Thin hair help!

[cyma80]

My whole family has a history of thin hair so I am not looking for a miracle. But because it is so thin, it does break pretty easily. I take hair, skin and nails vitamins as well as Biotin and B-12. I drink plenty of water a day and am very gently with my hair 95% of the time. (unless I am styling it to go out).It's not damaged just very fine. I just started the conditioner washing a few days ago to see if the lack of so much shampoo will help to keep it healthy. I will be shampooing once or twice a week. I don't color or blow-dry my hair and very rarely heat style. I do however use mouuse or gel to style my hair. My goal is just to keep it healthy and breakage free. I am trying to grow out a bad bang cut and all my baby hairs and new growth out healthy. Any advice???? And please don't recommend perms. Tried those many times and the poodle doo is not attractive. LOL. And coloring is also out of the question. :)

[defineinsanity]

oiling will probably increase hair growth or at least encourage it. Caster Oil is said to produce fuller, thicker hair but i havn't tried it myself.. still looking out for it in the shops though :) i use virgin olive oil as a deep oiling treatment and a coconut oil spray as a light leave on oil.. mainly for shine but it seems to give volume and depth at the same time

[BabyRay33]

you might want to think about giving up the mousse and gel, as they have alcohol in them which can dry out your hair. I have very fine tangly hair and using these things causes breakage, no matter how nice you are to it.

I would suggest using braids as your way to amp up the volume, by strategically placing them on your head so it fluffs up the roots, and I also find that scalp massages give volume (and might help growth!)

[CarpeDM]

I would second the castor oil and then suggest using some cassia to thicken up your hair, it works pretty well for me...

[vanillabones]

I second defineinsanity coconut oil definitely gives me volume, I use it on my ends and the left over I swipe on the sides of my head and when it is dry bam! No flyaways on my baby fine hair and it looks twice as thick for some reason.
I used to swear by backcombing but don't anymore thanks to LHC showing me what it did to my hair :(

[BroadwayBeauty]

you might want to think about giving up the mousse and gel, as they have alcohol in them which can dry out your hair. I have very fine tangly hair and using these things causes breakage, no matter how nice you are to it.

I agree with one caveat: there are alcohol-free gels and mousses out there.

Maybe try piling your hair on top of your head when you're letting it air dry, either right at the beginning or towards the end of the drying. Doing it for the last 15-minute so tends to help me :)

And just do you know, after a few days of CO washing, my hair started looking a fair deal thicker, so maybe the same thing will happen for you :)

[torrilin]

Let's get concrete here. How thin is your ponytail actually? I know it's scary to measure, but your hair might not be as thin as you think. And thin isn't all bad... thin hair means you can do intricate updos sooner than someone with thicker hair. (when you have more posts, take a look at luxepiggy's album pictures so you can be inspired)

Fine isn't all bad either. There are lots of posters here who have gloriously long fine hair. Yes, it breaks more easily, but that means you're probably already much gentler with your hair. Fewer bad habits to break!

Most of the time, fine thin hair will look really awful in a short haircut. It's often really stubborn and won't take much styling, so short is a ton of effort. But if you're set on going long? Fine and thin tends to be pretty easy care. You don't have to do a lot beyond pretty updos and gentle handling to keep it happy.

[Anje]

Good that you're being gentle and experimenting with less harsh washing methods. How your scalp will react to different washing is tough to say, but your hair will probably benefit from gentler and less frequent washing.

You said you're a bit harsher on your hair when you style it to go out. Care to elaborate? Are you flat ironing it? Teasing? Both are known to cause quite a lot of damage, sometimes even with a single use, depending on how much you do it, what you use, and your hair's resilience.

How do you normally wear your hair during the day? In the long run, contained styles tend to allow more hair to grow to its full potential without breaking, but it's best if containment is gentle and doesn't put too much pressure at the same point (like the daily ponytails that gave me tons of breakage).

