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View Full Version : Thin Hair Thread (no euphemisms allowed!)



rhubarbarin
September 24th, 2009, 08:04 AM
We had the 'fine and thin' thread, but there were so many people posting with thicker F hair that it wasn't very useful for me. :) I don't have fine, slippery or tangle-prone hair.

So, this thread is for all us without very much hair, fine strands or otherwise. My circumference is 2" at the nape, but 2.5" with a high pony, so I count myself as ii rather than i or i/ii.. even though my length is very thin from damage right now, so overall I am in i territory. Maybe I should change it.
I have never had a lot of hair, although ithas a lot of volume which somewhat disguises the fact. Honestly, although I would love more thickness, having thin hair isn't a big downer for me.

I think thin hair has a lot of challenges: it can easily look stringy, damage will show like crazy because every hair counts, our updos are on the small side which I know makes me annoyed, and other people criticize hair they percieve as thin like nothing else. And also some benefits: it never gives you a headache from the weight, and you can do certain styles sooner or more easily. Discuss!

I would love some tips on easy styles for thin barely-BSL hair. Right now I am wearing a little cinnabun or a french twist, and that's it..

rags
September 24th, 2009, 08:20 AM
Well, my hair is very thin. My pony varies from 1.5 to 1.75" depending on what I'm washing with and where I measure it at. So I'm most certainly a i. And it's fine. So basically, I look like I don't have much hair at all.

I dislike immensely how small the updos I can make are, and how tiny my braids are. And I've been the lucky recipent (with two other people) of one of the only criticisms of hair I've seen on LHC (for being thin). And fine, thin hair really looks stringy very quickly.

On the plus side, my hair doesn't get as hot, never gave me headaches even when it was close to tailbone, my Ficcares cost less (smaller) :p, and I have been able to do a cinnabun since right after shoulder!

Right now I can do at a longish APL; orchid wrap bun, lazy wrap bun, split bun, easy hairstick bun, cinnabun, Angelindiguise's cheater bun and messy bun, the teensiest little Chinese bun you've ever seen (won't wear that one out!). Hmm, I'm sure there's more. I don't do a French twist much because I don't have enough hair to make the roll look right. It just kind of flattens out. I need to try a rat, I think.

Oh, and I can't do a sockbun unless I don't care if the doughnut/sock shows. I don't have enough hair to cover it (and yes, I've tried kids socks!)

Katze
September 24th, 2009, 08:25 AM
right now my hair is so thin below shoulder that I do not dare measure or take pictures. Although I am listed as ii, I should probably change this.

There are no euphemisms that could make my hair seem nicer than it is - the length is thin and stringy, the crown thicker but untamable as I have so many different lengths. Due to a hard childbirth, I am a bit soft around the middle with bad posture, and I feel like this thin hair just makes me look dumpier and uglier. Again, there is no getting around it. So you won't hear any cover up terms from me. :)

What is helping at the moment is washing it more. Updos are hard, since, starting at chin length, all my short pieces fall out and frizz out around my head. I can either do a "clean" updo where I make it look deliberately messy, often drying my hair clipped up to get more volume on tip, or "dirty" updos where I slick it down as much as I can with oil, brushing, and gel, so that things like braids look halfway acceptable. My (2) braids are pencil thin at shoulder length so I often clip them up with mini claw clips.

The 'dos that are currently "in" - messy with a bit more poof on top - look more flattering than wearing my stringy hair down or in a half-up, and also hide the various "layers" of new growth that I have. Anything where I pull the top back and twist it both works well with my messy, frizzy hair and helps make it look like I have more hair than I do, especially if I can somehow hide the ends.

Personally I think skinned back hairdos look bad on many people. Buns look bad on me, they are always small and are unflattering to my face unless I do two little ones held with claw clips. I personally do not like the idea or the look of sock buns but many people do.

Anyway I hope you find something that works for you. I know how frustrating it is to have so little hair in comparison to the huge heads of hair you see here and in the real world...

maaria
September 24th, 2009, 08:43 AM
And my hair is still short and thin:(specially at the ends!!? Should I put it up for protection, or what??

Delila
September 24th, 2009, 08:46 AM
Hello all! :)

The main thing I've learned as my hair has grown out is that my hair can seem thicker or thinner than usual, both as a result of whatever products I'm using (or not). This is important knowledge to me, because it has prevented me from cutting it when it's seemed especially thin and wimpy.

