Mature Hairline or Receding? How to Tell the Difference and What to Do Next
Your hairline is not a static thing. It moves and changes over time. Most notably (particularly for men), it can retreat. It’s enough to make your remaining hair stand on end.
Sometimes, this is nothing to worry about. It’s just the start of a natural mature hairline (something that happens to everyone). But for many, it’s a receding hairline and an early sign of hair loss.
So how do you tell if your hairline is receding?
Let’s look at the two side by side — a mature hairline vs receding hairline — and explore the telltale signs of each so you can take comfort or take action.
Because if it does turn out to be the early stages of male hair loss or (less likely) women’s hair loss, there’s good news. You can stop it in its tracks.
Key takeaways
- Everybody starts off with a juvenile hairline that is straight and low on the forehead.
- A mature hairline refers to the changes that occur to a juvenile hairline between the ages of 17 and 30, when the hairline generally recedes about 1 inch higher up the forehead.
- A receding hairline keeps receding and may be a sign of androgenetic alopecia (male pattern baldness and female pattern hair loss).
- The main difference between a mature hairline and a receding one is that the mature hairline stops retreating. A receding hairline keeps going.
- There are effective hair loss treatments that may prevent or even reverse your receding hairline.
Jump ahead
- What is a maturing hairline?
- What is a receding hairline?
- Signs of a receding hairline
- Causes of a receding hairline
- How to tell if your hairline is receding?
- Mature hairline vs receding: A side-by-side comparison
- How to stop a receding hairline
- Start your hair loss treatment
What Is a Mature Hairline?
When you’re young, your hairline tends to sit straight and low on your forehead. It’s called a juvenile hairline. Both men and women have them and most will lose them.
Once you hit your late teens, your hairline will start to change, generally retreating to reveal more of the forehead and creating a subtle V shape (sometimes called a widow’s peak).
It’s as natural a part of aging as puberty and wrinkles and it’s so slow that you probably won’t even notice it’s happening.
Like puberty (and unlike wrinkles) it stops, usually by the time you hit 30 and generally after moving upwards about 1 inch.
What Is a Receding Hairline?
While a receding hairline can begin at the same time as a maturing hairline, it may not be a natural part of the maturing process.
In fact, it could be the first sign of androgenetic alopecia, also called male pattern baldness. It’s less common for women to experience a receding hairline as a sign of female hair loss.
Unlike a mature hairline, which recedes in a straight line, a receding hairline related to hair loss usually starts at the temples and creates a faster and more pronounced retreat.
And it keeps going, receding further back than a mature hairline. Eventually, it may lead to a thinning or balding crown.
To learn more, read our guide to what thinning hair looks like.
Signs of a Receding Hairline
- There’s a defined peak in the middle of the hairline (think Dracula) and recession at the temples — an M-shaped hairline.
- You notice a substantial retreat, with the hairline receding several centimetres.
- Your hair around the receding hairline is thin and falls off easily — a sign of shrinking hair follicles.
- It can be accompanied by a thinning crown.
- You may notice more hair shedding than usual or irregular bald spots.
Concerned about thinning hair? Learn about how to prevent thinning hair in males with our detailed guide.
What Causes a Receding Hairline?
A receding hairline is usually hereditary and most often happens when your body produces excess levels of a tongue-twisting hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT for short).
A certain amount of DHT in the body is natural. It’s the reason why your body starts to grow facial and body hair. But if your body produces too much DHT or is too sensitive to it, DHT can shrink hair follicles and cause hair loss.
Since a receding hairline and further hair loss may also be a sign of an underlying condition, it’s best to talk to a doctor if you’re concerned about it.
Mature Hairline or Hair Loss? How to Tell if Your Hairline Is Receding
The key difference between a maturing hairline and a receding one is that maturing hairline recedes and then stops. A receding hairline keeps going unless you intervene with a hair loss treatment.
Here’s an easy way to tell if your hairline is receding or maturing:
Step 1: Look in the mirror and raise your eyebrows.
Step 2: If you can fit no more than a finger’s width in the space between your hairline and the highest wrinkle in your forehead (where your juvenile hairline used to be), you probably have a maturing hairline.
A maturing hairline normally stops there. If the hairline retreat keeps going, creating a space wider than a finger, you may have a receding hairline.
If you’re male, you can also tell whether your hairline is maturing or receding based on the Hamilton-Norwood scale. That’s the classification system doctors use to track male hair loss.
If the chart looks familiar to you, it’s because our partner doctors use it to assess your state of hair loss when you fill out our online form to receive treatment.
At stages one and two, your hair shows little to no visible signs of thinning, though there may be mild receding. These are the stages of a maturing hairline.
Stage three and beyond represents a receding hairline, with noticeable recession creating an M or U shape at the temples, along with thinning hair.
Mature vs Receding Hairline: A Side-by-Side Comparison
OK, if you want to get technical, a maturing hairline is a receding one. But that’s where the similarities end. Here are the essential differences between receding and maturing hairlines:
Mature hairline
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Receding hairline
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How to stop a receding hairline
A maturing hairline is nothing to worry about. It happens to almost everyone.
But there’s also nothing to worry about if you have a receding hairline. If you spot it early, it can be stopped and reversed.
Eat a balanced diet
A nutrient-rich diet fuels your body with the essential vitamins and minerals needed for healthy hair growth. To support the growth phase, focus on a balanced diet packed with fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, and protein sources like legumes, fish, or lean meats.
Learn about foods that are good for hair health.
Consider vitamin and mineral supplements
Sometimes, your body struggles to absorb particular nutrients, which can affect the health of your hair. Studies have linked various nutritional deficiencies with hair loss. Supplements that target these deficiencies may help improve your hair.
Learn more about hair growth supplements vs medication.
Get sufficient sleep
Sleep is crucial for a strong immune system, which in turn supports healthy hair. Aim for 7–8 hours of sleep each night to get the rest your body and mind need.
Avoid tight hairstyles
Let your hair down and give your hairline some much needed relief by letting your hair down — literally! Trade the tight ponytail for loose braids, or embrace your natural look for a while.
Practise good hair and scalp care
Give the hair dye and bleaching a rest. Put down the heating tools. Ditch any other hair care practices that may be putting unnecessary stress on your hair — at least for a while.
Consider a stronger hair loss treatment
Hair loss and hair growth treatments are designed to stop hair shedding in its tracks and promote hair regrowth. The best treatments can even do both.
Take The Hairy Pill®. It’s a hair loss treatment for men and women, made specifically for your needs.
Start your hair loss treatment now
The Hairy Pill® contains underlying technology that was invented, clinically tested, and patented by world-renowned dermatologist Professor Rodney Sinclair.
And it’s been clinically proven to work, with just one pill, taken daily.
We make your hair loss treatment easy by bringing our partner doctors and any personalised hair loss treatments to you (albeit, one by phone and the other via delivery to your door).
