New + another "is this normal" question, regarding baby hairs & hairline

[peppermintgomez]

I noticed about two months ago that something about my hairline didn't look right. I had a deep side part and there appeared to be a ton of wispy little hairs on my hairline near the part. I've always had varying degrees of baby hairs (I'm of Iranian and Indian descent so this is pretty common), but something about this just looked wrong. The hairs looked thinner and deeper into the hairline than they should have been, instead of just along the perimeter. I started parting my hair less deeply and stopped using benzoyl peroxide, which was bleaching some of my hair and I thought might potentially be causing breakage.

When I got home I pinned my bangs back and noticed I had these chunks of shorter hair and a very scary looking thin spot at the temple. I don't know if this is new or if it has always been that way. I've been growing out my bangs for about a year, so they probably weren't noticeable until recently, and you can't really tell looking at me from the front or when my hair is completely down which is how I usually see myself. You can see how sparse the area is, as well as the weird wispy chunks of hair-horns:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v35/ranabow/image2_zpsdb67b55d.jpeg


I do have thyroid disease, so I immediately made an appointment to make sure my TSH is in a good place. My doctor said it is at the lower end of normal, but still within normal range, and she doesn't think increasing my prescription dosage would make too much of a difference or might even make me hyperthyroid.

Here is a more recent picture with my hair up:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v35/ranabow/image1_zps0a5b87a9.jpeg

I don't think it looks worse than before, but I don't think it looks much better either.

I started growing my hair out because I wanted to be able to put it up and do cute things with it, but now I'm kind of embarrassed to do so :( Does anyone else have a hair pattern like this? I found a picture of Kim Kardashian and she had a very similar, if not more extreme pattern...but she was probably pregnant, so I don't know if it really counts...

In any case, regardless of whether it's just how my hairline is, or if there is a cause, it'd be nice to hear some suggestions on how to work with it, considering it will be this way for the foreseeable future if not forever.

Thanks :)

[OurAtronach]

It actually looks fuller in the second photo than the first. Neither look bad to me at all, it actually looks pretty charming. I've seen baby hairs/slightly receding hairlines pretty frequently...I look out for them because I got it bad, myself. I even went so far as to cut the baby hairs as short as possible, but they've grown back out and horizontally (and I think longer? Before, they were stuck at baby hair terminal length.) This gives me mountain goat horns if my hair gets even the slightest bit greasy. shudder:

My tricks are the usual -- bobby pins, wide hair bands, recently a little bit of Aloe gel, and braiding along the hairline. Stuff you might already be familiar with, having bangs and all. I also like to gently pull at the scalp to stimulate it, hoping it might thicken up. Best thing to do is just accept them and wear your hair how you want it. :cool:

[Madora]

Given the areas of hair loss, I'd stay far away from ponytails.

[peppermintgomez]

It actually looks fuller in the second photo than the first. Neither look bad to me at all, it actually looks pretty charming. I've seen baby hairs/slightly receding hairlines pretty frequently...I look out for them because I got it bad, myself. I even went so far as to cut the baby hairs as short as possible, but they've grown back out and horizontally (and I think longer? Before, they were stuck at baby hair terminal length.) This gives me mountain goat horns if my hair gets even the slightest bit greasy. shudder:

My tricks are the usual -- bobby pins, wide hair bands, recently a little bit of Aloe gel, and braiding along the hairline. Stuff you might already be familiar with, having bangs and all. I also like to gently pull at the scalp to stimulate it, hoping it might thicken up. Best thing to do is just accept them and wear your hair how you want it. :cool:

I've started brushing my hair again and focus more on the temple areas, thinking it might just need some stimulation. I stopped brushing years ago because it pulled at my very loose waves and made my hair frizzy, but now doing it just before bed doesn't seem like a bad idea. My hair tends to be a bit dry as well, so I'm hoping it might distribute the oils a bit more. I've started taking vitamins too, but I'm not going to pin my hopes on it.

I don't prefer to braid the hairline...it actually just seems to make it more noticeable with all the little hairs sticking out of the braid.

