You’ve lived your whole life with a full head of hair. It’s part of who you are, and it’s part of your look.
Then, one day, you look in the mirror and see something disturbing. All of a sudden your hair starts further back on your forehead. You didn't really notice it before, but you can’t ignore it now.
You have a receding hairline.
It can be a lot to accept, given at some point in your future, you may not be a person with a full head of hair. Your hairstyle will change, your look will change, you will change.
Change is an inevitable part of life, but we prefer it to be change we choose, not change forced upon us.
But even if you didn’t choose a receding hairline, you can choose how you want to handle it. We want to help you take control of your situation and choose what to do given you can’t reverse a receding hairline.
You have a couple options, all good, to consider.
Classics – the Buzz and the Bald
For millenia, men with receding hairlines, fed up with their receding hair, have gone on the offensive.
Cutting your hair short, either in a buzz or a true razor shave, is a great option for men with a receding hairline. You maintain a “whole” look, rather than one with obviously lacking hair.
The big decision here is: how far do you go? And if you decide to go all the way--to razor-shave every last hair off your mother-loving head--do you do it all at once?
It can be a shock for those who’ve had hair on their head their whole life to, suddenly and completely, have none. And it may make you self conscious to confront friends and coworkers with such an obviously different dome.
We suggest the gradual approach. If you want to go true bald, first buzz your head, then a month or two later go shorter, and then shorter still until a razor shave is undetectable. It’s all about making the transition smooth, and then you’re set for life.
Risky – The Comb Over/Comb Forward
Consider your future. If your hairline is truly receding, which is to say continually getting further from your forehead, it’s likely to keep going.
It may not be that bad right now. So, a comb over or comb forward can work, and you can make it look good.
But it might only be temporary. It might only work for now.
In the future you could find you’re continually having to comb more and more hair over.
This is where the comb over is risky. It can turn into holding onto a head of hair you don’t actually have. Don’t be the guy who combs four hairs across a fully bald head.
If you know you’re bound to have a shiny head in a matter of years, you might want to go on the offensive and go with a short cut from the get-go.
Working With It - Short & Styled
For some guys, a receding hairline isn't all bad news. Depending on your age and head shape, embracing your receding hairline and choosing a short and styled look can work quite well.
Millions of men successfully use the right combs and hair styling products to rock slicked back hair, side parts, and short and messy/spikey looks with a receding hairline each day. The key to success when going this route is ensuring you get regular haircuts to properly maintain a short length. Going to long in between cuts will make things look worse, not better.
You can also combat your changing hairline with facial hair. Growing some sort of facial hair, whether a beard, mustache, goatee etc. can serve as a “distraction” from your hairline as facial hair naturally draws peoples eyes towards the middle of your face (and not the top of your head!).
As Always with Hairdo, Do You
At the end of the day, a receding hairline and how you deal with it is a very personal choice.
The biggest factor that will determine the success of your decision will be the confidence you have in it, so be sure to rock your hair choice proudly.
Maybe you don’t want to go on the offensive… Maybe, instead, you want to take advantage of these final years while your hairline is not yet receded. Or, you have no problem shaving your head and already have the razor and cream in hand.
The best haircut is always the one you’re most happy with. So, get that one. If you think styling your hair might be the solution, check out our line of hair styling solutions for men.
