What's considered thin or thinning?

[rocksmom]

Just yesterday for some reason I noticed that I had a lot of scalp showing through near me hairline and part. I had never really noticed this before, but I also have been paying a lot more attention to me hair recently. Here's a picture from today:

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d135/stacylambert/DSC00450.jpg

I'm worried that all the ponytails, bobby pins, and flat ironing my bangs have caused thinning. I've also been doing a lot of experimenting lately (way too much, bad me :( ) and hoping that it's maybe just from over-manipulation and it will grow back as long as I leave it alone. I know there are other things that can cause hair thinning such as diet, health, scalp issues, etc. Does it really look too thin? Or am I just being paranoid?

[Seishin]

To my eye it looks ok. Are you experiencing any hair loss that is not the norm for you at the moment?

[silverjen]

It looks pretty normal to me. I have thick hair, and I still get scalp cleavage.

[CarpeDM]

Looks normal to me too.

[Cassie 123]

I vote normal, too.

Have you recently colored your hair darker? Light roots can give the illusion of thinning at the scalp.

[rocksmom]

Oh, thank you guys so much. You have no idea how much this has been bugging me! Well, actually you can probably imagine since this is a hair forum :)

Cassie 123: Actually just the opposite. I had highlights done back in May that are growing out. But maybe that's it? Like the contrast of my darker roots against my scalp?


To my eye it looks ok. Are you experiencing any hair loss that is not the norm for you at the moment?


I haven't noticed a large amount at once recently, but I have been washing and styling more often than I normally do. A hair there, a couple here... I suppose it could add up though. A while ago, like maybe last winter I was losing a TON, but didn't notice any thinning. Just lots of shedding. At the time I think I was using Philosophy S&C which I guess just didn't agree with me hair and/or scalp.

[torrilin]

For what it's worth, my ponytail circumference ranges from about 2.5" to 3". I haven't pinned down exactly what makes it measure as thicker or thinner. For the most part tho, I have stayed within that range over the last year. My ponytail also doesn't feel noticeably thicker or thinner than it has in the past. Longer, yes.

So I'd guess most of us have the potential for pretty substantial ponytail variation. After all, with 1c hair, I'm still a straighty and my hair should have the most compressability potential. If your ponytail measure is staying consistent with your usual range, I don't think there is anything to worry about.

[Seishin]

The good news is that your'e not having a major shed. That would be the only occasion that I would be concerned. I have had some crazy shedding past few months but I was told I had anaemia a week ago. I'm taking a high dose of iron as prescribed. I'm hoping that this is the root cause of my excess hair shedding and that my medication will address it. But again, your hair looks totally normal.

[Yozhik]

I think it looks fine. :flower:

I know that I used to be pretty paranoid that my hair was thin, even though now I know I'm a ii/iii. The reason it seemed that way to me was because my hair is very dark, and I think the scalp skin shows through more easily because of that, and can give the wrong impression that the hair is thinning when it isn't.

I hope this helps you lay aside your concerns. :)

[headtrip_honey]

I think it looks fine. :flower:

I know that I used to be pretty paranoid that my hair was thin, even though now I know I'm a ii/iii. The reason it seemed that way to me was because my hair is very dark, and I think the scalp skin shows through more easily because of that, and can give the wrong impression that the hair is thinning when it isn't.

I hope this helps you lay aside your concerns. :)
This. I have medium to dark brown hair, and I feel like my scalp is so much more obvious than someone with light hair, just because of the contrast.

[Anje]

Looks OK to me.

In general, I'd say "thin hair" is i hair; all the hair together has a circumference under 2 inches. I'd say "thinning hair" is when you're shedding hair to such an extent that your circumference decreases noticeably; the total calculated area under the ponytail decreases by, say, 25%.

[Charybdis]

Really pleased to find this thread! Rocksmom, your hair picture looks like what mine looks like now near my forehead -- and, like you, I feel my hair has thinned A LOT from its "normal" state. (Around puberty, I could put my hair in two braids and have each one be about as thick as my wrist. Being able to see scalp *anywhere* except right along the line of a part feels very weird.)

In my case, I think it may be medication-related, and am hoping I can reverse it by quitting Zyrtec and using castor oil on my scalp, but I absolutely relate to your concerns. When you suddenly realize that your hair is not just a little thinner but a LOT thinner, you wonder where it's all going to end up.

Likewise, I'm relieved to hear other people say that this looks like normal hair thickness to them. I know "normal" is different for different folks, but you get used to whatever you've had most of your life. And comparing myself to my family is no help, because they all either have super-thick hair or else feel like they're losing their hair (or, in the case of my father, are bald). So, thanks, guys -- I feel more confident now that my hair is not about to just keep right on thinning into oblivion!

[AngelDella]

I take zyrtec every day for allergies. If I don't take it, I tend to get hives frequently. Does zyrtec cause hair thinning? :(

[jojo]

It looks just like mine and I don't consider my hair to be thin, wish it was thicker like but hey!

[Charybdis]

AngelDella, hair loss is an uncommon (but known) side effect of Zyrtec, although it appears to be more common in women if online anecdotes are anything to go by. I've been taking Zyrtec daily for 1 or 2 years, and only just recently connected the dots that it matched the timeline for noticeable changes in my hair. I wouldn't worry about it unless you notice actual changes in your hair. I'll keep you guys posted on whether my hair starts to thicken back up in the next few months now that I've quit taking it.