7 Simple Tips to Improve Thinning Hair

Your body experiences different changes as you age. One such change with ageing is thinning hair. Hair is likely to change its texture, colour and volume over time. To keep your hair looking healthy at your age, you have to take special care of them.

Hair consists of protein strands. Each strand of hair boasts a normal life for two to seven years. But factors like ageing, diet, genetics and general wellbeing can determine the overall health of your hair.

Hair is often replaced with new finer hair and over time, everyone experiences hair thinning. However, there is a proper treatment for hair thinning. But before knowing the treatment, you have to understand what causes hair thinning.

What is Thinning Hair?

Thinning hair is often due to alopecia that affects your scalp or even the whole body. This condition may be temporary or permanent. Moreover, it is also the result of various hormonal changes, heredity, ageing and other medical conditions.

Hair thinning is usually due to excessive hair loss from an individual’s scalp. Hair loss due to hereditary conditions and ageing are the most common causes of baldness. Some people also prefer to leave hair loss untreated. On the other hand, many want to cover it up with makeup, hats, scarves, etc. Or they may be looking for effective treatment of hair fall by thinning hair.

But before seeking the hair thinning treatment, you need to know the causes of hair thinning.

Causes of Thinning Hair?

It is normal to lose around 50 to 100 hair strands per day. It often is not noticeable due to new hair growth simultaneously. But the hair loss occurs and becomes more visible when new hair stops replacing the fallen hair strands.

Some common causes of hair thinning are:

• Family History (heredity): It is the most common cause of hair loss and often happens with ageing. The condition is called androgenic alopecia, female pattern baldness and male-pattern baldness. It also occurs eventually and in various predictable patterns. For instance, you can start seeing a receding hairline, visible bald spots and thinning hair on the crown of the scalp.
• Medications and Supplements: Another common cause of hair thinning is a side-effect of drugs like those consumed for cancer, depression, arthritis, gout, high blood pressure and heart conditions.
• Hormonal Changes and Medical Conditions: Various conditions may lead to temporary or permanent hair loss. This includes hormonal changes because of menopause, childbirth, pregnancy and thyroid problems. The medical conditions that lead to hair thinning are alopecia areata or scalp infections like ringworm.
• Radiation Therapy on the scalp: Hair thinning may also occur due to radiation therapy. It is a stressful event that causes hair loss due to emotional or physical shock. However, this hair loss is temporary.
• Hairstyles and Treatments: Excessive hairstyles or hair styling treatments are likely to pull your hair tight, such as cornrows or pigtails. These hairstyles can also lead to hair loss due to traction alopecia.

Best Treatment of Thinning Hair

Here are some of the best treatments for hair thinning:

1. Minoxidil

Minoxidil is an effective treatment for hair fall. One has to apply this product directly to the affected areas. It is one of the safest treatments for people with androgenetic alopecia. It may take up to 6 to 12 months for improving hair growth. However, people using minoxidil for hair loss need to use it permanently; otherwise, the hair thinning may reoccur.

2. Finasteride

Finasteride (Propecia) is another oral medication for treating hair thinning. One needs to take 1 mg of this medicine daily for treating hair loss. However, patience is crucial in this case, as it may take many months to one year to see any visible hair growth. Additionally it needs to be accepted that the medication may have unwanted effects on the male libido. However, it is advised that you consult a hair specialist to prescribe the right dosage per your hair condition.

3. Hair Transplant Surgery

Hair transplant is another effective treatment of hair thinning. It is a great treatment option for permanent hair loss. The hair restoration or hair transplant surgery may make the most of the hair left on your scalp.

A dermatologist or cosmetic surgeon is likely to take a graft with hair from a specific part with enough hair during the hair transplantation. And the hair is further transplanted to a bald spot. Each patch of hair includes one to various mini-grafts or micro-grafts. This procedure may not need hospitalisation, but it’s quite painful. And you are also given sedation medication for easing the discomfort. However, some possible risks associated with surgical hair transplants are bruising, bleeding, infection and swelling. You may even need more than one surgery to get the desired hair restoration effect.

4. Laser Therapy

Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) is an effective treatment for hair thinning by the Food and Drug Administration. This treatment is ideal for hereditary hair thinning or balding in men and women. In this therapy, light energy stimulates hair follicles to boost hair growth. Certain studies have observed visible improvement in hair density with laser therapy.

5. Lifestyle and Home Remedies

You can also try natural hair care techniques to make you feel better while stimulating hair growth. For instance, you may use hair styling products to add more volume to your hair. You can consider using extensions or wigs to get the natural look of hair.

