Can Long Hair Cause Hair Loss? Plus, Styling Tips for a Receding Hairline

Two questions may have brought you here: Can long hair cause hair loss? And, can you grow long hair with a receding hairline? Well, we’re glad you found us because we’re here to answer both. 

We’ll cover whether long hair causes hair loss (or worsens thinning hair) and the best way to style long hair with a receding hairline. Read on to get the details. 

Many people wonder if having long hair leads to hair loss. Here’s the short answer: Long hair does not cause hair loss. Hair length has no impact on the health of your hair follicles — follicles are responsible for the hair growth cycle, which regulates hair growth and shedding. 

But sometimes, hair loss causes can be nuanced. Some habits associated with long hair can potentially lead to breakage and stress on the scalp, which may contribute to temporary hair loss or thinning. 

We’ll cover those below.

Traction Alopecia

Tight hairstyles that pull at the root (like braids, cornrows, tight ponytails, or buns) can cause a type of hair loss known as traction alopecia. The constant pulling weakens hair over time and can potentially lead to permanent hair loss. While this can and does happen with short hair, you’re more likely to wear your hair tightly pulled back if you have long hair.

Heat Styling

Using a blow dryer or straightening your hair occasionally is not going to cause noticeable hair loss, so don’t panic. However, studies show that using hot tools on your hair regularly can lead to microscopic damage, including splitting and breaking. This won’t cause baldness, but it could make it more difficult for hair to grow.

Chemical Processing

Regularly dying your hair or getting chemical relaxers or perms may be damaging to your hair.   While these don’t cause male pattern baldness, the damage they cause can lead to weakened, brittle hair that breaks off easily. 

Certain common ingredients in hair dyes and chemical treatments, including ammonia and hydrogen peroxide, are known to weaken hair, damaging the protein within the hair shaft, which can lead to shedding and/or breakage of existing hairs in the telogen stage.

Brushing Too Hard or Too Often

Turns out that it is possible to brush your hair too much. One small study on women found women who didn’t brush as frequently had less hair loss. The thought is that overbrushing or brushing too rigorously could tug hair out at the root or cause breakage.

Wondering if you can still pull off longer hair if your hairline is receding? You definitely can. A receding hairline is usually a result of androgenetic alopecia (male pattern baldness), where hair loss begins as an M-shape at the hairline and temples. 

While growing long hair won’t stop this progression (not much outside of hair loss treatments will, unfortunately), longer hair can help create a fuller appearance by blending thinning areas with the rest of the hair. 

However, it’s also possible that longer hair could also make a receding hairline more noticeable, so we’ll cover some styling tips for long hair with a receding hairline.

How Do I Style Long Hair With a Receding Hairline?

A surefire way to style long hair with a receding hairline is to add volume at the roots. Our volumizing shampoo and conditioner help create height that can cover thinner areas. You could also try a slicked-back style (hair products like lightweight gel, pomade, or hairspray can help your hair stay back).

For more ideas, check out our quiz that helps narrow down what haircut would work well for you.

Below, you’ll find some frequently asked questions about long hair and hair loss.

Does Longer Hair Shed More?

It’s normal to shed between 50-100 hairs per day, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). Long hair does not shed any more than short hair, but the shedding may be more noticeable. It’s easier to see a strand of hair three inches long in the shower drain than a very short one.

What’s the Difference Between a Receding Hairline and a Mature Hairline?

Most people experience the “maturing” of their hairline sometime between their late teens and early thirties, when it gradually moves back one to two centimeters. In this case, the hairline usually stays straight, with no noticeable hair loss. 

On the other hand, a receding typically takes on an M-shaped appearance 

If you’re dealing with thinning or balding and you have long hair, there are steps you can take to slow the progression. And the sooner you make a move, the better. Below we’ll cover popular hair loss treatments.

Finasteride

Finasteride (the active ingredient in Propecia^®) is a prescription medication for treating male pattern baldness. It inhibits an enzyme known as 5-alpha-reductase that converts testosterone into DHT, a male hormone responsible for male pattern hair loss.

Minoxidil

Minoxidil (the active ingredient in Rogaine^®) is available in topical form as a liquid or foam. You’ll apply it twice daily to the areas of your scalp where you’re experiencing hair loss.

Unlike finasteride, minoxidil doesn’t reduce DHT levels. Instead, it’s thought to increase blood flow to the scalp and stimulate hair follicles to stay in the anagen (growth) phase of the hair growth cycle.

Minoxidil is available without a prescription (aka over-the-counter). We offer minoxidil foam and minoxidil liquid solution. Oral minoxidil requires a prescription, but it can be a good option for those who don’t like using a topical product.

Finasteride and Minoxidil Together

You can use finasteride and minoxidil at the same time, and, in some cases, even in the same product. We offer access to a topical finasteride & minoxidil spray that combines the two ingredients. 

A 2019 meta-analysis found that using oral finasteride and topical minoxidil together was more effective (and just as safe) than using either alone. Plus, the spray is a mist that dries quickly, so it won’t get in the way of styling long hair.

Here’s the TL;DR when it comes to having long hair while balding.

• Long hair doesn’t cause hair loss, but certain habits with long hair, like tight styles, can lead to breakage or traction alopecia (so make sure to loosen your man bun sometimes).

• Styling long hair with a receding hairline is possible with the right techniques to add volume and blend thinning areas for a fuller look.

• Hair loss treatments like finasteride and minoxidil can help slow balding.

To learn more about long hair, check out our guide to how to grow out your hair. If you’re interested in learning more about our hair loss treatments, take our short quiz to connect with a licensed healthcare provider online and learn more about the right hair loss treatments for you.