Hair Loss: What Makes the Hairline Recede?

Receding hair loss for men can start occurring at any age with many men experiencing the beginning of a receding hairline in their early to mid-twenties. A receding hairline is best described as preliminary balding, whereby a thinning of hair is experienced commencing from the frontal side temples of the head. This can sometimes be as a result of illness, functional disorder, or most commonly from a hereditary disposition.

Receding hair loss can be affected by the following:

• By having a genetic predisposition towards balding, or a receding hair loss. This is where the hair-growing structures on the top/front of the scalp can be adversely affected by the sex hormone testosterone, which can cause the hair follicles to shrink in size. This genetic disposition in men can be passed on from either parent; in females, it is believed to be passed on from both parents. Men’s hair can start showing signs of thinning following puberty, depending on their genetic characteristics. A receding hair loss can indicate either a genetic pattern and/or an imbalance of sex hormones. The true cause can often come from multiple factors and can even be compounded because of other disorders.

• If the scalp and hair follicles aren’t receiving the nutrients required to the hair roots, an imbalance can happen. Causes can be a result of poor diet, malabsorption or maldistribution.

• From ongoing tension of the skin in the crown area, which can cause a decreased blood supply, thereby resulting in weak hair production. Although massage or a topical blood vessel dilating treatment containing drugs can certainly improve circulation by carrying more oxygen and nutrients to the hair roots, the counter to this is that the extra blood flow will also carry more hormones which consequently also lead to more balding.

• Stress (which includes mental, dietary and physical) in both men and women can promote enzyme activity within the cell and consequently stimulate testosterone production from the adrenal (stress) glands. Monitoring your stress levels and undertaking stress reduction practices can assist your body in dealing with, and reducing the effects of, stress. The body’s reaction to anything unusual will cause stress, and this can be both an unpleasant or pleasant experience. Also pituitary, adrenal or ovarian gland disorders can lead to an increase in androgen levels. However, other signs and symptoms will often become evident particularly in females (for example, facial and body hair increases, skin becomes oily, period will become irregular, and the hair will develop a change of texture). Tests would be able identify the cause, which can then be corrected.

• Disorders of the scalp can also cause receding hair loss either directly or indirectly.

As a result of any of the above factors, hormones are more readily able to enter the cells in the follicles and the hair roots where they will combine with enzymes, which are able to stimulate a chemical messenger that can then trigger the ageing factors of the DNA. This consequence of ageing of the hair follicle cells will result in hair follicles reducing in size, and as a result a decreased hair root cell activity.