I can't remember hairstyles from various lengths, though, I get in a rut and do the same one forever, then move on as my hair grows. :)

My hair doesn't seem to be thick enough for braided updos, mostly. I don't really have patience for them, since it seems to me that doing an updo once, and reworking it, messes up the braid. That's what seems to be true for my hair, maybe other people have better luck, LOL!

earthdancer
September 24th, 2009, 09:24 AM
Hello all! :)

The main thing I've learned as my hair has grown out is that my hair can seem thicker or thinner than usual, both as a result of whatever products I'm using (or not). This is important knowledge to me, because it has prevented me from cutting it when it's seemed especially thin and wimpy.

Me, too; even the product I use to wash with makes a lot of difference, and I have to adjust/change often. Right now, my hair seems to be extra oily. I am hoping it's just the seasonal changes going into fall. But it means I have to wash my hair more often. I have bangs, so I can get away with washing just my bangs on days I don't wash my whole head. If I don't, it looks like I'm going bald in front, absolutely horrendous. My hair looks fairly decent the day I wash it, but the day after, especially in the front, it seriously looks like half my hair fell out!:confused:

vampodrama
September 24th, 2009, 09:50 AM
My hair is about 2,75" in circumference, so I consider it thin.

It is also very slippery, soft and fine. And it tangles within minutes. And looks stringy. And just... hangs most of the time - it's nearly straight with no volume to speak of.

What bothers me the MOST is the scalp visibility. I have hennaed hair and very white skin, so the contrast is sharp. I also have a lovely cleavage thingie right at the crown of my head so I am extremely paranoid about people taking it for a bald spot :D My consolation is my height, I am tall so not many people are able to see the top of my head. But my scalp becomes easily visible in other places too with updos and braids etc.

Updos... due to the softness and slipperiness of my hair it's a complicated matter because everything simply falls out of my hair within a few hours. The only things that really hold my hair are barrettes and beak clips, and the style for them is a french twist-y thing. Sticks and forks just fall out. My regular style is a braid of sorts - french, dutch, english, fishtail, whatever. Of course I think my braids look too skinny, but thankfully I am also a tall skinny individual so the contrast with my body isn't that bad.

The good sides have been mentioned already - no weight issues, and the ability to make updos at shorter lengths.

Anje
September 24th, 2009, 10:10 AM
Mine's about 2.5" in circumference. I don't consider it thin, but it's thinner than normal and it feels skimpy by LHC standards. I'm popping in on this thread more for the benefit of DH, whose hair is considerably thinner than mine, though there's no way to get a circumference measurement. He's definitely a i, and always has been, though I don't think it's thinning, he's worried about it. Thinness is what ultimately lead him to give up on the growing out process, because he decided it was just too flat on top. (His is also finer than mine, though I don't think mine is coarse enough to bump into F/M.)

heidihug
September 24th, 2009, 10:33 AM
I have the same problem as vampodrama, scalp show-through/cleavage. Especially around my temples, I know I am thinning, due to age. Happened to my mom and my grandma, too. Not much I can do to hide it, especially since I've grown out my fringe.

jivete
September 24th, 2009, 10:35 AM
Mine has slowly been getting a little thicker from better care, from a 2" pony to between 2.5" and 2.7", so I'm slowly not considering my hair thin. My length is still thin but its slowly improving.

I think the hardest part about thinner hair is how easily it looks damaged and stringy. I also think it tends to looks shorter. Someone with BSL thick hair appears to have longer hair than their thinner counter-part. Or at least that's how I perceive it. Pigtails can look ridiculous too.

It's only been the last year that my hair has graduated to normal thickness, so I'm not sure if I belong here or not.

earthdancer
September 24th, 2009, 10:38 AM
What bothers me the MOST is the scalp visibility. I have hennaed hair and very white skin, so the contrast is sharp. I also have a lovely cleavage thingie right at the crown of my head so I am extremely paranoid about people taking it for a bald spot :D My consolation is my height, I am tall so not many people are able to see the top of my head. But my scalp becomes easily visible in other places too with updos and braids etc.

