Guide to receding hairline: Causes and how to fix it

Many young men's worst fear is to see a receding hairline, which gradually develop and often end in outright hair loss. Receding hairline occur most often in men, but can also occur in women. There can be many different reasons why you experience receding hairline. For some, it may be poor diet, while other causes may be using the wrong hair care products or hormonal imbalances. For many, receding hairline are associated with one's self-confidence and self-esteem. Fortunately, receding hairline do not have to be permanent, as there are a number of treatments and good advice to avoid or at least minimize the risk of gettingreceding hairline yourself.

The first signs of a receding hairline

A receding hairline is often the first sign of incipient hair loss in men. It often starts very gradually, where the hairline will first change into a "V" shape. After this, it will gradually develop so that the hairline moves to look like a kind of "M".

It can be a difficult process to keep track of, as hair loss is often a very long-term process. It will therefore be difficult to see the difference day by day. A tip might be to take a picture of your hairline and then compare it with a subsequent picture a few months later. It can give you a better picture of whether/or how your hairline has moved.

Please note that the images must be as comparable as possible in terms of distance and light. If you notice small changes, be careful not to be too quick, as the pictures may lie a little. But if you experience major changes, it is a good idea to get started as soon as possible with an effective treatment.

Why do you get a receding hairline?

Why do you get a receding hairline and why is it especially men who often get receding hairline? Genetics is one of the leading causes, as a family history of hair loss can predispose individuals to a receding hairline. Hormonal factors, particularly the sensitivity of hair follicles to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), often play a key role. Lifestyle habits, such as stress, poor diet, and insufficient scalp care, may also exacerbate hairline recession.

There can be a number of reasons that can create receding hairline, but we take you through some of the most common ones here:

Hormones and genetics

Your genes often play a big role in your hair. If your father, for example, has receding hairline or is bald, then it may be that this type of hair is in your genes. This will often become more apparent over the years, when you may find that your hair begins to take more and more shape like your father's.

More precisely, it is called Androgenic Alopecia, which is permanent and hereditary hair loss or baldness. Androgenic Alopecia occurs if the body is hypersensitive to the hormone dihydrotestosterone, also called DHT. This hormone is formed from the male sex hormone testosterone, which is produced in the liver and hair follicles in both men and women. However, men are especially affected because the testicles also produce a lot. The effect of this hormone is that over time it shrinks your hair follicles, so that at some point no more hair can grow. In men, it appears either at receding hairline or as a moon shape at the back of the head. For women, it will be a little more randomly located, but it will most often appear on the top of the head in the form of general thinning of the hair.

Understanding how to grow back a receding hairline often involves addressing hormonal imbalances. Treatments may include blocking DHT with specialized medications, using receding hairline products formulated for regrowth, and making lifestyle changes to support hair health.

Poor diet can also lead to receding hairline

Your diet has a huge influence on both your body in general, but also your hair in particular. The body is designed so that it focuses vitamins and minerals to the most important organs. Here, the hair is unfortunately one of the first places your body saves vitamins and minerals from. It's smart because the body focuses on the most important organs running before the hair gets anything. Therefore, a poor diet over a long period of time can play a big role in your body being able to maintain normal hair. This may be one of the reasons why you start to experience slightly receding hairline in the hairline.

Have you experienced a receding hairline?

Yes, and I'm looking for solutions

Not yet, but I'm concerned

No, and I'm not worried

Wrong hair care products

The wrong hair care products are often an overlooked factor in relation to receding hairline. Especially with men, there is a lot to be gained by simply upgrading your hair products a little. Often you buy the cheap shampoo in the supermarket, which of course can still be good, but if you experience receding hairline it may be a good idea to give the ingredients list a second look first.

Harsh sulfates, parabens, and synthetic fragrances can strip the scalp of its natural oils, potentially leading to irritation, dryness, and weakened hair follicles. Opting for high-quality, sulfate-free shampoos and conditioners with nourishing ingredients like biotin, keratin, and essential oils can help support a healthier scalp environment and stronger hair growth.

