I Used to Relax My Hair And Now My Hairline is Thinning'

Name: Thomas

Question: The front of my hair is starting to thin and I’m only a 21 year old man , I use to relax my hair and now have stopped doing so. Is there anyway I can make the front of my hair less thin as I have to now keep cutting it short to make up for the thinning of my hair.

Answer: Hi, Thomas. We would need to assess your scalp in order to confirm any diagnosis but, from what you say here, there could be three or four potential issues causing your hair loss. Here is a brief rundown of each, but we would definitely recommend having a professional consultation, either in person or online using a photo upload tool.



1. Hair Breakage - this happens when the hair becomes weak enough to snap along the shaft. It is not a hair loss condition as it does not affect the follicle, however, it can make hair look thinner than normal. Generally the best way to deal with this is to have a good haircut to help keep the healthy hair, and use strengthening conditioning treatments to restore damaged hair. Ensuring a good supply of hair-friendly nutrients via your diet is also a good way to encourage healthy hair growth; topping up with dedicated supplements, such as Hair Vitalics for Men, is also a popular option.

2. Chemical Trauma - this normally occurs from either over-use of chemical hair products, such as relaxers or bleach, or using solutions which are too strong. The resulting hairloss is effectively a type of burn and can vary from temporary to permanent depending on the severity of the damage caused. As long as the hair follicles are still functioning, a custom chemical trauma hair loss treatment course may be followed. If the areas of hair loss are so badly affected that they become bald, this is a sign that the follicles are no longer capable of hair growth and surgical intervention may be required.

3. Traction Alopecia - we mention this possible option as, if you hair was long enough to warrant relaxing, it may also be the case that you often wore your hair pulled back off your face. Traction Alopecia can display as a receding hairline, often coupled with breakage, however, it is actually due to regular, excessive tension damaging the follicles. This leads to hair fall around the areas that bear the brunt of the strain, namely the hairline and temporal regions. Traction Alopecia treatment is available and the fact that you have stopped relaxing your hair and are hopefully wearing it naturally, not in tight hairstyles, should help the scalp to recover.

4. Male Pattern Baldness - this is an hereditary hair loss condition which affects the top of the scalp and presents as thinning hair and/or a receding hairline. Whilst often mistakenly associated with ageing, it can actually start to develop any time following puberty and is a permanent condition. It may simply be coincidence that you have started to notice the early signs of male hair loss at the same time you stopped using hair relaxers. Male Pattern Hair Loss Treatment comprising clinically-proven medications and non-pharmaceutical hair growth supporting products, can be used to help stabilise shedding, promote regrowth and prevent hair loss moving forward.

It is worth noting that it is possible to have any of these issues independently, or a combination of any - including, the worse-case scenario of all four. In cases of Chemical Trauma and Traction Alopecia, it is normal for hair breakage to be present as the chemicals and hairstyles weaken the hair, making it more susceptible. Afro hair is the most naturally brittle of all hair types, so can be particularly at risk.

If a genetic predisposition to male pattern hair loss is also active, this can exist simultaneously alongside any, or all, of these other issues. In most cases they can also be treated simultaneously, however, so the first step is to have a personalised diagnosis from a hair specialist, so that treatment recommendations can be made tailored to your precise requirements.