Me, too, on both the very white scalp and the hair cleavage. I found that Garnier Fructis Length and Strength shampoo solved my hair-cleavage problem (I don't know how--I've used volumizing shampoos before with little effect). I also use shampoo bars now, as well, and they give my hair more body, although I have to use Gojo hand cleaner occasionally to get out the wax build-up from the bars).

rags
September 24th, 2009, 11:02 AM
How many of you have to wash much more frequently than most LHC'ers? I have to every other day, or I get the dreaded scalp cleavage. That's been the only way I've found to help it at all.

And I totally agree with the "braids look too skinny" thing. That's why I tend to do French braids and tuck the ends up or something.

Babyfine
September 24th, 2009, 12:11 PM
I have to shampoo every 3 days to avoid flat to scalp hair.
My pony circumference is right about 2" .I now have face framing layers, when they are long enough to fit in my pony I'm about 2.5" circumference.
I avoid ponytails, and braids(plaits) in public. High ponytails are completly out-they tend to showcase the last super-thin 3 inches of my hair.
On the other hand, I can get away with a low pony pulled back with a wide, fat barrette or big scrunchie -and wearing a dark colored blouse.
Mainly I wear half-ups and french twists held by a "Fakkare" beak-sometimes a big claw clip for more volume in the back of my head-but they tend to pull and fall out after awhile. The beak clip is more secure.
A small flex-8 is still rather loose to pull back my hair.
I can do a cinnibun but they look so tiny I usually don't wear them out.
Sock buns are better. I have a small black rat that my hair doesn't all cover but it usually isn't noticable unless your're up inspecting the back of my head.

I really wish I could french-braid-just can't master that yet!

rhubarbarin
September 24th, 2009, 12:19 PM
My roots are naturally poofy so I don't have bad scalp cleavage issues (I do have a double crown though, so there is always one little spot that wants to show in the back, but it's easily covered). However I do wash my hair frequently because my length gets clumped up and looks extra-thin and stringy pretty quick usually. Plus my curls love water. Curly hairs usually have to wash more frequently if they want hair that looks okay when you let it down.. both dryness and overmoisturizing gives me frizz!

Babyfine
September 24th, 2009, 12:27 PM
I think the hardest part about thinner hair is how easily it looks damaged and stringy. I also think it tends to looks shorter. Someone with BSL thick hair appears to have longer hair than their thinner counter-part. Or at least that's how I perceive it. Pigtails can look ridiculous too.


I agree with that- My hair looks stringy very quickly.
I love pigtails but haven't worn them in ages-even a single pony looks thin with my hair.

MsBubbles
September 24th, 2009, 12:47 PM
Not sure if I 'belong' here...nobody ever accused me of having thick hair, that's for sure. I'd be happy to be booted outta here out if you think my hair is too thick! (That'd be a first :D)

The thin pigtails thing: I agree, they do look ridiculous (on me at least). But people with 'thick' or hair wavy enough to appear thick often have tiny braids too since the hair is pulled and tied together. Since my S.O. prefers me to wear 2 braids rather than one, I have been trying to appreciate the puny ones I have.

My 18 yr old daughter actually said out loud in front of her friends "Mom, why do you have such a huge ponytail holder on your braid?!". I just wanted to die.

Yes, my hair gets very stringy very quickly. Honestly, if I am unable to have waist-length hair that's not all see through for the bottom 3", I will quit trying after a year or two.

Have any of you tried cassia to thicken individual strands? I was interested at one point but I can't make head or tail out of that thread.

vampodrama
September 24th, 2009, 01:01 PM
I wash my hair twice a week. It's a thing I have - I've always washed my hair twice a week for as long as I can remember and I am uncomfortable changing that. Yes, I get greasy hair, but washing more often doesn't fit into my world just yet... I'm weird, ignore me please :D I try to hide the scalp cleavage caused by greasy hair as good as possible by carefully arranging the strands while I braid.

Cassia... doesn't thicken up my hair. I use it in my henna (half-and half, my hair turned too dark from full strength henna after a year or so). I use it because I imagine it's doing something good. I'm not sure what exactly.

rhubarbarin
September 24th, 2009, 01:58 PM
Ms. Bubbles, anyone is welcome to participate even if their hair isn't i. Especially on LHC even people solidly in the ii category (and especially it seems if your hair is also fine and straight) consider themselves to have thin hair and have lots of the same issues.

What really blows my mind is how often even very thick fine and straight hair is percieved as 'thin hair'. Alternatively people accuse me of having thick hair because of my volume, which is great but makes me LOL.