Man washes his hair

Your lifestyle plays a role in your hair

Your lifestyle can often also play a big role in your hair and its health. Exercise can actually be an effective aid in avoiding receding hairline. Exercise and especially pulse training get the blood pumping around the body, thereby oxygenating the blood. When the blood pumps around the body, it brings oxygen, but also vitamins and minerals from your normal diet. It is particularly important for your hair, as it receives vitamins that help maintain normal hair. An active and healthy lifestyle can therefore play a big role in avoiding the receding hairline.

Likewise, an unhealthy lifestyle can contribute to the development of a receding hairline, making it more challenging to maintain healthy hair. Especially stress, smoking and the consumption of alcohol can be some of the things you need to be aware of. The body is designed in such a way that when it experiences physical or mental stress, it produces more testosterone, some of which is converted to DHT, which we have previously reviewed reduces the absorption of vitamins and minerals to your hair roots. This makes it harder for your hair roots to reproduce strands of the same quality, which will eventually lead to hair loss and receding hairline. It may therefore be a good idea to take care of any signs of stress quickly - not only for your hair, but also for your own well-being. Additionally, if you start to experience higher temps, consider taking a break from drinking alcohol or cutting down/stopping smoking.

Your lifestyle has a big effect on your hair

How to fix a receding hairline

We have now reviewed some of the reasons you should be aware of if one day you stand and think "shit, my hairline has moved". If you experience it one day, it is not necessarily game-over, there are an incredible number of simple but effective tips and tricks for how you can avoid or reduce the receding hairline.

Get the right shampoo

One of the easiest places to incorporate is in your hair care routine. Especially if you are a man, you have most likely not taken that part too seriously for many years and often it has turned into the cheap shampoo down in the supermarket. The problem with these is that often quite cheap ingredients are used, where some of these can be quite problematic if you want to avoid the receding hairline. On the list of ingredients, pay special attention to SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate) and SLES (Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate), these are some particularly strong sulfates that you should avoid. Sulfate is a cleanser that cleans the hair and scalp, but it can also be too much. Precisely these substances can contribute to drying out your hair and scalp. This is particularly problematic for your scalp, as its natural oils will be largely stripped away. It can help to create an unbalanced scalp, which means that strong strands of hair are not produced.

Choosing a sulfate- and silicone-free shampoo can help preserve the natural balance of your scalp, allowing healthier, stronger hair to grow. When looking for receding hairline products, opt for shampoos that contain nourishing ingredients like argan oil, aloe vera, and keratin to support hair health and hydration. The price difference can be large, but DKK 100 to 200 more can make a huge difference to your hair and the fight against receding hairline.

Care for your scalp

This leads us on to the next topic - have you thought about caring for your scalp? One of the major prerequisites for being able to produce healthy and normal hair is a balanced scalp.

A good tip would therefore be to see if your scalp needs a little love. A simple tip is to use a scalp brush, it doesn't cost a fortune and can prove quite effective if you suffer from dandruff, among other things. It can be a good first step in caring for your scalp before you buy yourself poor in all kinds of scalp oils and other products.

Regular scalp massages with a scalp brush or fingertips can stimulate blood flow and contribute to a healthier scalp environment. Increased blood circulation promotes nutrient delivery to hair follicles, potentially slowing down or preventing a receding hairline. Additionally, scalp massage may help reduce tension and promote relaxation, supporting overall hair health.

If you want a more detailed explanation of how to ensure the optimal scalp massage, you can read a guide here . BONUS: scalp massage can actually help increase your hair growth as it helps increase blood circulation to your hair strands.

Eat healthy and varied

The good old advice also applies in this context. Your body and thus also your hair need the vitamins and minerals that you get through a healthy and varied diet. The hair roots need the nutrition it needs to maintain healthy and normal hair. Therefore, make sure to eat well with low-fat proteins, healthy fatty acids, fruit and vegetables. Also drink plenty of water during the day.

