taking decisive action to repair your hair and restore its thickness and growth to ensure that it grows evenly.

Reasons Your Hair Thins Only on One Side

Androgenetic alopecia, or pattern hair loss, is the most common reason for thinning, and although initial thinning is less noticeable, you might spot signs that your hair is less full and thick in certain areas.

A consultation is key since we can often identify the causes, which helps us advise on the next steps when we know whether there are indications of stress on your scalp on one side or can see damage to the follicles contributing to the thinning.

Our Director of Surgical Services, Dr Matee, says, ‘If you are worried about hair loss or thinning of any kind, or have found that changing your hairstyle is becoming less effective, it’s important to seek independent, confidential advice.

Thinning hair can impact your confidence, and we can recommend a variety of treatments and medications to prevent further hair thinning and replenish your hair to achieve your desired hairline.’

Traction Alopecia and One-Sided Hair Thinning

We’ve mentioned traction alopecia, which is commonly associated with wearing tight, restrictive ponytails but can also be triggered by anything which pulls and tugs at your follicles. [3]

This type of alopecia can affect your hair evenly if the same cause exists, but if you wear a side parting and then tie your hair back, it is perfectly possible that thinning will be worse on one side or impact part of your scalp and not the other.

Wearing heavier braids, tight headgear, and protective helmets can also cause traction alopecia and may be characterised by thinning on one side if you experience abrasion and tension on only one part of your scalp.

Changing your hairstyle and taking care of your scalp should help, as can therapies like platelet-rich plasma therapy to help damaged follicles and skin heal, activating new growth and improving the cellular activity within your scalp.

Hair Thinning on One Side Due to Other Forms of Alopecia

Alopecia areata can affect any aspect of your hair, including facial and body hair, and often occurs in randomised patterns, meaning you can see thinner hair on one side. [4]

Because this alopecia condition is linked to your autoimmune system, a hair transplant may not be advisable, but we’d always suggest a consultation so we can run through alternatives.

Scarring alopecia, caused by scars or trauma to the scalp, is also a factor in hair thinning or loss on one side if the scarring or tissue damage impacts one area and not others. [5] You are welcome to get in touch to talk about our specialist hair transplant scar repair services.

Telogen Effluvium and Uneven Hair Thinning

Telogen effluvium is fairly common and is usually a short-term type of hair loss that can be triggered by multiple things, from reactions to medications to hormonal changes and stress. [6]

It is often seen as initial thinning rather than complete hair loss and impacts less than half of your hair growth on your scalp in most cases, without an even pattern or way to predict where thinning will be better or worse.

Your hair and scalp will normally heal and self-correct once the cause of the telogen effluvium has resolved, although hair restoration therapies or a hair transplant could be necessary if there is permanent damage to the follicles.

Trichotillomania and Thinning Hair on One Side

This cause of hair loss is a mental health disorder where individuals find themselves pulling and tugging at their hair, usually as a way to try and cope with stress, anxiety, fear or depression. [7]

Many sufferers find themselves compulsively pulling out hair in a specific area, which results in one-sided hair thinning or loss. 

While we would never suggest a hair transplant to anybody currently struggling with their mental health, specifically those with trichotillomania, a hair transplant is certainly a positive way forward to restore hair loss once the condition is under control.

Choosing the Right Solutions for Hair Thinning on One Side

We’ve summarised some of the prevalent causes of one-sided hair thinning, but it’s important to reiterate that every client is unique, and it is impossible to say with any certainty why you are seeing thinner hair on one side without reviewing your medical history, scalp and hair growth patterns.

In some cases, hair could be thinner on one side due to something as simple as sleeping on one side every night – an easy fix such as changing your sleeping position or buying a silk or satin pillowcase might prevent the problem from getting worse.

However, we recognise that thousands of clients feel that thinning hair affects their confidence and appearance or means they cannot cut or style their hair as they’d like.

Medications for One-Sided Hair Loss

There are several medications that we can prescribe, including finasteride for male use and minoxidil, which can be used to prevent further hair loss, restore healthy skin and hair, and slow down the speed at which hair thins.

Medications are also a great option if you do not want or need a hair transplant or if you’re not concerned about the appearance of your hair now but want to take action to prevent it from thinning any further.

Non-Surgical Therapies for Hair Thinning on One Side

Clients who have early-stage hair loss or thinning are often advised to wait before scheduling a hair transplant since progressive thinning will very likely mean they would need subsequent transplants – meaning that initial steps to slow or reduce thinning are a better option and ensure you won’t need more than one procedure in the future.

Platelet-rich plasma therapy is one of the most popular, where we extract valuable platelets from your blood, and inject these carefully into target areas where you’re seeing thinning or hair loss.

This treatment can activate dormant or weak follicles and help produce thicker, richer and healthier hair, usually with a course of treatments initially and then periodic maintenance therapies.

Hair Transplants to Correct Uneven Thinning

Finally, a hair transplant provides a permanent solution and is often a preferable option once you have identified and resolved any underlying triggers, or we recommend you are at the right stage for a transplant to be successful.

Our FUE hair transplant process is completed in one appointment as a walk-in/walk-out procedure, with initial recovery times of just two weeks. Using the latest in cutting-edge equipment means every donor hair extraction and reimplantation leaves a tiny, microscopic incision, supporting expedited healing.

After a few months, a transplant will begin to regrow, ensuring that you have the hair you wish for and an even appearance across all sides of your scalp. 

Further information about the hair transplant procedure, recovery timelines, and aftercare are available through the KSL Clinic resource library and during consultations with one of our experienced surgeons.

References and Sources

1. National Library of Medicine: Androgenetic Alopecia
2. British Skin Foundation: Traction Alopecia
3. National Library of Medicine: Traction Alopecia
4. National Library of Medicine: What Causes Alopecia Areata?
5. Alopecia UK: Lichen Planopilaris (Scarring Alopecia)
6. British Association of Dermatologists: Telogen Effluvium
7. NHS: Trichotillomania (Hair Pulling Disorder)