My 18 Year Old Son Has a Receding Widow's Peak'

Name: Gwennan

Question: Hi, I’m enquiring on behalf of my 18 year old son, he has like his father a widows peak hair line at the front, both temples the hair line is quite high up, he’s convinced it’s receded in the last couple of months, I haven’t noticed but it must be for him to say, it’s really getting him down to the point it’s affecting his mood, appetite and college attendance because he’s so self conscious, he also has mild acne on his forehead which isn’t helping, I had thought of talking to our GP, but came across your website, is there any way you could advice is what would be the best treatment for him and if he does start any kind of treatment would his regrowth fall out if he didn’t keep it up? I thought if he does something about it straight away there would be better success. In the last 5-6 months he’s also been washing his hair daily with Sanex 0% shower gel, thought I’d mention incase it’s a factor.
Thank you.

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Answer: Hi, Gwennan. You mention that he is particularly concerned about a receding hairline given he already has a widow's peak. The hairline does mature as boys go through puberty so any changes to this area should be monitored to ensure they are actually due to male pattern baldness.

If he is receding, this will not be affected by his choice of shampoo. The cause is genetic and, in those with an inherited predisposition to male pattern hair loss, this can start any time following puberty. We often hear from teenagers experiencing premature hair loss - possibly as a result of modern pressures, given stress can trigger this condition in those who already have a genetic susceptibility.

As your son is obviously extremely concerned about his potential hair loss we would recommend that he visit a specialist. That way they can assess him - with you or another family member or friend present, if your son wishes - and talk him through his condition, pattern and stage of shedding. This simple, proactive step in itself can be a huge relief for many people. If he is unable to visit either of our Central London hair loss clinics due to being based outside London, this can be done via our website by using the Online Consultation option.

Once he knows exactly what he is dealing with the hair loss specialist will talk him through different treatment options and tailor a treatment plan for him, if necessary. There are clinically-proven products that can treat a receding hairline. At Belgravia we have seen significant regrowth results in many clients by using appropriate formulations of high strength minoxidil as part of a combination treatment course.

If your son is affected by male pattern baldness, because this is a permanent condition, hair loss treatment would need to be on-going. This is because the enzyme in the body - DHT - which causes the hair to thin and recede in those with MPB, is constantly produced so treatment to inhibit this is required on a rolling basis. It's similar to why we brush our teeth every day to prevent plaque build up.

Please note that in order for your son to become a client we would need to speak to him directly. We could only share his information with you if he gave his express permission due to patient confidentiality.