Bad hair days are common, but those of us in the ‘fine hair’ club may find ourselves feeling as deflated as our hair on a regular basis.
Whether you’ve always had thin hair or if you’ve experienced a sudden bout of hair loss, trying to make the most of each and every strand can feel like an absolute nightmare – especially when you see them falling every time you wash or brush your hair
There are a huge number of things that may be causing fine, limp locks. Stress, a poor diet, hormonal issues, over-styling, and genetics are just a few of the many causes of fine or thinning hair.
If you’re dreaming of having thick, bouncy and voluminous locks and wondering ‘How do I get thicker hair?’, it may be time to switch up your hair care routine in order to make your hair grow fasterand therefore thicker**.** You will also need to reassess your overall hair health to get longer-lasting results that will leave you loving your locks for good.
Luckily, we’ve asked the experts for their top tricks and tips on how to get thicker hair for good.
Go on a hair diet
Forget weight-loss diets, we are all about thick hair diets!
The food you eat can seriously affect the thickness of your hair and your overall hair health. Plus, a great diet can even encourage new hair growth, which will ultimately leave you with a fuller head of hair in the long run.
Celebrity hairstylist and Pacifica Ambassador T Cooper explains, “Avocado, leafy greens, eggs, seeds, sweet potatoes, fatty fish, and berries all have nutrients that promote thicker hair. These foods contain nutrients such as vitamins A, C, D, and E, zinc, B vitamins, iron, biotin, protein, and fatty acids that help promote fuller hair.” So be sure to add plenty of these nutrient-rich foods to your shopping basket,
T Cooper adds that it isn’t only the food you eat, but also your drink of choice. “Drink water!" she shared. "The number one thing that any hair needs is moisture, so you have to hydrate from within”. Time to fill up your water bottle.
Start taking vitamins & supplements
Taking vitamins to make your hair thicker is the perfect way to support a healthy diet, so try getting into the habit of taking supplements on a daily basis.
Hannah Gaboard, Viviscal Ambassador and Trichologist explains, “Supplements are great in keeping your hair cuticle healthy and nourished from the inside out. They are packed with all the correct ingredients to support hair growth.”
Look out for supplements packed with biotin, iron and zinc for maximum effect and be sure to take them as instructed to see long-term results.
Ask for a blunt cut
Forget about layers and choppy, shaggy cuts next time you visit your hairdresser. Ask for a simple blunt cut instead. T Cooper explains, “Cutting hair at a 0° angle gives the appearance of more bulk.”
And despite the myths, you do not need to go short to make your hair appear fuller, T Cooper agrees. “A blunt cut can be done at any length, from a bob to below the shoulders. As long as all the hair is exactly the same length, your hair will appear thicker than it actually is.”
Try to avoid looking at celebrity pics or social media for inspiration – as usually extensions have been added to make hair look thicker. But if you really want some celeb inspo, look for those who truly have fine hair, like Hailey Beiber, Lilly Collins and Taylor Swift.
Give your scalp some loving
Your hair grows from your scalp, so it makes sense that taking the time to treat your scalp will help promote hair growth and lead to thicker hair.
Hannah agrees, “I would always recommend massaging products into the scalp to stimulate healthy hair growth. I love using a scalp massager anyway, and I would recommend putting any treatments on first, then massaging it into your scalp.”
But how does it work? “Scalp massaging increases hair thickness and volume by stretching the cells of hair follicles. This, then stimulates the follicles to produce thicker hair before you begin blow drying.”
And if you really want to give your scalp some loving, then give try out a scalp treatment every now and then to really stimulate your hair follicles and deep cleanse your scalp.
Nourish hair on the outside
While a healthy diet and supplements will nourish your hair from within, hair masks and treatments will promote hair growth from the outside.
Try taking the time to use bond-building or moisturising masks every now and then. Phillip Kinglsey’s Brand President and Consultant Trichologist Anabel Kingsley explains, “You should combine your bond-building treatment with a weekly deep-conditioning treatment. Both target breakage but from two different angles. Aside from broken bonds, breakage also occurs due to dryness and loss of moisture. Using a weekly pre-shampoo, deep-conditioning treatment such as will ensure that you are putting back and lost moisture to your strands.”
Even if this doesn’t make your hair thicker, it will make your hair stronger and therefore less prone to breakage or shedding.
Use a hair oil
Hair oils are having a serious moment right now, as social media has been highlighting the ways in which hair oils will promote hair growth.
“Hair oils make the hair stronger from the roots. It’s really great for anyone who struggles with hair loss and breakage as it strengthens and protects hair follicles and strands, conditions the scalp skin and cultivates healthy hair growth,” says Nikita Mehta, Co-founder of Fable & Mane.
So try incorporating a few drops of rosemary oil into your hair care routine and get ready to see plenty of new hair growth.
Make the most of wash day
Overwashing and styling can do more damage than good, so try to stick to 1-2 washes per week to help minimise hair loss.
However, us fine-haired gals know the pain of trying to keep that freshly washed bounce on day 3 – so it may be time to rethink your wash routine in orderto avoid limp, greasy locks. “Cleansing the hair ofdirt and product precludes it from being weighed down. A mistake many people make is only shampoo in their hair once. It’s very difficult to get rid of all of the residual junk after only cleansing the hair once. A thorough shampoo requires 2 to 3 washes,” explains T Cooper.
Embrace textured hair
While it is best to avoid heated tools when styling your hair, there are some occasions when you need a little extra help to make the most of your locks.
“Blow drying their hair upside down, and setting the hair with rollers while their hair is still warm will give fine/thin hair incredible volume.” Says T Cooper, “Adding curls or waves is another great way to make hair seem much thicker.”
And when all else fails, grab your comb and get messy, “If you still need a little more volume after trying those tricks, teasing the root with a comb always does the trick!”
We also recommend investing in a root touch-up kit, like a colour spray or powder, which can be applied to any bare area of your scalp. This nifty technique will instantly banish any bald patches so you can feel more confident during special occasions.
Following these expert-approved tips and tricks for the long term should result in fuller and more voluminous hair.
If you are finding that your hair is still falling out in clumps and that new hair isn’t growing over bald patches, then consult your GP. Extreme hair loss can sometimes be a signal for more serious health issues.
However, for many of us, these simple steps are all you need to know when it comes to getting thicker hair and leaving the ‘fine-hair’club!