Category: Hairlines

Hi – I am 36 years old, male. Good hair genes on my mother’s side, father is balding but not completely bald.

I have always had very thick wavy hair. Over the course of time I have noticed a gradual “shrinking” of my hair – hair is thinner and noticeably less dense when I run my fingers through it. This shrinking density has occurred everywhere on my head – not just the front or top but even on the sides and back. No balding areas, thinning is probably only noticeable to me. While my hairline receded slightly due to maturity, I really don’t seem to losing that much hair. It’s just that the “poofyness” is disappearing along with some of the waves.

If I would like to have a transplant just to lower the hairline by a centimeter with maximum density, would I be a good candidate? I don’t think there would be any shockloss since the hairline would be lowered. Thank you.

Shock loss producing permanent hair loss in a person without genetic balding is very rare. If it occurs in a person without genetic balding it usually returns in 3-6 months. You are defining a series of things including:

1. Suggestion that the hairline has risen. If it has without genetic balding, you may just have developed a mature hairline and if there is no genetic balding, then you can lower the hairline with a surgical procedure where the upper part of the forehead is removed and the hairline is then lowered. This is what we call a ‘hairline lowering procedure‘. Alternatively, hair transplants also work.
2. The thinning of the hair where you say the “poofyness” is disappearing along with the wavy nature of your hair may just be the changes occurring with age. To be sure that this is not miniaturization, you need to have your hair mapped out to be absolutely sure that it is a uniform process impacting all of the hair on your head, not just selected areas in the front.

You need to be properly examined before you embark upon the types of decisions that could be dangerous if you really have genetic balding and then lower your hairline. Also, I’d recomment that you read through some of the previous posts I’ve made regarding hairline lowering for more info.

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Hello Dr. Rassman!

Thank you for answering my last two questions.
This is a quick one and I’m interested to see what pictures you post along with your answer.

If I get a hair transplant that resembles Tom Hanks in The Da Vinci Code (due to a below average donor density, for instance) could I potentially move my hair line to Tom Hanks in Big if and when hair multipication becomes possible?
More broadly, what is your advice for someone considering a less than juvenille hair line look?
If that is what someone desires can it be created in advance of total hair loss?

I have had many people pick out a celebrity and say that they want to look like this one or that one. Sometimes I make an effort to do just that if:

1. The hair transplant option is part of a Master Plan that makes sense and looks appropriate.
2. The patient understands the process.
3. The goals are realistic with regard to hair supply and demand, and the characteristics of the hair itself.

The isolation of the frontal hairline in the treatment of the balding or thinning process may be appropriate in some people. There is a bonding between doctor and patient here that must be taken into account. If I met with you and bonded and believed that your goals were realistic, I am sure that we could develop a plan that makes sense to both of us. I have had patients get a mature hairline (playing conservative initially) and then move it down to their more youthful childhood hairline in another hair transplant procedure. I would rather do it that way then create a hairline that was too low which (because of its permanent nature) is there for life. If Tom Hanks wanted the hairline he had when he was young in the movie ‘Big’, he could get it moved down with little difficulty. For people who are not balding, I have replaced the youthful hairline to prevent the maturing hairline from appearing, but I have done this mostly for actors or male models whose career depends upon this youthful look.

Please just look at the NHI patient photo gallery and focus upon the variations of the hairlines. I could produce a Count Dracula type of hair line with a very wild widow’s peak, but I wouldn’t do that unless the Count himself asked for it.

Thank you for seeing me yestserday. You put my mind at great ease. As I reached you on this blog initially, please feel free to use my photographs to tell my story.

This is a 21 year old man who came to see me, because he felt that his hair was thinning in the forelock and his corners were rising. These pictures tell half of the story.

1. The changes are consistent with the appearance of the male hairline.
2. Mapping out the scalp shows no significant miniaturization present in any part of the scalp.

It is worthy to note the well illustrated picture of the left hairline where the fine hair (which is miniaturized as it is lost) is receding into a mature hairline. Behind this frontal immature hairline, is a mature hairline with no miniaturization. This clearly tells me that this young man is not balding at this time. As a 21 year old, the future is uncertain, so timing is everything. I always tell these young men to follow with me yearly, just to detect miniaturization at its first appearance and if the miniaturization appears, then with a drug like Propecia, the miniaturization may be arrested. The focus of a good Master Plan should be to keep the hairy person hairy, not transplant the balding one. Although this is not a profitable thing for me to do, it is what you would demand from a good doctor, doing what is in the best interest of his patient.

The good news is that he does not have to start Propecia at this time and may postpone it until miniaturization appears (if it ever does). Peace of mind is the reward for a good and proper examination (one way or the other).

Im 23, and know I have lost hair. My hair used to be really thick, and I have lost hair diffusely, at crown, and temples. 2 Derms I went to said it was simply a mature hairline. I dont want a mature hairline, I will not feel stupid being 30 with a teenage hairline. The derm said that I can try propecia if I want to. My mom and uncle have both mentioned my hair looks thinner. Im unsure what to do.

There are men that do not ‘grow up’ from a hair line perspective, so you can get reconstructive hair transplant surgery to bring back that old child-like hairline. While it is respectable that you do not want a mature hair line, it is something most hair transplant doctors do not treat, but something that I would be willing to do in a 30 year old who met certain criteria. The criteria would be:

1. that the predictable hair loss pattern will not be advanced
2. that your supply of donor hair will be enough to meet your needs on a worst case scenario
3. that the various elements of your hair characteristics meet my criteria
4. that you understand what is the worst case scenario for progressive hair loss and have a plan worked out with me to deal with it
5. that you are mature and of sound mind and body
6. that you have the finances to follow a worst case scenario through if it happened
7. that you can tolerate and are willing to take Propecia for the rest of your life

Currently there is no data that shows finasteride (Propecia) will stop the progression to a mature hair line. Propecia can only be prescribed by a medical doctor and it is important to establish a correct diagnosis before you start any medication.