Have you tried protein treatments? For some people (like me), they're evil and make hair break without stretching and make it tanglier. For other people though, they help hair retain moisture correctly and strengthen hair. That seems particularly true for those with more porous hair or hair that's damaged due to perms or bleaching.

[Peggy E.]

My hair has been definitely thinning, but it's texture is not what I would call "fine." Just seems the "part" is getting wider and wider all the time....:o(

There's a great style on Torin Paige's (hope I haven't misspelled her name) YouTube - a variation on the French Braid (called it something like "Masara? Masaram?!) that's amazing for those who want to have the appearance of thicker hair.

My hair hates oil and I avoid them like the plague. The best thing I ever found for my hair, though I gave it up because it became physically difficult to keep up with all the scritching necessary, was the "No Wash" technique. In order for it to work you had to scritch every night and redistribute the sebum, which is also what made it great: my hair was full, thick and, oddly, even darker on this regimen.

It's not for everyone and I'm always somewhat hesitant to even mention it, so many who have not gone through it have given it a sort of "EWWW!" factor, totally undeserving!

Be gentle with your hair and scalp; don't overload on any "add-ons" for hair care; braids are a great way to protect your hair while also giving the impression of thickness.

Good luck - hope you find the beautiful hair you're looking for soon!

[IanB]

I use a sulphate free shampoo after soaking the night before with coconut oil, and in-between shampoos, a tepid water wash - always just air dried. It seems to give my hair a reasonable texture. Good luck, Ian

[curlymarcia]

I take biotine, and I do daily massage with aloe vera (when I can I massage twice a day). My hair is getting a bit less thin, but my hair is still fine.

[cyma80]

If I pull all my hair together in a pony, its about as thick as a nickle all the way around. Its board straight and strawberry blonde.

[alyanna]

If I pull all my hair together in a pony, its about as thick as a nickle all the way around. Its board straight and strawberry blonde.

Thick as a nickle is not thin. By LHC standards that's an ii, which is medium and normal!

[cyma80]

I do olive oil treatments about once every week or two maybe. They do help alot

[cyma80]

No! The most I do is put Mousse or Gel in it when it is damp and scrunch the ends a little to give body. My hair is straight enough without a straight iron.

[cyma80]

Its a little past my shoulder blades. Mostly one length since layers look like i let a 4 year old get a pair of scissors to my hair. And too much longer than that, it looks pretty bad. I had it half way down my back once. and the pony look about the size of a dime. Not very nice.

[cyma80]

Let me also say this. Its thin enough to where you can see right through it. Its soft and shiny and in pretty good health. But less breakage would be thicker hair. Even if its just a little. Any bit is better than none right.

[DoubleCrowned]

I found that the conditioners which advertise leaving the hair soft cause my hair to break off. I now wash with water only. Although it has been less than three months, I am pleased with the results so far. Switching to a satin pillowcase and oiling my ends with coconut oil have also helped.

[TessieAnn]

Hi cyma80,

You're not alone as my hair is very close to your description. Mine is also very oily, so adding oils does nothing positive for me.

I found castor oil to be very thick and hard to remove, when I tried it for removing mascara. Can't imagine trying to remove from hair without causing damage with scrubbing.

For me the best finish to a wash is VO5 Strawberry and Cream or Blackberry Sage conditioner. Other flavors don't seem to have the slip I need to avoid damage.

Some people claim less breakage from less frequent washing but for me the shower shed is the same. If I skip three days then the shower shed is three times as much. But you might experiment.

Do you have a seamless, widetooth comb? Satin or silk pillowcase? Soft-textured towel for drying?

Of course, avoid any kind of elastic band that has metal or other texture that can catch in your hair. Avoid barrettes that have sharp metal parts.

The major benefit to very thin, fine hair is that it dries quickly so rarely needs a hairdryer.

A common saying around LHC has been to treat your hair as if it were fine antique lace.

I hope you can find some good solutions to keep your hair healthy and beautiful

[torrilin]

Let me also say this. Its thin enough to where you can see right through it. Its soft and shiny and in pretty good health. But less breakage would be thicker hair. Even if its just a little. Any bit is better than none right.

