Having fine hair can be distressing because it has many disadvantages, especially for women. You don't get to wear as many hairstyles as you can because your hair naturally looks flatter and lifeless. Even your hair may not be able to hold a straight ponytail for too long because it quickly gets greasy. Plus, you have to devote at least half an hour to blow-dry and give an illusory thick-looking hair before going out of the house.
It's also important for women to showcase their beauty in various ways, such as hairstyles. Unfortunately, women are so busy nowadays that they don't have much free time to sit down and spend the next 30 minutes for blow-drying. Thus, ladies with fine hair must remediate their hair growth issues as soon as possible.
What could be the possible reasons your hair is ultra-fine, and how can you make your strands five times thicker? Get to know the underlying causes and some helpful ways to thicken your hair.
Thin Hair vs. Fine Hair: What's The Difference?
Many people might have mistaken fine hair as thin hair. However, there's quite a major difference between the two. If you have fine locks, it means that your hair strands are not thick enough. On the other hand, having thin hair has something to do with the number of hair follicles. The lesser follicles, the fewer shafts will pop out of your scalp, making your hair appear less voluminous because of the strand scarcity. Therefore, you need to identify whether it's a fine or thin hair problem before starting your hair growth treatment.
Five Reasons Behind Your Fine Hair Problem: Why Do You Have Thin Strands?
Having fine hair is not fine at all. If your hair is not as thick as a horsetail, you have to understand why it's happening to remediate this problem accordingly. Here are some of the viable causes of your feathery hair strands.
Hereditary Issues
Yes, your bloodline plays a significant role in hair growth. If you have a family member with hair growth problems such as female-pattern baldness, it can be a plausible reason for your fine hair. Also known as androgenetic alopecia, female-pattern baldness is triggered when your hair follicles are under attack by androgens. These invaders bind on the androgen receptors, thereby constricting follicle nourishment. As a result, they grow finer and lackluster strands. If left untreated, androgens can miniaturize your hair follicles, resulting in thinning hair and hair loss problems.
Nutritional Deficiency
What you consume can also affect your hair strands' diameter. In fact, your hair follicles are surrounded by cells that need sufficient nutrients to support follicle growth. You also need enough protein to build your hair's external structure. If you lack nutritional upkeep, follicles may not grow thicker shafts to give your hair more volume.
Aging Problems
The hair growth cycle has three phases, namely the anagen (growth), catagen (transition), and telogen (resting). Following these stages, your hair follicles also grow old over time. Cells start deteriorating, which can deter the growth of new and healthy strands.
It is in the anagen stage that hair strands grow in excellent condition. However, during the transitional phase, your follicles cut themselves off from the blood supply, leading to a club hair. Unfortunately, these hair strands are no longer sustained with nutrients, making them more vulnerable to damage. Thus, prolonging the growth phase is essential for shaft elongation and thickness.
It's not easy to keep follicles safe and healthy. Many internal and external factors can hasten the follicles' aging process and result in sparser hair strands. Heat, pollution, and radicals can trigger oxidation, which can accelerate the cycle and shift anagen follicles into the catagen.
Telogen Effluvium
When anagen follicles get irritated, they can prematurely shift into the telogen or resting phase. This forced transition leads to hair shedding, a condition known as telogen effluvium.
Stress, trauma, or injury can put your body in a state of shock, coercing your follicles to rest for good. That means they will no longer receive nutrients, thereby preventing them from growing newer, thicker, and longer strands.
Mishandling of your hair
Your hair is a fragile body part. Thus, aggressive brushing of your hair can damage its outer layer and make your hair wispy. Tugging your locks intensely and continuously can also irritate your follicles and cause hair growth problems. Overexposing your hair to heat is also a big no-no for your hair. Heat can crack your cuticles, making your strands vulnerable to dehydration and abrasions.
Nine Ways to Turn Fine Hair into Thicker Strands
Now that you've identified the root of your feathery hair growth problem, you can now follow these helpful tips to make your strands five times thicker than before.
