No
matter how fine or thin your mane, with the right products and styling
solutions, the answer to that question can be a resounding yes.
Botox.
Faux tans. Eyelash extensions. In an era in which formerly taboo
cosmetic topics have become mainstream, another is finally coming out of
the beauty closet—and it's about time. "Hair loss used to be whispered
about, because many women believed they were alone," says Stephen
Pullan, a hair expert at the Philip Kingsley Clinic in New York City.
"But as more people start to discuss it, others are encouraged to do the
same and, ultimately, seek treatment. At the clinic, I see more women
than men dealing with hair loss." Stats back him up: 40 percent of
Americans who have thinning hair are women, according to the American
Hair Loss Association. Clearly, it's no longer a problem only for
middle-aged dudes.
Genetics,
hormonal changes, and even how often you blow-dry can cause your hair
to peace out. But no matter what's making you lose it (in more ways than
one!), these tests will help you get to the root of your skinny-hair
issue. Then follow our advice to fatten up fast.
1 Your Hair Is So Fine(and not in a good way)
Maybe
she's born with it…or maybe it's aging? Some women have had baby-fine
hair since pre-K; others watch their strands wither over time. (FYI:
That's considered normal. As we age, our hair follicles shrink and
produce thinner strands.)
THE TRESS TEST
Pull
your hair into a ponytail and look at the size. "If its base diameter
is the width of a penny or less, your hair is probably fine," says
Tresemmé hairstylist Tyler Laswell. If your tail has shrunk so much that
it could be a contestant on The Biggest Loser, you might have
age-related thinning. "If you can wrap a hair tie around your ponytail
base three or more times, and it used to go around once or twice, your
hair's probably growing in thinner than it used to," says Jill Crosby, a
Los Angeles hairstylist.
BULK UP
> Have a cocktail party.
Nope,
not the boozy kind. "My all-time favorite products for boosting fine,
thin hair are mousses and salt sprays, because when used together, they
give hair a light, airy volume that lasts," says Laswell. Before
blow-drying, mist a few spritzes of salt spray onto damp hair, then rake
a golf ball–size blob of mousse into roots and massage down to ends
(halve that mousse amount if your hair is shorter than shoulder-length).
Try R+Co Rockaway Salt Spray ($25, randco.com) and Tresemmé 24 Hour
Body Foaming Mousse ($5, at drugstores).
> Be a tease.
Teasing
isn't just for rat's-nest runway looks; it's a trick Laswell uses often
to make scrawny hair look big. His top tip: "Don't just tease the
roots, as many women do. Gently backcomb the entire head with a
fine-tooth comb, starting at the top and working to the ends. Then use a
boar-bristle brush to smooth the outermost layer." Voilà—fullness sans
flyaways.
> Curl small.
If
hair is straight, add insta-oomph with a curling iron. "The secret here
is to wrap small, one-inch sections of dry hair around a 1½-inch
curling iron and alternate directions—wrap some around the barrel away
from your face, and some toward it. You'll get a higher number of waves
for a fuller look, and the random directions prevent a flat,
clumped-together uni-curl," Laswell says.
2 Your Hair Is Thin at the Tips
From the ears up, your hair is commercial-caliber. sadly, look as if they belong on a scarecrow.
THE TRESS TEST
Toss
your hair over one shoulder and tilt your head to the side. See some
weird spacing and sparseness at the bottom few inches? Oh, hey, damage.
"Hair grows around six inches per year, so if it's shoulder-length, it's
seen winter, summer, cold air, dry air, sun, lots of blow-drying, hot
tools, and lots of brushing," says Pullan. "This combination may cause
dryness and split ends that can snap off, making ends look scraggly." A
thinner-at-the-ends ponytail may be another marker that you've reached
the breaking point.
BULK UP
> Get a trim.
Hanging
onto hair that's hanging by a thread? Not the best idea. "Cutting off
the dry split ends to even out the density at the bottom and top can
make hair appear thicker," says Nioxin hairstylist Danielle
Caputo-Estorino.
> Condition and rebuild.
Adding
moisture back into hair that is both thin and damaged is a catch-22,
because many ultra-moisturizing conditioners contain oils and waxes that
can make hair limp, causing it to look even wispier, says Pullan. Once a
week before shampooing, use a treatment like Philip Kingsley
Elasticizer ($50, philipkingsley.com), which contains castor and olive
oils, silicone, and elastin that strengthen and hydrate inside the
cuticle, rather than sit on top. And before blow-drying, work a mixture
of equal (dime-size) parts heat-protective cream and body-enhancing gel
or mousse through lengths and ends. (If you air-dry, skip the cream.)
