Female hair loss can be a difficult experience for many women. Especially, when it comes to a receding hairline. On this page, you’ll find everything you need to know about the receding hairline in women, including causes, symptoms, and treatments!
Contents
Overview
- The receding hairline is a common form of hair loss many women suffer from. This condition affects the hairline and temples at the top of a woman’s forehead. Many women also simultaneously experience general hair thinning.
- There are believed to be several causes of a receding hairline in women. It can be caused be genetic factors, hormonal changes, and environmental triggers (e.g. tight hairstyles & traction alopecia).
- Many treatments are available to women suffering from hairline recession. The treatment is often dependent on the severity of a woman’s receding hairline. Common treatments are minoxidil, dietary supplements, and hair transplants.
What is a Receding Hairline in Women?
The receding hairline in women affects a woman’s hairline and temples. A receding hairline causes a woman to lose hair in the temple area (near the side of the head), resulting in the hairline moving backwards (i.e. up the head).
Receding hairlines are typically a slow form of hair loss, characterised by gradual thinning over months/years. It is also a permanent form of hair loss, meaning your hair will not grow back. As such, the only long-term solution to “reverse” or “restore” your hairline is a female hair transplant.
The receding hairline in men is common and (in almost all cases) indicates male pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia). However, this is not the case in women. The receding hairline in women is generally a less common occurrence and there are several causes. These include but are not limited to:
- Traction alopecia – a.k.a. tying your hair too tight for many years
- Frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA)
- Late-stage female pattern hair loss (FPB)
- Menopause-related hormonal changes
Something that looks similar to a receding hairline but is actually different is a woman who has had a naturally high hairline from birth. While this may have a similar appearance to a receding hairline, these two circumstances are different. However, women with naturally high hairlines may be considering a hair transplant or forehead reduction surgery to lower the appearance of their hairline.
As there are several potential causes for receding hairlines in women, it is important to diagnose a patient’s condition correctly. Getting a diagnosis usually requires a hair transplant surgeon, dermatologist, or GP. Book a free hair loss consultation today and start your hair restoration journey!
What does a receding hairline in women look like?
The receding hairline is a form of hair loss that is easy to diagnose. For this, you will need an item where you can see your reflection. A mirror or phone with a camera should suffice! If you look at your hair in the mirror, you should notice the following:
- The hair in your temple area (towards the side of your hairline) will be retreating backwards (up the head). Hair loss will be pronounced in this area.
- The hair in your frontal hairline (the hair at the front of your head, nearest the eyebrows) may be thinner than the hair on your top, back, and sides. Thinning hair across the frontal hairline usually goes hand in hand with temple recession. In women, this is indicative of a condition called frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA).
You may also want to check the density of hair follicles on the top of your head as well. Of course, while this is not strictly a receding hairline, any other symptoms may help in diagnosing female hair loss.
For instance, if a woman has a receding hairline but has thinning hair across the head, this would indicate a condition called diffuse hair loss. Similarly, women with receding hairlines may also be experiencing patterned hair loss across the mid-parting. This would be indicative of female pattern hair loss (FPB).
While several types of hair loss can affect women, a receding hairline is often a sign of significant hair loss. This leads many women to seek a diagnosis from a hair loss specialist. If you are suffering from a receding hairline, book a free consultation today to receive a diagnosis and treatment plan.
What Causes a Receding Hairline in Women?
The causes of a hairline recession in women are more varied than in men. In males, hairline recession is almost always caused by “male pattern baldness” (androgenetic alopecia). In women, a receding hairline can be caused by several factors, including:
- Late-Stage Female Pattern Baldness (FPB)—Some women with female pattern hair loss may experience temple hair loss alongside thinning on mid-parting. Although this is uncommon, temple recession can be a symptom of late-stage FPB.
- Traction Alopecia (TA) – this is where hair follicles are physically pulled/forced from the scalp from excess tension. In women, TA is often caused by styling practices such as tight ponytails, braids, extensions, and dreadlocks.
- Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia (FFA) – FFA is a permanent hair loss condition that commonly affects post-menopausal women. Patients with this condition experience balding along the front and sides of the hairline.
- Cicatricial Alopecia (CA) – Sometimes called “scarring alopecia”, CA occurs when a woman’s hair follicles cannot grow due to scarring. In extremely rare cases, FFA can cause scarring on the hairline, leading to the development of CA. This can worsen a woman’s hair loss and rule out a hair transplant as a treatment option.
- Hormonal Changes – hairline recession in women can be caused by hormonal changes from menopause. One study tracked the development of the “m-shaped hairline” in postmenopausal women [1].
- Other Environmental Factors – several other factors can cause hair loss in the hairline and temples. Harsh chemical treatments in hair dye can damage hair follicles, leading to hair loss. In some cases, this can affect the temples.
What Age Will a Woman Suffer From a Receding Hairline?
The receding hairline usually affects women between the ages of 45 and 65. The development of an “m-shaped” hairline is commonly observed in post-menopausal women. It is also a symptom sometimes seen in women with late-stage female pattern baldness (Ludwig Scale: Stage 3).
Scientific research suggests women between 45 and 60 are most likely to suffer from a receding hairline. Hair loss in this age bracket is usually caused by the onset of the menopause. But how is this caused?
During menopause, a woman experiences hormonal changes in the body. This causes the body to stop releasing eggs and producing female sex hormones, such as oestrogen and progesterone. One of the secondary effects of the menopause is hair loss.
The relationship between hair and hormones is well documented. One of the reasons women have thick and full hair is due to high levels of female sex hormones. That’s why a woman’s hair will become visibly thicker and fuller during pregnancy and many women experience post-partum hair loss hormones return back to typical levels.
