Meghan Markle’s Signature Hairstyle Sparks Hair Loss Warning From a Salon Owner
Meghan Markle is known for her slicked-back hair, usually wearing sleek buns and neat updos. But now, salon owner Noelle Spinosa has raised questions about changes to the Duchess of Sussex’s hairline. In an interview with the Daily Express U.S., Spinosa discussed Markle’s hairstyles and their effects.
Spinosa, who owns Noelle Salon & Spa, reviewed photographs of Markle from childhood and adulthood. She said she “can’t diagnose anyone” without seeing them in person. But she thinks Markle’s temples and front hairline “look like they’ve moved back” more than normal aging would explain.
She added that this could be “consistent with early traction alopecia.” Spinosa also talked about how slicked-back hairstyles are becoming more popular. “You’re right about the trend, too,” she said. However, she added that she’s seeing more women with thinning hair around their temples from wearing their hair slicked back.
She stated that Markle had “full, curly hair” and fine baby hairs around her hairline. According to Spinosa, these hairs are more fragile and can be the first to go when they’re pulled too tightly.
She also claimed that curly hair becomes weaker around the hairline when it’s straightened with relaxers or heat. So, when someone pulls their hair back tightly every day for years, Spinosa said, it can lead to a receding hairline. Spinosa also talked about whether the damage could be reversed.
She said that after decades of pulling her hair back, some of Markle’s follicles may have “scarred.” Once that happens, the hair “doesn’t grow back on its own.” At 45, Markle is around the age when perimenopause usually begins. Spinosa explained that falling estrogen levels can leave hair “thinner and finer.”
The temples are often one of the first areas affected. But her comments don’t confirm that Markle is dealing with either issue. Spinosa suggested a few options, including minoxidil, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatments, and a hair topper.
Meanwhile, Markle has been wearing slicked-back hairstyles for years. On October 7, 2026, she was photographed with her hair in a sleek bun during an outing with Malala Yousafzai.
Back in December 2018, she wore a slicked-back chignon at the British Fashion Awards in London. She also went for sleek buns at Royal Ascot in June and during her Ireland tour in July. Later that year, she wore a brushed-back ponytail during the Australian royal tour and a slicked-back half-up, half-down style at the Invictus Games in Sydney.
In 2019, Markle wore a slicked-back ponytail during the royal tour of Morocco. She also wore sleek, low ponytails at Wimbledon on July 13 and the U.S. Open on September 7. The hairstyle made another appearance in 2020.
Markle wore a smooth, middle-parted low ponytail at the Endeavour Fund Awards in London on March 5. She also wore a polished chignon during her final official engagements as a working royal that month. After stepping back from royal duties, Markle continued wearing her hair this way.
At the One Young World Summit in Manchester on September 5, 2022, she wore a slicked-back low ponytail. The next day, she switched to a slightly messier bun at an event in Germany linked to the Invictus Games.
In November 2023, Markle wore a tight, center-parted bun at Variety’s Power of Women event in Los Angeles. She went for a slicked-back low bun with a navy Veronica Beard suit. Markle also wore another sleek bun at Paris Fashion Week on October 4, 2025.
She attended the Balenciaga show in a white outfit, then changed into a black look for the evening. Then, in February 2026, she wore a slicked-back updo with a strapless Harbison Studio gown at the Fifteen Percent Fundraising Gala in Los Angeles.
