How To Make Thinning Hair Look Thick, Full, and Stylish
Let me be the first to tell you…
I have sh*t hair.
It’s thin, wispy, and my hairline isn’t looking great either.
So more than “BLoGeRz” and “InFLUenCeRz”, I actually know what products work, because I, unfortunately, deal with subpar follicles every morning. I’ve had to figure it out. I’ve had to make things look as good as they possibly can. In fact, there are times where I’ll shock myself with what I’m able to do with the hair that I have. Here’s the deal: If you have decent coverage on your scalp, you can make it look better.
Sidenote: For some guys, you’ll need to buzz things. If the hair coverage is very sparse, or you’re lost hair past a certain point, it’s likely time to buzz things off. Here are some tips on how to be bald and more attractive.
However, if you’re like me, where your hair isn’t great, but there’s still some styling that can be done, read on. I’m going to show you exactly what I do to get a thicker, fuller, incredible looking hairstyle.
Get a Good Shampoo For Thinning Hair
Let’s start at the beginning. You need a decent shampoo. I don’t like washing my hair often these days, and most of the guys I’ve worked with who have great hair don’t shampoo often at all, but there’s no doubt about it, washing your hair will make it look thicker.
There are TONS of shampoos out there that claim to get your hair thicker and fuller. And most of them, they’re fine. Don’t put too much effort into the shampoo. We’re washing it out and only using it a few times a week. We just want to make sure that it does not contain too many chemicals, and will give you just a bit of a thickening boost. Stay away from drugstore products. Here’s one I like…
Conditioner For Fine, Thin Hair
I do not use conditioner when I’m trying to make the hair look fuller. I’ve noticed that conditioners tend to weigh the hair down and make it look finer. This is true even for the “thickening” conditioners. To be clear, I do use the conditioner on the days I wash my hair. However, if I’m trying to make my hair look it’s best, I forgo it, just shampooing the hair and skipping the conditioner.
Prestyler To Boost Things Up
A pre-styling treatment is an absolute non-negotiable if you want thicker hair. Use this out of the shower with slightly damp or dry hair (If not blowdrying, more on that later). There are plenty to use, but when it comes to thickening, I favor Nioxin. Spray this into the hair/scalp, massage or comb it in, and let it dry (again, if not blowdrying). You’ll notice the hair becomes thicker and easier to work with. The pre-styler also helps with the next step…
Blowdrying For Fuller Hair
Yes, you might have heard this before, and yes, it will add a minute or two to your morning routine, but isn’t that worth it for thicker hair all day? Once you get the Nioxin in, go in with a blowdryer on medium heat and start drying. At first, you want to blow the opposite direction in which your hair lays. Blow-drying like this will help the strands of hair stand a bit taller when the hairstyle is finished. Once you’ve dried the hair going the opposite way for about 30-60 seconds (this, of course, depends on how much hair you have), finish it off by blowing in the direction of your hairstyle. Comb everything into place.
The Right Hair Styling Product For Thinning Hair
Many guys will need a bit of product to keep things in place and further thicken the hair.
Rule number one for your hair type - Stay the hell away from pomades, gels, and waxes. Anything water-based or that gives you that “wet look” will be detrimental to your hairstyle and all the work we just did up until this point.
You need something lighter that will not weigh the hair down. Your fine hair doesn’t stand a chance against heavy-weight products. The fine hair doesn’t have enough strength to “push back” against the gravity of a heavy hairstyling product.
Any light cream or even mousse works well if you don’t need too much hold or have a “simpler” hairstyle. Clays will tend to work well also. Any styling product that has less “shine” and has more of a mineral base tends to do well.
Use a minimal amount to start. You can always add more, but you can’t go back. Don’t ruin all the work we just put in by overdoing the product. Make sure it’s emulsified in your hands before applying to the hair. It should go on nearly transparent. Make sure to coat the hair from root to tip to help the hair “stand up.” Any of these will be okay depending on your price point, your unique styling methods, etc.
Concealer To Hide Thinning Areas
For you guys with ultra thinning areas where you can see scalp, this will be a god-send, as it has been for many of my clients. Toppik is a concealer powder meant to disguise thinning areas. You can see more of how it works on the product page, but it can do wonders to fill in certain areas.
Toppik is a protein fiber powder that you basically sprinkle into your hair. It attaches to the hair and makes it look thicker and fuller, concealing thinning areas. It’s genuinely the product in this list that will do the most for you.
Toppik is a product that, if you’ve never used before, might feel a little weird using the first few times, and it might take you a bit to perfect it’s use, knowing how much to use, how to apply, etc. But give it a try and see if you like it. It’s still very affordable too.
You can use this before or after adding your styling product, but I tend to favor using it after, as the Toppik fibers tend to cling to the hair product. Don’t go overboard with this either. Like all things, start small and work your way up.
Hairspray To Help Hold Things Together
One mistake I see many guys make is using more or heavier styling products to help hold their hairstyles all day. The problem is that adding more product or heavier product will be terrible for your hair, as we just discussed.
But what do you do if your hairstyle isn’t holding throughout the day?
Hairspray.
Styling products are meant to get you the shape you desire, hairspray is your “protective” coating, locking in that shape for the day.
Don’t go cheap here. Bad hairsprays are filled with chemicals your hair hates, and they give you that “crunchy” feeling. Instead, get a light finishing spray. I’ve been recommending Kevin Murphy products to specific clients for years, and this hairspray is perfect for finishing your hairstyle.
Haircuts For Thinning Hair
What hairstyle you go with should always be a combination of factors; how much time you’re willing to put into it, your hair type, face shape, personal preference, etc. But for guys with thinning hair, the rule of thumb is that the sides should be cut shorter than the top.
Generally, unless you have some weird features to your face (like my damn big ears), you want to keep the sides tighter and allow the hair to grow longer on top. Cutting the hair like this will make the top look thicker and fuller in comparison to the sides.
Thinning Hair Can Look Thicker And Fuller, With Just a Bit of Work
So there you have it. A few products to add in, but we’re not doing too much, making the right tweaks to give you the thicker, fuller style you need. This routine is all the stuff I adhere to when I’m trying to make my thinning hair look thicker and fuller. Do I do this stuff every day? No, but when I’m working with clients in-person, going to meetings, or getting ready for a date, I want to look (and feel) incredible - and this routine does that for me. Give it a try, comment below if you’ve tried some of these products. Enjoy experimenting and your thicker fuller hair.
Cheers to your style journey,
Patrick