Certain parts of the scalp are more likely to lose hair than others. Learn about the 5 most DHT-sensitive regions for hair loss.
If you have been noticing hair loss and you are doing some research into figuring out what the best treatment might be for you, you may be encountering a lot of new hair-related terms.
As it turns out, there is a lot to take into consideration when assessing the current state of your hair. Is the thinning diffuse, concentrated, or thinning in clumps with clear margins? Is the loss concentrated on your hairline, crown, or both?
By becoming more familiar with the terminology related to the more commonly discussed regions of the scalp, you may be able to help pinpoint the direction you want to go in for hair loss treatment, and better understand the potential benefits of various medications or procedures.
Below, we will cover the 5 main portions of the scalp which come up when discussing hair loss, as well as point out which areas are more likely to show hair loss first.
Your hairline and the hair around your temples is considered the frontal hairline. When people talk about a receding hairline, they are talking about the regression of this area. For women experiencing hair loss, it is unlikely to see the frontal hairline change, but for men dealing with male pattern hair loss, the hairline moving backward may be one of the first noticeable changes. Hairlines may change from going straight across, to an “M”, “U”, or “V” shaped pattern.
The front of your scalp is found just behind your natural hairline and stretches to just before the middle of your head, just about right where your ears start. It is common for this to start thinning along with the regression of the hairline.
Mid-scalp is the region right in the middle of your scalp, as the name suggests. This region runs across your head, starting right around where your ears start and ending approximately just after your ears. The hair in this region is generally the portion that holds out until the late stages of male pattern hair loss. If you are experiencing balding of the frontal and vertex regions at the same time, this may be seen as a bridge of hair separating these regions.
The vertex transitions point is the area on your head where hair loss doctors can more or less gauge where the mid-scalp ends and the vertex begins. This may be at slightly different areas for different people. In general, this point will be slightly sloped upwards and is directly on the edge of the vertex.
The vertex, or crown, of your head is the highest point of your scalp towards the back of your head. In men, this is the circular area where the common “bald spot” may start appearing.
All heads of hair and progressions of hair loss are a little bit different, of course. But, when it comes to male pattern hair loss, some regions of the scalp tend to start showing thinning or balding before others.
Using the commonly used male pattern hair loss scale, the Norwood Scale, as a general reference to the usual progression, we can identify a few patterns.
In men, the usual first sign of changes to the hair is a slight recession of the frontal hairline. This may also create an “M”, “U”, or a “V” pattern to the hairline. There may also be a recession of the hair on the temples.
Next, men usually notice a continued thinning of the frontal hair, a thinning of the vertex (“bald spot”) hair, or both.
This may progress until the remaining hair on the top of the head is in the mid-scalp, creating a band of hair separating the bald frontal and bald vertex regions.
The next stage of hair loss may be the loss of hair in the mid-scalp region, allowing the bald frontal and bald vertex regions to combine. The only remaining hair may be the DHT-resistant hair wrapping around the sides and back of the head in a “horseshoe” pattern.
At Strut Health, we try to take the hassle and stress out of getting prescription hair loss treatments.
You can have a free virtual telemedicine hair loss consultation with our U.S. licensed doctors in 10-15 minutes. They can help identify your main concerns and hair goals and prescribe a treatment regimen for you. We carry popular hair loss ingredients like Finasteride, Dutasteride, Minoxidil, and Spironolactone for women. We offer oral medications as well as multiple-ingredient topical formulations which can be applied once daily.
If you are a good fit for prescription hair loss treatment, your medication can be shipped to your front door with our free shipping. If you have any questions or need dosing adjustments during your treatment, our staff and doctors are available for free unlimited follow-ups.
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