If your hair isn’t looking or feeling as full as it used to, you’re certainly not alone. Achieving fuller-looking hair is one of the most common hair goals in the industry. Let’s start by diagnosing the issue: Is your hair really thinning, or do you have hair that is fine in texture? In other words, are you noticing fewer hair strands growing on your scalp, or is there a lack of volume? Read on to learn about the root causes (no pun intended) of thin-looking hair, and how to treat it.
Fine hair texture (thin hair strands) vs. thinning hair
If your hair is fine in texture, it means your actual hair strands are smaller in diameter, while thinning hair refers to a continuous lack of density.
What causes hair to be fine in texture?
Genetics play a huge role in our hair type and texture. Our genes determine the size and shape of the hair follicle, which affects how fine the hair is and also if it’s curly, straight, or somewhere in between. Age is another major cause of fine hair texture. As we age, the size of hair follicles can shrink and hair protein production can slow. Other factors include hormonal changes, diet, harsh chemical hair treatments like lighteners and relaxers, hair damage from heat styling, rough towel-drying, as well as excessive brushing or teasing.
Tips for plumping up fine hair
- Do: Cleanse with shampoo that adds volume without stripping hair of its nutrients. Our recommendation: R+Co's Dallas Thickening Shampoo. Dallas uses ingredients including Biotin, Provitamin B5, Saw Palmetto Berry Extract, Coconut Oil, and Loquat Fruit Extract to not only aid in a fuller, thicker appearance, but also nourish the hair.
R+Co - Dallas Biotin Thickening Shampoo
$34.00
**THIS ITEM IS AN IN-STORE EXCLUSIVE AND MUST BE PICKED UP AT OUR FLAGSHIP STORE LOCATED IN SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH. MORE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT CHECKOUT.** For big, beautiful, bouncy hair, use Dallas. This thickening shampoo adds vitality to fine, flat… read more
- Don’t: Skimp on conditioning treatments, but do avoid ultra-heavy, overly rich products. We recommend Bumble & Bumble’s Thickening Conditioner and Moroccanoil's Weightless Hydrating Mask to provide vital hydration and repair without leaving hair weighed down.
Moroccanoil - Weightless Hydrating Mask
$42.00
Revive lifeless, dry hair with this moisturizing five-minute mask. Moroccanoil Weightless Hydrating Mask is a rich and creamy yet lightweight deep-conditioning treatment that’s rich in argan oil and other nourishing ingredients. This high-performance formula hydrates and conditions fine hair while… read more
- Do: Wash your hair often, but not too often. The rule of thumb is to wash about every two days. Cleansing the hair too frequently strips it of its natural oils, which can make hair look limp. If spreading out your hair wash cycle feels intimidating, opt for dry shampoo to tide you over. Try Pureology’s Style + Protect Refresh And Go Dry Shampoo to absorb excess oil and leave your hair smelling amazing (even if it’s not freshly shampooed).
How to treat thinning hair (actual hair loss)
Thinning hair can be caused by various factors, including genetics, hormones, overly-harsh chemical treatments like perms and relaxers, wearing extremely tight hairstyles too often, chronic stress, lifestyle, and diet.
Now that we know the difference between fine hair texture and thinning hair, let’s talk about how to address thinning hair. They say healthy hair starts with a healthy scalp. This is especially true if your concern is thinning hair. Scalp stimulation can be key to regaining control over thinning hair. This can be done topically with product, or manually with scalp massage.
•Do: Encourage blood flow in the scalp with stimulating products. We recommend the Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Scalp Care Anti-Thinning line. In an independent eight-week clinical study, 85% of participants reported increased hair volume and strength when used as part of a regimen with Scalp Care Anti-Thinning Conditioner and Tonic.
Paul Mitchell - Tea Tree Scalp Care Anti-Thinning Tonic
$48.00
LEAVE-ON SCALP TREATMENT Winner of a Beauty Launchpad 2021 Reader’s Choice Award for Thinning Regimen. Create an optimal scalp environment for thicker, stronger, fuller hair. This color-safe leave-on scalp treatment helps stimulate the scalp with Paul Mitchell’s exclusive Regeniplex® blend… read more
You can also stimulate the scalp physically with manual massage. For an extra relaxing experience, we like to incorporate fragranced scrubs like Oribe's Serene Scalp Exfoliating Scrub or Bumble & Bumble's Seaweed Exfoliating Scalp Scrub to give the scalp a thorough cleanse of oil, dirt, and product buildup. Manual scalp exfoliation also removes dead skin cells that can block new hair strands from growing in and stimulates blood flow, which encourages hair growth.
Oribe - Serene Scalp Exfoliating Scrub
$52.00
**THIS ITEM IS AN IN-STORE EXCLUSIVE AND MUST BE PICKED UP AT OUR FLAGSHIP STORE LOCATED IN SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH. MORE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT CHECKOUT.** Reveal the secret to a healthy scalp. This powerful scrub gently polishes scalp with… read more
- Do: Utilize nutritional supplements and a healthy diet. Biotin in particular is proven to aid in healthy hair growth. IGK's Extra Extra Biotin Gummies offer nutrients including Biotin and Vegan Silk Extract that encourage hair growth in one tasty gummy.
IGK - Extra Extra Biotin Gummies
$29.00
**THIS ITEM IS AN IN-STORE EXCLUSIVE AND MUST BE PICKED UP AT OUR FLAGSHIP STORE LOCATED IN SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH. MORE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT CHECKOUT.** Supercharged hair-boosting vegan vitamin gummies provide optimal hair and scalp nutrition and maintain all healthy… read more
Here’s how IGK describes their nutritional gummies: “Supercharged hair-boosting vegan vitamin gummies provide optimal hair and scalp nutrition and maintain all healthy hair routines with a powerful 10,000 mcg dose of biotin that supports full, shiny, strong hair. Crafted by industry-leading celebrity hairstylists, these gummies meet the highest salon standards.”
Hair thinning is something that most of us will experience at one point or another, however we do recommend implementing these techniques if thinning hair is a concern that you would like to address.
*If you are concerned about sudden hair loss, consider reaching out for a consultation with a dermatologist.
