The invention offers a magnetic recording head that includes a substrate, a read sensor, and at least one shield positioned adjacent to the read sensor, wherein the shield contributes to thermal pole-tip recession in an amount less than about 0.5 / C. The invention also offers a magnetic recording head that includes a substrate having a coefficient of thermal expansion, a read sensor, and at least one shield, positioned adjacent to the read sensor, that has a coefficient of thermal expansion within 210^-6/ C. of the coefficient of thermal expansion of the substrate. The invention further offers a magnetic recording head that includes a substrate, a read sensor, and at least one shield, positioned adjacent the read sensor, with a thickness of from about 0.05 m to about 0.5 m.