How to Make Thin Hair Look Thicker

Co-authored by Christine George

Last Updated: July 20, 2024 Approved

Thinning hair, whatever the cause, can be frustrating. Fortunately, there are quite a few potential remedies available to help thicken hair, from simple haircut strategies to styling tricks to natural at-home methods. With the number of options out there, you can very likely find the one that will work for you and help you work around the frustrations of less-than-voluptuous hair.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Getting the Right Cut

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1
Talk to your stylist. Your hairstylist can be an excellent ally. Ask your stylist for guidance on finding a fuller-looking hairstyle.
- Let the stylist know the specifics of your concerns--where you feel your hair looks thin, how you would like it to look, and what, if any, are you style limits.
- It sounds obvious, but ask your stylist not to thin out your hair, as it will only make hair look thinner and flatter.
2
Get the right haircut. A haircut designed to make your hair look fuller can go a long way towards helping you create the illusion of full-bodied hair.
- Shorter hairstyles lend themselves more to fuller hair. The longer hair gets, the heavier and flatter it becomes.
- Cutting layers into your hair is a great strategy to make it appear thicker.^{[1]
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  Christine George
  Master Hair Stylist & Colorist
  
  Expert Interview. 10 January 2020.}
- Don’t fall into the mullet trap. Mullets are friends to no one.
- Ditch the part. Look for styles that allow you to comb hair back rather than parting it to one side--it will help hide thinness.
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3
Dye your hair with multi-faceted color. Monotone hair color contributes to a flatter, thinner appearance, so to add thickness, choose a hair color that includes varying shades and dimension.
- Choose a shade of hair color that will flatter your natural skin tone; otherwise, a harsh color may emphasize rather than minimize thin hair.^{[2]
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- Highlights and lowlights can also add dimension, and thus a fuller look, to your hair.^{[3]
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- Bleaching hair will also cause the strands to expand, making your hair appear thicker, but don’t bleach your hair if it’s already damaged.^{[4]
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Get extensions. If you have extra scratch to spend, you can invest in professional hair extensions. You can also get clip-in extensions for a more affordable option. It seems to work for celebrities.
- Remember, though, that you want volume, not length. If the extensions will only give you additional length, they won’t help disguise thinning hair.^{[5]
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Get hair plugs or implants. This is perhaps the most drastic option, but if you’re facing serious and progressive hair thinning, it may also be the best option.
- Be sure to do your research before committing to either at-home or professional hair enhancement. For more information on surgical procedures, see the American Hair Loss Association’s website.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Choosing the Right Style

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1
Use thickening shampoo.^{[6]
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Expert Source

Christine George
Master Hair Stylist & Colorist

Expert Interview. 10 January 2020.} Look for the words “thickening” or “volumizing” on the bottle. Shampoos designed to thicken your hair’s appearance typically do so with ingredients that plump up your hair’s roots. Good Housekeeping has this ranked listing of available thickening shampoos.
- Two-in-one shampoos tend to be ideal because they tend not to weigh hair down.^{[7]
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- Don’t wash your hair every day. Washing every day will strip your hair of natural oils that help it stay healthy and full.^{[8]
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Avoid heavy conditioners. Conditioners that are “hydrating” or “smoothing” or otherwise intensive will weigh hair down.
- Be sure to rinse all of the conditioner out of your hair after applying so that the residue won’t weigh hair down.
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Use the right blowdrying technique. A good blowdrying strategy can go a long way toward enhancing your hair's fullness; the wrong technique, on the other hand, can exacerbate your problem.
- If you blow dry your hair, begin by flipping your hair upside-down and dry until most of the dampness is gone.^{[9]
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  Expert Source
  
  Christine George
  Master Hair Stylist & Colorist
  
  Expert Interview. 10 January 2020.} Then flip your hair back over and blow dry the rest of your hair in sections using a round brush.
- Using a diffuser can also help boost your hair’s volume if you have wavy or curly hair.^{[10]
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Use the right flat-ironing techniques. The aim of flat irons is to straighten and flatten hair strands, the opposite of the look you're trying to achieve. And because they use extreme heat applied directly to hair, they can damage hair, leaving it drier and brittle--again, the opposite of what you want if you have thin hair.^{[11]
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- If you absolutely must flat-iron, don’t iron ends straight down. Instead, turn them in ever so slightly for fuller hair.^{[12]
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Use the right products. Look for volumizing or thickening hair products. Volumizing mousse, hairspray, and texturizers can help your hair look thicker and fuller.^{[13]
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Christine George
Master Hair Stylist & Colorist

Expert Interview. 10 January 2020.}
- Volumizing powder is relatively new to the scene and can help hair look fuller by fluffing it up at the roots.^{[14]
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- You can also find hair-loss concealers in many beauty supply stores.
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Mousse hair overnight. Before going to bed, apply a volumizing mousse to your wet hair. By the morning you’ll have texturized hair that may appear fuller.^{[15]
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- If you have long hair, braid the damp, moussed hair before going to bed for textured waves in the morning.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Using Natural Hair-Growth Methods

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1
Try aloe vera. There are a number of rumored natural products that can help thicken hair, but the most consistently cited is aloe vera, which is believed to help seal in natural moisture and promote hair growth.^{[16]
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- To use aloe vera, apply an aloe vera gel (available at most drug stores) to your scalp, let it sit for 30 to 60 minutes, then shampoo as usual. You can even extract the gel straight from the aloe leaf.
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Apply castor oil. Another of the most frequently recommended options, castor oil contains fatty acids, vitamin E, and ricinoleic acid, which are believed to nurture your hair and scalp.
- To use, apply several tablespoons of castor oil to your scalp and massage in. Be sure to choose an oil that is hexane-free. Repeat the process multiple times a week.
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Rinse with apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is believed to both balance your scalp’s pH and provide it with beneficial nutrients.
- As a bonus, because the vinegar will remove residue from your hair, it can also boost volume and soften hair.^{[17]
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- After washing your hair, pour about 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar over your hair and then rinse.
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Take vitamins. There are several vitamin supplements believed to help enhance hair growth. For more information, start with this list from WebMD.
- Unfortunately, there isn’t yet a strong body of scientific evidence to support the effectiveness of vitamins for hair loss, so remember that it may not be realistic to expect a miracle solution.

Expert Q&A

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Question

How can I make my hair look thicker?

Courtney Foster
Licensed Cosmetologist
Courtney Foster is a Licensed Cosmetologist, Certified Hair Loss Practitioner, and Cosmetology Educator based out of New York City. Courtney runs Courtney Foster Beauty, LLC and her work has been featured on The Wendy Williams Show, Good Morning America, The Today Show, The Late Show with David Letterman, and in East/West Magazine. She received her Cosmetology License from the State of New York after training at the Empire Beauty School - Manhattan.

Courtney Foster

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

You can try washing your hair with a volumizing shampoo since it can make your hair sit up a little higher and makes it look thicker.

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Question

What if there are patches over the scalp and hair stops growing there?

Owls2014

Community Answer

You can adjust your hair so that it covers the patches or use an eyeshadow/brow product to cover them. Some people like using the Loreal Root Cover Up spray.

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Question

How do I make my hair thinner?

Bruhkent

Community Answer

Stylists at hair salons will thin your hair if you ask. This is probably the only safe way to thin out your hair.

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