How to Care for Fine Hair

Co-authored by Arthur Sebastian

Last Updated: November 22, 2024

Fine hair is significantly more fragile than thick hair and therefore needs to be treated with care. Having fine hair means that the strands of your hair are thin and smooth as opposed to coarse and thick. The thinness of each strand is what makes fine hair prone to breakage. If you notice that your hair is fine and want to protect it from damage, tweak the way you wash and brush your hair as well as the products that you use. You’ll find that after a few weeks your hair will be stronger and more healthy.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Washing Your Hair

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No matter what hair type you have, it’s not necessary to wash your hair daily. When you have fine hair, daily washing can actually do damage to your hair. Aim to wash your hair every other day. It puts less stress on your hair and will cause less breakage.
2
Use a volumizing shampoo. Volumizing shampoo coats each shaft of thin hair to make it appear more thick. It has a lightweight formula and won’t weigh your hair down. To find a quality shampoo, pick a more reputable, high-end brand or ask your hair stylist for recommendations.
- Avoid shampoos that are meant for dry hair types. These shampoos are best for people with thicker, frizzy hair, and will weigh down fine hair, making it look limp.
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Clarifying shampoo removes the product buildup that often weighs down fine hair and leaves your hair feeling fresh and light. Use a clarifying shampoo once a week in place of your regular shampoo to eliminate buildup and make your hair appear fuller.
Many people with fine hair notice that while their hair is shiny and smooth, it also can look limp. Drenching your hair with too much moisture is one reason why fine hair often looks lifeless or limp. Decrease the amount of conditioner you use and use it primarily on the tips of your hair.
Wet hair is much more fragile and easily broken than dry hair. After getting out of the shower, don’t vigorously dry your hair. Instead, pat the moisture out of your hair with a towel. Avoid rubbing your hair with the towel, especially near the ends which are prone to breakage.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Styling Your Hair

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1
Use mousse or styling spray. If you generally use styling product when doing your hair, pick a mousse or styling spray. Mousse and spray products are lightweight, while creams or serums will weigh down your hair, making it look limp. Try to pick a mousse or spray that is volumizing.^{[1]
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- Use an oil-free product, especially if your hair is oily as well as fine.
- Don’t use too much product. Even lightweight formulas can weigh down hair when used excessively.
Heat stylers like curling irons or straightening irons can cause damage to any hair type, but they are particularly harsh on fine hair. It’s best not to use irons at all, but if they are an important part of your beauty routine, use a heat protective spray before using heat tools. Heat protective sprays coat the strands of your hair so that they are not damaged as much by the heat of the iron.
3
Use a cool or warm setting on your heat tools. Always start with the lowest setting on your hair iron or dryer. Since heat is damaging to delicate, fine hair, always start off with the lowest heat setting when using a dryer or iron. Increase the heat gradually if the cooler setting does not have the desired effect.^{[2]
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- Letting your hair dry naturally whenever is possible is best for dry hair.
4
Try dry shampoo for touch ups. People with flat, fine hair often notice that their hair gets oily quickly. Dry shampoo is a great product to counteract oil build-up because it acts as a powder that absorbs excess grease and oil. To use a dry shampoo, dust a small amount on the scalp. Then use your fingers to work it through the oily areas of your hair.
- Don’t use dry shampoo as a replacement for regular shampoo. Instead, use it occasionally for touch ups.
Try to brush or comb your hair only when it’s dry. Because your hair is more fragile when wet, brushing wet hair can be damaging to your hair. Therefore, try to brush your hair when it is dry and use a wide toothed comb or a bristle brush. Both are extra gentle.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Maintaining Healthy Fine Hair

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Regular haircuts are especially important to those with fine hair because their hair is more prone to breakage and split ends. At a minimum, try to get a haircut every three months. Ideally, aim for a trim every six to eight weeks.^{[3]
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If you have long hair, ask your hairdresser to give you a haircut with layers. Layering your hair makes it appear fuller and more voluminous. For women, short hairstyles like bobs are also very flattering for fine hair types because they do not make your hair so weighed down and flat. Ask your hairstylist what style might work best for you.^{[4]
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If you have long hair, sleep with your hair in a bun or ponytail. All the tossing and turning that you do during the night can cause your hair to get tangled. Untangling your hair in the morning is not only a pain, but it can damage fine and brittle hair strands. Before going to bed, brush your hair and put it up to save yourself the headache of untangling stubborn knots.^{[5]
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Even if you sleep with your hair up, you may still wake up to find knots in your hair. One solution to this is buying satin pillowcases. Hair glides more easily against satin than it does against cotton, creating less friction and reducing the creation of knots.^{[6]
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Should you deep condition fine hair?

Arthur Sebastian
Professional Hair Stylist
Arthur Sebastian is a Professional Hair Stylist based in San Francisco, California. He is the Owner of Arthur Sebastian Hair Salon, a studio offering Hair Styling, Color & Brazilian Blowout services. Arthur has 30 years of experience styling hair. His career began with apprenticeships at Wayne’s Beauty College in Santa Cruz, California Miss Marty’s School of Beauty in San Francisco, California. After receiving his Cosmetology License in 1998, he rented his first station at Wack Shack Hair Salon in San Francisco, going on to hold positions at Posh Hair Salon, Acabello Hair Salon, and Red Union Salon before opening his own studio. With over 500 online customer reviews, Arthur Sebastian Hair Salon has a 5 star average rating on Yelp and 4.9 average review on Google.

Arthur Sebastian

Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Answer

Use a deep conditioner occasionally to nourish your hair. If you have fine hair, you may need to deep condition your hair more often than someone with full, thick hair. However, avoid using a deep conditioner too often, as it may actually make your hair brittle.

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I have short hair. My hair is curly, rough, frizzy, unmanageable, and flyaway. How do I make it straight and smooth and silky naturally?

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Start applying lots of hair oil, and avoid using the hair dryer. Instead ,dry your hair with a pure cotton fabric. Use lots of conditioner, and leave it for 3 solid minutes. Rinse off with super cold water. For flyaway hair, try using after-shampoo hair creams or hair sprays.

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Which shampoo is the best for giving volume to hair?

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Most volume shampoos have fewer conditioners in them to weigh down the hair, but you could also accomplish the same thing by using less conditioner on your hair, so try only conditioning your hair once or twice a week. If you still need a volume shampoo, you will have to try out individual types and brands to find the one that's best for your particular hair type.

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Ask your hairdresser for individualized advice for your hair.

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Be careful when using hair accessories. Ensure that your hair doesn’t get knotted or snagged on them.

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