7 Tips for Thin Hair, Weak or Fine

Published: 08/17/2013 - Updated: 11/26/2016

If your hair no longer looks thick and full like before, you do not need to panic: There are some precautions that can help reverse the damage and prevent these problems continuing to gain ground.

Approximately 50% of women may experience hair thinning or falling out from 50 years and onwards. To treat it, the secret is to detect early changes.

1. Fighting the cause

It's hard to tell when our hair starts to fall in excess. It is estimated that on average, everyone loses between 100 and 150 hairs daily, however, there are some signs that we should look for: When you bathe you lose strands of hair, if when you wake up your pillow or place next to your bed is full of hair that was not there before, or if the parting of your hairstyle looks wider than usual.

Hair may be weakened by multiple causes, such as thyroid problems, anemia or a hormonal problem, so, the first step if you notice hair falling out or becoming weaker is to visit the general practitioner to rule out these causes. If the problem is not linked to these reasons, then you should consult a dermatologist who will perform a scalp analysis and review your background and genetic/hereditory make-up and will be able to detect whether or not it is a genetic problem. In any case, you must implement the following:

2. Watch your diet

Hair can become weak and fall out due to a deficiency of iron. To prevent this, it is advisable to consume the following foods:
Green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, chard, red meat, beans, and tofu.

Make sure your diet is varied, so that you include all the nutrients that your body and therefore your hair needs to be healthy.

3. Massage the scalp

Moisten your fingers in a few drops of coconut oil and rubbed in a gentle massage on the skin of your head minutes before adding the shampoo. This action promotes circulation and helps hair follicles receive the nutrients they need.

4. Avoid the hairdryer

Experts suggest that drying your hair with a hairdryer might change its structure, so it is recommended that you avoid doing so every day, let your hair dry naturally as much as possible. If you use a dryer, try using it on a low heat.

If you use a brush with round bristles while drying your hair to style it, bristles made of boar or nylon are preferable, as plastic bristles can overheat and damage your hair.

5. To dye your hair

If your hair is thin and you want to dye it, avoid discoloring it, or dying it completely, as this can damage your hair also showing up balding patches more. Instead, choose these strategies to disguise baldness, especially if you match the color of the dye with the scalp.

Try to choose natural dyes like henna, since it tends to mistreat hair less than commercial chemical dyes and usually provides you with a distinctive sheen, therefore today it has gained great popularity.

6. Shower care                         

Avoid hot showers, always try to wash your hair using lukewarm or cold water and never apply conditioner on the roots because this can lead to problems with natural sebum secretion of the scalp, as well as provoke hairloss.

7. Brushing

It is important to remember to brush your hair, but always take the time to brush it softly, do not do it in a hurry or abruptly, especially if your hair becomes knotted easily. Carelessly brushing your hair can cause breakages, making it look dry and damaged.

About the author
  • Miriam Reyes

    Miriam Reyes is a professional expert in nutrition and dietetics. She has more than 12 years of experience in caring for patients with overweight and eating problems. She studied at the Universidad del Valle de Atemajac (UNIVA), where she obtained a degree in nutrition. Linkedin profile.

4 Replies to “7 Tips for Thin Hair, Weak or Fine”
  • Allison says:

    I was thinking on dyeing my hair with some henna to avoid the normal damaged that is caused with common dyes, so I wanted to learn something aboud the ugly hair to avoid it at all cost, thanks a lot for posting articles related to the hair and especialyl the enitre health of the body

  • Julia says:

    Thanks to this webpage I learned that combing my hair is one of the most important things to do when you talk about your hair and the circulation of blood and nutrients, so I recommend doing that because it worked a lot for me and now I have a wonderful hair

  • Stacy says:

    I have always had thin hair, but it’s never really been a problem for me. I think so long as your hair is healthy, it’s not big deal. I don’t think people really need to worry about hair if it’s just thin but if it’s brittle, it’s probably due to some sort of lack of vitamin, or hormonal imbalance. I know my mom lost a lot of hair when her hormones started changing.

  • Emily says:

    I have never dyed my hair, nor do I use conditioner on the roots or brush it abruptly. I’ve always had naturally quite fine hair but I don’t have a problem with that, as it still looks healthy and shiny. I would like to know if there is anything I could eat that would make my hair grow fuller? Thanks for the article.