Short answer? It might be, for a number of reasons (not all of them permanent). And while you can’t exactly fix a receding hairline overnight, there are ways to stop the recession in its tracks, even reverse the damage in some cases. For what it’s worth: Women can experience androgenetic alopecia—or female-pattern baldness—as well. It just looks a little bit different on the scalp (more on that later). Men and women can also suffer from thyroid issues or mineral deficiencies, which can contribute to noticeable hair loss. Traction alopecia, however, is much more commonplace—it’s a medical condition that results from long-term damage on the hair. It usually stems from consistent, too-tight hairstyles like “braids, weaves, buns or tight ponytails, especially on chemically treated hair,” says Ziering. Or, women may also experience postpartum hair loss, which can cause the hairline to look a bit meager. It does eventually grow back (usually in six to 12 months), but the wait time can understandably feel a little frustrating. So while the sides and back of the hair are typically spared, Ziering adds, you may notice your part looks a little bit wider or the temples look a bit thinned out. If it’s from traction alopecia, usually women will notice “a thinner or smaller ponytail and significant shedding in the brush or shower.” Of course, there are other permanent treatments you can opt for in-office (hair transplants, stem-cell injections, and the like), but for the sake of this article, we’ll stick to holistic, nonsurgical methods: Collagen and biotin supplements, in particular, have proved to be particularly effective, like in mindbodygreen’s grass-fed collagen+. Collagen is chock-full of the amino acids your body uses to make keratin (or what hair is made of); biotin has been shown in several studies to promote and maintain hair growth. This powder also contains several antioxidants like vitamins C and E. And on the subject of mineral deficiencies, you might want to eat foods high in iron as well. We still don’t know exactly how iron affects hair growth3, but research has shown that without proper iron intake, hair follicles do not function properly. He also recommends regular scalp massages to help stimulate blood circulation up in those follicles (which is associated with hair growth4). “Incorporate hair massage for circulation and oxygenation as well as brushing nightly to stimulate the scalp,” says Ziering. The jury’s still out whether it can actually help prevent hair loss itself, but “it’s certainly beneficial for scalp and hair.” According to board-certified dermatologist Iris Rubin, M.D., founder of SEEN Hair Care, the topicals are most effective to use as a preventive measure: “It’s much better at prevention actually than regrowth, and it takes months to work,” she explains. (Since all of your strands encounter different phases of the hair growth cycle—growth, resting, and falling out—it takes quite some time for the topicals to benefit each and every hair on your head.) Other natural vasodilators, like essential oils, have been shown to promote circulation and improve hair thickness in a similar way, although the science is still limited on that front. Plus, it’s never a bad idea to keep the hair you have healthy and thriving: “If you’re dealing with hair loss, you’ll want to keep the hairs that you do have in good condition,” Rubin adds. That includes nourishing the strands and easing up on harsh styling practices.
