Hair loss is a heavy thing to face. Hair is a major source of an identity, and losing it can feel like a loss of youth or self. A lot of people can embrace hair loss and accept it readily, like many relatives of mine. However, that’s not the story for a lot of us—especially since the media paints a picture of going bald being synonymous with becoming a senior citizen. But there’s different types of hair loss. For instance, what’s known as hair recession is different from thinning hair along the crown.

Since we’ve already covered thinning hair, this article will be about hair recession. This basically means when your hair retreats (or recedes) from your forehead.

What causes hair recession and how do you stop it?

Everyone is different, so there’s no right or wrong time to start taking measures to stop the process. It can be caused by a number of reasons, so how does it happen?

Of course, you might have guessed that hair recession can be genetic. This is true. Other causes are just getting older (something else we can’t avoid), or hormones. The last one, hormones, are common when it comes to male pattern baldness. This is because a certain hormone, DHT, can lead to hair loss in specific places. But how and when it happens is specific to you.

While there are a couple of differences between thinning and receding, a big one concerns if the hair can be regrown. After all, that’s what we all want to know first, right? So here’s the thing about hair recession, it’s typically a challenge for the front area of hair to grow. So unfortunately, you can’t magically replace the hairs with full and luscious locks. Instead, it’s best to focus on defense, and talk with a hair specialist or doctor.

Medications for hair loss

If you decide to go on medication to treat your hairline, clear it with your doctor to be aware of side effects and using it effectively. You might be prescribed, or use, one of these medications.

An OTC treatment, Minoxidil can either be topical and oral, and it’ll jumpstart nutrients and blood flow to your hair follicles. The drug can also encourage growth on hair follicles that stopped growing hair. It’ll overall strengthen your crown and hairline, as well as keep them healthy. Minoxidil will shed your hair at first, but it’ll stop within a couple of weeks.

On the other hand, finasteride needs to be prescribed to you by a pro—it’s one of those drugs with a long list of warnings, so it’s best to make sure you’re a good candidate first. It blocks the enzyme that will turn into that pesky hormone leading to male pattern baldness. It’s a daily dose medication, and makes the hair loss less drastic. Keep in mind that if you stop taking it, your hair loss will revert to where it was before you started.

Overall, at some point, you have to accept hair recession, even if you choose to slow it down. But don’t worry—it doesn’t mean you’ll lose yourself too. Here’s some essentials oils that are good for hair growth and how to tell if you’re a good candidate for a hair transplant.

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