My Straight Hairline Now Forms a Widow's Peak - Is It Receding?'

Name: 

Pat

Question: I have very thick hair and curly. I used to have a a straight hairline but as i matured my hairline has scaled back into the more common M shape. My family on both sides doesn’t have history of male patterned baldness however I am slightly worries. Again my hair is very thick and I am 20.

Answer: Hi, Pat. It is possible to have no signs of hair loss on top - as you mention you have very thick hair - but to still have a receding hairline.

However, if there is no history of male pattern baldness then it is unlikely that you will experience it, though not impossible. The 'balding gene' can be present and passed on without being active. If the gene does become active, this is when thinning hair and/or a receding hairline will start to gradually appear.

Without examining you or at least seeing photos of what you describe, we can't confirm for sure but it seems fairly likely that a maturing hairline is the case here. During puberty your face changes shape slightly. As a result, your hairline can also change shape though this is more noticeable in some people than in others. This is not a hair loss condition and is not usually anything to be concerned about.

If your hairline continues to recede over the next six months, and its current widow's peak shape, where it recedes at the temples, becomes more prominent, we would suggest having a hair loss specialist assess you so you can get a personalised diagnosis. There are hair loss treatments available to deal with a receding hairline, should that become a problem, so either way there's nothing to worry about!