This is the picture I found of Kim. I don't know, it might just be one of those quirks that women from our area of the world have.

http://www.eonline.com/eol_images/Entire_Site/2013121/reg_634.kimk.twit.jlc.22013.jpeg

[BlueMajorelle]

My hairline has the exact same problem. It's good to know I'm not the only one! It was never like that when I was younger so I understand how it can be frustrating and worrisome. I agree with the ponytail thing, when you pull it back too much it pulls at the fine baby hairs you have. Also, when I do pull my hair back, I pull it back very loosely so the baby wisps blend it a little more to the rest of my hair. I would be careful with oils though too, if I put oil directly on my scalp I often see more hair loss. I did use henna in my hair a few weeks ago and did see some improvement, it makes your hair stronger and less prone to breakage. It made my hair red but yours is dark so I bet you could use it and it wouldn't change the color.

[Sweet_Decadence]

I got a similar looking problemhairline, It wasn't caused by any medical issue but by damage from my pillow of all things! Since I started bunning my hair for bed the friction and the absorbency of the cotton pillow slowing seemed to damage, and ultimate start breaking off the hair all around the edges of my hairline. Since switching to satin pillowcases, its been much better and I'm able to start growing the damage out.

[peppermintgomez]

My hairline has the exact same problem. It's good to know I'm not the only one! It was never like that when I was younger so I understand how it can be frustrating and worrisome. I agree with the ponytail thing, when you pull it back too much it pulls at the fine baby hairs you have. Also, when I do pull my hair back, I pull it back very loosely so the baby wisps blend it a little more to the rest of my hair. I would be careful with oils though too, if I put oil directly on my scalp I often see more hair loss. I did use henna in my hair a few weeks ago and did see some improvement, it makes your hair stronger and less prone to breakage. It made my hair red but yours is dark so I bet you could use it and it wouldn't change the color.

I have some color in my hair (not so much in those pics) so I'd be afraid to use henna. I never use oil on my hair, it's way too fine and even the smallest amount makes it look greasy. For ponytails, I do like how they look on me, but they always seem to end up tight because if I don't make them tight, they fall out. I don't like making them so tight...it just makes the crown flat and I like more volume. My hair isn't thin, so I can get a nice full-looking pony and it's flattering on me (the picture above is a bad example, but trust me, it's usually a lot nicer than that). So, I'd like to keep trying and hopefully figure something out to take the weight off the roots, which will result in less pulling and tightness.

[restless]

Hm... honestly I dont think it looks bad at all- its rather cute actually. Do you know for sure it hasnt looked like that always but now youre paying more attention to your hair and thus has started to focus on the details rather than the big picture? I know LHC has a tendency to do that to us ;) Since I came on here I have noticed a lot of funny things going on that I never even thought of before; grey hair and wiry hair just to mention some. Look at other peoples hairlines when youre out and about; most people have these whispy little hairs in the front and some more than others.

My own hairline looks a lot like yours with the baby hairs, especially on the left side of my forehead and its nothing new. Apart from being natural short terminal lenght hairs, the only thing I can think of that might make ´em look like that is the fact that I tend to sleep on my left side most nights and therefore they might be breaking off when being rubbed against the pillow. Who knows...? They dont bother me and I like sleeping on my left side so the baby hairs will stay. I think they add character if nothing else :D I guess you could try a silk pillow case if thats what causes your problem.

However, of course it could be something else- traction alopecia has been mention (or hinted) previously in the thread. If you do know youre wearing a lot of hair styles that are pulling a lot then maybe its time to change that and see if it makes a difference.

[peppermintgomez]

I got a similar looking problemhairline, It wasn't caused by any medical issue but by damage from my pillow of all things! Since I started bunning my hair for bed the friction and the absorbency of the cotton pillow slowing seemed to damage, and ultimate start breaking off the hair all around the edges of my hairline. Since switching to satin pillowcases, its been much better and I'm able to start growing the damage out.

That's really interesting! Now that you mention it, I was baffled as to why it is so much worse on one side. As it turns out, that's the side I usually sleep on...and I actually rest my head right on that spot. So I wonder if it's as simple as that.

For reference, this is was my hair a few weeks ago. I don't think it looks sparse or receded here. It's just that one odd spot.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v35/ranabow/217B5333-D096-4990-AE8C-FCE7564ABA87_zpsgky3mcfq.jpg

[peppermintgomez]

Hm... honestly I dont think it looks bad at all- its rather cute actually. Do you know for sure it hasnt looked like that always but now youre paying more attention to your hair and thus has started to focus on the details rather than the big picture? I know LHC has a tendency to do that to us ;) Since I came on here I have noticed a lot of funny things going on that I never even thought of before; grey hair and wiry hair just to mention some. Look at other peoples hairlines when youre out and about; most people have these whispy little hairs in the front and some more than others.

