Receding Hairline and Baldness | The Best Receding Hairline Treatments
If you are suffering from a receding hairline or baldness, you want the right frontal hair loss treatment. The good news is, many treatment solutions for male hair loss offer ways that may help to stop a receding hairline and regrow some hair.
Knowing what your options are can help you decide which receding hairline treatment will fix the receding hairline and reverse the hair loss, all within your budget.
Cause of a Receding Hairline or Baldness
Roughly 95% of hair loss and receding hair lines in men is caused by androgenic alopecia, known as normal male pattern baldness. Androgenetic alopecia is normal hair loss which often begins with a loss of hair progressing from the temple and forehead. As the receding hairline moves back, it forms a widow’s peak, thinning out in the front toward the crown. With this type of baldness, some men experience a bald patch on the top of the head, which will eventually reach the sides.
Normal male pattern baldness does not involve patches of hair loss, pain, or redness. Such conditions could result from a medical problem.
The cause and timing of a mature hairline are hereditary, genetically linked (possibly) to maternal grandparents. As of this time though, researchers have not proven with certainty which gene causes male pattern baldness.
If you do carry the gene to potentially develop a receding hairline or baldness, it will actually be the formation of a hormone called DHT (dihydrotestosterone), formed from testosterone, which causes the balding to begin.
Androgens produced by the body combine with 5 Alpha reductase to produce the dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which attacks hair follicles, causing hair loss as the diameter decreases and the hairs eventually fall out. The hair loss progresses from a temple receding hairline to a widow’s peak, thinning out in the front toward the crown.
Female Hair Loss and Receding Hairline
Female hair loss is also common as aging occurs, but more unlikely to result in a receding hairline. Normal female pattern baldness is not as affected by testosterone levels as male pattern baldness, and tends to result in an overall thinning of the hair on the scalp.
Female hair loss can begin by conditions such as pregnancy and menopause, which are equally related to changing hormone levels.
Receding Hairline Treatment – FDA Approved
There are many options available to prevent a receding hairline or conceal hair loss. Not all have been proven to work.
Of all the hair loss options, only 4 methods have officially been approved by the FDA for hair loss, 2 medications and 2 surgery treatments. They are Minoxidil ( Rogaine and Generic), Finasteride ( Propecia), hair restoration surgery and flap surgery.
How to Stop a Receding Hairline
Most types of receding hairline treatment either replace the hair follicles that have been turned off by DHT or reduce the effects of DHT through topical or oral medications. The right hair loss treatment for men can stop frontal hair loss and begin hair regrowth. The goal is to find the best hair loss products to reverse receding hairline thinning, and stop frontal baldness.
Normally, frontal hair loss begins at the temples, exposing more of the forehead and scalp. The loss of hair occurs as the hair that falls out is not replaced naturally by the hair follicle. Many men and women start to search for products or treatments to regrow the receding hair. Below are some of the best options for receding hairline treatment.
Surgical Receding Hairline Treatment
The most effective receding hairline treatment for men, which is FDA approved for hair loss replacement, involves the surgical transplantation of hair follicles to the frontal and temple areas of hair loss, called hair grafting. This solution is permanent and a true receding hairline cure. A hair replacement for men begins when a hair transplant surgeon takes hair follicles from the back of the head and transplants them to the front of the mature hairline, restoring the scalp to its younger form. This is a permanent solution that will fix a receding hairline and temple hair loss, allowing natural hair regrowth.
It is a permanent solution for receding hairline because the hair follicles on the back of the head are resistant to DHT, so these follicles will stop a receding hairline from recurring. When done by a highly qualified surgeon, no one will be able to tell that surgical hair restoration has been done. This is the only fully effective frontal hair loss treatment for men. With new hair follicles, you can stop a receding hairline from progressing into baldness.
Cost of Hair Transplants for Men
Although it is hard to estimate the cost, hair restoration surgery is an expensive option. In order to replace the hair follicles at the temples, the surgeon needs to graft follicles from the back of the head. Depending on the amount of hair loss, the cost of a hair transplant will be $2.00 to $10.00 for each hair graft. You can use our hair restoration cost calculator to get a rough estimate of what it may cost for you. If your receding hair is recent, you may receive hairline regrowth for much less.
FDA Approved Flap Surgery for Hair Loss Replacement
Flap surgery for hair replacement is a reconstructive surgery which takes a flap of skin with healthy hair follicles and places it in the area of hair loss. This can be your own hair flap, or a donor flap. It is a permanent remedy for hair loss.
Because flap surgery takes an existing flap of skin with hair follicles and rotates it to the new location, you will have permanent hair follicles resistant to receding and DHT. But, there can be areas of gapping, which are undesirable and may require touch up for full coverage.
Flap surgery for receding hairline may be ideal for those with frontal hair loss, but it is often not chosen by surgeons over surgical hair restoration surgery. A qualified surgeon can let you know if this option is desirable to reverse a receding hairline for you.