It sounds like you've got an unrealistic idea of what hair looks like.

You're describing my hair pretty much (and as a 1c, I can actually have a tiny bit of volume compared to most straighties). I'm good at taking care of my hair - I can go 9+ months without even snipping out split ends. I don't have a lot of breakage, even with dye damaged hair. (dye is my one vice... most of us can have one without ruining our hair, just which vice is ok varies) Even so... my hair will never look as bouncy and voluminous as someone with curlier hair.

Since hanging around LHC, my hair has gone from a 2.5" ponytail circumference to a 3" circumference. The difference is absolutely invisible. I'm pretty sure of that one since I've got several friends with hair in the hip to tailbone range. They'll notice insignificant changes like whether my 1c hair looks 1c or 1a. But circumference? No way.

[luthein]

I'm pretty sure it was mentioned before, but avoiding silicones may help. Silicones can weigh down hair. See if your conditioners have anything ending in -cone, -conol or -zane (-xane).

Cassia and henna have been known to plump up very fine hair. I had huuuuge hair when I tried cassia. It was too much for me to handle; I just wanted it to chill out and lay down!

Don't beat yourself up for your fine-haired genetics. Browse the forum and find hair twins that have a similar texture, thickness and curl pattern. See what their routines are and what hairstyles work for them. Write down your own experiments and observations in a journal. If there's one thing you should learn from this forum -- beautiful hair does not have to be thick!

[Mesmerise]

It sounds like you've got an unrealistic idea of what hair looks like.

You're describing my hair pretty much (and as a 1c, I can actually have a tiny bit of volume compared to most straighties). I'm good at taking care of my hair - I can go 9+ months without even snipping out split ends. I don't have a lot of breakage, even with dye damaged hair. (dye is my one vice... most of us can have one without ruining our hair, just which vice is ok varies) Even so... my hair will never look as bouncy and voluminous as someone with curlier hair.

Since hanging around LHC, my hair has gone from a 2.5" ponytail circumference to a 3" circumference. The difference is absolutely invisible. I'm pretty sure of that one since I've got several friends with hair in the hip to tailbone range. They'll notice insignificant changes like whether my 1c hair looks 1c or 1a. But circumference? No way.

Hmm well I guess all hair is different. Having lost a LOT of hair last year, I can say that there's a definite difference in how my hair looks pre and post shed. My circ is now about 2.5" (there would be some regrown hairs in that, but not all of them as there hasn't been enough growth yet) but must have been at least 3" before the shed. I am assuming in my hair at least, that when I've regained the hair there will be a difference in the appearance again!

Of course, I am only guessing at what my circ SHOULD be...but I've never had what you'd call thick hair, so I don't think it would ever have been more than 3". Certainly my ends would now be a LOT thicker looking if I hadn't shed all that hair!

[cyma80]

What is Cassia? Never heard of it. I did try Henna one time and it did pump it up some but also made my hair orange for about a week or two. And now Sally's does not have that easy to use henna anymore and I have no idea really when it comes to coloring. I have only colored twice my whole life. I do not wish to change my hair color.
And yeah, mine gets oily real fast too. That's why I was washing everyday most of my life. So far, the CO washing is working really well with my once a week shampooing. Who knew?!!! Lol.
I do use a large tooth comb for tangles and when my hair is wet. I have my round one for styling and a natural bristle brush for my everyday brushing.

[CarpeDM]

What is Cassia? Never heard of it. I did try Henna one time and it did pump it up some but also made my hair orange for about a week or two. And now Sally's does not have that easy to use henna anymore and I have no idea really when it comes to coloring. I have only colored twice my whole life. I do not wish to change my hair color.
And yeah, mine gets oily real fast too. That's why I was washing everyday most of my life. So far, the CO washing is working really well with my once a week shampooing. Who knew?!!! Lol.
I do use a large tooth comb for tangles and when my hair is wet. I have my round one for styling and a natural bristle brush for my everyday brushing.

