How To Add Volume & Thicken Your Thin, Aging Hair?
It’s no secret that thinning hair can be a side effect of aging. The rate at which our hair grows ends up slowing down, and some women also experience hair loss. Getting older can take quite a toll on our hair — but you’re not alone! There are ways to reclaim the thickness you’ve always loved.
If you are curious about what can help you add volume to your thinning hair and promote thicker strands, read on to learn more about what you can do. After all, we are aiming to age better, not get younger!
Can I Thicken Aging Hair?
Almost everyone would like to stop hair loss and promote hair growth as they age. Turning thinning hair into thicker hair can be achievable, although it is important to manage expectations. Any dermatologist or hairstylist will likely tell you there is no magic mousse or dry shampoo that can totally fix thinning hair.
If you are someone who has always had fine hair, chances are a thick, voluminous mane may not be in the cards. And that’s okay! But if you are experiencing hair thinning, hair loss, and breakage, we have some answers for you.
Healthy hair is completely possible as we age. Many of the styling products, supplements, and tips we will touch upon in this article can give way to promoting the best of your natural hair. Going through some hair loss and hair thinning is a common part of getting older. But determining how to add volume to your aging hair can give you the thick hair your heart desires.
Your skincare often changes as you age, but have you changed up your hair care? Some hairstyles you often wear could use a change to add volume, while thickening shampoo gels and leave-in conditioner will soon find their way into your repertoire of hair products.
There are a ton of possibilities when it comes to adding volume and thickness to hair that is aging and getting a little thin. For personalized recommendations, take our hair quiz here!
What Causes Thin Hair?
Several different factors, or a combination of those factors, can cause thin or thinning hair. Once we determine the root (pun intended) cause of thinning hair, we can be better equipped to see what we can do about it.
Some people are born with naturally thin or fine hair. The cause of thin hair, in this instance, would be genetics. Individual fine hair strands are a kind of hair type that some of us have, the same way some people have wavy hair and some have straight. If you have had fine hair ever since you could remember, losing some of your hair thanks to aging can be a big “no thank you!”
Hormones can also be a big factor in hair production and the quality of the hair strands. Our hair follicles and the cycle of hair growth are affected in some major ways when we add hormones into the mix.
People who go through menopause usually experience those changes for between seven and 14 years. That’s a long time for us to be dealing with symptoms that our hormones give us — and one of these symptoms is hair thinning.
What we eat can also affect hair production. It’s important to eat a balanced diet that ensures we get the adequate amount of micronutrients and macronutrients that our bodies require.
Our nutrient needs differ once we get older. For example, we usually end up needing more protein than we did when we were younger. And one side effect of a protein deficiency is thinning hair and hair loss!
As we age, our hair usually changes quite a bit. Aging hair can become gray, drier than it was, have more frizz, and become more brittle, leading to breakage. Aging also means that the factors of hormones, genetics, and food will all be emphasized as our bodies change.
Other factors that can contribute to thinning hair may not be as common but are still applicable. Illnesses and thyroid issues, or underlying but chronic conditions, can sometimes have side effects that cause thin hair. Even things like stress can influence our well-being, reaching our hearts, hair, and mental state.
Can Thin Hair Become Thick Again?
There are some things to consider for those looking to get thicker hair or if you are dissatisfied with your thin hair. Hair thinning can refer to hair strands that are physically thin in diameter or the thinning (loss of hair) on the scalp, leading to low hair density.
Thin hair strands cannot be permanently thickened due to the size of your hair follicle. This physical trait makes it so the diameter of your hair can only be as big as the opening it comes from.
The good news is there are ways to temporarily thicken those strands. As for thinning of the hair in terms of density, this can also be managed. With a few added steps or swaps in your hair care routine, you can help thinning hair look thicker and have more volume.
Four Ways To Make Thin Hair Look Thicker
Volumizing shampoo can help make your hair look thick by giving some lift. This special shampoo stiffens your hair at the root. This helps the hairs have more space between them and your scalp instead of laying flat on your head.
Make sure the volumizing shampoo you reach for is sulfate-free. Much like volumizing shampoo, volumizing conditioner is made to help produce volume in your hair.
