8 Tips for Your Healthiest Hairline
It's easy for a thinning female hairline to sneak up on us as we age. Hairstyles with face-framing layers or bangs can camouflage hair loss along our temples and forehead. And when we finally do notice a thinning hairline, it's super frustrating because we don't think of women losing hair at the hairline—that's where men tend to lose hair.
Sure, our hair thins a bit as we age, but the natural edges of our hairline? Those are supposed to stay put, right?
Not always, unfortunately.
We can take steps, however, to not just keep our delicate hairline healthy but combat hairline thinning, whether from female pattern hair loss or female traction alopecia. If you’re experiencing hair loss at your hairline, it's important to figure out what's causing your hair thinning and start a hair-care routine specifically tailored to support a healthy scalp and hairline.
Read on to learn more about how to support a healthy hairline and how to treat thinning edges on natural hair as well as all hair types. Plus, we share how to tell if your thinning tresses are due to female traction alopecia.
First Things First: What is Female Traction Alopecia?
Great question—and there's a hint right in the name! Traction alopecia is hair loss at the female hairline due to too much friction (or traction) on the hair. When our hair is constantly rubbed or pulled, the hair strands and hair follicles can get damaged. This damage results in thinner hair edges and fewer baby hairs on the hairline. And fewer baby hairs on the hairline means we're experiencing slow growth, which can also contribute to our natural hair edges thinning in appearance.
How Do I Know If My Natural Hair Edges Are Thinning Due to Female Traction Alopecia?
Our hair thins as we age, but pinpointing the cause of female hairline thinning can be tricky. While female pattern baldness from hormonal changes during menopause is one of the most common types of hair loss that can occur at the female hairline, female traction alopecia could also be the culprit. Hair loss due to female traction alopecia, however, tends to occur only where hair has been repeatedly pulled tight or rubbed, often along the hairline or crown. So if you don't wear tight hairstyles and have a more "wash and wear" approach to your hair, it's unlikely that female traction alopecia is causing your hair loss. But the good news is that if female traction alopecia is the cause of your hair loss and thinning, it's usually reversible!
How to Treat Thinning Edges on Natural Hair
Women who frequently wear their hair in high-tension styles such as weaves, extensions and who use lots of heat and chemicals on their hair are prone to thinning edges. All that pulling and those harsh chemicals take a toll on the delicate hairs at the hairline. Although almost half of all black women will experience hair loss with female traction alopecia, all hair types, not just natural hair, can experience thinning edges as well as benefit from damaged hairline treatments. We get into the best treatments for thinning edges for all hair types below.
The Best Treatments for Thinning Edges
Just because your hairline can easily be exposed to damage doesn’t mean it has to be. The treatments for thinning edges include removing the source of pulling and friction on your hair and supporting your hair and scalp with nourishing, hair-healthy products. Keep reading to find out how to treat a thinning female hairline and prevent natural hair edges from thinning in the first place!
1. Give Your Scalp a Gentle, Stimulating Massage
Besides feeling great at the end of a long day, a gentle scalp massage is good for you. Emphasis on gentle—vigorously rubbing the scalp will create too much friction, which we want to avoid! A scalp massage can help support nourishing blood flow because many capillaries on the scalp are connected to hair follicles. And healthy hair follicles are the (literal!) foundation for healthy hair!
2. Eat a Hair-Healthy Diet for Damaged Hairline Treatment
Hair and scalp health starts on the inside! If your natural hair edges are thinning considerably, your hair might benefit from adding vitamins and minerals to your diet that support healthy hair and scalp. Nutrients like biotin, retinol and vitamins B, C and D can support whole-body wellness and are found in fruits, vegetables, lean meats and fortified beverages like milk and orange juice. If your diet could use some work, try an easy-to-take gummy supplement like our Significant Other Hair, Skin & Nails Supplement. Each strawberry-flavored gummy contains a powerful blend of hair-friendly vitamins and minerals that support stronger-, healthier-looking hair!
