A receding hairline is an extensive loss of hair along the lateral sides of the forehead just above the temples. It's typically a result of androgenetic alopecia, or male-pattern baldness, according to the Mayo Clinic. It's the most common form of hair loss affecting men and can be accompanied by a loss of hair on the crown.
Development
The American Hair Loss Association explains that receding hairlines are a result of DHT, or dihydrotestosterone, an androgen derived from testosterone. When testosterone comes into contacted with type II 5alpha-reductace, an enzyme within the hair follicles, it's converted into DHT. Prolonged exposure to DHT shrinks the follicles sensitive to this androgen, which affects the growth cycle of the hair.
Growth Cycle
The normal growth cycle of the hair occurs in three phases. The first is the anagen phase, or the growth phase. It's this phase that most of your hair is in at one time. The second phase is the catagen phase. This is the shortest of the phases, since it's merely the transitional period of your hair moving from the anagen phase to the final phase. The last phase is the telogen phase, or resting phase. At the end of this phase, the hair sheds from the scalp and is replaced with new hair. This new hair starts off in the anagen phase and goes through the same cycle as the hair it has replaced.
Hair Loss
With a receding hairline, the hairs go through the same phases, but the shrinkage of the follicles shortens the growth cycle. During the anagen phase, the hairs grow, but never to the same length or circumference as normal hairs. They're usually finer and shorter, according to the National Institutes of Health. The hair then moves into the other two phases, then falls out. This can lead to another fine hair in the anagen phase or no hair at all, leading to a receding hairline.
Diagnosis
Unlike other medical conditions, androgenetic alopecia is diagnosed by sight, notes the American Hair Loss Association. The reason for this is men suffering from male-pattern baldness lose hair in a pattern, hence the name of the condition. Most men suffering from this condition experience loss along the temples, crown or both. This can then lead to further hair loss that causes baldness along the entirety of the top of the head.
Treatment
Treatment for receding hairlines is the same as any other form of male-pattern hair loss. The most effective is that of finasteride, a prescription medication that inhibits type II 5alpha-reductace, states the American Hair Loss Association. Without this enzyme, testosterone is unable to convert into dihydrotestosterone and thereby prevents the miniaturization of the hair follicles. This slows the progression of hair loss and can also stimulate new hair growth in some men. If this fails, dermatologists recommend using minoxidil, a topical medication that also slows the progression of hair loss and can stimulate the regrowth of hair in some men.
Considerations
Women can also suffer from androgenetic alopecia, but the pattern of hair loss is significantly different than that in men. Women rarely, if ever, suffer from a receding hairline. Their hair loss occurs along the top of the head and back into the crown.
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