Minoxidil for a Receding Hairline
Minoxidil, sold under the brand names Rogaine and Kirkland Minoxidil and available in generic form, is one of only two FDA-approved medications to stop hair loss. This topical treatment works by revitalizing hair follicles, which makes them produce thicker, healthier hairs. It is most effective in stopping hair loss to help regrow hair, and is used as a female or male hair loss treatment. Rogaine has tested minoxidil for years, with success for hair regrowth as high as 85%.
Using Rogaine for hair regrowth on a receding hairline was at one time considered a poor solution for temple regrowth. But, those with frontal hair loss have used it successfully for years, and have experienced some frontal and temple regrowth. It is not a miracle solution, but it does work.
The major downside is that if a person uses minoxidil and then stops using it, the hair follicles will weaken and hair loss will revert back to the mature hairline. To achieve hair growth for receeding hairlines or thinning hair, Rogaine or Kirkland Minoxidil hair treatment should be used permanently. Also, there can be side effects such as itching and dryness of the scalp, as well as an oily feeling from the Rogaine foam or hair treatment. It may be months before you see a difference. You should commit to a minimum of three months before you start using Rogaine for hair regrowth.
Here is a real user review regarding using Rogaine for receding hairline or Temple hair regrowth from Amazon:
I’ve been using for almost a year. This is my experience. I had slight balding on my vertex severe thinning around my temples, and slight thinning on top.
After 9 months of using, I cut my hair really short to see what if anything happened. The bald spot on my vertex is nearly gone. I’m much thicker on top. My temples have started growing some, but it is peach fuzz. It does appear thicker and more plentiful than it did a few months ago.
I’ve reduced from twice daily to once at night. Using 1ml per application.
Side effects… dandruff, very heavy about once a week. It’s easily managed, but can be unpredictable. About 30 minutes after application, sometimes I get a headache as I feel it working. Goes away/get used to it fairly quickly.
Foam smelled. It wasn’t an unpleasant odor, but it was a noticable odor.
I prefer the topical solution, but it takes some time to dry.
The cost of Rogain for receding hairline treatment will be about $25-$35 per month. Minoxidil products in generic form will cost even less.
You can read more reviews or buy Rogain Here.
Propecia aka..Finasteride for Hair Loss Help
Finasteride, sold under the brand name Propecia and also in generic form, is an FDA-approved oral medication for hair loss regrowth. But does Propecia work for receding hairline treatment? Propecia results show this medication works by blocking DHT, which allows the regrowth of thinning hair on the scalp.
Finasteride for hair loss has been proven effective as a hair loss treatment for men to regrow hair on the crown of the head, but not for receding hairlines. Because frontal hair loss is a result of hair follicles affected by DHT, not all hair loss products stop receding hairline.
Like monoxidil, once a person has started taking Finasteride for hair loss, he must continue to do so to keep the hair loss regrowth. Finally, women, particularly pregnant women, should not handle broken tablets as the drug may cause birth defects.
Propecia Side Effects
Finasteride has been known to produce side effects that you should be aware of. Propecia side effects can affect sexual health including impotence and erectile dysfunction. Because of this, it is important to research other options before choosing Finasteride for hair loss.
Final verdict on Propecia – receding hairline treatment….Some men and women have reported it can help, but Finasteride is not sold as a treatment for frontal hair loss and is not proven to fix a receding hairline.
Vitamins and Shampoos~Receding Hairline Solutions
Vitamins for hair loss such as Saw Palmetto and Minoxidol Shampoos or hair treatments are also used for hair loss, including receding hairline help. They offer an inexpensive option for frontal hair loss treatment, although you should use them in conjunction with other hair loss remedies. You can find options that have helped some, although not all, to achieve hair regrowth or a way to stop hair from receding naturally.
Laser Hair Restoration Treatments
A final receding hairline treatment is low level laser treatment (LLLT). Laser treatment for hair loss is more controversial than the other frontal hair loss treatments presented here.Using laser hair loss therapy, laser rays are applied to the scalp and hair follicles, stimulating red blood cells. Laser hair treatment releases energy and changes cellular metabolism. Using laser hair growth treatment for hair loss can increase the diameter of the hair follicle shaft, improve hair quality, and promote hair loss regrowth.
However, doctors disagree about how effective laser treatment for hair loss is for improving natural hair regrowth, especially for a receding hair line. Laser hair restoration may also involve ongoing visits to regrow hair and may not stop a receding hairline or regrow the hairline.
Beginning Receding Hairline Treatment for Men
Having a receding hairline does not need to result in frontal baldness. There are many options in frontal hair loss treatment. To reverse hair loss, many of them are better if begun soon after the receding hairline begins. The ideal treatment for alopecia requires stopping the the receding hairline and regowing hair to prevent baldness. Beginning any receding hairline treatment may require long term use, so even over the counter hair loss regrowth products for thinning hair or baldness require careful consideration.