There is a whole thread devoted to cassia that you can take a quick look at. Cassia is different from henna in that it does not change your color permanently like henna. It simply thickens up your hair.

[cyma80]

Thanks Carpe!! I will check it out. I will try anything once.

[torrilin]

See, that actually gets at some of the big differences between curly and straight (and to a lesser extent, fine vs coarse).

Mesmerize's hair pretty much never looks thin or flat in her album pictures. It's big! There is bounce! Compare with Luxepiggy, who has similar thickness, but is a real 1a, and the difference is pretty obvious. And 'piggy is a good one to compare to, since she really takes advantage of 1a's shine and rigidity and sleekness. A lot of her hairdos end up being very mod or architectural in feel. This is stuff anyone would notice.

Now add in Hypnotica, since she's got about a gazillion hair videos. She's got more thickness than both Luxepiggy and Mesmerize but... in general her look is a lot more like Luxepiggy, despite having something like 2-4x as much hair. The differences are subtle, and if you somehow chanced on the two of 'em walking together, you'd probably not notice the difference. And pretty much anyone reading this is a hair obsessive... so it's not like we don't care.

I'll freely admit that a thickness change in straight hair is obvious when it is attached to your head. Wait, why is my infinity bun not working??? *get out measuring tape* Oh. *feel very stupid* But people looking at you are going to see big picture stuff.

Every hair type has natural strengths and weaknesses. A lot of growing long hair is learning to love the strengths. You're not gonna win a fight with your hair... it's an inanimate object.

[frizzinator]

For me it's normal to shed hair occasionally. My pony is the thickness of a nickle right now. A year ago it was thicker. But when I joined LHC my pony had less than a nickle of thickness.

Because I treated my hair like old lace, the broken hairs grew long. I maintained the same length of hair over three years and I also measured the circumference of the end of my pony tail. After my most recent shed, the end of my ponytail actually had increased in thickness while the top of my ponytail decreased in thickness.

I think cassia is the same thing as neutral henna. It adds a lot of body to the hair. It deposits a yellowish color on the hair but it's not noticeable unless your hair is very light in color. For example, when I started getting white hairs, I used neutral henna, which tinted the white hairs yellow, but the tint was not noticeable on my darker hair.

I gave up the neutral henna about a decade ago, after I finally accepted the white hair. After having used the neutral henna for several years, I think it made my hair more dry.

One reason why it helps to reduce the number of times you wash or get your hair wet, is because manipulating wet hair causes breakage. This is especially true of fine hair.

When I practiced WO (the Water Only method), I learned to not touch my hair until it was completely dry, then fingercombing the dry hair made the tangles easily fall out without effort, which probably had something to do with the sebum coating left on the hair by not using products. Wet sebum coated hair cannot be combed because it's kind-of sticky and prone to tangling when it is wet.

Treating hair like old lace also means being very careful when combing and brushing. I always start by fingercombing dry hair, starting at the hemline and moving up toward the scalp, removing tangles as I go. After I can fingercomb without encountering tangles, then I use a wide-tooth comb, starting at the hemline and removing any tangles I encounter before I make any long strokes with the comb from scalp to hemline. Only after doing these things will I consider brushing my hair. And I would brush in the same way, starting at the hemline and moving up toward the scalp, in order to remove any tangles before making brush strokes from scalp to hemline.

When using the comb, it helps to hold the prongs slightly pointed up, so that if a tangle is encountered, the prongs will not get caught on the tangle, instead the comb will slide right over the tangle and then you can remove the tangle with your fingers.

It takes a lot of time, but it is a way to prevent breakage. In addition, containing your hair prevents breakage. That usually means wearing it up or contained in a scarf or a buff.

Collecting hair accessories and practicing making different buns is a lot of fun. When you get a few more posts, you will be able to see my photo album, which is my effort to show how picking a hair toy with certain characteristics enhances the ability to secure a specific updo.

Wind damage breaks hair, seat belts break hair, hair rubbing against collars and the backs of chairs breaks hair, necklaces break hair, and pillows break hair.