3. Wear Loose, Low-Tension Hairstyles to Combat Female Traction Alopecia
Avoiding tight hairstyles is critical for keeping natural hair edges from thinning. High-tension styles include tight high buns, ponytails and braids that pull at the hairline. But this one's an easy fix! Just swap your high-tension looks for loose, low hairstyles. Check out our list of 17 heatless, damage-free hairstyling tips here for some chic hair inspiration!
4. Style Your Hair Gently to Avoid Breaking the Baby Hairs on Your Hairline
It can be hard to appreciate the new baby hairs on our hairline—those little wispy stands can have a mind of their own! But keep in mind that baby hairs represent healthy new hair growth. It's important to be gentle when styling these delicate strands so they don't break or develop split ends.
Pro tip: Whether you prefer to brush baby hairs back with the rest of your hair or style them along your hairline, a clean soft-bristle toothbrush will be your best friend! Fix your baby hairs the way you want them with the toothbrush, and then apply a setting product like a smoothing cream or a flexible-hold hairspray like our Wake Up Call High Hold Thickening Hairspray. This biotin-powered hairspray delivers the nourishing benefits of our signature Wake Up Call™ blend of naturally-derived ingredients like bamboo, burdock and hops with lasting 24-hour hold and humidity resistance. Your baby hairs will stay put and damage-free!
5. Keep the Baby Hairs on Your Hairline Moisturized
Those baby hairs we just mentioned? They've got to stay hydrated to avoid becoming a dry, frizzy mess. Adding a moisturizing frizz-taming spray to your hair-care routine can help keep your baby hairs soft and hydrated while preventing wild flyaways. We swear by our plant-based No Remorse Heat Protection & Taming Spray to smooth frizz and moisturize dry tresses. Formulated with our proprietary blend of hydrating vitamin E and argan and avocado oils, No Remorse smooths and conditions dry strands while taming frizz. Plus, it offers protection from heat styling up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit to keep all of your hair free from heat damage!
6. Add a Shampoo and Conditioner Designed for a Sensitive Scalp
Setting your scalp up for success is the first step toward healthy hair growth. But if your scalp has become more sensitive with age, you're not alone! Most of us can't get away with using the same shampoo now as we did in our 20s. To support a healthy hairline and scalp, look for hypoallergenic, fragrance-free formulas specifically designed for mature skin and hair. Our all-natural, dermatologist-tested Full Transparency Pure Revitalizing Shampoo and Full Transparency Shine Revitalizing Conditioner are formulated with scalp- and hair-friendly ingredients like chia seed and yuzu that nourish and strengthen tresses without irritating even the most sensitive scalps!
7. Use a Scalp Serum as a Preventative Damaged Hairline Treatment
What about preventative care? If you aren't experiencing female traction alopecia or a noticeably thinning hairline, it's still a great idea to proactively support your hair and scalp health! Our original Superpower Fortifying Hair & Scalp Serum contains our proprietary Superpower™ blend of proven plant-derived ingredients and ginger and centella asiatica extracts to nourish the scalp and help address the early signs of aging hair. Your hair will look healthier and stronger by the day!
8. Or Try a Hair-Densifying Scalp Serum Designed to Support a Healthy Female Hairline
More advanced hairline thinning and scalp irritation requires a more powerful scalp serum for support. Our all-new supercharged Superpower+ Advanced Hair Densifying Scalp Serum is specially designed for noticeable hair thinning and a sensitive scalp. This refreshing gel serum absorbs easily into the scalp and contains our gentle yet extra-potent Superpower™ blend combined with plant-derived rosemary extract and apple cider vinegar for thicker-, denser- and stronger-looking hair. In fact, 84% of women said their scalp was less visible after 8 weeks of use, and their scalp felt relief after the first application!*
*Independent consumer trials with daily usage. Individual results may vary.
Tell Us: What are your favorite ways to keep your hairline healthy? Share in the comments below!
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Better Not Younger has all your thinning hairline concerns covered, from female traction alopecia to thinning natural hair edges. Specifically created for thinning, aging hair, our products are designed to nourish strands at the scalp while refueling follicles and providing hydration and strength to keep your hairline looking healthier and thicker!