My hair is very thin and fine. I am over 60 and past menopause, which I have heard can make your hair this way, although it has always been thin. What can I do to give my hair volume and control? I do not color, perm or blow dry. I use Shimmer Lights shampoo to highlight the silver but other than that my hair air dries with nothing else to damage it. Help!
Honey, I feel your pain! My hair has always been thin and fine and many people have told me how "lovely" it feels...so soft and silky. Right! No body, no curl, no volume, just lots of soft and silky. At least I HAVE hair! There was a time when I didn't. Back to the problem at hand: Like Deeli says, I think it would help to know a bit more about your hair. Since we don't maybe I can offer some "generic" advice.
I use Paul Mitchell styling lotion after shampooing and blow dry my hair leaning forward to get the most volume possible. When it's damp I change to a hot brush and finish styling. If I really want to add some oopmh I use hot rollers. I also don't color or perm. My husband doesn't like the feel of colored hair and I don't have good results with perms. I've found that too many additives only weigh my hair down instead of giving promised volume. I keep my hair shorter than shoulder length and don't try to make it do something it can't. Farrah has nothing to fear from me! See my profile.
Hi,
I owed a Wig Boutique for 8 Years and I saw lots of ladies with thinning Hair. I would recommend a few things that are natural like taking more B vitamins. A ( B Complex) is a natural relaxant. If you have had any stress in you life this can really help. We as women tend to be depleted of that.
Please check with you doctor first. Also if that does not help, as we get older our progesterone levels decrease and you many want to have a hormone level test done by you doctor to see if that might be the problem. There are many natural remedies for the hormones problem as well. With out taking hormones. It won't happen over night, But Learn about your body and you won't go wrong. If you need help in that department go to the library and check out some of ( Dr. Christine Northrop's Books on women's bodies, or the book (You the Owner's Manual).
Congratulations in advance and Good luck, learning more about you!
The truth is, the more damaged your hair is, the more "Texture" it has, which makes it feel thicker. This is why many women have their hair highlighted. It's because the bleaching makes their hair feel thicker. I have 4 suggestions for you:
1) So you don't loose any more hair: You can by (for about $12 for an 8 or 10 oz bottle) a products called "Polysorbate-80" at most health food stores in the hair care area. Polysorbate-80 is a food additive It's an emulsifier that makes liquids & oils blend together.
What Polysorbate-80 does is, it will remove any oils that are blocking your scalp's pores. You simply massage a bit on to your scalp & leave it there for 5 or 10 minutes right before you wash your hair like normal. They sell Polysorbate-80 under lots of fancy names for 10 times the price on TV etc.
2) Make sure you remove all traces of your conditioner, buy really rinsing your hair until it's clean!
3) Try to stay away with products with silicone, dimethicone (or other "cone" products) in them. These silicone & dimethicone products make your hair slippery & they tend to make your hair "droopier" & feel thinner.I swear by these products, but I have thick, frizzy, naturally curly hair! It's nearly impossible these days to find a product without Silicone or Dimethicone in it, but look for products that have as little as possible in them.
4) ---> Samy from Miami: SAMY is a hair care line sold at salons. But you can get it for half price on HSN (Home Shopping Network) & on their web page. His best product (for you) would be his "FAT hair 0-calories" line. The nice thing about this line is that it doesn't flake off & leave you with dandruff. You can put the mouse or hairspray (or most any of his products) in your hair then brush your hair out later in the day without it feeling sticky or stiff, & then reapply it later on that night, or the next morning. It leaves no residue.
Some people complain about the smell of the products, that's just because he's keeping them as natural as possible & he doesn't want to scent them because of people with allergies. Anyway, I think you should really give these products a try! & If you only want to try ONE product, I'd recommend a products called "Voluptuous". It thickens hair, & you can put it on dry or wet hair. You should also call HSN & see when he'll be back on HSN. He's really a kick & fun to watch, plus really informative as he teaches you about each of his product.
