Ever worried about your hairline creeping back? It is a real worrisome problem for many of us. Spotting the problem clearly and taking necessary steps to stop the hair line recession, will make a huge difference in our lives. Once the problem is identified, there are various options available to treat the hair loss. This blog here gives you a clear understanding of the different stages of a receding hairline, and the treatment options available.
Stages of Receding hairline:
Receding hairline does not happen in a day or two, it is the uncontrolled loss of hair over a period of few days to months and sometimes over years. There are many ways to understand the hair line recession, the Norwood scale is considered one of the best ways and recession can be categorized as follows: –
1st Stage- Initial recession
The changes in the loss of hair in this stage is not easily identifiable; very slight thinning around the temple area and the fore head is visible. There is a chance of recognizing this creeping hair line during your regular checks in the mirror. You should start to take proper care of your hair at this stage to avoid further progression of the hair loss.
2nd Stage- Mild recession
The hair line starts to recede further and is clearly seen as a “M” shaped recession. This can be observed on either side of your forehead and it is at this stage that you need to seriously start taking good care of your hair loss through home remedies and if not controlled, should also plan for a doctor’s visit.
3rd Stage- Moderate recession
The “M” shaped recession on the sides of the head extends further. The hair line starts to recede further in the middle of the head and the thinning of the crown area also becomes prominent. This is more concerning as the hair line recession is clearly visible at this stage and it is the time to consult a dermatologist or trichology’s (hair care specialist) and seek proper medical care.
4th Stage- Advanced hair loss
Here, the hair line starts to recede further and the thinning at the crown area becomes much more significant. It becomes so visible that people start to question you regarding the hair loss and this starts to affect your self-confidence and well-being. An expert solution is highly needed here and you are also advised to smartly follow all the instructions given by the doctors; utmost patience is required at this stage, as it takes longer than expected time to get the best possible results, when it comes to hair care.
Causes of Receding Hair line:
The factors causing a receding hairline can either be or the environmental factors, or both in a combination. Some of the factors causing a receding hair line include:
· Genetic factors– If the receding hair line or baldness runs in your family, there is a higher chance for you to acquire it through hereditary.
· Androgenetic alopecia– You become more susceptible to hair loss if you have a genetic pre-disposition along with an increased exposure to environmental factors such as pollution. This is called Androgenetic alopecia and is commonly seen in both men and women as pattern baldness.
· Hormonal changes– Hormonal imbalances significantly contribute to hair loss. Women with gynecological conditions such as Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and those with higher cortisol (stress) hormone levels, have an increased risk of hair loss.
· Stress- Stress causes a lot of side effects on our body, hair loss being the most common among all. Controlling stress levels is highly important to control the hair fall or hair line recession.
· Poor nutrition– A deficiency in the levels of vitamins and minerals such as calcium, iron, zinc and biotin will affect the hair health and add up to the existing hair loss.
· Effects of hairstyling– Excessively tight hairstyles, pulling, and the frequent use of heating tools can damage the hair follicles and lead to hair line recession.
Solutions for Receding hairline:
Receding hairline cannot be stopped completely but there are several ways to slow down the progression:
· Maintenance of a healthy lifestyle- Adoption of a balanced diet, regular exercise, and adequate sleep contribute to your overall health.
· Being gentle with hair- Avoid tight hairstyles of pulling of hair, aggressive brushing mainly when it is wet, to avoid breakage.
· Avoid excessive heat treatments- Our hair is highly sensitive to heat, hair wash with hot water is also harmful. It is highly recommended to minimise the exposure of hair to heating tools and harsh chemicals; as they cause severe damage to the hair follicles and affect the hair shafts.
· Stress management- As stress is one of the key factors contributing to hair loss, it is highly advisable to practice techniques such as meditation and yoga.
· Appropriate medical care- Proper diagnosis and personalized treatment is highly recommended to avoid further progression of a receding hairline or severe hair loss. Doctors would recommend different types of solutions for your hair loss which could be medicines, PRP injections, laser therapy for hair and hair transplant treatments, based on the severity of the hair loss.
Hairline Reconstruction:
If your hairline recession is very severe and is uncontrollable, doctors will recommend you to go for a hairline reconstruction, to avoid development of any sort of baldness or bald patches.
Both surgical and non-surgical options are available for hairline reconstruction. First let us discuss about the non-surgical options: –
Non-surgical treatments for hairline restoration:
Hair line recession when it is in the early stages can be fixed with non-surgical options like the topical medications such as, minoxidil, oral finasteride, laser therapy (low-level), platelet rich plasma (PRP) injections.
Laser therapy- Low power lasers are used to stimulate the hair follicles and to promote hair growth.
PRP injections- If you have been advised for a PRP hair treatment to restore your hair line, the procedure involves extraction of the blood, and its procession into the centrifuge machine to separate the healthy one and to infuse their own platelets into the scalp, to stimulate the hair follicles and the further growth of hair.