1. Trim your hair frequently to remove split ends.
Cutting your hair does not elongate the shaft. However, trimming your tresses can protect your hair against split ends. If a strand splits into two, it will become thinner. The more split ends your hair has, the higher the chance for your strands to become finer. Therefore, opt to trim those ends regularly to avoid damaging your locks in the long run.
2. Always fill your plate with protein-enriched foods.
Your hair is made of protein. Thus, you need sufficient protein in your body to create and keep your hair's thick and robust structure. Fortunately, you can get your daily fill of protein from various food sources such as fish, eggs, dairy products, lean meat, soybeans, and even broccoli.
3. Cleanse your hair and scalp with a hair thickening shampoo.
Shampooing your hair every day clears away all the dirt and oil on your scalp that can clog your pores and attract outsiders. Cleansing your hair allows your strands to grow healthy in a microbe-free environment.
Yet, a hair thickening shampoo does not only focus on its cleansing job. This type of shampoo is mostly infused with proteins and pantothenic acid that coat your strands to increase their width. Hair thickening shampoos also provide a protective layer on your hair to prevent thinning the hair cuticles. Thus, opt to wash your fine locks with this particular shampoo to achieve your thick-hair goals.
4. Slather some essential hair oils for thicker hair strands.
Rubbing, tugging, and overbrushing can thin your shaft's cuticle, resulting in sparser hair strands. With essential oils such as argan, coconut, castor, and olive oils, you can provide a protective barrier for your hair against any form of friction. Hair oils also help lock enough moisture to keep your locks well-hydrated. You can also massage your scalp with these plant-derived oils to stimulate blood flow and promote follicle nourishment.
5. Never skip hair conditioners in your daily hair care routine.
A hair growth conditioner comes after washing your hair with a thickening shampoo. The main goal of conditioning products is to enhance your hair's manageability and appearance. Conditioners help lessen the abrasion between hair strands by covering them with another layer. This protective coating also inhibits moisture loss, thereby preventing your shafts from shrinking. As a result, your strands feel softer and thicker, and your hair appears more voluminous.
6. Apply a volumizing shampoo to make your hair appear thicker.
Your fine hair strands can weigh your hair down and make it look flatter. Therefore, to give an impression of having thick hair, try using a volumizing shampoo. Unlike a hair thickening shampoo, this hair product targets your hair roots to give your strands an extra lift. A volumizing shampoo strengthens the shafts so that they can fully extend for a thicker-looking and bouncier mane.
7. Don't use heat-styling tools all the time.
As mentioned before, overexposure to heat can cause irreparable damages to your hair. Thus, it's essential to keep any heat-emitting tool at bay. You can air-dry your locks if you don't want to go out of the house with wet hair. However, if you don't have time for that, you can set the blow-dryer in cool mode to prevent overheating.
8. Clip in some hair extensions for your hair's voluminous appearance.
Some ingredients in hair products can penetrate and harm your tresses. If you want to thicken your hair without using chemicals, you can clip in some hair extensions. However, these extra hair strands can only stay on your hair temporarily.
9. Brush your hair gently and frequently.
Brushing your locks allows your scalp's natural oils to coat your hair from roots to tips, which can fortify your strands against friction and breakage. It will also encourage thicker hair growth by stimulating proper blood circulation. However, don't overdo the brushing habit, or else it will aggravate your hair's condition.
Make Yourself Feel Fine By Saying Goodbye to Your Fine Hair.
You don't need to suffer anymore just because of your wispy hair strands. By following the essential tips mentioned above, you can ensure that your hair will look thicker, bouncier, and healthier than ever. Feel more confident by saying goodbye to your fine-hair problem.
Learn More About Hair Thickening.
Find out the causes behind your thinning hair problem. Don't forget to use the best hair thickening shampoo to increase your strands' width. And of course, always apply the best hair growth products to preserve your thick hair.
