Can hair thickness increase?

[ALenee]

I measured my pony tail thickness back in September and it was 2.5". I measured again today and it was 4" ! :D I made sure I measured the same way I did last time, and the measurment is correct. I have definatly changed the way I take care of my hair since I found this site in September. I c/o most of the time, and other times I use LUSH shampoo bars. I also oil and SMT. Any thoughts?

[kam984420]

From everything i've read on here, it can definately increase, but it can also DECREASE just as fast.

[Cai]

Wow, this is a really big change. I heard before from others that the circumference of their ponytail improved, but most of the time (if there was a bigger change) that included growing out bangs or layers.
Did you additionally change anything else? Nutrition, lifestyle/situation, scalp massages or did you have lots of breakage before ?
I can't really imagine that this is possible as it would mean (if you started from hair in quite a good condition), that you suddenly have lots of new hair that wasn't there before.
But I'm happy for you that it is (would be a nice surprise for me too, but I guess I won't be that lucky).

[ALenee]

Wow, this is a really big change. I heard before from others that the circumference of their ponytail improved, but most of the time (if there was a bigger change) that included growing out bangs or layers.
Did you additionally change anything else? Nutrition, lifestyle/situation, scalp massages or did you have lots of breakage before ?
I can't really imagine that this is possible as it would mean (if you started from hair in quite a good condition), that you suddenly have lots of new hair that wasn't there before.
But I'm happy for you that it is (would be a nice surprise for me too, but I guess I won't be that lucky).

My hair was in good condition before, I never used heat on it, ect.. I did use chemical filled hair products tho. I just wasn't very careful with it before.

[ALenee]

From everything i've read on here, it can definately increase, but it can also DECREASE just as fast.

What do you mean? A bunch can just fall out???

[Kimberly]

What do you mean? A bunch can just fall out???

Half of my hair fell out after I had surgery a few years ago. And about two years after I had given up on it, I have noticed some of it is growing back!

Your apparent thickness can be much more or less depending on all sorts of things. I can change my measured thickness a lot just by brushing my hair, which gives me lots of frizz instead of curls. What I use to wash my hair, how much humidity is in the air, and all sorts of things affect how thick it measures.

[ALenee]

Half of my hair fell out after I had surgery a few years ago. And about two years after I had given up on it, I have noticed some of it is growing back!

Your apparent thickness can be much more or less depending on all sorts of things. I can change my measured thickness a lot just by brushing my hair, which gives me lots of frizz instead of curls. What I use to wash my hair, how much humidity is in the air, and all sorts of things affect how thick it measures.


I have had 5 surgeries and never noticed a difference. I didn't know hair could fall out from surgery. Was it the anasthesia?

[Darkhorse1]

Hair can fall out due to stress of the surgery. I've read that before. Depends on the surgery as well.

From my understanding, you can't add any more hair on your head than you already have. You have a pre-set amount of hair folicles. What can happen in regards to gaining thickness is:
reduction of hair breakage, growing out layers/bangs (I'm growing out most of my bangs and have added .5 inches to my circumfrence). I don't know if you can grow more hair, though in each hair folice, you can grow more than 1 hair in it.

Congrats!!! That's exciting :)

[ChloeDharma]

Thickness can fluctuate for lots of reasons other than the obvious layers cut in or grown out.
Hair is often a reflection of general health, diet, excercise, illness, stress, scalp health, handling etc all can effect it.
Surgery can cause the body to suffer extreeme stress and often after an extreeme stress on the body a condition caused telogen effluvium can be caused. This is the body reacting to stress by making a large number of hairs prematurely exit the active anagen phase of the growth cycle. They then shed anytime up to 3 months later and can take up to a year to grow back.
Illnesses like diabetes, lupus, thyroid problems can all cause excessive shedding as well.

Given your hair has thickened dramatically it would seem something has changed. Some people find that chemicals like sulphates, or waxy/coney conditioner on the scalp increase shedding, if you have cut these things out or changed the types of chemicals used then it would indicate not that your genetic potential for thickness has increased, but that before something was preventing you from reaching your genetic potential.
I notice you use SMT's and oils, if you oil the scalp then something added to the oil, or the type of oil itself may be having a beneficial effect in reducing shedding or stimulating growth....aloe vera is also considered good for hairloss and for stimulating growth so it could even be that.
Anyway, whatever it is, congratulaions and just keep on doing what you are and enjoy the results :)

[Girltron]

I've noticed thickness at different length points changing. Mainly, as my hair gets longer, my taper changes. I find I have thicker hair farther down than I did a year ago, but my hair's eight or nine inches longer too. I don't think this is due to me growing new hairs or anything. Maybe more to do with protection from damage.

Though the hair follicles go in cycles, right? And some might be more active all at once at certain times, whereas the opposite could be true at other times, right?

