Lost a Lot of Hair Around My Hairline in the Shower'

Name: Ade

Question: I have always had a receding hairline as my hair grew longer, since like 15/16, but it had never gotten worse. When my hair was short though, everything looked fine.

A month ago my hair was long, then when I combed it in the shower and came out, the whole area around the hairline was shorter for some reason and I lost a lot of hair. So I cut everything off.

Now that my hair is short, the hairs around my temples are a bit thin, but my hairline is still straight, when there is a lot of light on my hairline the thinness is obvious, but when there is no light, you wouldn't be able to tell.

Also the right temple is not as thin as the left one. I am trying to let my hair grow again and if after 2 months it is looking bad, I was going to consider finasteride and minoxidil. Or how much would a hair transplant be if its just a small area like the temples? Am I even balding or is this something else? I thought balding was meant to be gradual, but the whole front section became shorter.

Answer: Hi, Ade. The shorter hairs you are noticing around your hairline indicate a shorter life cycle of the hair in this area. It is likely you did not notice it previously as your long hair would have probably covered it.

Both the front and left temple do not thin symmetrically, one side can thin or recede faster than the other side, so this is entirely normal, as is being able to see more of your scalp under light.

You are correct in thinking the balding process is gradual, usually starting with the front of the scalp. However, whilst your hair loss may appear drastic to you, it is often the case that people do not notice the every day effects of the thinning process - such as a drop in hair density and increased shedding - for a period of time, until it is significantly visible.

The reason Male Pattern Baldness (MPB) presents gradually and gets worse over time, without intervention, is due to a hormone byproduct called dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Men with MPB have an inherited sensitivity to this, and so the DHT is able to latch on to receptors in the susceptible follicles - those follicles located along the top of the scalp, from the crown to the hairline and temples. Over time this weakens those hair follicles and causes increasingly thinning hair which may result in eventual baldness in those areas. This is known as follicular miniaturisation.

Your description of the symptoms you're experiencing regarding your receding hairline does indicate the early stages of Male Pattern Hair Loss, but a professional consultation, either in-person or online, would be required to confirm your diagnosis.

In terms of restoring your hairline, at Belgravia we recommend using non-surgical hair loss treatment options for at least 12 months before exploring hair transplant surgery, if you still decide this may be worthwhile.

We do not recommend having a hair transplant as a first option, especially as leading surgeons who specialise in this area advise that this procedure should be avoided in men under 30 years of age.

The reason for this is that using clinically-proven hairloss medications can help to stabilise your hair fall whilst simultaneously encouraging hair regrowth. This not only ensures you can see how you get on with a non-surgical approach to preventing baldness, but it should maximise your hair growth and halt further shedding. Should you then decide to continue with your plans to have a hair transplant, the area should be easier for the surgeon to work with.

It is also worth noting that, if you do have Male Pattern Baldness and opt to have a hair transplant, it is advised that you continue using hair loss treatments on an on-going basis as part of the aftercare. This is because Male Pattern Hair Loss is a permanent and progressive condition.

Just because you are only seeing signs of frontal hair loss at the moment, does not mean the other areas vulnerable to the effects of DHT will remain unaffected. This is why treatment is recommended as a way to maintain the look of your hair regrowth after surgery, by preventing the susceptible hairs surrounding the grafted areas from shedding.

The two key men's hair loss treatments, as you know, are finasteride 1mg, an oral tablet which inhibits the formation of DHT, and topical applications of high strength minoxidil, which encourages accelerated hair growth. Either or both can be used, whilst additional non-pharmaceutical hair growth supporting products can also be added in, as desired. In addition to diagnosing your condition, a dedicated hair loss specialist will also be able to tailor a course to your specific needs based on your medical profile, condition, level and pattern of shedding. They should also be able to refer you to a reputable hair transplant surgeon for their advice, if you so wish.