Pick A Thickening Shampoo And Conditioner
If you don’t want to try expensive extensions or experiment with supplements, there’s always the tried-and-true method of volumizing: opting for a thickening or volumizing shampoo and conditioner. “I prefer to go with the work-with-what-you-have approach by using hair products and styling tools to create volume, thickness, and texture,” says Devin Toth, celebrity stylist at Salon SCK in New York City.
“Shampoos and conditioners labeled volumizing or thickening usually contain fewer conditioning ingredients, so they dont weigh hair down, explains GH Beauty Lab Chemist Danusia Wnek. Theyre a good foundation for styling products the GH Beauty Lab recommends using the matching shampoo and conditioner set for best results, as they are formulated to work together.
Nioxin Shampoo And Conditioner
Nioxin is a brand of shampoo and conditioner specifically formulated for thinning hair. I also use these daily, and I love the way my hair feels. According to Nioxin, their products gently remove residue and DHT from the hair and scalp, and provide nourishing vitamins, proteins, and amino acids.
There are six different Nioxin systems on the market:
- System 1 For natural hair with light thinning.
- System 2 For natural hair with progressed thinning.
- System 3 For colored hair with light thinning.
- System 4 For colored hair with progressed thinning.
- System 5 For chemically-treated hair with light thinning.
- System 6 For chemically-treated hair with progressed thinning.
Each system includes a shampoo, conditioner, and scalp treatment. I skip the scalp treatment because I use Rogaine instead. I also dont buy the kits for sale on the Nioxin website. Instead, I buy large bottles of the shampoo and conditioner separately on Amazon, and they last for months.
I cant be 100% sure that Nioxins claims are true, but based on my own experience, it has made a difference in my hair growth. I use it in conjunction with Minoxidil to get the best results. And if nothing else, I use a salon-quality shampoo that doesnt increase hair loss. Why not try everything we can to help our hair, right?
Tip: Only apply conditioner to the ends of your hair. Applying to your roots can weigh your hair down and make it appear thinner. This even applies to Nioxin or other thickening conditioners.
Up Your Intake Of Healthy Fats To Prevent Hair Loss
Your diet dictates so much of how you feel, what you look like, and what goes on inside your brain, and no one understands this better than Byrdie’s former wellness editor, Victoria Hoff. She even convinced me to eat two avocados a day to see if it improved my hair health.
In fact, one study concluded that in the context of a healthy diet, avocado consumption can fit into a full range of healthy eating plans, as it houses significant levels of dietary fiber, potassium, magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, folate, and vitamin B6. Plus, a healthy diet rich in fatty acids aids in hair growthit not only prevents hair loss and breakage but also encourages new hair growth and reduces scalp inflammation. So, go for avocados, salmon, and whole eggs as well as any others that offer up healthy fats and omega-3s.
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Styles To Make Thin Hair Look Thicker
The first step to faking extra volume starts with the right haircut. The right cut and style can transform thin hair into a seemingly thick, voluminous mane. These are the best options for thin hair, spanning a number of lengths.These haircuts are strategically designed to help thin hair look thicker.
Use Dry Texturizing Spray
A dry texturizing spray for fine hair is the answer to all your thin hair woes. It gives you an instant full-bodied and tousled look. Lift small sections of your hair and spritz product into each section at the root. Continue this all the way around your head and use your fingers to smooth and style into place.
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Find The Right Product For Your Hair
A new generation of hair mousses can really help add grit, lift and hold into roots, for a more voluminous effect. Hershesons new Zhoosh foam helps to swell and thicken the hair, giving it guts and hold without being sticky. Other products to try include Oribes Grandiose Hair Plumping Mousse, and Virtues Volumising Mousse.
What Can I Do About It
A balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables can help thinning hair.
Angele J via Pexels
Start by asking your doctor to test for hormonal imbalances, hypothyroidism, and vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Eat a well-balanced diet, exercise regularly, and take a multivitamin every day.
It also wont hurt to take an extra vitamin D supplement if you dont see much sun. And take an essential fatty acid supplement if you dont eat much fatty fish.
In the meantime, here are five ways you can make your thin hair appear thicker. I have personally used all these methods and found them effective. It might take several months to see results, so start now. And remember to take good care of the hair you currently have.
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Use A Clarifying Shampoo To Get Rid Of Buildup
Product buildup leads to weight in your hair, which makes everything more droopy. Using a once-a-week clarifying shampoo will rid your hair of impurities and product buildup without stripping your color, Colette says. We recommend the Ouai Clean shampoo, $28, which is formulated with keratin to smooth and repair damage.
How And Why Hair Loss Develops
Male pattern baldness, the most common form of hair loss in men, is caused by the effects of a hormone called dihydrotestosterone, or DHT.
DHT is a type of androgen, or male sex hormone. Its produced by your body and plays a major role in the development of your genitals, as well as secondary sex characteristics such as your voice and facial hair.
In adulthood, DHT largely doesnt affect your physiology. However, if youre genetically prone to baldness, DHT can bind to receptors in your scalp and cause your hair follicles to gradually stop producing new hairs.