It is easy to get custom hair wigs to match your natural hairstyle. This way, your hair would look natural and aesthetic.

6. Scalp Massage

Consider putting gentle pressure around your scalp using fingertips. Also, massage the scalp in a circular motion to increase blood flow to hair follicles. This helps you to promote hair growth more naturally.

You can consider using castor oil for moisturising your hair while increasing blood flow to hair strands. Both are useful for improving hair growth naturally.

7. Essential Oils

Consider applying an essential oil like rosemary or lavender to your scalp and hair. Lavender oil is good for treating hair thinning. It helps you to promote hair growth naturally.

But before applying an essential oil to your scalp, you need to dilute it using carrier oils. Also, do a patch test to ensure you are not allergic to the essential oil. You may do the patch test by putting a small drop of oil on your skin and waiting for 24 hours.

If you feel an itch coming or redness on the skin, you may be allergic. So, don’t use the oil if you notice any allergic reaction.

8 Ways to Make Thinning Hair Shinier and Thicker

Given below are the ways to make your thinning hair shinier and thicker:

1. Wash Your Hair Properly

First, you have to be mindful of how often you wash your hair. For, washing hair too often can do more damage than any good. You also need to apply shampoo twice when you are in the shower. The first shampoo is for hair and scalp cleansing. And the second works more like a treatment.

So, it is best to choose an anti-thinning shampoo to have an effective result on hair thinning. Also, massage your scalp while shampooing. It will help increase new blood cells to the scalp while rejuvenating hair roots. Finally, you have to rinse your hair with cold water to give it extra shine.

2. Stay Away from Damaging Ingredients

Your hair may become dull over time with the overuse of styling products and debris. Meanwhile, there will be no shine in your hair. So, before applying any styling products, you need to read the ingredient label. Make sure to stay away from products containing sulphates, as they can strip off the natural oils of your hair.

Instead, use natural hair oils and hair masks to treat your hair, especially if you have chemically-treated or dyed hair.

3. Apple Cider Vinegar for Hair Rinsing

It is also suggested to avoid clarifying shampoos, as these products are likely to strip off natural hair oils. Instead, you may use apple cider vinegar for rinsing your hair. This natural ingredient is ideal for balancing the natural pH level of your scalp. Hence, it leads to more natural and shinier-looking hair with time.

4. Say No to Shimmering Sprays and Opt for Oils

While you may consider spritzing some shimmering spray for glossing up your hair, it does more damage than good. Most hair sprays (say they add sparkle to your locks) include mica. This ingredient is likely to make your hair shimmer for a short period. But over time, it can make your hair dull and rough.

Instead, stick to natural hair oils like Argan oil, olive oil, coconut oil, etc. These natural oils can gently make your hair shiny while improving its texture.

5. Massage the Scalp with Vitamin E

The best vitamin for hair and scalp is vitamin E. Taking vitamins orally is known to be good for health. But you can even consider applying them topically to your scalp for making hair healthier, stronger and shinier.

You can buy it from a shop, mix in your hair oil, and apply it to your hair and scalp. This vitamin will likely hydrate and nourish your hair strands while increasing hair growth.

6. Use a Boar Bristle Brush

You require a 100% wild boar hairbrush to get the best results. Boar bristle brushes are good for dealing with the cuticle. Meanwhile, it enables maximum shine by creating a completely 2-dimensional surface for better light reflection.

Such rough, stiff brushes will draw natural oils from your scalp and hair roots while promoting natural shine and gloss.

7. Have Some Omega-3 Fatty Acids

You can consider eating omega-3 fatty acids to make your hair healthier, shinier and stronger. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in eggs, chia seeds and salmon. So, it can make your hair shine beautifully. So, consider buying the ingredients rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

8. Apply Leave-in Conditioner

Scalp’s natural oils often make your hair appear shiny. But if you have curly or long hair, it is difficult to work up to the ends. So, you can consider applying a leave-in conditioner to your dry and brittle hair.

Brush your hair with a boar hair brush and bring the oils down the hair strands. Then, apply a leave-in conditioner to use its hydrating properties. It will naturally soften and nurture your hair over time.

Conclusion

The process of hair thinning is concerning, to say the least. But with proper care and timely treatment, you can make your hair thicker & well-nourished. If you have been experiencing hair thinning lately, you need to follow the given treatment methods. But before following any procedure, make sure to talk to a hair specialist. They can help you find the underlying causes of hair thinning. They also prescribe the right medication or treatment for improving hair growth.