Try Bumble and Bumble Repair Blow Dry ($30, bumbleandbumble.com) and
L'Oréal Paris Advanced Haircare Volume Filler Densifying Gelee ($7, at
drugstores).
> Beat the heat.
Good
news for flatiron-philes: It's not the tool that's to blame; it's how
you use it. "Most women set the iron to 400°F or 410°F, which can dry
out and eventually break the ends of the hair. You aren't trying to fry
eggs here," says Caputo-Estorino. Start at 200°F to 250°F, and go a bit
hotter only if that temperature doesn't work. When styling, spray on a
heat protector, then pass the iron over each section slowly, and no more
than twice. If a curling iron is your weapon of choice, hold the hair
for five to 10 seconds, max.
3 Your Hair Is Falling Out
Stop
envisioning yourself as Homer Simpson. "Around 30 percent of my
patients are women experiencing hair loss, or androgenic alopecia, and
it terrifies them. They think they're eventually going to go bald—but
that's usually not the case," says Doris Day, M.D., a New York City
dermatologist. Excess shedding can be related to a slew of lifestyle
factors, such as stress, hormonal imbalances, and nutritional
deficiencies. While many of these can be reversed (say, with meditation
or dietary changes), a few products can also regrow your strands.
THE TRESS TEST
Hair
loss on you looks different than it does on your dad, so rather than
check for a receding hairline, scope out your part. "If it's widening in
an evergreen tree–like pattern, that's a marker of female pattern hair
loss," explains Day.
BULK UP
> Look for minoxidil.
It's
the magical ingredient that has helped grow millions of hairs since the
'80s. And as the only FDA-approved topical treatment to stimulate hair
follicles to reverse hair loss, why the heck wouldn't you use it? "We're
starting to talk about minoxidil for the scalp the way we talk about
retinol for the face," says Day. One to try: Women's Rogaine 5%
Minoxidil Topical Aerosol ($50 for a four-month supply, at drugstores).
Massage the product into a clean scalp once daily, at least four hours
prior to shampooing. "Hair may fall out for two more weeks, a signal
that new hair is right behind it. It's like teeth—you have to lose your
baby ones so the adult ones can grow in," says Day. (Another promising
sign that hair loss isn't the silent issue it once was? Rogaine now has
some minoxidil-containing friends on the shelves, from brands like
Pantene and Redken.)
>Try combo therapy.
Dealing
with the trifecta of fallout, thinness, and damage? Supplement
minoxidil with Redken Cerafill Defy Instant Thickening Kit ($70,
redken.com for salons), which comes with a shampoo, conditioner, and
daily toner to prevent breakage, thicken strands, and inhibit DHT—the
hormone-related chemical that leads to hair loss.
> Choose to diffuse.
When
blow-drying, lose the brush and add a diffuser head, which won't put
tension on your hair's cuticle and make it flat, says Crosby. Then fill
in sparse spots with a product that deposits fibers onto your scalp
temporarily, making hair seem more dense. Try Viviscal Hair Filler
Fibers ($25, viviscal.com).
FEED YOUR SCALP
Herbivores,
take note: "Hair follicles can be sensitive to nutritional imbalance,"
says Pullan, who notices that many of his female clients experience hair
loss when they go vegetarian. That's because they might lack protein
and iron. Healthy hair growth requires protein, and iron could improve
blood circulation, which may also help.
To
get a meatless fix, add nuts and beans to your plate, suggests
nutritionist Keri Glassman, R.D. And if you juice, keep it up! Leafy
greens have vitamins and minerals that may promote circulation to the
scalp—just add a scoop of plant-based protein powder for a big-hair
boost.
WH Online
Learn how to add more va-va-voom to your hair with must-try tips at WomensHealthMag.com/November.
~~~~~~~~
By Jill Percia
BIGGER IS BETTER
The
style that's blowing up at Drybar, a nationwide blow-dry-only salon?
The Southern Comfort—its most voluminous option! To DIY: Distribute
mousse evenly through damp roots and hair, then blow-dry with a large,
ceramic round brush, lifting it upward as you smooth each section, says
Drybar founder Alli Webb.
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