Consider a hair supplement

Do you find it difficult to eat healthy and varied every day? It can often be difficult to get all the vitamins and minerals the body and thus also the hair needs to maintain normal function. If you experience receding hairline, it is of course important to eat healthy and varied, but it may also be an idea to supplement your diet with a food supplement that contains vitamins and minerals that help maintain normal hair. Here our hair vitamins can be a good step on the way, as they contain Biotin , Folic acid and Zinc which help to maintain normal hair.

Use a dermaroller with a hair growth serum

To care for a receding hairline and promote hair growth, you can use a combination of a dermaroller and hair growth serum. A dermaroller creates microscopic holes in the scalp, which increases blood circulation and stimulates hair follicles. This improves the absorption of the active ingredients in the hair growth serum, such as Grow and Glow Serum from Yuaia Haircare, which contains nutrients and growth-promoting ingredients.

By creating tiny channels in the scalp, the dermaroller enhances the penetration and effectiveness of serums, allowing the active compounds to reach deeper into the skin and nourish hair follicles more effectively. When you use the dermaroller once a week and apply the serum daily, you can achieve better results in terms of increased hair growth and strengthened hair at the temples.

Hairstyles for those with a receding hairline

Sometimes you can try everything to avoid or postpone the receding hairline, but you can also come to terms with the thought and start looking for hairstyles that can suit your hair. It can therefore often be a good idea to go to a skilled hairdresser and get a hairstyle that suits your hair.

Often, short hairstyles will suit you with thin hair better than long hair, for example. The short hairstyle will often be able to appear fuller than the long one, at the same time it is much easier to style the short hairstyle so that it looks like the hair has a lot of volume.

Here are just a few hairstyle ideas for you with receding hairline:

Buzz Cut - A super short hairstyle that will make your hairline less noticeable.

Crew cut - This hairstyle is slightly longer on the top of the head than the Buzz Cut, but still has the same closely cropped sides as the Buzz Cut. Is ideal for hiding the receding hairline.

Clean Shave - Are you just tired of the receding hairline? Then you can try a Clean shave which will make you completely bald. Often it will actually fit surprisingly well for many.

Am I getting a receding hairline?

Whether you get receding hairline or not depends a lot on the cause. If the cause is Androgenic Alopecia, it will show continuously over the years and unfortunately there is really no definite cure for it. However, with the right lifestyle, you can postpone hair loss to some extent. Androgenic Alopecia is often genetically determined, therefore hereditary. You can thus look around your family and see how their hairline has evolved to get a glimpse of how yours might turn out. But there can be many different causes of hair loss, which makes it difficult to give a perfect answer. The only way you can really find a sure answer is to visit your doctor and have a chat about why you are losing hair. Then you can get started with the right measures to either avoid, postpone or reduce hair loss.

Can women also have a receding hairline?

Okay, now it's getting a little geeky, so hang in there! Males have an X and Y chromosome, while females have 2 X chromosomes. Thus, males inherit a Y chromosome from their father and an X chromosome from their mother, while females inherit an X chromosome from both their parents.

Both chromosomes contain genes that determine something about hair growth. But the X chromosome determines whether you inherit androgenic alopecia. Here it is so unfortunate for the man, as he only inherits an X chromosome, which means that if that chromosome has the genes for hair loss, he will thus get it. Whereas the women have two X chromosomes, here both must have genes with androgenic alopecia to trigger hair loss, while if there is only 1, then the gene with normal hair growth will be the dominant one.

Thus, we can go through the slightly convoluted explanation and can say that women can have receding hairline, but have a somewhat smaller risk of it than men.

FAQ about Receding Hairline

Is a Receding Hairline a sign of hair loss?

