9 Science-Backed Ways to Stop a Receding Hairline

Having a receding hairline is common, and is often a natural part of aging. Still, you may be wondering how to stop a receding hairline if you notice your tresses thinning out.

Per NYU Langone Health, a thinning hairline is a form of baldness that can occur for the following reasons:

• Genetics
• Aging
• Autoimmune disease
• Fungal infection
• As a side effect of treatments like chemotherapy

The most common form of hair loss, however, is androgenetic alopecia, or male and female pattern hair loss, according to NYU Langone Health. It's genetic and hormone-dependent and is especially common in people assigned male at birth (AMAB). It can start anytime after puberty.

If you're concerned about excessive hair loss, here are some tips for how to prevent or regrow a receding hairline.

A balanced diet may help prevent a receding hairline. Eating whole foods supports overall wellbeing, and per the Cleveland Clinic, these nutrients in particular may contribute to hair health:

• B vitamins like biotin
• Zinc
• Vitamin D
• Iron
• Omega-3 fatty acids, like those found in salmon and flaxseed

While it's best to get your nutrients through natural food sources, people who have nutrient deficiencies (including ones that lead to a receding hairline) may benefit from supplements, according to the Mayo Clinic.

For instance, a biotin deficiency can lead to a thinning hairline or even total hair loss, per the National Institutes of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements. If this is the cause of your hair loss, taking a biotin supplement can help regrow your hairline.

Similarly, a lack of iron can lead to anemia, which can cause hair loss, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Taking an iron supplement can help treat anemia and regrow your receding hairline.

If you're hard on your hair, you can experience loss, according to the Mayo Clinic. The following hair styles and treatments can pull your hair too tight or damage your tresses, all of which can lead to thinning locks:

• Tight ponytails, buns or braids
• Perms
• Hot-oil treatments
• Hair extensions
• Hair weaves

Here's how to stop hair receding from over-styling: Lay off of heat treatments like hot rollers, curling irons and perms, per the Mayo Clinic. And take it easy on your tresses by using detangler and a wide-toothed comb to avoid excess tugging at your hair.

Who doesn't love a good head scratch? And if rubbing your scalp can actually improve your hair's health, then all the better.

According to a January 2016 study in ‌Eplasty‌, a regular head massage can enhance your hair by improving circulation in the scalp. This in turn may prompt hair follicles to grow, resulting in thicker, healthier hair.

Whether you're dealing with on-the-job pressure, issues at home or financial burdens, some people experience hair loss after a stressful life event, according to the Mayo Clinic. Fortunately, this type of hair thinning is typically temporary.

The best method for how to fix a receding hairline from stress is to manage your anxiety levels. Here are some strategies that may keep stress to a minimum, per the Mayo Clinic:

• Exercise regularly
• Eat a balanced diet
• Avoid caffeine, alcohol and smoking
• Meditate or try deep breathing
• Laugh often
• Connect with loved ones
• Get enough sleep
• Do activities that allow you to use your creativity
• Find a therapist

There's some promising news in the field of laser light therapy and hair thinning if you're wondering how to stop a receding hairline: An August 2013 review in ‌Lasers in Surgery and Medicine‌ found that low-level light therapy treatments appear to be safe and effective for people who have genetic hair loss.

This treatment may stimulate stem cells in hair follicles, causing them to restart a dormant growth phase.

However, because this treatment option is relatively new, more research is needed to understand it's long-term effects, according to the Mayo Clinic. These systems also can be expensive.

Another potential way to stop a receding hairline is to try medicated topical foams or solutions, which may be effective in preventing hair loss and regrowing lost locks.

Take minoxidil (more widely known as Rogaine), for instance. Although there has been some skepticism about Rogaine's effectiveness for a receding hairline, recent research takes a positive view.

The proposed mechanism for minoxidil is that it increases vasodilation of the blood vessels (which is why scalp massage may also be beneficial), increasing nutrient and oxygen supply to the hair follicles.

A June 2015 study in the ‌British Journal of Dermatology‌ found that applying topical Rogaine foam twice daily for two months induced hair growth in both the front and crown of the head in people with a receding hairline from androgenetic alopecia.

However, Rogaine isn't a permanent solution to stop receding hairlines. It only works if you continue using the product indefinitely, per the Mayo Clinic. Once you stop applying it, your hair will start to return to its original state.

If you talk to your doctor about how to stop a receding hairline, they may recommend a prescription medication.

Finasteride (also known as Propecia) is one common treatment designed specifically for people AMAB that may slow hair loss and possibly even lead to new growth, according to the Mayo Clinic. There is also an oral/pill form of minoxidil.

And if your receding temples are the result of an underlying condition or autoimmune disease, treating the root cause may help combat hair loss, per the Mayo Clinic.

For instance, people with autoimmune conditions like lupus may be prescribed a corticosteroid to suppress the immune system, reduce symptoms and allow hair to regrow, according to NYU Langone Health.

While you can stop a receding hairline that's caused by external factors like over-styling your locks, some conditions — like hereditary hair loss — can eventually result in permanent hair loss, according to the Mayo Clinic.

In cases like this, a hair transplant may reestablish a receding hairline. During this procedure, a doctor takes hair from part of your head and grafts it onto bald spots, per the Mayo Clinic.

Unfortunately, this is very expensive and it does not cure genetic hair loss — balding is likely to continue, and it may be recommended that you undergo another transplant surgery in the future. Per the Mayo Clinic, this procedure also puts you at risk for the following side effects or complications:

• Bleeding
• Bruising
• Swelling
• Infection