HIDE THINNING HAIR AND HAIR LOSS

Hair loss is no joke (although there are certainly lots of jokes made about it!) It can be a frustrating issue to solve because there are many different reasons why people lose hair, or why previously healthy hair becomes fragile and starts breaking off. But time is of the essence. You want to stop the process as quickly as you can, because rejuvenation and regrowth takes time - there is NOTHING out there that actually speeds up the growth of hair. So instead of investing good money in gimmicks, here are some great tips on how to hide hair loss as you search for solutions and then begin the slow process of hair rejuvenation.

1. Shampoo and Condition Your Hair When Dirty

I know - sounds pretty obvious. Excess sebum on the scalp is one of the culprits in making fragile hair and roots even more damaged. I always recommend Rene Furterer Triphasic because it is incredibly gentle, with microexfoliating beads that massage the scalp and helps to reduce hair loss and reinforce the hair. ALWAYS use a very high end, very gentle shampoo. Ya gotta protect the hair that is left! Any strategy you employ to hide thinning hair and hair loss must not cause further damage, and hopefully can even help limit it.

Whether your hair loss is hereditary or sudden, a special shampoo designed to fortify weak hair and protect the fragile re-qrowth is your best option. Because fine hair gets dirty faster, people with fine-textured hair need to shampoo more frequently -- even though fine hair breaks more easily. So the formula of the shampoo they use is particularly important. A shampoo that can protect the weak hair shaft while stimulating the scalp so that the blood gets flowing to the roots and hair follicles is especially helpful. Try Rene Furterer stimulating shampoo

2. Use Volumizing hair Products

Volume will hide thinning patches on the scalp. But use those specifically formulated for weak and thinning hair.

Read the ingredients! Many of the cheaper volume-building hair products you fins in drugstores contain paraffin, or beeswax, which is not good for hair, because it builds up on the scalp and shaft and can make hair break. THey do create volume, but they do so at the cost of further damage and hair loss. I would not recommend their use on even very healthy hair.

3. Color Your Hair to Disguise Hair Loss

Coloring your hair not only covers grey roots (which make your hair look even thinner), it also gives your hair body and volume, by making the hair coarser, thus increasing the diameter of each hair shaft. It is a great way to hide thinning hair and hair loss. However, and this is important, you should consult with your hairstylist on this. Since hair loss has more than one cause, it is important to choose the correct type of hair color. I'm not talking brand, I'm talking type

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For example, if your hair loss is an inherited tendency, you most likely have very healthy hair overall. In this case your hair can benefit from either permanent or semi-permanent color to give body and volume to hair.

If your hair loss is due to medications or stress, then your hair has been weakened, causing it to break or fall out. Semi-permanent color is far more preferable in this case, because it does not contain ammonia or peroxide. It will not further damage the hair, but it will still give it body and volume.

If your hair is fine-textured, either semi-permanent or permanent color is fine, as long as it is professionally applied. Colored hair can easily get over-processed, which damages it, causing more hair loss. Working with a professional colorist will protect your hair, and help you mask the problem.

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I also think those spray-on root covers are excellent for hiding a widening part or areas of thinning hair. Just be very careful in choosing the color so it blends well. There are even root covers (Toppik comes to mind) that shake on, with fibers to build up thickness where applied. These products are all relatively new to the market, made by some excellent companies like l’Oreal, and are a far cry from the old joke of using shoe polish on a bald spot!

4. Find a Style That Suits Fine Hair

Blow dryers, if used properly should not be a problem, even if you have fine hair, so a style that you can easily blow dry (using volumizing product) is the way to go. The idea is to mask hair loss without causing further damage. Always use a nozzle and blow down the shaft, from root to end. Bolwing in the other direction roughs up the cuticle and makes the hair weaker. Use a moderate heat setting - NOT hot, and you reduce risk of damage further.

Any hair styles that require more drastic heat, like a flat iron or curling iron, will make things worse in the end. Direct heat can cause damage and breakage and make your hair even thinner. Likewise processes that utilize very strong chemicals like curl-relaxing products are a no-no for fine hair. And stay away from hair extensions, which are already getting a bad reputation for destroying perfectly fine head’s of hair!

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10. Get a Permanent Wave

Now I know I just warned you off of strong chemicals, so I suggest this particular strategy with some reservation. Permanents can help give volume to fine-textured hair -- but you can only do this if your hair is fine - BUT HEALTHY. Not dry, not brittle. Only a gentle body wave is advised, because tighter waves can damage the hair. Because chemicals in permanents are harsh, a permanent should be only a last resort for fine-haired people. And again, make sure a professional stylist gives you your permanent, so that hair is not damaged. Friends do not let friends put harsh chemicals in their hair!

Happy Hair!!!