Top Tips for Thinning Hair

Jim Shaw, Multi Award Winning Men’s Hairdresser and Director at TONI&GUY Billericay

Around two thirds of men experience hair loss before the age of 35 and by 50, 85% of men will have experienced thinning, due to getting older and the rate of hair growth slowing down. Although this can be alarming, with the right tips and tricks, there are many ways to manage this.

Use matte products

Matte products are a great option for clients experiencing hair thinning. When light hits a shiny product like a gel or pomade, it reflects directly off the scalp, making thinning areas highly visible. Instead, matte products absorb the light, creating the illusion of a fuller, denser head of hair. By opting for a volumising matte product, it can help swell the hair shaft, making each strand look fuller and thicker.

Blow-dry for volume

When blow-drying, lift the hair away from the scalp, as this helps physically change the structure of your hair strands and adds volume. When hair dry’s naturally, the wet strands can pull the hair down flat, exposing the scalp. Blow-drying the hair forces the strands to stand upright and temporarily locks them in place, creating immediate thickness. Switching your hairdryer to the cool setting at the end of styling will help lock hair instantly, ensuring it won’t fall flat immediately.

Avoid combovers

Avoiding combovers is essential when it comes to thinning hair. Growing hair to sweep over a bald area creates a stark contrast between a very dense area of hair and a sparse area. When the wind blows or the hair shifts, it can expose the bare scalp dramatically. Opt for something such as a textured crop or crew cut as removing the weight allows roots to stand up naturally, giving instant volume without the need for excess product.

Be gentle

When hair is thinning, the hair strands become weaker, finer and have shallower roots. Aggressively handling hair can easily snap these strands, making them look prematurely thinner. Rough towel-drying and aggressive brushing can create friction which leads to hair snapping. Instead, pat the hair dry with a towel and preserve the length and density it has.