As the body produces fewer female sex hormones during menopause, many women start to experience hair loss. One explanation for this may be that as female sex hormones decrease, the ratio of male sex hormones becomes higher. High levels of male sex hormones, specifically DHT, have been shown to cause hair loss in the temples.
With lower levels of female sex hormones, women experiencing menopause are at a heightened risk of developing a receding hairline.
How Do Male and Female Receding Hairlines Differ?
Although the symptoms of a receding hairline are the same for men and women, there are several differences in: causes, affected age-groups, and treatment options available to patients.
In men, receding hairlines are caused by male pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia). Pattern baldness typically affects men between 25-40 years old. Patients who suffer from male pattern hair loss will first experience hairline recession. In more severe cases, hair loss can occur in the crown area.
Androgenic alopecia is also a hereditary hair loss condition. This means patients with pattern hair loss have a genetic predisposition to the condition inherited from their parents. Women can also suffer from androgenic alopecia (called “female pattern baldness”). However, pattern hair loss in women manifests differently to men, instead affecting the mid-parting rather than the hair line.
Pattern hair loss (both male and female androgenetic alopecia) can be dealt with using many different treatment options. Getting an early diagnosis for pattern hair loss will increase the efficacy of preventative medications and topical treatments, such as DHT-blockers and Minoxidil. Essentially, the more hair you have, the more effective preventative medications are going to be.
As stated earlier in this article, receding hairlines in women typically occur post-menopause and can usually be expained by hormonal or environmental factors. Several treatment options also exist for female pattern hair loss and receding hairline in women.
However, as receding hairlines in women could indicate one of many conditions, it is important to get the right diagnosis. This is because different treatment options will be more effective for whichever condition you may be experiencing.
What Treatment Methods Are Available for a Woman with a Receding Hairline?
If you are a woman suffering from a receding hairline, then several treatment options are available to you. It is important to get a diagnosis for your receding hairline as early as possible. We recommend this for two reasons:
- Getting the correct diagnosis ensures you will be recommended effective treatments for whichever condition you have. This means you will not have to waste time with treatment options that are unlikely to help or pose a risk to women.
- The earlier you get a diagnosis for your hair loss condition, the less hair loss you are likely to experience before you begin a treatment plan. This is likely to increase the efficacy of preventative medications and/or lower the cost of a hair transplant.
If you are a woman with a receding hairline, here is a list of treatments that can be taken to prevent hair loss and promote hair growth.
Minoxidil (Topical Foam)
Minoxidil, or “Rogaine”, is a topical treatment that is applied to the scalp to prevent hair loss and promote hair growth. When massaged into the scalp, minoxidil acts as a vasodilator. This increases the amount of blood flow around the scalp, ensuring each hair follicle on the hairline receives enough blood and oxygen.
Increasing the blood flow to the hair follicle helps to strengthen the hair shaft. In turn, this helps elongate the “anagen” (growth) phase of the hair growth cycle and prevents the “catagen” (shedding) and “telogen” (resting) phases.
One of the benefits of minoxidil is that it is a cheap and easily available treatment for women experiencing a receding hairline. The treatment can be bought over the counter of any pharmacy or health shop and does not require a prescription to be acquired.
One drawback of minoxidil is that it is a less effective treatment at treating hair loss than medications such a DHT-blockers (finasteride and dutasteride). If hair loss on the hairline is extensive, it is also less likely to be effective. This is true for all conditions, including frontal fibrosing alopecia, traction alopecia, and Cicatricial alopecia.
Hair Transplants
The hairline hair transplant is a popular surgical option for patients wanting to fix their receding hairline. Hair restoration surgery is suitable for both men and women, helping to reverse signs of a receding hairline and leaving women feeling more self-confident and looking years younger!
A hairline hair transplant looks to take individual hair follicles form the back and sides of a woman’s head (donor area) and implant them into the hairline. This should help to reshape the hairline and “fill in” any previous areas of thinning hair.
Hairline hair transplants are the only way to truly reverse signs of hairline recession in women. Transplanting hairs fro one area of the scalp to the other enables a hairline to be surgically lowered and thickened, whilst remaining natural-looking.
Tat being said, hair transplants can be expensive and not suitable for every type of hairline recession in women. Those with late-stage female pattern hair loss may be eligible for a hair transplant, while those with traction alopecia or dermatological issues generally are not.
The most common forms of hairline hair transplants are DHI and FUE. However, FUT may also be recommended for some female patients. Book a free consultation today and begin your hairline restoration journey!
Women and Hair Loss Treatments: Why are DHT-Blockers Not Recommended for a Female Receding Hairline?
In the UK, DHT-blocking medications are usually not recommended to female patients. The first reason is that finasteride can have harmful side effects on a woman’s body. The second is that DHT-blockers are usually ineffective at treating a female receding hairline.
Scientific research has shown that finasteride is not suitable for fertile women as it can pose problems during pregnancy. Finasteride can potentially cause foetal defects and women who breastfeed should not take finasteride.
Furthermore, one scientific study tracked 137 postmenopausal women who were given a 1mg dose of finasteride for one year (with some being given a placebo). After taking a scalp hair follicle count at the beginning and end of the experiment, results showed no hair restoration to have occurred after a year of treatment.
So, finasteride is not only ineffective at treating hairline hair loss in women but can also pose significant health risks. Alternative medications and treatments should be prioritised over finasteride.
Conclusion
Receding hairlines are a common form of hair loss many women suffer from. The condition affects the hairline and temples at the top of a woman’s forehead and there are many potential causes. Many treatments are available to women who have a receding hairline.