Question: I’m an African woman with a receding hairline, is there anything that can be done?

Author: Leonora

Name:  Mary 

Question:  I am a black-African 30 year old woman. My hairline, (near my forehead), started to recede about 8 years ago, and has continued to do so ever since. The hair loss seems to have stabilised at the moment. I believe my condition to be hereditary, as I have relatives and very close family members who have the same condition. Is there anything I can do about this?

Answer:  There are a number of reasons that could be causing this hair loss.  Of course it could be a genetic condition, especially if other family members have experienced the same type of hair loss – but most women with female pattern hair loss (genetic) usually see thinning spread evenly over the top of the head, not the hairline.  Another reason could be the way in which you tie your hair – if you tie your hair tightly back, this could cause tension at the temple areas and pull on the hair at the front which in time can be the cause of hair loss.

For both of these conditions, high strength minoxidil and use of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) could be effective treatments.