Surgical treatment for hairline reconstruction
Hair transplant is one of the best treatments for hairline reconstruction. The following are the different methods of treatment available for hair line reconstruction, which include:
1. Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT): In this method, a strip of your scalp with the hair is removed from the back of your head and is transplanted into the receding hairline area. Individuals who require a higher number of grafts would opt for this technique.
2. Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE): In this type, a strip of your scalp is extracted from the back or sides of the head and is transplanted into the receding hair line area. It is a minimally invasive procedure than FUT. Here, the recovery is much quicker and natural, while it leaves a linear scar, post-surgically.
3. Quick Hair Transplant (QHT): This is an advanced method of FUE Hair Transplant and involves the extraction of the hair follicles from the back or sides of the scalp to the receding hair line areas. The extracted hair follicles are simultaneously transplanted into the recipient site (pre-determined during initial evaluation); this helps to improve the life of the grafts.
Eligibility for hair line transplant
If you are having a receding hair line or advanced hair loss, you should have overall good health. Doctors or surgeons are the right ones to decide on if you are a correct fit for the hair transplant procedure or not. The following aspects are checked by your surgeon to decide on your eligibility for a surgical treatment procedure:
a) Sufficient donor hair
b) Stabilized hair loss
c) Realistic expectations
d) Good general health
e) Healthy scalp
Lifestyle Changes for Healthy Hair
What you eat and how you live can contribute to the growth of your hair. Here are some alterations in lifestyle that could help you.
· Nutrition and Diet: Vitamins, minerals, proteins, are important for hair growth. Always make sure to get them in sufficient quantities through your diet and if necessary, you can also use supplements.
· Stress Management Techniques: Stress can always lead to hair loss. To avoid this, practice relaxation techniques such as yoga or meditation. Having a sound sleep also reduces stress.
· Proper Hair Care: Gentle hair washes, no harsh chemicals and use of minimal heat for styling, can all help to avoid damage to the hair, which could eventually lead to hair fall.
Tips to be kept in mind while choosing a treatment for Receding hair line:
Consider the following points while choosing the treatment for hair loss; your age, budget, lifestyle, and the treatment goals to be achieved.
· Cost considerations– Hairline reconstruction and other hair loss treatments vary in costs. You must have a clear consideration on the future costs likely to be covered during the surgery, medicines, and the post-operative care.
· Adaption to lifestyle: How well does the treatment fit into your daily life? Some treatments may require every day care, while others do not.
· Realistic goals: A clear understanding of what can be achieved out of a particular treatment is very important, setting realistic goals and targets always matter. No treatment can completely restore a youthful hairline overnight. So, it is important to maintain your hairline after any sort of treatment.
It is always advisable to take care of your hair and scalp after the treatment for long-term results. Here is what you need to do.
Post Treatment Care and Maintenance for Hair
Post-treatment care is highly important after both surgical and non-surgical treatments.
· Aftercare for surgical hairline reconstruction: Keep the area clean and dry. Take the medications as prescribed. Attend follow-up visits.
· Maintaining non-surgical treatment results: Form a habit of taking your medication. Consider continuing healthy lifestyle habits.
Preventive Measures for General Hair Health
The following habits will protect and help to maintain your hair’s health.
· Regular scalp massage: Regular daily massages can be done for a few minutes to improve blood supply to the scalp and to encourage hair growth.
· Continuous assessment: A continuous assessment should be done regarding your hairline. A specialist should also be consulted regularly. Early detection helps to stop continuous hair loss.
Conclusion
Loss of hair is a very common phenomenon among many of us and is a cause of concern as it not only affects our looks but also the confidence. The receding of hair line occurs stage wise, so not everyone of us can identify it at the same stage. Nordan scale has identified the hair line recession in four stages; in the initial recession stage, the loss of hair line is barely identified and for many of us it gets unnoticed. While, for those in the second stage, the recession goes further down with the beginning of a “M” shape on both the sides of the temple, being visibly seen.
In the next stage, the hair line recession goes much deeper with it extending into the crown region also. In the advanced or fourth stage, the hair line recession becomes much more severe and evident in the crown area and people start to question you regarding baldness.
An understanding of the receding hair line at different stages is vital for early identification of the futuristic problems and also to take steps to curtail its progression into further stages. Depending upon the stage of recession you are in, the treatment can be either surgical or non-surgical.
Non-surgical treatment includes PRP injections, laser therapy & others; while surgical therapy includes hair transplant with Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT), Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) and Quick Hair Transplant (QHT).
Apart from undergoing different types of treatments for hair loss, it is also important to maintain the hair health through healthy lifestyle and dietary habits. If you are worried about the hair line recession or excessive hair fall and looking forward for an expert consultation for your hair care, Book a consultation with our experts at the QHT clinic.