Female Hairlines: Every Types Of Hairlines

Medically reviewed by Dr. Ahmad Chaudhry M.B.B.S.

Written by Our Editorial Team

Last updated May 11, 2023

To women, hair is the symbol of beauty, of feminity and of elegance.

Having a bad hairline can be damaging to your confidence, attractiveness and mental well-being.

That's why, on top of explaining the hairlines, we want to offer you a solution to your hairline issues.

We will be discussing the different types of female hairlines in this article along with ways on how to change them if they are of not your liking.

There are many methods through which you can fix your bad hairlines. Either it is uneven, V-shaped, bell-shaped, low, or high, they are all fixable.

How to combat female receding hairline?

Is there anything you can do about your receding hairline, here are some affordable and effective options for you.

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Minoxidil and finasteride

If our receding hairline is due to the female pattern baldness, then medications are available for this issue. Some products like Minoxidil (Rogaine) are available as an over-the-counter product while another medicine like Finasteride (Propecia) is only available on doctor’s prescriptions. Both of the medications are used to treat hair loss.

If you're curious about if minoxidil can fix receding hairline, we've got you covered. And if you're afraid of the side effects of minoxidil and finasteride, check out our natural alternatives to minoxidil!

What are the different hairline types for women?

As already mentioned, hairlines are affected by several characteristics like genes, hormones, age, food, and lifestyle. The thing is, with the internet, that you can make any hairline look attractive with one search button.

To find the ways to style your hairlines, we need to first look at the different types of female hairlines there are.

Low hairline

A low hairline is where the hairline starts near the eyebrows. Having a low hairline in women gives them an impression of having narrow or short foreheads. Women start losing their hair once they age and so receding hairline is expected; hence having a low hairline has its advantage.

High hairline

Unlike low hairline, high hairline starts from the crown of your scalp. These types of hairlines are mostly genetics but can result from hair loss as well.

Middle hairline

The middle hairline is not too low or not too high, it is in middle, which is a normal hairline. Mid hairlines are the most common hairlines found among women, although there is no evidence to support this claim. But these customary foreheads are found to be nothing out of ordinary.

Widow’s peak

A widow’s peak, or a V-shaped hairline, can be due to an underlying genetic disorder such as frontonasal dysplasia. Frontonasal dysplasia is a rare disorder where someone develops abnormal characteristics in the head and face before birth. If it is not frontonasal dysplasia, there is a high chance that you had inherited a widow’s peak.

Widow’s peak can appear more or less prominent with age.

Triangular hairline

A triangular hairline is different from a V-shaped hairline. It usually is an off-center triangle and the pointy edge is usually on one side of the hairline.
In some cases, a triangular hairline is caused due to temporal triangular alopecia. Triangular alopecia is also known as congenital triangular alopecia where there is a benign loss of hair without any scaring. It usually affects the front temporal region and sometimes the occipital scalp.

Uneven hairline

Uneven hairlines are mostly very common hairlines. They lack symmetry in the hairline, sometimes the difference is barely noticeable.

One side of your hairline can be somewhat higher or lower. Some people have a very prominent uneven hairline with their hairlines going zig-zag.

An uneven hairline can be caused by extensive styling where the hair is being pulled too tightly. It can also occur due to genetics or old age.

If someone starts experiencing a receding hairline, they might also get an uneven hairline.

Bell-shaped hairline

Bell-shaped or oval hairlines are mostly symmetrical. They appear as a long hairline on the forehead. They are curvy and have no uneven lines.

Straight-lined hairline

Straight-lined or also known as juvenile hairline is a straight hairline on the forehead in a rectangular shape. Sometimes people try to get a haircut resembling this hairline but sometimes it is just genetics.

Receding hairline or M-shape

Although receding hairlines are more common in men, there have many cases that women who also faced a receding hairline.

Why is my hairline receding female?

The major reason why your receding hairline for females would be genetics but other factors such as lifestyle, smoking, hormones, stress, and anxiety, and diet can also cause a receding hairline. To pinpoint what it is, visit a doctor who can identify the cause for you.

Unlike receding hairline being an underlying cause of androgenic alopecia in men, receding hairline is different in women from androgenic alopecia.

Receding hairline in women will give them an M-shaped hairline, where the hair loss happens at both sides of the temple. It can recede backward in a straight line as well.

Other cases in women stated that they see receding hairlines on their temples after getting pregnant. To help you with that here is a blog article about how to prevent hair loss during pregnancy. This hair loss is usually temporary.

What causes a receding hairline in women?

Receding hairline is a sign of potential hair loss which is more common in men than women. Like already mentioned, hairlines get affected by many factors, that can be either inherited, or it can be your genetics. Sometimes it’s your hormones or the chemicals you put on your head to style.

Research believes that genetics do play some part in shaping your hairline but has not yet discovered if genes should be held accountable for different hairlines. There might be no other reasons why your hairline should be V-shaped or explain why is it happening to you.

There are many reasons as to what can affect your hairline and what its causes are. Major factors like receding hairline can indicate that you might have another underlying problem such as female pattern hair loss.

Female pattern hair loss (FPHL)

Female pattern hair loss or also known as androgenetic alopecia is a hair loss that is caused by an enzyme called dihydrotestosterone (DHT). the main concept of dht is that it causes the hair follicles to miniaturize by sticking themselves to the androgen receptors.

DHT blocks the nourishment to reach the hair follicles. Having not enough nutrients means thin and weak hair growth, which can lead to hair loss eventually. Follicles become small and produce shorter hairs until they can no longer grow out of the scalp.

