Don’t panic. Your hairline is moving up. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll look like Prince William anytime soon. You could just be developing your mature hairline.

That said, about 25% of men start balding before they turn 21, according to the American Hair Loss Association.

And most severe cases of hair loss begin when men are in their teens or early 20s. So it’s possible you are starting to lose your hair. Keep reading. I’m going to provide with all the information you need to know about the mature hairline, so you can assess whether or you’re going bald or simply maturing.

First, What is a Mature Hairline?

Between the ages of 17 and 29, most men lose their child or juvenile hairline, distinguished by its relatively low, straight-across appearance and rounded corners, and their hairlines undergo a maturation phase. Only a small percentage of Caucasian men (around 5%) retain their juvenile hairlines for life. Simply, as the hairline matures, it moves back a little bit.

As I state in my post entitled 7 Surprising facts about the mature hairline, the hairline maturation process is not considered a form of male pattern baldness by the overwhelming majority of hair loss organizations, surgeons, and specialists.

17-25 is the most likely time frame for this evolution to occur, and the new hairline can take up to a decade to fully lock into place. The process may occur in an awkward or asymmetrical manner for some men, but usually, the transformation is fairly subtle — many don’t even notice!

The Cause

DHT is the primary, perhaps exclusive reason that most of us men lose our juvenile hairlines. A sex steroid and androgen hormone, DHT is considerably more potent than its more-famous cousin, testosterone.

DHT also causes male pattern hair loss in men who are genetically susceptible to it. Other factors may also play a role in the development of the mature hairline, but those factors are not well-understood at this time.

Measuring the Mature Hairline

This section is for those of you who are very detail-oriented. Skip it otherwise!

Now, your juvenile hairline was once located at the highest wrinkle on your forehead. If you’re not balding, your mature hairline should sit about 1 finger width above your highest forehead wrinkle. That’s approximately ½ to ⅔ of an inch, or 1-1.7 cm. Your hairline corners will also recede as your hairline matures, rising about 1 to 1.5 inches above your highest forehead wrinkle.

A Distinct, V-Shape

Mature, or Type II hairlines typically have a V-shape — but not all V’s are created equal!

CNN news anchor Anderson Cooper, pictured above, is an example of someone who I’d classify as having a Norwood Class 2 pattern (AKA a mature hairline). Many would disagree and call it a receding hairline. It’s debatable.

Norwood 2 is something of a gray area; some experts consider it a form of pattern hair loss, others don’t.

Johnny Depp is another person I’d consider a Norwood 2, with a high, natural, v-shaped, hairline. But again, many would disagree and say he’s losing it slowly.

The Norwood Scale (With Celebrity Examples)

Type I is a juvenile hairline. Nothing to worry about. Type 2 is usually regarded as a mature hairline. Type 2 A is generally considered the first official stage of balding.

The Norwood scale is useful, but it omits many common variations of hair loss. I’ll explain those omissions momentarily.

Mature Hairline vs. a Receding Hairline

President Bush had a fairly mild, M or wavy-V shaped type III balding pattern for most of his life. His mature hairline was v-shaped, ending at his natural part line. I discuss the Bush presidencies (and mostly their hairlines) in this post:The Bush Family and Balding Genetics – A Case Study.”

Thinning is often one key difference between a receding hairline and a mature hairline. Granted, a person will experience some mild thinning as their hairline matures. But once your hairline has matured, you shouldn’t notice any thinning, unless of course you are balding.

Additionally, the shape of a balding hairline contrasts that of the mature hairline. Remember, the mature hairline is typically V-shaped. Comparatively, type III hairlines will show some erosion at the corners.

Now, there are five common variations of the receding, type 3 (or advanced type 2) hairline that I have observed, including:

1. The M-Shaped Type III – Seen in celebrities like Tom Hanks, Daniel Craig, and Jimmy Fallon. Can also look like a wavy V.

2. The U-Shaped Type III – This one can be harder to spot and even undetectable at times.

Bryan Cranston of Breaking Bad fame has sort of a U-shaped hairline, and his hair loss isn’t really even noticeable when he grows his hair out. Taylor Swift’s latest, greatest ex Tom Hiddleston also has something of a U-shaped hairline.

Former presidential candidate Mitt Romney currently shows this pattern as well, after having a mature hairline for most of his adult life. You could call this a late/advanced NW II pattern, if you prefer.

3. The “Island” Type III – This is the classic and most noticeable type III variation. An island of hair, surrounded by a bald ocean. Seen in former US Presidents Nixon and Johnson, actor Peter Sarsgaard, singer Sting, Jackass Johnny Knoxville, and many others.

4. The Extra-Large V Shape – You don’t see this one as frequently. But some men retain their v-shaped hairline, even as they continue to recede at the corners and/or at the front of their hairline. Conan O’Brien perhaps has this pattern.

5. And the Vertex Type III – Any type III variation, with a bald or thinning spot on the crown.

Good News!

Mild cases of type III balding are often undetectable to the general public, and can remain that way for years, even decades — so if your hairline corners are starting to detach from your V-shaped, mature hairline, don’t panic! You have time, and at least 7 effective hair loss treatment options.

Acceptance is a viable course as well. Undoubtedly, many men look good bald.

It should be noted that hair loss doesn’t necessarily occur in a linear, step-by-step fashion. Some men recede to a type III Norwood pattern and stay that way for the rest of their lives. Some continue to lose hair.