I am scared to try cassia because so many people in that thread experience heavy shedding right after application. Not worth the chance for me, I already shed too much. If only there was a colorless henna!

Babyfine
September 24th, 2009, 02:34 PM
I've wanted to try Cassia, too, I don't have the time for the mixing and applying-but mainly- the shedding thing has scared me off, too, from the weight of all the rinsing out of the mud. But I would like to try it.

rhubarbarin
September 24th, 2009, 02:57 PM
The 'dos that are currently "in" - messy with a bit more poof on top - look more flattering than wearing my stringy hair down or in a half-up, and also hide the various "layers" of new growth that I have. Anything where I pull the top back and twist it both works well with my messy, frizzy hair and helps make it look like I have more hair than I do, especially if I can somehow hide the ends.

Katze, this works well for me too. Looser styles and ones that work with my natural waves, curls, poof and frizz are easier than trying to make my hair lie down and look neat. And I look better anyway with more volume around my face, like you I don't like my hair pulled back tightly (or covered in a scarf, unless I have a bang or some hair down i nfront to frame my face).

When I had unruly short hair I could do a lot of cute styles by twisting the sections of hair around my face and securing them with bobby pins - twisting and pinning small sections traps frizz and fly-aways, and looks really cute too.

I know you're having a really hard time with your current shed. I hope it's over soon, keep us updated!

Elvi
September 24th, 2009, 03:19 PM
Earthdancer and others with fine textured hair: Have you tried to leave away hair products containing cones? I know Garnier Fructis series (including our previous favorite Garnier Nordic Hair Care series) contains silicones. This is a problem for my daughter with fine ii type hair, as she is growing her hair, too.

Clearly my coarser medium type hair is good shiny but softer after I left away coned products last week. But my daughter is suspicious about leaving silicones. Are they helpful for good hair styles for you?

patience
September 24th, 2009, 03:56 PM
Just measured my ponytail. I'm right at 2". Yes, it gets stringy fast. Yes, it gets damaged easy. Yes, I have scalp cleavage and my updos look puny (sometimes I can give the illusion of more hair, if manipulated correctly). It doesn't hold curl. I have to wash daily or it looks like a grease pit on my head. You can see individual follicles and my scalp clearly (my bleach hair camouflaged that better than the darker virgin hair). Even with all that, I'm grateful for what I have. I know I have the genetics to go even thinner as I get older. I've seen many family members with extreme hairloss. I'm just going to embrace what I have and not worry about it or care about anyone else's opinion.

:)

MsBubbles
September 24th, 2009, 04:42 PM
I've wanted to try Cassia, too, I don't have the time for the mixing and applying-but mainly- the shedding thing has scared me off, too, from the weight of all the rinsing out of the mud. But I would like to try it.

Good point! Knowing how coconut oil makes my hairs shed prematurely, that might be an issue with cassia.

Patience, :rockerdud, I love your attitude!

girlcat36
September 24th, 2009, 04:52 PM
Rhubarbarin, I'm so glad you started this thread! There were quite a few 'thick hairs' posting in the other thread.
I'm about 2.75, and the heavy shedding is a constant thing.
I have to admit having curly hair does help to make hair appear fuller, but when braided my braids are so much smaller than other people's.
I always think that when the thin straight-hairs wear their hair down it looks fuller than our curly hair which tends to clump and have a lot of see-through on the last few inches.

Delila
September 24th, 2009, 05:51 PM
Product-wise, I've run the gamut. Herbs only, CO, CWC, Cones, no-cones ... .

What seems to work best for me in terms of my overall happiness with how my hair looks and behaves, is to wash with dilute shampoo on my scalp, and using conditioners only on my length. Typically I use two conditioners, one kind of rich and thick, the other designed specifically as a detangler. I honestly haven't been reading labels lately, just experimenting to see what I like results-wise.

At shorter lengths, I had trouble avoiding the oilies on day two, but I've learned a lot of that was due to having conditioner on my scalp.

I like doing a monthly deep treatment, multiple products in sequence, with a heat cap, but tend to get out of the rhythm of it and forget. I also like using cassia, and recently bought a new supply, but I still haven't made quite the habit I did of it some years back.

earthdancer
September 24th, 2009, 05:59 PM
Earthdancer and others with fine textured hair: Have you tried to leave away hair products containing cones? I know Garnier Fructis series (including our previous favorite Garnier Nordic Hair Care series) contains silicones. This is a problem for my daughter with fine ii type hair, as she is growing her hair, too.