FAT HAIR 0-CALORIES:
beauty.hsn.com/
VOLUPTUOUS:
beauty.hsn.com/
IF YOU WANT TO KEEP THE PRICE DOWN, CHECK THIS OUT:
beauty.hsn.com/
ALL HSN SAMY PRODUCTS:
www.hsn.com/
* I suggest you take the time to read the info about each product on the top 2 URLs. The great thing about HSN, you do have to pay for the original shipping to your home (it's about $6) but if you don't like any products THEY will pay for you to ship it back to them at no cost! If you're not happy FOR ANY REASON (even if you've use most of the product) you can send it back if it's within 30 days of receiving the order.
---> If you know someone who's sick, bedridden or in the hospital, here's a great gift that will make them feel a little better: SAMY sells a DRY SHAMPOO. His brand is unlike others. It won't make the hair white or powdery or leave a residue. It also removes cigarette smoke smell from the hair & it's also great for those in nursing homes! How many times have we been around people who smoke & we'd like to wash our hair to remove that nasty smell but didn't have time to shampoo & blow-dry our hair. This stuff fixes that problem & comes with a 30 day HSN guarantee to boot!
beauty.hsn.com/
Could you tell us what length your hair is and whether it's all one length or if it's layered a little or a lot ??? I am sure you'll receive lots of answers with a bit more detail :-)
Hi, Me again the lady with the wig boutique. I would recommend trying Therapro Mediceuticals Hair Body. For Fine Thin Hair. It is a weightless extra firm hold styling cream. Probably on-line or in Salons only.
Good luck once again.
I have tried everything to add volume to my hair (which is very thin). The only solution was to tease underneath my hair very close to the roots..No one can notice because I comb the top layer over the hair that is teased..Works for me.....
Ask your stylist to use her thinning shears or razor to give you some volume. If used sparingly, thinning shears (or razor) can be used about 2.5 inches from the scalp to cut a few shorter hairs. These shorter hairs will support the longer hairs and give the appearance of volume. Your stylist should know what I'm talking about, but I wouldn't attempt this until you've seen someone else do it.
I agree with michellenperry. There really isn't much you can do with thin, fine hair if you refuse to get a body perm, use hair styling mousse and a blow dryer.
I also have thin, fine hair and you would never know it because I keep my hair permed and colored. I apply some styling mousse on the roots and blow dry my hair while bending over. When my hair is dry I use my curling brush or curling iron whichever works best at the time to style my hair. By the time I'm done styling it, my hair looks very thick.
Everybody has such good advice! I do not have thin hair but one of my grandma's hair is like yours and has only continued to thin with age, from hormonal changes I think. I have helped her style it for a long time because she is suffering from alzheimers now. What I do is whip plain egg whites until they are pretty stiff, like for merangue or angel food cake. Apply this to your hair starting at the roots and go all the way to the ends flip your head upside down and roll it with Big curlers, using very small sections and try to roll it as close to your head as possible. Let this dry for several hours or overnight. Than take out and comb lightly with a very wide toothed pick. If your hair ia at all long I would than see if I couldn't put into some kind of updo. This is how ladies made the original "mousse" it is very good for your hair.
You can buy lovely ponytail extensions these days that you attatch to a pony tail and can then be wrapped into a very elegant bun or chignon. I myself think that older ladies look fabulous with longer silver hair in a updo. This is how I do my grandmas because she alway had an updo. But my advice would work for shorter hair too. Also if you take Horsetail, Biotin and a very good whole foods vitamin with Sprirulina in it it will often help your hair thicken up.
If you do this you should end up with volume and some gentle waves especially if you comb it with your head down very lightly.
In addition on the suggestions regarding hair repair, I also have thin hair and use a product called DermMatch. They have a web site. It is a pancake type of "make-up" for your scalp and to give you hair the appearance of being fuller. I have ben using it for a couple of years now and it is a life saver. It is not cheap, but the pancake lasts a long time. It comes in different colors. I believe the web site is www.dermmatch.com. Good luck.
I have had fine thin hair all my life. I am in my 50's now and have RA. I started taking large doses of Vitamin D and B and have really noticed a difference in my hair. My nails also grow like crazy.
You really should reconsider getting a perm.They just do wonders for thin,fine hair. Get it done by a professional and you will be very pleased with the results. A perm swells the shaft of each hair so of course your hair will look fuller and thicker without damage. ~Janette~
My hair is about 4" long-sides and back, 3 1/2" top and sides. Not colored or permed, I use Shimmer Lites shampoo 2 or 3 times a week. Thanks for ALL your help and comments.