In women, androgenic alopecia will make their hair thinner around the part line. The part line is the natural line that divides your hair from left to right.

If you have a chance of female pattern baldness, you may experience thin hair and a making your hairline look weak and volume less. You will feel that your hairline does not have any density like it used to.

In severe cases, the hair becomes so thin, you can skin the scalp beneath the hair from the top. Although not to worry about, there are many solutions to cater to all these hairlines.

Read Does Biotin Shampoo Really Help Shedding, Thinning Hair?

Traction alopecia

Traction Alopecia is also a form of hair loss. This affects the hairline which is caused by the pulling tension on the hair follicles. Unlike Female Pattern Hair Loss, which is caused by DHT, traction alopecia is entirely due to the tight hairstyles you pulled for a long time or a hat!

The pulling tension is so hard, that eventually your hair follicles become lose and cause hair loss.

Traction alopecia can also occur due to using too many chemicals on your head. Some women experienced receding hairlines due to their menopause that creates hormonal changes. It can lead to hair loss as well.

Hairstyles that can cause traction alopecia

Braids
Cornrows
Tight ponytails
Heavy locks
Weaves
Pulled back tight bun

As you guessed, traction alopecia is usually common among African Americans with having heavy braided locks, or ballerinas who have to pull their hair back in a tight bun. But, there's good news - we have a comprehensive guide on how to make black hair grow fast - to help you alleviate that problem!

What does a receding hairline look like on a woman?

A receding hairline in women can appear differently than it does in men. Women typically experience a widening of the part or thinning of hair around the hairline, rather than a distinct receding hairline at the temples.

The hairline may appear more squared or have an "M" shape, and the hair around the crown may also thin. In more severe cases, bald patches may also develop around the temples.

How to change your hairline?

There are many ways through with you can get your hairline fixed. These include cosmetic procedures or home remedies. These options include the following:

Plucking

hairline plucking

For a widow’s peak hairline or uneven hairline, this method can help you fix your line. This technique is used to pluck out the extra hair from your hairline to make it look symmetrical or pleasing to your appearance. You simply need tweezers and pluck out the hair where hair is low enough to make your forehead look narrow.

Laser

The most popular procedure in the modern generation is a laser. This procedure is best for low hairline or uneven hairline. The laser can remove the unwanted hair around the hairline and prevent it from growing again. It takes several sessions before it starts showing its results but it has been proven quite effective among people.

Style your hair

The most cost-effective option would be styling your hair into which it can complement your hairline. Many celebrities going through hair loss usually get a haircut that hides the fact that they are losing hair. This doesn’t change your hairline but it can be made to look pleasant and less obvious.

People have opted for bangs with receding or high hairlines to hide some part of their foreheads. Hairstyles and haircuts can enhance your face features, eliminating the focus from the hairline.

Hair transplant

An invasion surgery, a hair transplant, is usually opted by many people. For permanent effects, a hair transplant is the best option. This procedure involves taking the hair from your scalp from certain areas and transplant it on your hairline to make your hairline lower.

People usually with high hairlines or receding hairlines opt for hair transplant (hair plugs) surgery. It is also recommended for uneven hairlines or thin hairlines.

Hairline lowering surgery

Unlike hair transplant, this procedure involves removing a part of your skin on the forehead and suturing your hairline to create a lower hairline. This makes the forehead appear shorter. This surgery is used for people with bell-shaped or short hairlines. This procedure also does not have any scarring.

How to fix an uneven hairline for females?

Here's how to fix an uneven hairline for females. If your hair is healthy, use a good shampoo and conditioner to give it more body and growth. You can also try using mousse or gel to style your hair to minimize the appearance of an uneven hairline.

If you face is asymmetrical, try a haircut to balance out those features.

Conclusion

There are different types of female hairlines depending on their height, weight, age, and so on. The hairline can also change once you start aging. Typically people start losing hair after they cross 40, and end up with a changed hairline. Many people end up altering it if they don’t like it.

Many factors can determine what contributes to hairlines. Female pattern baldness or Traction alopecia can be the underlying cause but one of the vital aspects of keeping a good hairline is to properly care for it.

Every hairline has a message to give about the health of your hair. The best way to not trigger an unwanted hairline, you must protect it from getting damaged.

There are few things that you can do to avoid getting a high hairline, receding hairline, V-Shapes, Bell-shaped hairline, and M-shaped.

If it’s not genetic, you can keep a normal hairline by

Massaging your hairline with a Scandinavian Biolabs scalp massager.
Keeping your hair moisturized to not let it get dry enough to break.
Use Scandinavian Biolabs hair strengthening shampoos and conditioners.
Do not pull your hair too tight to cause any traction alopecia.
Adopt a healthy lifestyle.
Eat enough nutrition so your hair can get all the nutrients it needs. Such as amino acids for hair growth foods.

In case you don’t like your hairline, there are tons of hairstyles and haircuts available to make them look more presentable which can suit your facial features.

We also recommend always consult a professional to see if there is no other underlying cause of your hair loss. A lot of factors can be associated with hair loss and before you do anything drastic, take advice from an expert.

References

Dr. Ahmad Chaudhry M.B.B.S. is a House Physician in the Medical Unit 3 Allied Hospital, Faisalabad, and deals with hepatic, cardiac, neurological, and dermatological issues daily. He did his MBBS from Punjab Medical College, Faisalabad. He believes that a good haircare routine is one where you nourish it naturally. During his free time, he works as a dermatologist for Scandinavian Biolabs.