The role volumizing conditioner plays is that of support — by softening and moisturizing. Volumizing shampoo is lightweight, so it won't weigh your hair down and undo the work of the volumizing shampoo.
Healthy hair starts at the scalp, so it only makes sense to go for a scalp treatment. Scalp treatment can come in the form of two different approaches. Physical stimulation with a scalp massage can help by physically stretching the cells of the hair follicle through massaging. This also helps to stimulate blood flow to your scalp, which can coax your hair follicles to do their thing.
Scalp treatments can be combined with a special product like a Scalp Cleanser to help promote healthy hair regrowth and hydration while removing build-up. Removing build-up with a scalp cleanser helps keep your follicles in tip-top shape without stripping your hair of its natural oils.
Diet plays a huge part in our lives, whether young or aging. Our body uses nutrients to help replace cells, give us energy, and set our hair on a good path. Eating a well-rounded diet free from large amounts of oils and fatty foods is a good place to start.
But don’t forget the importance of healthy fats! Eating your vegetables, as much of a cliche as it is, is ideal. But as we age, it can be harder for our bodies to fully absorb everything it needs. Taking a supplemental vitamin designed for your age group and needs is key.
The Best Products To Add Volume to Thinning Hair
We like to approach the issue from all angles to add volume to thinning hair.
Our Wake Up Call Volumizing Shampoo is a great place to start and is so easy to get into your routine. It’s designed to give your hair more body, strengthen the strands, moisturize, and give your hair more fullness. It’s easy enough to use by swapping out your current shampoo.
To provide your hair with even more of a boost, our Wake Up Call Volumizing Conditioner is a great companion to our shampoo. Working alongside our shampoo, this conditioner is lightweight and made to hydrate and add smoothness and manageability to your hair. Simply apply it from the middle of your hair shaft through the ends, and rinse!
For even more support, our Superpower™ Hair & Scalp Duo is a two-in-one approach to scalp treatment. The massage applicator stimulates the scalp and expands the cells of your hair follicles.
With our serum added into the applicator, you can stimulate and massage while simultaneously adding the nourishment the serum provides. Our award-winning serum is made from plant-based ingredients in a special blend to fuel your hair at the follicle. As well as being a powerful way to stimulate your scalp, the serum is non-greasy, fast absorbing, and lightweight.
For those on the path to a better diet but who still need an extra leg up, our Significant Other Hair, Skin & Nails Supplement can help. With nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin B, and biotin, this supplement doesn’t just support your hair; it will also support your skin and nails. All you need to do is take two of our heart-shaped gummies a day to help your hair get everything it needs from the inside.
Heat styling doesn’t often play nicely with thinning hair. If letting your hair air dry isn’t your thing, and you prefer to blow dry, let our Heat Protectant Spray come to the rescue. This heat protectant safeguards your hair from the harm of hot tools and moisturizes dry strands.
Now, let’s also talk about styling. If you’re aiming for that voluminous, thicker look there're products that can help you get it while caring for your hair. Use our biotin-infused trio that includes a hair thickener, styling mousse and hairspray. Our top picks for volume-enhancing products lift, add body, and provide texture to fine, thin hair from root to tip, all while holding styles for up to 48 hours.* These are non-drying volumizing formulas, that deliver high-performance results while promoting hair and scalp health.
We can add volume and thicken our thin, aging hair from the outside by using specific products beneficial to healthy hair growth. We can also support adding thickness and volume to our hair from the inside — ensuring that we get enough vitamins that promote regrowth in the form of hair supplements.
Confronting the effects of aging head-on can be intimidating, and dealing with changes in our bodies can leave us feeling not so great some days. With the tools to promote voluminous strands and thicken your thinning hair, your confidence will be elegantly elevated as you feel better, not younger.
Sources:
Hormonal Effects on Hair Follicles | PMC
Protein Consumption and the Elderly: What Is the Optimal Level of Intake? | PMC
How Stress Causes Hair Loss | National Institutes of Health (NIH)
How Thin is a Human Hair? | Columbia Tribune
A Healthy Approach to Dietary Fats | National Institutes of Health (NIH)