My own hairline looks a lot like yours with the baby hairs, especially on the left side of my forehead and its nothing new. Apart from being natural short terminal lenght hairs, the only thing I can think of that might make ´em look like that is the fact that I tend to sleep on my left side most nights and therefore they might be breaking off when being rubbed against the pillow. Who knows...? They dont bother me and I like sleeping on my left side so the baby hairs will stay. I think they add character if nothing else :D I guess you could try a silk pillow case if thats what causes your problem.

However, of course it could be something else- traction alopecia has been mention (or hinted) previously in the thread. If you do know youre wearing a lot of hair styles that are pulling a lot then maybe its time to change that and see if it makes a difference.

I feel a bit better after reading this thread, actually :) You're probably right that I'm just more aware of these things than I used to be. I almost never wear my hair up so I know it can't be that...it's probably just the way my hair is but I never noticed before--and your comment as well as the above make me think it's probably just thinner on that side because that's the side I sleep on. I've had bangs of some sort for probably the last ten years, and if I didn't, I was parting it on the other side, or not putting it up much...so it's not the sort of thing I'd really notice. I will continue taking my vitamins because, hey, why not? But I don't think I'm going bald anymore, phew.

[Nadine <3]

my hairline looks like that. Has since I was a tiny kid :)

[heartgoesboom]

hello! my hair line is just like that since i was a baby. it sucks when i have my hair up but oh well, i have so much hair it never mattered to me. my mommy and sis has the same. my mom just realized it recently and she freaked out too and said she's losing hair. so i pulled my hair back and said no, we have the same. hahaha.

[Wisé]

I'm glad you don't fear hairloss anymore!
Before christmas there was this thread about strange hairlines where you can see that you're not alone:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=116538

My looks pretty similar too and because I sleep in a satin bonnet I now it's not from the pillow.
I'm pretty confident that this is just natural variation you just hadn't noticed before.

Now for some more useful comments: Because of my hairline I never liked doing updos until I found a trick that works for me.
I just take a few strands of hair just around my part and instead of taking them straight in the updo, I take them (optional: down on my forehead and then) back behind my ears to clip them there. Take the remaining length in the updo as if it was growing behind your ears. If worn deep it will look like bangs, else it will just cover up the spots and pretend a round hairline. If you want to hide the transition between pulled back and going down try wearing a cute headband above it.

Hope it helps.

[Llama]

I think you have a normal hairline!

[peppermintgomez]

I'm glad you don't fear hairloss anymore!
Before christmas there was this thread about strange hairlines where you can see that you're not alone:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=116538

My looks pretty similar too and because I sleep in a satin bonnet I now it's not from the pillow.
I'm pretty confident that this is just natural variation you just hadn't noticed before.

Now for some more useful comments: Because of my hairline I never liked doing updos until I found a trick that works for me.
I just take a few strands of hair just around my part and instead of taking them straight in the updo, I take them (optional: down on my forehead and then) back behind my ears to clip them there. Take the remaining length in the updo as if it was growing behind your ears. If worn deep it will look like bangs, else it will just cover up the spots and pretend a round hairline. If you want to hide the transition between pulled back and going down try wearing a cute headband above it.

Hope it helps.

OMG that's the best thread ever. There were many "Me too!" moments in reading it. Thanks for sharing!

I think what you're describing reminds me a bit of Audrey Hepburn:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rqeq7pP1L-w/TsPTNuAU9LI/AAAAAAAACBo/TI_kcjuWCqE/s1600/audrey-hepburn.jpg

Maybe the key is to not pull the hair straight back

[duchess67]

My hairline looks exactly like yours when I pull back all my hair.

[Wisé]

I think what you're describing reminds me a bit of Audrey Hepburn:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rqeq7pP1L-w/TsPTNuAU9LI/AAAAAAAACBo/TI_kcjuWCqE/s1600/audrey-hepburn.jpg

You're right, this looks a lot like what I do, just without the clipping. But I usually wear my hair even more down to look more like bangs.
Just experiment how you like it most on yourself.


I'm glad the thread helped.