Clearly my coarser medium type hair is good shiny but softer after I left away coned products last week. But my daughter is suspicious about leaving silicones. Are they helpful for good hair styles for you?

I went cone-free for several months by using natural-soap shampoo bars. I like my hair on the bars, except for the wax-buildup problem. Most bars have wax in them even if it doesn't say so in the ingredients. A bonus: I find that if I let my hair mostly dry before combing after washing with a bar, I don't have to use conditioner or detangler because the tangles fall right out.

MsBubbles
September 24th, 2009, 06:10 PM
Earthdancer and others with fine textured hair: Have you tried to leave away hair products containing cones?

For what it's worth, the siliconey conditioners help give my hair some weight.

I have nothing but disaster if I go without cones. I can't get a comb through my hair at all, and end up with tons of damage as a result. Cones do make my hair lie even flatter, but only by a millionth of a millimeter :p. It helps my hair hang 'together' more too. The occasional weekend wash with no-cones helps avoid cone overload, though.

girlcat36
September 24th, 2009, 06:22 PM
For me, my hair is 100% improved without cones. I've been cone-free for 3 years. I'll never go back.

Elvi
September 24th, 2009, 07:33 PM
Thanks for cone experiences. So I strongly suggest that my daughter at least tries to get rid of cones.

But I am at once definite that cone free is better for me with medium coarse textured hair. I would also prefer to have more volume. My hair is now softer but already slightly wavier, and the overall volume seems rather to be more, as the hair is somehow more evenly distributed.

BlndeInDisguise
September 24th, 2009, 07:40 PM
My circumference is actually 3", but you'd never guess if you saw the sides of my head. My hair is ultra thin there, and my scalp does show through if it gets very greasy. My hair has gotten some thicker since joining LHC, but the sides of my head are still so thin, so I pretty much consider myself as having thin hair.

kwaniesiam
September 24th, 2009, 07:45 PM
Daily washer here due to thin hair. I did CO for a while, but that didn't work so well. I also tried shampoo bars, I still use occasionally and just tried soapnuts. I LOVE soapnuts :inlove: They seem to really help my hair bulk up a bit. I hate the scalp cleavage thing, my hair isn't just thin, it looks thin, especially when up. My favorite styles are sockbuns and wrapped sock bun because it makes my hair look like there is more to it. I love braids, and got used to my skinny braid but wish I could do two of them and it not look like twigs :(

My circumference is not quite 2", I had thinning issues from thyroid problems and am still recovering.

fluffybunny
September 24th, 2009, 10:37 PM
I've never heard the phrase "scalp cleavage" but it's really a perfect description :)

I started developing scalp cleavage after my first big shed years ago-- now I get it periodically after sheds, then it fills in decently, then another shed. That's one thing I like about updos-- I can arrange them to hide any scalp cleavage and it stays that way all day.

I'm not quite ready to join the thin hair club, but I seem to be heading that way. My pony used to be big enough to foil most ponytail barrettes-- must've been over four inches. Now it's three. I'm just hoping to maintain. My issue as it grows is going to be taper. With the regular sheds, I have no idea how much hair will manage to reach a significant length. But with updos, it doesn't have to look gorgeous at the ends, right? Nobody will see the taper.

rhubarbarin
September 25th, 2009, 07:48 PM
Ooh, the 'hair expense' thread made me think of another plus to thin hair! You don't need to use very much of a lot of products, which means things last longer than they would for someone with more hair.

With curly hair I use lots of different products. Shampoo or CO with Suave, detangle with Aubrey Organics conditioner (not cheap), rinse that out (too moisturizing for a leave-in), squeeze in more conditioner (Burt's Bees this time) to leave-in, then apply 'top coats' of one or more gels/jellies/creams.. luckily a little goes a long way with all of these...

Lamb
September 25th, 2009, 08:06 PM
My hair is about 2.75-3 inches in circumference (well, it was, when it was long enough to measure :rolleyes:). It will never make a "rich head of hair" or anything like that. But curls can make it look fuller than it really is. :)
I am another frequent (daily) washer. Of course, mostly because of the shortness of my hair right now, but my hair just seems to be happier if it gets washed on a daily basis. Hard water and fineness also mean I need shampoo as my hair tends to get overconditioned real quick.