[Kimberly]

I have had 5 surgeries and never noticed a difference. I didn't know hair could fall out from surgery. Was it the anasthesia?

My doctor warned me that the surgery could make my hair fall out, just from the strain on my body. She said it wouldn't happen right away (how long until it was supposed to happen I don't recall clearly, but it was something like six months or a year). At the time she was pretty sure I was going to die soon anyway, so she didn't bother talking about it in detail. I was already deathly ill and the surgery was major. Due to it, I had instant menopause, and I was never given an adequate amount of hormones to reduce my symptoms. About two years after surgery I noticed half of my hair was gone. In retrospect, I guess it did take something like a year to start falling out, but I was in such bad shape after my surgery that I wasn't paying much attention.

I was pretty sure my hair loss was due to the menopause and I expected it would keep falling out. At its worst I had a receding hairline and some patches that were thinned bad enough I was afraid they'd be bare soon, with bald spots like my mom has. After a couple of years I stopped taking the hormones. I was afraid that not taking the pills would make more fall out, but it didn't. And now, about three and a half years out from the surgery, I have just recently noticed there are all these crazy little curls sticking out -- new hair! It took a very long time for it to start growing back, but I was so, so sick and the recovery from the surgery still isn't complete. Guess I'm finally getting healthy again. I wonder now how much of my hair will come back! Pretty darn exciting. :)

ALenee, maybe those five surgeries did thin your hair a little bit, but you didn't notice, and now it's just growing back in?

[BlurBerryBuzz]

I didn't loose hair from surgery, but from having babies. Especially with #2 adn #3. My 3rd is 1 1/2 and I'm still loosing hair. I've probably lost half my hair in the last 4 years. I hope it comes back!

[plainjanegirl]

Thickness can fluctuate for lots of reasons other than the obvious layers cut in or grown out.
Hair is often a reflection of general health, diet, excercise, illness, stress, scalp health, handling etc all can effect it.
Surgery can cause the body to suffer extreeme stress and often after an extreeme stress on the body a condition caused telogen effluvium can be caused. This is the body reacting to stress by making a large number of hairs prematurely exit the active anagen phase of the growth cycle. They then shed anytime up to 3 months later and can take up to a year to grow back.
Illnesses like diabetes, lupus, thyroid problems can all cause excessive shedding as well.

Given your hair has thickened dramatically it would seem something has changed. Some people find that chemicals like sulphates, or waxy/coney conditioner on the scalp increase shedding, if you have cut these things out or changed the types of chemicals used then it would indicate not that your genetic potential for thickness has increased, but that before something was preventing you from reaching your genetic potential.
I notice you use SMT's and oils, if you oil the scalp then something added to the oil, or the type of oil itself may be having a beneficial effect in reducing shedding or stimulating growth....aloe vera is also considered good for hairloss and for stimulating growth so it could even be that.
Anyway, whatever it is, congratulaions and just keep on doing what you are and enjoy the results :)


I didn't know that aloe vera is good for hair loss. So can you use the aloe vera gel ? If rubbed onto the scalp would it help hair loss?

[venividibxtchy]

I don't mean to be a party-pooper, but...

My hair can go from 4.75" down to 3.25" just based on the products I use. Obviously, I stick with the ones that make it in the 4"+ range.

Once, I used a honey, beer & egg shampoo bar, and it broke 5.25", but unfortunately, it also felt coated and disgusting. Oh, well.

[tiny_teesha]

3 months after I joined it looked MUCH thicker, now 2 years after gentle hair care you can see the thick braid bumps creeping down, but that is a HUGE increase?!??! I think mine increased by a maximum of 1cm but it did fluctuate monthly.
Are you using the same measuring tape? and oily straight, non combed hair has a thinner measurement then say, wavy combed hair (air spaces).

[ChloeDharma]

I didn't know that aloe vera is good for hair loss. So can you use the aloe vera gel ? If rubbed onto the scalp would it help hair loss?

Yup you could just massage some into the scalp at night then wash in the morning. There is also a hair wash recipe that consists of aloe gel, coconut milk and a little wheatgerm oil but i've not seen any proportions given for it....but it's said to be good for helping with hairloss.
Really i think any recipe that gets aloe to the scalp is good, i was thinking mixed with an oil like coconut, castor, emu, jojoba etc might be a good mix, or added to pastes of herbs like methi, bhringraj, amla.

[sandigirl]

My doctor warned me that the surgery could make my hair fall out, just from the strain on my body. She said it wouldn't happen right away (how long until it was supposed to happen I don't recall clearly, but it was something like six months or a year). At the time she was pretty sure I was going to die soon anyway, so she didn't bother talking about it in detail. I was already deathly ill and the surgery was major. Due to it, I had instant menopause, and I was never given an adequate amount of hormones to reduce my symptoms. About two years after surgery I noticed half of my hair was gone. In retrospect, I guess it did take something like a year to start falling out, but I was in such bad shape after my surgery that I wasn't paying much attention.

