updo/hairstyle help for female pattern baldness

[wickedgood]

My hair is very thin on top, consistent with the beginnings of female pattern baldness (including the defined 'christmas tree pattern' that is often described as a characteristic of the syndrome). I don't have it SO very bad (I have some hair up there, thank goodness) but I have hair cleavage even when I wear my hair down, and it's very very distinct whenever I try to pull my hair back in a ponytail or attempt an updo.

I have managed one style where I grab most of the hair on the crown and braid it in the back, then bun all of my hair along with the braid. The slight 'beehive' caused by the braid seems to help with the scalp cleavage, especially if I poke it a bit into place after bunning and then hairpraying the top of my head. Anyway, I don't know if this style has a name, but I'd love to hear how others with thin hair on top handle their longhair. Especially styles! I'm finding that a lot of updos most thicker-haired longhairs enjoy are abysmal failures when I attempt them with my own hair.

As a side note: my mom has female-pattern baldness so bad that she has resorted to wearing wigs. :( And my mom's mom has hair so thin that you can see her entire scalp through her 'did' hairdo. So my hair future is pretty dim... but I am hoping that I can hang onto and enjoy my hair for as long as possible.

[Elspeth30]

My hair is very thin on top, consistent with the beginnings of female pattern baldness (including the defined 'christmas tree pattern' that is often described as a characteristic of the syndrome). I don't have it SO very bad (I have some hair up there, thank goodness) but I have hair cleavage even when I wear my hair down, and it's very very distinct whenever I try to pull my hair back in a ponytail or attempt an updo.

I have managed one style where I grab most of the hair on the crown and braid it in the back, then bun all of my hair along with the braid. The slight 'beehive' caused by the braid seems to help with the scalp cleavage, especially if I poke it a bit into place after bunning and then hairpraying the top of my head. Anyway, I don't know if this style has a name, but I'd love to hear how others with thin hair on top handle their longhair. Especially styles! I'm finding that a lot of updos most thicker-haired longhairs enjoy are abysmal failures when I attempt them with my own hair.

As a side note: my mom has female-pattern baldness so bad that she has resorted to wearing wigs. :( And my mom's mom has hair so thin that you can see her entire scalp through her 'did' hairdo. So my hair future is pretty dim... but I am hoping that I can hang onto and enjoy my hair for as long as possible.

I have heard it called a "Quiff" style when you gather a section of the hair near the crown and give it a twist and slight push forward to give the illusion of fuller hair at the top. You can use the Quiff method with styles other than a braided bun if you secure the poofed section first.
I found a U-tube video that showed how to do this (the woman has shorter hair but the idea is the same.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4m7I42-Lq4
One person who commented on the video gave a good definition of how the term varies in meaning:
"The Oxford English dictionary defines the noun 'quiff' as a tuft of hair, brushed upwards and backwards from a persons forehead.
In Britain the term is commonly used to describe any fringe (US: "forelock") brushed or gelled upwards off the forehead, even if forwards."
I thought it was worth mentioning that because if you Google "Quiff" many of the images are not the style I was thinking of.

I hope that helps. I was also going to suggest that soft headbands might give you a way to cover thinning areas and more style options.

[wickedgood]

I think you're right about 'puffing' up the crown hair. Never heard it called a quiff, but yay for learning something new! I always have gone for a very minimalist approach in the past (read: I basically wash, comb, and airdry my hair, then just let it hang) but I think I'm going to have to rethink my mindset and actually put a little effort into my hair if I want it to look anything but a stringy mess.

Thanks for the soft headband suggestion - I have tried headbands in the past and they either slide off my head or hurt it, but perhaps a scarf contraption of some sort might work. I'll have to experiment a bit (and kick myself out of my bland comfort zone) ;)

[manderly]

I was going to suggest the poof/pouf/quiff as well :) It can be added to any style, or left down to gives some semblance of volume :)

[hennared]

Wickedgood - I could have written your post. It's a bear, being a 'no style' sort of woman for years, and then have to do something complex to look half decent.. without chopping one's hair off. My loss is most pronounced at the crown and the temples. forget about wearing all my hair back.. ugh. I don't have a lot of good ideas, but here is some things I do... I find a wide headband, with my front hair kind of 'poofed' under the headband, can work nicely. Also, sometimes I can manage to pull a bunch of front hair off my face and up over my crown, a bit loosely. so that it is not pulled too harshly in front, but pulled back and over enough to cover the crown, and make a sort of half up (this works for me well since I have hair on one side thicker than the other.. it's kind of an asymmetric half up). I also find making loose waves in my hair helps with volume (I have a bit of a wave by nature, that I encourage with the 'plopping' method of drying or even by rag curls, if I have the time and am really desperate!)

I've also become a bit fond of cute hats...