You could skip all the other Norwood classes and thin diffusely throughout your scalp, until you eventually show a type 6 or 7 balding pattern. Where your hair loss stops and how fast it goes is still a mystery — a mystery that’s already been determined by your genetics.

4 Signs of Hair Loss

The mature hairline can be a difficult concept for many people to grasp. So I figure it may be helpful to review some of the most common signs of hair loss, including:

1. Excessive Hair Shedding – Seeing a couple hairs on your pillow in the morning is no big deal. Neither is shedding some hairs in the shower.

Even non-balding men lose around 100 hairs per day. No problem. But if you’re noticing a major increase in shedding, then you may be in the early stages of male pattern baldness. Men with aggressive hair loss often report hair coming out in clumps when they shower or style their hair.

2. Smaller, Shorter, Lighter Hairs – As men go bald, their hairs miniaturize and eventually fall out. The process is very gradual.

But if you’re noticing smaller, lighter hairs beyond the front edge of your hairline, it’s possible you’re balding. Nearly everyone has small “baby” or vellus hairs at the front part of their hairline. But if you have thinning that goes past the leading edge of your hairline, that’s a sign that you could be losing your hair.

3. Difficulty Styling Your Hair – You may find you can’t achieve your desired hairstyle anymore. This can occur in men with maturing hairlines as well, to be fair.

4. A “Chewed Out” Look – Your hair may start to look ragged or “chewed out” in the areas where you’re thinning. This can be an early sign of severe hair loss.

An Infographic (Feel Free to Share)

Myth or Fact?

There are many ardent mature hairline deniers on the internet, including doctors and other so-called experts. They assert that a mature or maturing hairline is, in reality, the first phase of male pattern baldness, as hair loss has technically occurred.

And to be fair, they have a legitimate point: that if your hairline has matured, you have indeed lost some hair, and you’re probably not immune to the balding gene altogether.

That said, for all practical purposes, the mature hairline is not a form of balding. Most men retain their mature hairlines for at least a decade, well into their 30s and frequently into their 40s and 50s as well, according to a number of hair loss organizations.

The ISHRS, or International Society of Hair Restoration Surgeons, states that as a general rule, men have a 20% chance of experiencing pattern hair loss in their twenties, 30% chance in their 30s, and so on, all the way up to a 90% chance in their 90s.

My father kept his mature hairline until he was almost 60. Some men keep it for life, too — up to 20% or so, from what I’ve gathered. Both my great-great and great-great-great grandfathers enjoyed thick, lush, type II hairlines throughout the duration of their lifetimes, which I found out recently while taking a free ancestry.com trial.

Propecia as a Preventative Measure?

The mature hairline deniers often advocate that men begin a preventative hair loss treatment regimen as soon they see signs of maturation. Doing this may or may not halt the maturation process, but it’s an absurd idea in my view — and nearly all experts agree with me!

If you want to proactively manage your hair to ensure fullness, that’s fine. You can have your hair examined annually for miniaturization and other signs of hair loss by a professional, or simply take photos of your hairline on a yearly basis.

But there’s no reason to use Propecia, or minoxidil, or to start any kind of treatment regimen unless you’re actually going bald. Saying all this may cost me some readers and money, but I don’t care, as I’m attempting to keep your interests and well-being in mind.

Should You Get a Proper Diagnosis?

If you’re still uncertain whether or not you’re balding, you may want to have your hair evaluated for signs of miniaturization. Using a microscope and/or a hair bulk measuring device, a professional should be able to tell you if you’re losing your hair, even if your loss isn’t yet visible to the naked eye. Taking this extra precaution may be wise if:

You have a close relative or relatives who experienced early-onset hair loss.

You’re obsessing and worrying constantly about your hair loss.

Or if you’re noticing any major hair loss signs.

Alternatively, if you’re looking for a fast, cheap, crude way to determine if you’re balding, you could ask an experienced barber. Yes, a barber, ideally, not a hair stylist.

Most seasoned barbers have seen every variety of male hair loss hundreds or even thousands of times. They can’t evaluate your hair microscopically, and seeing a hair loss professional will yield much more accurate results, but a decent barber should be able to give you a rough diagnosis.

Hair Loss Daily has teamed up with Keeps, a company that offers free, no-obligation hair evaluations.

Closing Thoughts

Finally, if you keep your mature hairline into your 30s, you probably will experience a less severe and more treatable form of balding compared to the men who start losing their hair in their teens and early twenties. 96% of Caucasian men develop mature hairlines, according to a variety of studies; the stat is also commonly cited by hair transplant surgeons.

The statistics regarding the mature hairline and other races are not as conclusive, but the phenomenon is observed in men of nearly all races and ethnicities. And once again, it is not considered a form of balding by the vast majority of experts in the hair loss field.

So, is your hairline receding or just maturing? Hopefully you found the answer here! If not, feel free to leave a question below and I’ll see if I can help. And, if this article was helpful to you, consider sharing it with your friends. There’s a good chance their hairlines are moving back as well, and this post may put their minds at ease.

Additional Resources

Regarding the mature hairline, my aim was to make this the most comprehensive article on the subject. You can check out a few related posts I’ve written below:

Here are a few other good posts I’ve referenced for this article:

And finally, you may also like: