When your hair is thinning, Dr. Farah says you only want to use shampoo on your scalp. "Typically, we would want the patient to focus shampoo on the scalp, massage into the scalp, and avoid it on the hair follicle [or strand]," she says.
Avoid products with harsh detergents, like sodium lauryl sulfate,which can cause breakage. When you suds up, don't rub shampoo into the hair itself. Instead, gently massage it into your scalp and let it slide down through your locks.
If you are experiencing thinning or balding, our Bosley experts recommend washing no more than three times a week.
If you're using the right hair care products and routine for your fine strands, you can lessen the amount of washing for your hair and thus prevent the appearance of thinning hair.
Your scalp is skin, and the way to keep the scalp healthy is to shampoo frequently,” says Anabel Kingsley, consultant trichologist for the Philip Kingsley clinics, who explains that regular shampooing ensures that hair grows at its best rate and helps avoid thinning hair.
“Thinning hair should be washed daily using a scalp-stimulating shampoo, like Redken Cerafill Retaliate Shampoo, that expands the diameter of each strand of hair making it thicker and stronger, and a conditioner that nourishes the hair follicle and encourages hair growth,” says Cucinello.
Your hair doesn't actually get thinner when it's wet. However, because your hairs stick together when they're soaked with water, it's common for issues such as male pattern baldness to show up -- or at least become more visible -- when your hair is wet.
“When your hair is greasy, your hair follicles tend to look wet, which makes it look thin ...” This is especially true for people with fine or thinning hair, which tends to get greasy faster — especially if you're using the wrong type of products.
It's best to thin when the hair is dry so you can see the effect of your cuts as you go. Comb out the loose hair after you've made the cuts and decide if you've reduced enough of the bulk to achieve your intended look.
It can be the result of heredity, hormonal changes, medical conditions or a normal part of aging. Anyone can lose hair on their head, but it's more common in men. Baldness typically refers to excessive hair loss from your scalp. Hereditary hair loss with age is the most common cause of baldness.
Lifestyle factors could include using certain hair products, wearing your hair up too tightly, experiencing high stress levels, or not getting enough of certain vitamins and minerals in your diet. People who have immune system deficiencies could also have thinning hair.
If you can easily see your scalp through the hair, it's thin. If you can't, it's medium or thick.
Conditioning is an important step in any hair-care routine, as it helps to not only restore your hair but also to prevent future damage. This is extra important when your hair is thinning, because you want to keep the hair you do have on your head as healthy and intact as possible.
Hair often falls out in the shower because you stimulate your scalp when you shampoo or condition your hair. Your hairs that were already destined to fall out get the nudge they need from shampooing, and your hair comes off your head.
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. Of course, there are ways to maintain your hair health, add volume, and keep it from getting any thinner.
Unfortunately, male and female pattern baldness is not reversible without surgical intervention. However, if detected early enough, certain medications, such as minoxidil, finasteride, and Dutasteride can help halt the progression of thinning hair.
It depends. “If a follicle has closed, disappeared, scarred, or not generated a new hair in years, then a new hair wouldn't be able to grow,” Fusco says. But if the follicle is still intact, yes, it is possible to regrow the hair—or to improve the health of the existing thinner hairs.
"Short hairstyles are best for thinning hair, because too much length can drag the hair down and create an unflattering, stringy appearance," says Alabama stylist Hope Russo.