Yes, a Receding Hairline can be a sign of hair loss. Receding Hairline occur when the hairline recedes on the sides of the forehead, which is often an early sign of male pattern hair loss (androgenetic alopecia). This can also occur in women, although less frequently. Recognizing a receding hairline early can help you explore potential treatments or lifestyle adjustments to slow its progression.

Causes of a Receding Hairline:

Genetics: Hereditary factors play a major role in hair loss and receding hairline.
Hormones: Hormonal changes, especially androgens, can contribute to hair loss.
Ageing: With age, hair follicles become weaker, which can lead to hair loss.
Stress: Prolonged stress can affect hair growth and accelerate hair loss.

Can you be born with a Receding Hairline?

Yes, you can be born with a Receding Hairline. The shape and position of the hairline is largely genetically determined and some people may naturally have a higher hairline or Receding Hairline from birth. This is normal and not necessarily a sign of hair loss. Receding Hairline can be part of your natural facial features and vary from person to person. It's only when the hairline begins to recede further with age or in certain conditions that it may indicate the onset of hair loss.

Can a receding hairline grow back?

Yes, it is possible for a receding hairline to regrow, especially when addressed early. Treatment options include:

Medications: Over-the-counter treatments like minoxidil (Rogaine) and prescription medications such as finasteride (Propecia) have been shown to promote hair regrowth and slow further loss.
Lifestyle Changes: Adopting a balanced diet rich in essential nutrients, managing stress, and avoiding hairstyles that pull on the hair can support hair health.
Natural Remedies: Some studies suggest that natural ingredients like green tea, turmeric, and soy may help lower DHT levels, potentially aiding in hair regrowth.
Medical Procedures: In cases where other treatments are ineffective, procedures like hair transplants can restore hair to thinning areas.

It's important to consult with a healthcare professional to determine the most appropriate treatment based on individual circumstances.

Product recommendations for a receding hairline

If you're looking for the best products for a receding hairline or hair loss in general, take a look here. We've gathered our top product recommendations here.

Shampoo for a receding hairline

First of all, we highly recommend our Grow and Glow Shampoo, it has some great hair loss properties, with the ingredient Capilia Longa at its centre, it has shown a reduction in hair loss of up to 89% and an increase in hair density of up to 52% when used for 150 days. If you want to read more about the Capilia Longa ingredient and its results, read here. The shampoo is gentle to use and contains a lot of good ingredients for both hair and scalp. An extra good tip is to leave it on for 2 minutes to allow it to work on the scalp. And of course, it's silicone and sulphate free, so you get the best shampoo for hair loss.

Hair serum for a receding hairline

The Grow and Glow range also has a serum that is highly effective against hair loss, it also contains the ingredient Capilia Longa, as well as Amaranthus Candstus Seed Extract, which helps to increase the diameter of each hair strand. In addition, the serum contains a combination of several active ingredients that provide the scalp with a gentle exfoliation that maintains the scalp microflora. This reduces the tendency for oily hair and scalp. In particular, its menthol crystals help to provide a cooling effect in the areas where it is sprayed. This helps to increase blood flow to the scalp and thus also the hair follicles. The product is unisex and can therefore also be used by men. It is very simple to use as it is simply sprayed into the hair and left in place. It can either be sprayed locally in areas with hair loss or throughout the hair. It doesn't matter if it's wet or dry hair. A bonus tip is to use it in combination with our Deep Scalp Brush to distribute the serum on the scalp.

Vitamins for hair

While vitamin deficiency may not be the cause of your receding hairline, it can sometimes be a good idea to supplement your diet with hair vitamins to make sure you get the optimal nutrition for your hair. Here we recommend our hair vitamins, which with its unique formula is among the best on the market. It has a high content of biotin and zinc to help maintain normal hair, as well as bamboo extract and a host of other vitamins. They are free from gluten, lactose, gelatine and sugar.

Hair Vitamins

Need help?

Search our store

Receding hairline - How to prevent it

Table of contents

The first signs of a receding hairline