How To Stop Receding Hairline? 8 Effective Ways In 2023

Hair loss can be discouraging and frustrating. Struggles with a receding hairline or general hair loss can leave you wanting to hide from the world. 

If you’re wondering how to stop a receding hairline, some hair loss treatments may help to slow your hair loss and even help encourage healthy hair growth.

How To Stop Hairline From Receding

The search for a reliable method for how to stop a receding hairline for males goes back centuries. While there are many potential treatments, most work best if you start them at the first signs of hair loss.

If you’re searching for how to stop a receding hairline for a teenager, it is essential to talk to your doctor. Hormonal diseases like polycystic ovaries and thyroid problems could be the cause of hair loss in teenage years, and a medical evaluation can rule out more serious underlying issues.

Medical Treatment 

There are many medications that have been shown to help slow hair loss and in some cases help regrow hair. Here are a few of the most common ones.

• Finasteride: Finasteride has a long clinical history and has been shown to effectively increase hair counts. However, oral finasteride may lead to long-term side effects. Topical finasteride^[1] may also be a viable option with fewer side effects. 
• Minoxidil: Whereas finasteride blocks hormones that affect hair growth, minoxidil increases blood flow to the hair follicles. While it is highly effective^[2] and has fewer side effects than finasteride, minoxidil may not be appropriate for everyone. Like finasteride, topical minoxidil is also an effective option.
• Spironolactone: Most medical research on hair loss focuses on male patients. If you’re looking for how to stop a receding hairline for females, spironolactone^[3] is widely used to treat female pattern baldness. Minoxidil and finasteride are also options, but have been shown not to work as well for women as they do for men. 

Talk to your doctor about the potential benefits and side-effects of medications to combat hair loss!

Hair Transplant 

Hair transplant surgery is an excellent option for how to stop a receding hairline at the temples or regrow hair on any area of the head. However, hair transplants^[4] are not appropriate for conditions like alopecia areata because the procedure works by harvesting healthy hair or hair follicles from one area of the head and moving them to an area where you want more hair. 

While it can be a great long term solution to regrowing a full head of hair, hair transplants can be very expensive and aren’t always effective.

Therapy 

Rather than taking medications, site-specific therapies may help reverse hair loss without affecting other systems in the body. The two common types of hair loss therapies are:

• Plasma-Rich Platelet Therapy: Plasma-rich platelet (PRP) therapy involves collecting platelets from the blood. While clinical trials^[5] show that it is highly effective, there isn’t a standard method for PRP for hair regrowth, so results may vary.
• Low-Level Laser Therapy: Infrared and near-infrared light can stimulate tissue repair and regeneration. Low-level laser therapy^[6] can stimulate the tissues involved in hair growth and help contribute to hair growth and reverse the hair loss process.

Talk to your doctor about whether these therapies may be right for you!

Scalp Micropigmentation

Scalp micropigmentation uses the same technology as tattooing to create the illusion of thicker hair by coloring the scalp. This approach works best for thinning hair, making the scalp less visible and disguising hair loss. It may take several sessions to complete and may need to be retouched.

Herbal Treatment

Some traditional and herbal remedies can help prevent hair loss and even encourage new hair growth. Specifically, nutraceuticals^[7] and supplements such as pumpkin seed oil, saw palmetto, and Ashwagandha may help slow or reverse hair thinning.

Specialty Shampoos 

Specialty shampoos for hair loss may include topical minoxidil or other medications. Many over-the-counter shampoos contain essential oils or ingredients that can help promote hair growth. Some shampoos contain vitamins and nutrients that support healthy hair growth.

Essential Oils & Massages 

If you’re wondering how to stop a receding hairline naturally, certain essential oils can help, including peppermint,^[8] tea tree, rosemary, thyme, lavender, and more.

Essential oils should always be diluted in a carrier oil before topical use. Many common carrier oils^[9] such as coconut, olive, and argan oils have also been shown to benefit hair health in a variety of ways.

