Help for Thinning Hair

Though thinning hair can be caused by a medical condition, often it's just a natural part of getting older. Fortunately, in many cases, the solution is as close as your local drugstore or hair salon.

By the editors at Daily Glow

You may think of thinning hair as a male problem, but it happens to women, too, and for a number of reasons. Causes of thinning hair include health conditions such as a thyroid disorder or a serious deficiency in certain nutrients. Some medications can lead to thinning hair, too. And if you seem to lose hair suddenly, it may be that a stressful situation in your life has caused a response called telogen effluvium. When this happens, your hair will thin noticeably about two to three months after the event and take several months to grow back in.

Usually though, thinning hair is an inherited trait. In women, locks tend to thin out on the top or sides of the head or at the crown. This is likely to be more obvious as you get older, when hair fibers naturally get thinner.

Adding Volume to Thinning Hair You can make the most of the hair you have, and even help it regrow, by trying the following tips:

• Shampoo sparingly. Protect your hair by washing it only when it’s dirty. Use a thickening shampoo and apply it only to the scalp, then use a volume-building conditioner. Between you can give your hair more volume by spraying dry shampoo into your roots.
• Blow-dry with care. Let your hair partially dry before using a blow-dryer; this will keep water from heating up inside hair strands and making them brittle. Set your blow-dryer to cool or warm —not hot.
• Don’t overstyle your hair. Putting your hair in tight braids or ponytails can make hair more brittle and more likely to fall out; so can regular curling with irons or hot rollers.
• Try minoxidil (Rogaine). The only FDA-approved treatment for hair loss in women, this product is available over-the-counter in a liquid or foam that you rub into your scalp twice a day. The good news is that minoxidil can prevent further hair loss and promote new hair growth. You have to stick with it, though: It can take up to 12 weeks to see results, and you have to keep using it to keep hair growing.
• Consult your hairdresser. The right haircut can hide sparse areas. Coloring your hair can help, too, especially if you add a few highlights around your face and go with a base shade that’s not too dark or too light.

When to See a Doctor If you suddenly notice hair loss, it’s a good idea to consult your doctor. He or she may want to perform tests to see if you have a medical condition that’s causing your hair to thin. If your hair loss is caused by a medication you take, talk to your doctor about switching to something else.

For serious hair loss in one area, you may want to talk to a dermatologist about hair transplant surgery. This involves taking healthy hair follicles from a part of the scalp where hair is plentiful and moving it to a sparser area.

So take heart if you’re bothered by the number of strands in your hairbrush: There’s plenty you can do to turn your hair from thin to terrific!