Ironically, the fact that your hair is so healthy (you don't have a perm, color or blow dry your hair) is one of your problems. Chemical processing and heat will open the cuticle and cause the hair to appear fuller and not be so silky. (Controlled damage) is how hairdressers make hair more manageable. Hair needs to have some "grip" to do something other than lay there. There are many great products that can help as well.
Try taking vitamins. Vitamin E and biotin work wonders for hair.
I'm 48 years old and have always had thin, fine hair. I don't dye or perm it either, so I guess that is part of my problem, but I don't want to do that. My niece is a hair dresser and when I complained to her she told me to buy a shampoo called "Big Sexy Hair". It comes in a red bottle and is quite spendy ($12 to $15 a bottle). But it works. The bottle is quite large so if you are the only one using it, it will last a long time, especially when you have fine, thin hair you don't have to use much shampoo. I'd love to hear how it works if you do try this.
I personally would not consider perming hair that is already thinning, as it just might contribute to your hair thinning more than it has. Check out: www.theheadshoponline.com They have some terrific looking hair additions that might be of some value in your quest.
Hiya, well I wouldn't consider having a perm. Especially if your hair is thin! I'd recommend Main n Tail shampoo and conditioner. I too suffered really thin hair, or go on sea kelp tablets from Holland n Barrett. Also try not to use a hair dryer, limit to once a week. I hope my advise helps :O) x
My hair actually started falling out, literally fell out by the handfuls when I was around 45 and got the consistency of an elderly person's (grizzled, tapered at the ends), turned white with rust patches (very attractive). You could see my scalp all over.
It turned out I had thyroid disease and was treated with a prescription.
However, my hair still wasn't growing back and what WAS growing back wasn't a pretty site.
I did some research and found that the herb, horsetail, really did make my hair actually grow back completely. Plus my nails grew like weeds - although they are still very thin.
PLEASE - PLEASE CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR/S FIRST BEFORE YOU TAKE ANY KIND OF HERB AT ALL. HERBS ARE MEDICINE. SOMETIMES THEY CAN INTERFERE WITH YOUR OTHER MEDS, OR YOUR BODY ITSELF EVEN IF YOU DON'T TAKE MEDICATION.
EXAMPLE: My doc told me I can't take the herb ginkgo biloba because it interferes with one of my other medications.
I also take 1000mg of biotin in addition to an over 50 age multivitamin (I'm 53 now). My hair also grows more from the biotin and so do my nails.
However, my hair still grows in gray and my hairs are still thin, but they both grow like crazy-I have to cut my nails sometimes twice a week.
When my hairdresser first saw my hair when it was falling out, so thin, white with rust marks, he was stunned. I've been going to him for over 15 years and he knew the kind of hair I used to have-thick, coarse and a lot of it.
Then I started taking horsetail and my next hair appt. had to be in 4 weeks instead of 6 because my hair grew out so much! He saw it and couldn't believe his eyes. Funny thing: another lady overheard me and started taking horsetail and it worked the same way for her. However, yet another lady took it and had no luck. I have no way of knowing how much they took, however.
I took 2 capsules 3 times a day and my hair started to grow in around 3 weeks; I could feel the stubby new hair and could see it. Of course, I spend more money getting haircuts now because my hair grows so fast, but it's worth it!
Also, ask your doctor to give you a blood test to see if you're lacking certain vitamins. My doctor found out I was deficient in B and D and now I take prescription B and a specially compounded vit. D (he has a compounding pharmacy make it; 50,000 IU a lot, I know) - I also have pre-osteoporosis so my gynecologist gives this to be plus 1 Actonel prescription a month. He said recent findings prove that the medication is better absorbed in conjunction with the D.
Another weird thing: my hair started turning gray during my first marriage (don't ask) and I was already coloring my hair in my 30's and 40's before it started to fall out. But I had this patch of absolutely white hair that grew in only one part of my head. Since I've been taking the prescription vit. B, my gray hair grows in a normal pattern all around my head. I don't have this patch anymore. Weird but true. Now, my hair doesn't grow in brown, but I have heard that Vit. B can do this; no luck for me so far and I've been taking the script for B for around 3 years. Oh well!
