4 Ways To Get Thicker Hair – Now And In The Long Term

Diagnosing thinning hair can be a tricky process, as there are many factors that can impact density. Some contributing causes, such as your general health and certain medications, can affect the wellbeing of your hair follicles, forcing them to produce thinner strands, or none at all (this can only be diagnosed with a blood test). What’s more, gaps in your diet can leave follicles lacking in the nutrients they need to produce healthy hair. On the flip side, how you treat the growth that you do have can determine whether you have an abundant head of hair or not, as regular heat styling, dyeing, bleaching – and even excessive brushing – can result in hair breakage. Discover what you can do to keep your hair thick and healthy…

Spending countless hours treating your hair could be a waste of time if you’re not giving your scalp similar attention. Think of scalp care as an extension of your daily skincare regimen: for it to produce good-quality hair, you want to ensure it’s balanced, clean, hydrated and protected. Using a daily serum such as Dr. Barbara Sturm’s Anti-Hair Fall Scalp Serum, will take care of much of this for you by dosing skin with botanicals and pro-vitamin B5 to nourish and strengthen strands as well as calming inflammation with soothing ingredients. If your scalp tends to get a little red and angry, keep the serum in the refrigerator so it instantly cools it down.

Your lifestyle can significantly impact the amount of hair you have and the diameter of your hair’s strands. “Don’t underestimate the impact nutrition has on hair growth,” warns London-based trichologist Anabel Kingsley. “Hair is non-essential tissue; it’s not necessary for life, yet hair cells are the second-fastest-growing cells your body makes. Essentially, your hair’s nutrient requirements are high.” This means restricted eating, low-calorie diets and extended periods of fasting can accelerate hair loss. “Even a small deficiency can cause shedding, but it’s difficult to give your hair everything it needs through diet alone, so I recommend bolstering a healthy diet with a food supplement.” Look for a good-quality daily supplement containing amino acids and proteins to promote growth.

Bleaching, braiding, excessive heat-styling and even tight ponytails can cause your hair to snap along its length, giving the impression of a thinner head of hair. Thankfully, unlike thinning caused by genetics (which can be tricky to diagnose and even more difficult to treat), there is hope for breakage. “It absolutely can be reversed,” says Kingsley.

Second-best to forgoing dyeing and styling (it’s never going to happen for many of us) is a regimen that looks to rebuild broken protein structures in your hair. Leave-in treatments, such as Augustinus Bader’s The Leave-in Hair Treatment, will reinforce your hair’s defenses and ward off further damage, while styling serums, repairing conditioners and masks will help to plug the gaps in the hair that would otherwise result in breakage. Oribe’s Hair Alchemy Strengthening Masque is great for all hair types, but particularly excellent for bleached hair. It rebuilds with plant-based protein and restores elasticity with shea butter and botanicals. Use it weekly but dial up the frequency before and after seeing your colorist.

If you like to wear your hair up, the single best thing you can do is swap your usual hair tie for a silk one. We love Slip silk hair ties because they hold hair firmly without snagging.

If you’re serious about restoring density to thinning hair, play the long game and expect results over months, not weeks. In the meantime, fake it. When it comes to creating volume, more important than the products you use is how you use them. Your first step is in the shower. Hair Rituel by Sisley’s Revitalizing Volumizing Shampoo gives hair guts from the start. Plus, don’t be afraid to spray a volumizing spray close to the roots. Massage some of it in so it gets to the base of your hair, and then tease and lift hair away from the scalp with your fingers as you rough-dry it. The effect is instant, and just as impressive if you are wearing your hair up. For long fine hair, a weightless texturizer will be your new go-to styling product. Use Oribe’s Dry Texturizing Spray through dry hair and work it in with your fingertips. It bulks out each strand while encouraging a natural-looking wave, making hair appear fuller. Alternatively, a dry shampoo – applied at the roots and slightly down the shaft – will also help to make strands appear thicker.

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