A silk pillowcase is a good investment, as well as a silk scarf to wear while sleeping. I don't always use the scarf, but I always put my hair up when sleeping, otherwise it would tangle.

So these are the things I do to prevent breakage, and it seems to work. In addition, for nearly four years I have practiced the SO (Sebum Only) method of hair care like PeggyE. described in her post, and I believe not using anything on my hair, including not using water, has prevented breakage. My only problem now is keeping the skin on my fingertips smooth in the winter, in order to do all the manipulation with my fingers that is necessary with this method of hair maintenance.

[lesbia]

You must try cassia! It's the best for my thin hair!

[jojo]

do you mean thin in as overall hair volume or thin as in individual strands? I have thick in volume but baby fine strands and my hair is prone to breakage. I use Redken anti snap on the ends a few few times a week and oil the ends too. It has helped but my hair will always be on the fragile side no matter what I do.

[prettykitty]

I have medium hair, but not a lot of it :) my circ is 2.5 inches but I have some crazy taper. BUT, I have a zillion baby hairs, and I'm sure they'll catch up one day. Just be gentle and patient. I've cut my hair so many times because hairdressers said it was too thin to be long.
To thicken, I use castor oil to reduce shedding, and henna to plump the strands (and cover my sparklies). I keep my hair in protective updos most of the time anyway, so no-one knows it's skinny ;)

[Mesmerise]

See, that actually gets at some of the big differences between curly and straight (and to a lesser extent, fine vs coarse).

Mesmerize's hair pretty much never looks thin or flat in her album pictures. It's big! There is bounce! Compare with Luxepiggy, who has similar thickness, but is a real 1a, and the difference is pretty obvious. And 'piggy is a good one to compare to, since she really takes advantage of 1a's shine and rigidity and sleekness. A lot of her hairdos end up being very mod or architectural in feel. This is stuff anyone would notice.

Now add in Hypnotica, since she's got about a gazillion hair videos. She's got more thickness than both Luxepiggy and Mesmerize but... in general her look is a lot more like Luxepiggy, despite having something like 2-4x as much hair. The differences are subtle, and if you somehow chanced on the two of 'em walking together, you'd probably not notice the difference. And pretty much anyone reading this is a hair obsessive... so it's not like we don't care.

I'll freely admit that a thickness change in straight hair is obvious when it is attached to your head. Wait, why is my infinity bun not working??? *get out measuring tape* Oh. *feel very stupid* But people looking at you are going to see big picture stuff.

Every hair type has natural strengths and weaknesses. A lot of growing long hair is learning to love the strengths. You're not gonna win a fight with your hair... it's an inanimate object.

Well what you say is true. I think maybe WE notice the differences in our hair a lot more than other people! My hair does look boofy if I just leave it to air dry, and thus probably doesn't look all that thin. But if you see it in a braid... ick, I've got hardly any thickness and the end is teeny... and a bun is pathetic lol.

But I guess other people looking at my hair wouldn't really notice what is so obvious to me about my own hair ;).

[KellieKay]

Most of the time, fine thin hair will look really awful in a short haircut. It's often really stubborn and won't take much styling, so short is a ton of effort.[/QUOTE]

Thin fine hair looks great in a bob.

[cyma80]

Yeah. My hair has been really short and really long. A few inches past my shoulder blades seems to work best for my hair. My hair is baby fine and is thin all over. Im on week 2 1/2 of the Co washing and so far its working great. I wash it with shampoo every Sat. since thats when I go out or have ppl over. Its keeping my hair soft and stronger and healthy although it doesn't look great on the days i CO wash it because it is alot heavier on my fine hair. But I think once the new growth and breakage grow out some and get even with the rest of my length, I think it will be okay. There has been a reduction in breakage by half so I am very satisfied with that. :)

[kouran]

If you want further help for thin/fine hair you should check out this thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=17115&highlight=thin+fine+hair&page=7). Melisande's post was really useful for me, but I also use and recommend taking Biotin supplements.