Here’s the truth: You can’t change the size of your hair follicles. If you were born with fine hair, it’s genetics, and no product will completely alter that. There are, though, many ways to improve your hair health, add volume, and prevent your hair from getting any thinner, and there are innovative products that can help bulk up the look and feel of each strand. Read on for expert tips and tricks for achieving thicker-looking hair.
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Address a Stress and/or Hormone Imbalance
Off-kilter hormones can affect the thickness of your hair. Women with thyroid imbalances, new mothers, and menopausal women, in particular, may experience hair loss due to a drop in levels of estrogen. “Optimal levels of estrogen help to grow full, thick hair while low estrogen levels lead to thin and stalled hair growth, eventually leading to hair loss,” says Kristin Dahl, a Los Angeles–based nutritionist and women’s wellness educator. “Estrogen is secreted through the ovaries and adrenal glands, however, as the adrenals are typically overburdened due to stress, symptoms of menopauses like hair loss and hot flashes occur prematurely and excessively for some.”
While some things are out of your control (with or without medication), there are ways to help lower your stress hormone production and keep your hair healthier, shinier, and therefore thicker. Consult your doctor about supplements with adaptogenic herbs, like Ashwagandha root and leaf extract, and amino acids to support keratin production. The Ouai Thick and Full Hair Supplements ($42) include all of these strand-boosting ingredients for healthy hair growth.
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Up Your Intake of Healthy Fats
Your diet greatly impacts how you feel, what you look like, and what goes on inside your brain. Avocados, for example, have significant levels of dietary fiber, potassium, magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, folate, and vitamin B6. A healthy diet rich in fatty acids aids in hair growth—it not only prevents hair loss and breakage but also encourages new hair growth and reduces scalp inflammation. So, to amp up hair growth, try eating more avocados, salmon, whole eggs, and any other foods that offer up healthy fats and omega-3s.
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Avoid Dryness by Reducing Heat Styling
Heat styling inevitably irritates dry and breakage-prone hair. If you find your hair is thinning or you’d like it to look thicker, opt for air-drying as an alternative. Chances are it’ll grow at a quicker rate (and will look far healthier). And when it comes to your natural texture, investing in a few really helpful leave-in products to apply post-shower will let you have an entirely new lease on the hair you were born with. If you must, always apply a heat protectant before using hot tools—we love Morrocanoil’s Perfect Defense Heat Protectant ($30) for this step.
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Cleanse with Sulfate-Free Shampoo
“Sulfates are the detergents responsible for the super-sudsy lather you get out of most shampoos,” explains celebrity hairstylist Michelle Cleveland. However, they are so effective at removing the dirt from your hair that they can also strip it of its natural oils and the proteins that make it look shiny and healthy. Unfortunately for your locks, this messes with its thickness. Instead, replace your sulfate shampoo with one that’s chock-full of strand-loving ingredients that’ll nourish your hair instead of taking things away. You’ll have to get used to the fact that it won’t be as sudsy when you wash, but it’s worth it for the added thickness you’ll start to notice. We love the Pura D’Or Hair Thinning Therapy Shampoo ($20) because it restores hair’s density and adds a healthy sheen.
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Brush From Ends to Roots to Reduce Breakage
So much damage and breakage can happen due to your hair-brushing technique. Make sure to use the “bottoms-up” method as well as tools that are gentle on your hair. “It’s vital to detangle from the bottom up, starting at your ends, not your scalp,” explains Fernando Salas, creator of White Sands Haircare. “When you comb hair from the bottom up, you are working with less surface area to untangle at one time.” Be extra gentle on your ends—that’s where breakage comes from.
Byrdie Tip
Use a boar-bristled brush for finer hair textures—they’re strong enough to detangle and minimize breakage but gentle enough that they won’t pull out hair strands.
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Opt for Volumizing Products
The right hair styling products go such a long way, and this rings especially true when it comes to finer hair types. For the illusion of thickness, go for lightweight mousses that create lift at the root. This also helps when it comes to actually styling the hair, as it creates a grip that makes for thicker-looking styles. The Style + Protect On The Rise Root Lifting Mousse by Pureology ($32) breathes new life into roots and simultaneously adds shine, giving the illusion of sleeker, thicker, healthier-looking hair. The ingredients in dry shampoos can also add texture to fine hair.
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Fill In Your Scalp to Mask Thinning
Too-tight ponytails? Mile-high buns? If you’re a frequent repeater of any of these styles, you’re likely the owner of thin hairs around the scalp. Sparse hair and visible scalp at the hairline can make hair appear thinner than it really is. For this issue, root cover-up products are incredibly effective. Fans of the Color Wow Root Cover Up ($34) rave about its ability to mask thin hairs at the scalp and camouflage roots at the same time.
If you’re looking for a long-term solution, dab on some of Naturalicious’ Spanish Almond Regrowth Oil ($23) twice a day—it’s a treatment oil that harnesses the hair growth benefits of Spanish almond oil and promises results in 90 days.
KEY INGREDIENTS
Almond oil is a hydrator that is rich in vitamin D, vitamin E, and various minerals. It helps soothe the skin from irritation and protect it from UV radiation damage.
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Give Yourself a Scalp Massage
Massages aren’t just for relaxation. As a matter of fact, according to studies, massaging your scalp can help your hair grow thick and strong.1 The caveat? It was a 24-week study, so that means you’ll need to commit to consistent massages for the best results.
One of the easiest ways to get your massages is to use the help of an in-shower scalp brush. You’ve likely seen them all over TikTok and Reels by now. Wet your hair, apply shampoo, and use the brush to massage and deep clean your scalp. You can leave it in the shower so it’s always nearby on wash days.
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Shampoo with Lukewarm Water
Just like using heat tools on your hair can cause damage, shampooing and rinsing your hair with super hot water can also cause damage. Hot water can potentially dry out your scalp, stripping it of its natural oils (sort of like when you take a super hot shower and your skin feels really dry afterward). This can lead to breakage, which in turn can leave you with thin, lifeless hair.
To combat this, use lukewarm water when you wash your hair instead. And as a bonus, you’ll likely end up reducing frizz as well!