Best Hairstyles for a Receding Hairline

Home » Blog » Hair Loss & Hair Transplants

What causes a receding hairline?

A receding hairline can be caused by a variety of factors including ageing, genetics, stress and male pattern baldness.

Male Pattern Baldness

Male pattern baldness is one of the most common causes of a receding hairline. It can cause a variety of hair thinning, balding and receding which will differ from person to person.

There are many stages of male pattern baldness which is identified on a scale known as the Hamilton-Norwood scale. Starting at stage 1 with no significant hair loss, the scale ranges all the way to stage 7 which is the most severe stage of hair loss.

hamilton-norwood scale for hair loss male pattern baldness

Best hairstyles for a receding hairline

Many men choose to try and conceal their receding hairline or thinning hair by specifically styling their hair to hide or distract from their hairline.

When it comes to choosing the best hair style for you, it is best to seek guidance from your hair stylist or barber who will be able to take into consideration your facial shape, existing hair shape and density as well as your lifestyle and ability to style and manage the hair.

But here are some of our top recommendations.

Buzzcut

A buzzcut is often the default hairstyle when many men are troubled by thinning hair and areas of balding. A buzzcut is a great way to conceal this as the entire scalp will have extremely short hair.

High Fade

A high fade is where an electric razor is used to trim the hair by gradually getting closer to the scalp. For a high fade, the fade starts at your temples or forehead before gradually tapering off for a more dramatic look.

A high fade can be effective at obscuring a receding hairline as it blends it into the rest of your hair. The high fade then works well to leave the rest of your hair at your ideal length which can then be styled forwards or slicked back.

Side Sweep

A side sweep, not to be confused with a comb over is when the parting of the hair is moved to the side of the head and then the hair swept over. This means you can control where you want your parting to sit – by moving it to the side above the temple, it can help to conceal a receding hairline.

You’ll need to have good hair density across the scalp to pull off this look. You will need to part the hair at the tip of the temple and then use wax or styling gel whilst combing the hair back and to the side.

A fringe

If you are bothered by the appearance of a receding hairline then a fringe is a logical solution to conceal this area. Best for men with slightly longer hair this hairstyle will effectively cover the widows peak, temples and hairline.

A good fringe should sit just above the eyebrows but regular visits to the barber or hairdresser are vital for maintaining its look.

Slick back

A slicked back hairstyle is a popular hairstyle for many men who have thinning hair. It is ideal for concealing balding areas of the scalp as the hair and is a great option for men who have a receding hairline or widow’s peak.

The hairstyle works best on men with limited hair loss. You will need to use some hair gel or pomade to hold in place whilst combing the hair back and to the side over the temples.

Curly Mid-length Cut

This hair style is best for men with a natural curl or tousled hair style. A mid-length cut that allows for the hair to fall around the face to disguise thinning hair and a receding hairline.

If your hair is not naturally curly, a salt spray can be used to create a more tousled natural effect to the hair. Regular haircuts to keep the hair neat and lightweight are key as the weight of longer hair can reduce density around the forehead.

Straight Hairline

This style change is better suited to afro hair. Having this type of hair gives many men the ability to cut in a new hairline. By shaving the hairline back slightly, it can effectively make any type of receding hairline less noticeable.

This hairstyle is best styled by a professional barber who is used to dealing with afro hair. To maintain the style, regular trims are recommended to keep the hairline looking sharp.

Quiff

A quiff is a bold look and one that works extremely well in distracting away from a receding hairline or thinning.

The quiff can be styled in a more modern spikey style or as a more traditional rounded shape.

Other ways to disguise hair loss

Hairstyles are not the only option for disguising hair loss. Many men opt for hairpieces or hair systems. These are best recommended and fitted by professionals who will be able to match your natural hair for an indistinguishable result. A typical hair piece can last around 6-8 weeks before needing to be replaced or re-glued.

Another option is to consider balancing the loss of hair on your head, with the amount of growth on your face. A strong beard is a great compliment to a short and simple hairstyle.

Restoring hair loss with a Hair Transplant

Instead of disguising your hair loss, why not do something to restore it.

Medical Treatments for Hair Loss

Whilst there are a variety of medications out there that claim to restore hair loss, there are only two hair loss medications that we recommend – Minoxidil and Finasteride which have both been approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) as medically proven hair loss products.

Minoxidil is a topical solution that comes in a liquid or foam solution. It should be applied directly to the scalp two times a day. Finasteride is available as a tablet which needs to be taken twice a day. It’s considered safe and effective to use both Minoxidil and Finasteride together to get the benefits of both medications.

One study has shown just how effective hair loss medication can be, showing a mean number of hairs lost before the study being 69.7 compared to 33.8 at the end, providing the minoxidil’s efficacy.

Hair Transplant for Hair Loss

A hair transplant is an effective procedure to restore areas of hair thinning or loss, including receding hairlines.

The procedure extracts hair follicles from your donor area at the back of the scalp, and re-implants them into the areas requiring treatment. The results do take some time to become noticeable as you will need to rely on the hair growth cycle to take effect, but results can be seen in as little as 6 months with best results being seen after 12 months.

how to perform a follicular unit extraction FUE hair transplant

Our advanced FUE procedure and Micro FUE procedures have minimal scarring which means that men can style their hair however they please following their procedure with no concerns about the appearance of scars.

FUE Hair Transplant Before & After Results

FUE Hair Transplant Temples Result before and after photo results

FUE Hair Transplant, Hairline & Temples, 2564 hairs

FUE Hair Transplant hairline restoration before and after photo results

FUE Hair Transplant, Hairline & Temples, 2500 hairs

Hair restoration transplant before and after photo results

FUE Hair Transplant, 2000 hairs

FUE Hair Transplant before after photo

FUE Hair Transplant, Temples, 3000 hairs

See more Hair Transplant before and after photos.

When can I cut/style my hair after a hair transplant?

Men can start cutting their hair after 4 weeks following their hair transplant procedure, and only once any swelling, redness or scabbing has gone.

You will need to wait at least 1 month before using any hair dye on the hair and ideally 6-12 months before using any hair styling products and heated tools on the newly implanted hair follicles.

Related: Hair Transplant Aftercare

Helping you to make an informed decision

Expertise of our surgeons

Our hair transplant surgeons are UK based surgeons registered with the GMC. They will be supporting you throughout your entire hair restoration journey and beyond.
Our Hair Transplant Surgeons have many years of experience in FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) and treat hundreds of patients every year.

Best techniques to achieve natural and long-lasting hair

We offer the advanced Micro FUE with Implanters technique. We use the finest instruments, resulting in minimal trauma to your scalp.
We focus on achieving undetectable scars.
We ensure hair is implanted in the direction that matches your hair growth achieving natural results with denser packing.

High Quality Care

Expert aftercare advice 24/7 and regular post-operative appointments with your hair transplant surgeon.
Comprehensive hair restoration patient information.
Our prices reflect our offering of the best hair transplant clinics and surgeons in the UK, we do not cut any corners.
Over 30% of our patients come to see us for revision hair transplant procedures from low-quality clinics. Find out more here.