I was pretty sure my hair loss was due to the menopause and I expected it would keep falling out. At its worst I had a receding hairline and some patches that were thinned bad enough I was afraid they'd be bare soon, with bald spots like my mom has. After a couple of years I stopped taking the hormones. I was afraid that not taking the pills would make more fall out, but it didn't. And now, about three and a half years out from the surgery, I have just recently noticed there are all these crazy little curls sticking out -- new hair! It took a very long time for it to start growing back, but I was so, so sick and the recovery from the surgery still isn't complete. Guess I'm finally getting healthy again. I wonder now how much of my hair will come back! Pretty darn exciting. :)

ALenee, maybe those five surgeries did thin your hair a little bit, but you didn't notice, and now it's just growing back in?
OMG. I'm so glad you're still here! What an ordeal!
...
I think thickness does depend on a lot of things including product, brushing and if you blowdried. I'm excited for the peeps who got more thickness no matter what the cause.:)

[plainjanegirl]

Yup you could just massage some into the scalp at night then wash in the morning. There is also a hair wash recipe that consists of aloe gel, coconut milk and a little wheatgerm oil but i've not seen any proportions given for it....but it's said to be good for helping with hairloss.
Really i think any recipe that gets aloe to the scalp is good, i was thinking mixed with an oil like coconut, castor, emu, jojoba etc might be a good mix, or added to pastes of herbs like methi, bhringraj, amla.


I have some of the green aloe vera gel (from walmart) that you use on sunburns. Maybe I will try it on my scalp. Oils on my scalp are not a good thing cause they make my hair greasy. I have a bare spot that is at the nape of my neck and so I just put the oil or monistat or whatever there. So far nothing is helping.

[Loviatar]

Congratulations on your increased thickness.

I had a decrease from 4" to my current 2.5" after cutting bangs plus a lot of bleach and heat damage. I am trying to get back to 4" blunt cut. It can be done, as when I started I was at just under 3" and through using henna, CO washing (no cones - cones flatten my hair tremendously making it seem thinner) and supplements I got to 4".

[Kirin]

The increase may not be due to "more hair". There's likely no way you could grow that much hair, that long, that quick to make up for the difference.

From my experience, on my fine hair, using shampoo bars made an instant difference in circumference, by an entire inch. I suspect that soap bars swell the cuticle, its not new miracle hair growth. Henna also thickens the hair shaft, as does cassia I think.. I also suspect some oils do the same.

[ALenee]

Thank you everyone for your input :)

Kimberly Im so glad you are ok, I know how that can be. 3 of my surgeries were emergencies. (((hugs))

I have just started using LUSH shampoo bars. "Godiva" and "Karma Kombr" I also stopped using anything with cones or sulfates (LUSH bars do have coconut sulfate tho) several months ago. On the days I dont use the bars I C/O with one of my many Suave Naturals :) I have noticed a major decrease in shedding over the last few months, probably due to the absence of cones/ harsh sulfates.

[Darkhorse1]

I can notice a change in thickness when I over load with cones. It makes my hair very flat. It's possible by using different products, you are noticing a change.

Kimberly--I'm glad you're ok! I think the stress due to the fact you were very close to death was more likely cause (and your medical condition) to your hair loss. And yes, it grows back curly!! Mom has Lupus and her new hair growth is always curly.

I don't know if many people notice hair loss due to menopause, do they? I know with having babies, my friends noticed shedding, which is hormonal apparently?

[rosie91]

I swear mine is thicker since I've been washing it less! Maybe I was pulling out a load when I was washing it...

[maxet013]

Alaina, congratulations on your success. may i ask, please, what did you do to your hair to make it so thick? also, did it grow longer? can you please describe in detail, products used, method and how often you shampooed/conditioned. thanks.

[Beloved]

I lost a ton of hair in summer of 08, and now my hair is growing back. I can feel a difference in my pony circumference just by holding it.

ETA: My hair loss was also from surgery. It happened almost immediately, showed no signs of letting up. What finally stopped in was getting on a high dose of zinc.

[maxet013]

what is a shampoo bar? does henna change the color of your hair?

[neon-dream]

Yeah my hair circumference is increasing all of the time since I started using new things on it, and my hair is already thick, I measured the other day and I am now 4.75" whereas before i was 4.25"
So congratulations!! :blossom:

[Kimberly]

sandigirl and ALenee and Darkhorse1, thanks! I don't really think about all of that stuff so much these days . . . I put in a lot more time thinking about my hair than about having been sick. :)

Darkhorse, I had heard that, about hair coming back in curly. But I was a curly to start with, so these little curls just match the rest of my hair. What's really cool about them, though, is when my hair fell out I lost all the little tendrils around the hairline, which used to soften the look of my updos -- and now they're coming back! Yay! I have read in various places, btw, that hair loss is connected to hormone levels in various ways. My doctor thought it was, too, and she also agreed that my suddenly desert-dry hair and skin were caused by that, too.

