We’re living in the age of a magic act known as social media. On Instagram, everybody’s perfect—so what does that leave for the rest of us in the real world? When we finally put our phones down at night, women are left to deal with the consequences of staring at hair extensions and keratin treatments online all day. There’s one subject that’s particularly touchy when it comes to women: receding hairlines.
Whether you’re experiencing postpartum hair loss or going through a particularly stressful time, your hairline often pays the price. Instead of applying makeup to your baby hairs every day like a TV reality star, turn that insecurity into a point of pride. If most women aren’t in love with their hairlines, why are we all hiding them?
We invited 11 real women to share their stories with Hair.com—and what makes them love their hair, even without a perfectly sculpted hairline. Throw that hair up into a messy bun and scroll on. Whether you’ve experienced traction alopecia or thinning over dark brown hair, these women are here to show you that there’s nothing to hide.
Thinning Hair, Receding Hairlines: Real Women Open Up About Their Hair
Bella, 26
"My favorite thing about my hair is it’s really thick, big, and curly. I love to wear my hair just out and wild, crazy. I used to wear my ponytails way too tight, so the sides started thinning.
It feels kind of great [to be on a shoot for hairlines] because I’m not the only one going through it and I’m not ashamed of it at all."
Lisbeth, 26
"My favorite part about my hair is just how long it is. One time I got a really short bob cut, and it took forever to grow back. It takes a lot of restraint to not cut your hair! I don’t know if every girl experiences this but, for me, I love going to the hair salon and just cutting, cutting, cutting.
I have a spot right here where it just never sits down and never stays still. It just always is all over the place, and I try to do everything in my power to get it down! It just doesn’t stay down. At least I’m not the only one who’s always trying to fix this part of my hair."
Michelle, 19
"My favorite part about my hair is probably that I typically don’t need to do a lot of work on it to make it stay straight. I really enjoy its color. All my life I’ve had a lot of baby hairs, so I usually try and cover them with my hair typically when I go out—this is out of the ordinary for me.
It feels comforting that there are a lot of people with the same concerns. Try new hairstyles—there aren’t any hairstyles you can’t do, even if you have a hairline that you’re not confident about. You should be confident with who you are, and if your hairline’s a part of you, you should always try and embrace how unique you are."
Eliana, 27
"My favorite part of my hair is that it’s very simple to brush and all that—any style is very simple for me.
[I have] hair loss—a lot. I think since I started college because of all the stress. You think you’re the only one who has a lot of hair loss. It’s not only you, many of us have the same problem, so don’t stress out!"
Nouri, 19
"I love that my hair is thick and full. I’m half Egyptian and half Guyanese, so my parents gave me some pretty good genetics. What’s frustrating about my hair is my baby hairs, mostly. I also have a widow’s peak so sometimes doing ponytails gets frustrating. It’s just a little bit different than others, and you never get all the hair pushed back.
Something as minor as a hairline shouldn’t bring down our self-esteem. Honestly, baby hairs are in style!"
Grisel, 36
"The most frustrating part about postpartum hair loss is when it starts coming out in chunks when you’re combing your hair or in the shower—it’s scary. I had someone tell me, ‘You should really do something about your hair because it doesn’t look good.’ Thanks, man! I just had a baby, you should see how I feel.
A lot of us are having the same issues with hair loss or receding hairlines. I feel a little [more] comfortable knowing that I’m not the only one. Don’t worry about what people think. If your hairline isn’t where you want it to be, you’re still yourself. It’s what’s on the inside that counts—your personality and your character speak for you."
Joanne, 63
"My favorite thing about my hair is that it’s shiny. [Being on a hairline shoot] makes me feel a lot less alone—I’m glad I have company. I’m not the only one out there suffering from hair frustrations. Get a good wig or hairpiece! Learn patience and learn what works for your hair. It also helps to get a good haircut, find a good stylist, and to use products that are specifically for your hair type.
[My hairline is] very crooked, very zigzag-y. I have to really work at making the bangs look like there’s a straight part, so it always takes me a few minutes in the morning."
Mickala, 21
"My favorite part about my hair is just the feel of it. I have such a habit of always going through my hair—I love the texture of my kinks and coils.
The most frustrating thing about my hairline is the fact that I have very dry hair. Say there’s ever a night that my scarf falls off, I know I’m going to wake up with receding edges.
We all have to deal with maintaining our edges. You’re already beautiful and you don’t have to prove that to anyone."
Leslie, 21
"My favorite part is definitely the volume of my hair and the length. What’s frustrating about my hairline is the fact that it’s very strong. To me, it’s very wide and very high.
I feel very proud [on this shoot] that although we might have these frustrations with our hairlines, we’ve come to accept it and we embrace it. It’s beautiful, at the end of the day. Just go on—rock it! Your hairline is a part of you."
Nora, 26
"My favorite part about my hair is that it is very thick—it’s very long, it’s very shiny. I think that I have good hair, just a challenging hairline.
I have a very pronounced forehead, and my hairline goes back very far on the sides. Knowing that other women are experiencing insecurities about their hairline, I feel a little bit seen and I also feel like I’m not so alone.
I shouldn’t be so self-conscious about something that’s so common. It’s about having confidence in your overall look. It’s something no one else is looking at other than you!"
Catheryn, 19
"My favorite part about my hair is the length of it and the texture. When I go to fashion shows, people tell me I comb my hair too much and that’s why it looks like a bald spot, but it’s not. I was just born like that. Having people repeat it all the time is just like—not everybody’s perfect!
Everyone is beautiful in their own way. If someone tells you something’s bad about yourself, you have to show them that it is beautiful. Don’t worry about what other people have to say about you."
Interviews have been condensed and edited for clarity and length. For personalized advice about styling your hair, use our salon locator to book an appointment with a stylist near you.
You might also like: What Causes Hair Thinning In Women And The Best Ways To Hide It
You might also like: 10 Common Hair Problems And Expert Tips For Dealing With Them