Over time, as DHT affects more of your hair follicles, you may notice a receding hairline or bald patch developing on your scalp.
Our guide to DHT and male pattern baldness goes into more detail about how DHT can affect your hair follicles and contribute to thinning.
Male pattern baldness is very common, with an estimated 50 million men affected by it in the United States alone.
Although hair loss can be frustrating to deal with, its a treatable issue. Weve listed treatments for hair loss below that you can use to prevent further hair loss and improve your existing hairs thickness and appearance.
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Dear Color Crew: How Do I Make My Thin Hair Look Thicker
by Gena OBrien January 02, 2019
Image by Madison Reed
Dear Color Crew,
I have super thin hair, and I really, really want thick hair! What can I do to make my hair thicker, or at least LOOK thicker?
Ah, yesthe thin hair, thick hair question. We get asked this a lot. Unfortunately, if you were born with thin hair, there is not much you can do to change the diameter of your hair strands, but you can change the appearance of it. So whether you were born with thin hair, or your hair is thinning due to aging, we have a host of thin hair hacks thatll get you looking thick in the nick of time.
Thin Hair Hack #1: The Golden Rules of Thin Hair
Thin Hair Hack #2: Styling Product Buzzwords
Words to avoid: creamy, silky, smoothing, moisturizing, milk, oil, serum, sleek, and soft.
Thin Hair Hack #3: Tools of the Trade
Thin Hair Hack #4: Backcombing 101
Thin Hair Hack #5: Move to the Side
Long Angled Bob Or Lob
To me, this thin haircut and color combo says classic, lived in, and simple! The cut is a great length for someone dipping their toe into the short hair water and to make thin hair look thicker!
This long bob or lob is that its very versatile. There are so many different ways to style it. It can still be pulled back into a cute ponytail when youre headed to the gym. Or, throw your hair back into an updo or half-up for a formal occasion. You can wear it sleek and straight with a headband for work or during the day and then its super easy to throw some beach waves in for a night time look.
The blunt line created in this cut is great for someone with thin or fine hair because it gives the appearance of more hair throughout the baseline. I also added some interior layering for movement. The style that I created looks best on a round or oval shaped face. When the hair hits just above the color bones it accentuates the features of these face shapes.
To style this cut at home I suggest a mousse for blowdrying that will give your body and hold Im a big fan of Mousse Bouffant by Kerestase. I also suggest a texture product and heat protectant for beach waves. I love Nectar Thermique by Kerastase and Texture Wave by Shu Uemura.
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Get A Shorter Haircut
This chin-length bob with subtle layers adds volume to thin hair.
Simon Robben via Pexels
If you have super thin hair like me, you dont want a full-blown Pixie cut. But you do want something above shoulder length with voluminous layers.
Talk to your hair stylist. Tell them your concerns about your thinness and see if they have ideas for a style that will add more boost. My stylist recommended a chin-length bob with plenty of layers in the back to really make it look thick, and I couldnt be happier.
A side-part can also help, but avoid bangs at all costs. Bangs will highlight your thinness, especially in the front.
Set Hair With Velcro Rollers To Add Extra Lift
Colette suggests that after blow-drying, you section off pieces of hair at the crown, roll them up into Velcro curlers, and use the cool setting on your dryer to set the style. Finish with a texturizing spray like Oribe Texturizing spray, $22, or Ouais Wave spray, $26, spraying at the root in sections. That way, when the style starts to fall throughout the day all you need to do is flip your head over, massage your scalp, and fluff your hair up, Colette adds.
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Choosing The Right Style
Long Hair Is Cut Into Layers
Cutting layers style is well for thin hairs. The layers of hair will help your hair look thicker. You will not use chemistry or high temperature for hair to create style. That is amazing with weak hair girls to make their hair thicker that does not harm hair.
Here, Anne Hathaway with long hair is cut layers style and outstanding color dyeing. She looks great with much thicker hair.
Asley Graham with wavy layers style is so beautiful and always looks thick and shiny.
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Take Proper Care Of Your Thinning Hair
Avoiding products and tools that can damage your hair, such as a hair iron or curling wand, is the first step to taking proper care of your hair. If youve already gone through hair treatments, such as dyeing or bleaching, its essential to maintain good hair care to prevent more hair breakage like frizziness and dehydration.
Additionally, avoid washing your hair every day to prevent extreme dryness and damage, especially if you have colored hair.
Styling Tricks Women With Fine Flat Hair Need To Know
Having fine, flat hair might seem easy to style. After all, fine hair requires little blow-drying and you can effortlessly tie it in a low-slung bun or ponytail on your way out while still looking chic. But many people with this hair type will tell you that it can be difficult to hold curls or add natural-looking volumeand no one wants droopy, limp hair halfway through the day.
To learn how to add gorgeous volume that stays put until happy hour, SELF talked to a few top hair stylists for their best tips and favorite haircut styles for people with fine, flat hair.
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Trying A New Hairstyle