If you use essential oils topically, watch for signs of allergy and stop using essential oils and see your doctor immediately if you notice rash, pustules, or other signs of a reaction.

Massage^[10] has also been shown to have measurable effects on hair growth. By stretching the dermal papilla cells, standardized scalp massage results in stimulation to the structures involved in hair growth. 

Bonus points for scalp massages with hair stimulating essential oils!

Healthy Lifestyle 

There are several lifestyle and whole-body wellness factors that may help you prevent hair loss.

• Diet: Certain causes of hair loss, like family history, are out of your hands. Diet is one of the main controllable factors involved in hair loss.^[11] Overeating processed sugars, as well as certain nutrient deficiencies, can contribute to hair loss. Eating a balanced diet may help maintain healthy hair follicles.
• Multivitamin: Taking a high quality multivitamin can help boost hair growth by providing hair follicles with the nutrients^[12] they need to function. However, vitamin overdose can cause hair loss, so don’t go overboard with supplements.
• Walnut Oil: Walnut oil contains a wide range of phytonutrients that have been shown to combat hair loss. Biotin deficiency has been specifically identified as one cause of hair loss and walnut oil is a great source of biotin. 

Providing your body with the nutrients it needs to grow hair may help keep your hairline intact!

Quick Fixes For A Receding Hairline

In some cases, you may need a quick fix to hide your hairline. Here are some ideas.

• Change your hairstyle: In some cases, you may be able to cover or disguise thinning  hair. Avoiding tight hairstyles may help stop a receding hairline by relieving excess tension on the hair follicles which can lead to a condition called traction alopecia.
• Wear hairpieces and wigs: Hairpieces sometimes get a bad rap, but that’s because we only notice the bad ones! Today’s hairpieces and wigs, installed correctly, can be indiscernible from your own natural hair.
• Use scarves, headwraps, headbands, and other fashion accessories: Many fashion accessories can help hide hair loss, especially for women. Scarves, headbands, headwraps, and hats can make chic fashion statements while covering thinning hair.

While these quick fixes won’t fix a receding hairline, they can help you feel more confident while other treatments get the time they need to work.

What Is A Receding Hairline? 

A receding hairline happens when hair follicles stop producing enough hair near the temples and forehead. For women, thinning hair typically starts along the part, although a receding hairline is very common in women as well, especially after childbirth.

One of the most common causes of hair loss is androgenetic alopecia, which happens when hormone changes shorten the growth phase of the hair, eventually leading to shrinkage of the hair follicle.

What Causes A Receding Hairline?

There are several factors that come into play for hair growth, as well as hair loss. One or several of these may increase your risk for a receding hairline.

• Age: As we age, the stem cells that create hair growth mutate, allowing the follicles to shrink and stop producing hair.
• Hormonal changes: Androgenetic alopecia is an exaggerated response to androgen. DHT, a specific androgen, has been implicated in hair loss in men.
• Medications or treatments: Chemotherapy is best known, but acne medications, antidepressants, anti-clotting medications, and even birth control pills can cause hair loss.
• Medical conditions: Polycystic ovary syndrome, thyroid disorders, fungal and bacterial infections, and even some viruses can also lead to hair loss.
• Stress: Stress can prompt your body to conserve resources, disrupting the normal cycle of hair growth. Losing your hair can negatively impact your mental health. Try to decrease negative thoughts about your appearance when possible and reduce your stress where you can.
• Genetics: Family history is one of the main predictors of hair loss.
• Lifestyle choices: Smoking, poor diet, overusing chemical processing on the hair, too much sun exposure, and other lifestyle choices may increase your risks for hair loss.

Some of these factors are beyond your control, but the right interventions may help you decrease your risks where possible.

Conclusion

Hair loss is usually the result of a combination of factors including age, hormone changes, diet, lifestyle choices, and environmental factors. While many of these are beyond our control, you may be able to take active steps that can help.

Talk to your doctor about medications to combat hair loss. Minimize your stress, avoid smoking, eat a healthy diet and make sure you get plenty of nutrients to support healthy hair growth.

Frequently Asked Questions