Here's another funny thing: my sister is 7 years older than me and is now 2" shorter than she was and my mother, who's 80, is like 3-4" shorter than she was.
They both take a prescribed drug for osteoporosis, but not with Vit. D as a supplement. I told them, but you know how it is, everyone believes their own doc. Very natural.
AGAIN-don't take herbs OR increase your vitamins without prior approval from your doctor/s. I cannot stress this enough.
Good luck, Sweetie. I know how horrible hair loss can be and it even affected my confidence. The other suggestions here given to you sound good too.
I hope at least one of them works for you.
This is for justhelpingout:
Try buying Big Sexy Hair at Sally's Beauty. I buy it there and it's much cheaper. Their site is Sallybeauty.com, but I only buy it in their stores (which usually are all over the place).
Hope it helps save your money!
I had extremely fine hair, until I started eating walnuts. I have eaten 6 to 8 walnuts a day for the last 2 months. I now have very different hair with tons of bouncy body. Walnuts (only walnuts) have an amino acid that helps the body manufacture Omega 3s. Another benefit is improved hearing. I hear a lot better than I ever have. I hope this tip will help others.
I had extremely fine hair. Until I started eating walnuts. I eaten 6 to 8 walnuts halves a day for the last 2 months. I now have very different hair with tons of bouncy body. walnuts (only walnuts) have an amino acid that helps the body manufactor Omega 3s. Another benefit is improved hearing. I hear a lot better than I ever have. I hope this tip will help others.
I had extremely fine hair. Until I started eating walnuts. I eaten 6 to 8 walnuts halves a day for the last 2 months. I now have very different hair with tons of bouncy body. walnuts (only walnuts) have an amino acid that helps the body manufactor Omega 3s. Another benefit is improved hearing. I hear a lot better than I ever have. I hope this tip will help others.
Hi my name is Jannette my hair began to thin out in my teens. I have tried hundreds of hair thickening products including topic hair fibers which were good at first but proved to be costly and no use to hair without good static which is needed to bond to the fibers. I have suffered with thyroid problems and found that medication didn't help with my already thinning hair.
During pregnancy however in third/fourth month my hair would transform to beautiful locks then three/four months after childbirth it would revert to being thin. Puzzling I'm sure... When I was 18 I began to suffer from B12 deficiency. This is a very important vitamin needed for development of red blood cells B12 supports your nervous system, and your whole body function including hair growth; yes, hair growth.
I had been prescribed B12 injections for almost 7 years when a decision was made to reduce and stop them. While taking B12 my hair improved dramatically, but once they stopped my hair not only stopped growing but fell out completely.
It's a long story however I'm back on them and my hair is manageable it's still thin but taking B12 helps. You can get it from Holland and Barret health food store or online at women's health. Also I now lighten my hair which was dark this does create volume which last 3 to 4 weeks after colouring.
I use ASDA tea tree oil shampoo and conditioner followed with sheer blonde boost volume mousse by John Frieda. For me this mousse is a must I then blow dry my hair using my hands, brushes and combs can pull hair away from scalp so I try to comb as little as possible. At best you have got to experiment with your own hair trial and errors will help you to learn your hairs strengths and weaknesses strange though it seems I have also found that my hair is finer in summer months than in winter time.
My problems began when I was 18 I am now 41 and have been taking B12 for over 17 years. My final advice is to seek medical advice to see if you are deficient in any essential vitamins or suffer from conditions such as thyroid disorder which may be effecting health and hair growth. Thanks for reading and God Bless from a friend. xxxx
I don't know if it will thicken your hair but it definitely helps more hair to grow. It is a supplement/vitamin called Biotin. I had an incident where I lost a patch of hair on the top of my head. When the scares healed it was a bare spot about the size of a peanut butter lid. I have been taking Biotin and now it is about the size of a dime (maybe even smaller).
I know Biotin helps hair to be stronger and it help strengthen finger nails as well. And Biotin isn't expensive.. for that matter it is really cheap from places like Puritan Pride. You will also find it in most multivitamin but the dosage is small.