Beloved, I'm sorry to learn surgery made your hair come out, too . . . but congratulations on the new growth!

[plainjanegirl]

So using cones can make your hair feel thinner?

[kdm310911]

So using cones can make your hair feel thinner?

I think so, because they kind of coat each strand and could weigh it down, making it feel thinner overall. I notice my hair feels thinner if I use things like Pantene, for example.

[plainjanegirl]

I think so, because they kind of coat each strand and could weigh it down, making it feel thinner overall. I notice my hair feels thinner if I use things like Pantene, for example.


Hmmm this is interesting, especially since Pantene is one of my most used brands. But I don't think I could handle the tangles if I didn't use cones.

[Beloved]

Kimberly, thank you! I'm also glad to hear your hair has decided to come back, and that you're healthy and here with us!

[HairColoredHair]

I have some of the green aloe vera gel (from walmart) that you use on sunburns. Maybe I will try it on my scalp. Oils on my scalp are not a good thing cause they make my hair greasy. I have a bare spot that is at the nape of my neck and so I just put the oil or monistat or whatever there. So far nothing is helping.

Eek, no!

The green stuff has lidocaine, which dries your hair, and the green can tint your hair!

The clear stuff! It's with the lotions! :D

[Darkhorse1]

Yep, cones can make your hair feel thinner because it lays the cuticle down and probably removes natural body. I get this with too much Pantene conditioner, but I LOVE that stuff. I just used an Herbal Essence conditioner and love it, but noticed a change in the thickness of my ponytail.

I'm a bit worried--I'm slated to have a breast reduction at the end of this year. I don't want to lose my hair. Since it is elective surgery, in that it's for comfort/reasons, but not a surgery I have to have, I would assume I'd be ok hair wise??

[HairColoredHair]

Yep, cones can make your hair feel thinner because it lays the cuticle down and probably removes natural body. I get this with too much Pantene conditioner, but I LOVE that stuff. I just used an Herbal Essence conditioner and love it, but noticed a change in the thickness of my ponytail.

I'm a bit worried--I'm slated to have a breast reduction at the end of this year. I don't want to lose my hair. Since it is elective surgery, in that it's for comfort/reasons, but not a surgery I have to have, I would assume I'd be ok hair wise??

I didn't lose much in the way of hair after my gall bladder surgery earlier this year. Just make sure your rested and eating well before and after. :)

[ALenee]

To the person who asked what my hair method is...

I just started using the shampoo bars from LUSH. I use Godiva and Karma Komre (sp?) I love them both! Before I was C/O using several different "flavors" of Suave Naturals. Now I do every other wash with a shampoo bar. I use a wide toothed smooth comb to comb my wet hair CAREFULLY, then let it dry naturally, indoors and comb again. Then I braid or bun it. I also do an SMT once a week :)

[Beloved]

Since it is elective surgery, in that it's for comfort/reasons, but not a surgery I have to have, I would assume I'd be ok hair wise??

Sorry, but it doesn't matter. When you get closer to surgery time your surgeon will likely provide you with information about possible side effects of surgery, including hair loss. If he doesn't tell you about it, do your own research so you're mentally prepared if this happens to you. I know a lot of women who have had hair loss from elective surgery.

Many people (most?) don't have any hair loss from surgery, so you will probably be fine. The great thing is that because yours is elective and planned, you can prepare by eating lots of protein now and taking your vitamins. Either way, hair loss from a traumatic event like surgery is usually temporary.

(Can you tell I've done a lot of reading about this? I was *obsessed* when my hair was falling out.)

[plainjanegirl]

Yep, cones can make your hair feel thinner because it lays the cuticle down and probably removes natural body. I get this with too much Pantene conditioner, but I LOVE that stuff. I just used an Herbal Essence conditioner and love it, but noticed a change in the thickness of my ponytail.

I'm a bit worried--I'm slated to have a breast reduction at the end of this year. I don't want to lose my hair. Since it is elective surgery, in that it's for comfort/reasons, but not a surgery I have to have, I would assume I'd be ok hair wise??


So did the Herbal Essence make your ponytail feel thicker than the Pantene? Maybe my hair is not alot thinner than what it was when I was younger maybe part of it is cause I use mostly cone products now and then I used cheap suave or vo5.? or maybe not.

[plainjanegirl]

So can c-sections cause hair loss?

[Beloved]

Yes. So can hormonal changes just from having a baby. Also, some women get hypothyroid after giving birth and that can make your hair fall out.