Fine, thin straggly hair; please give your top tips!

[Eliza34]

I have always had fine hair, it seems to get to a certain length then just disappears! Loads of wispy bits around the sides and it basically just looks shit most of the time. I should probably just lop it off but I desperately want long thick hair!
Any lotions, creams, types of extensions I can use?!

Make sure you get a good, blunt cut. No layers at the front, you need it cut really bluntly. Looks way thicker

I have fine, limp and straight hair that breaks as soon as it gets to my shoulders. If you want to go down the hair extension route then I can recommend Great Lengths. They are light weight and easy to maintain and don’t look fake. I’ve had cheaper extensions in the past and they looked awful as they put too many in and the hair wasn’t good quality. It does set me back about £500 for 100 extensions, cut and colour. As I am used to them and do my own maintenance (tweaking out tangled hairs that cannot natural fall out) mine last about 5 months.

I don’t bother with their recommended hair care system. I alternate between Olaplex system for my hair and cheap alternatives I find in T K Maxx.

The only disadvantage is that once you have them you’ll always want them.

Russian hair is also amazing quality but I choose GL as since as the most ethical out of the hair extensions.

Also wigs. I bought one a few months back. Unbelievable. Amazing. Not fake looking but cost a lot - £800. I found this on Etsy website. Again the key is to spend money unfortunately.

Vit D3, iron and B vitamins help.
I use the plantur Hanoi and that seems to help with less hair falling out.

‘ plantur shampoo ‘

how do people rate Planter/Caffine Shampoos.. is it effective

Lucinda ellery galleries take a look 👀

@BlueThistles

how do people rate Planter/Caffine Shampoos.. is it effective

I was skeptic but my dd noticed it was thicker and less thin on top I only use the shampoo and use ogx conditioner

@Rummikub

super thank you 🌺

don't box dye your hair! the harsher peroxide in box dyes means box colour looks fab and shiny for a couple of weeks then goes dull, it damages the cuticle more as well so if breakage is an issue it will exacerbate it.

second the advice for silk pillowcases and supplements, and second the urging caution on extensions as well, anything placing tension on weak hair will make it thinner over time.

once the salons are open again, you could consider very subtle foils/balayage through the lengths, if you lift the length a couple of levels lighter than the roots it creates an optical illusion of thickness. just a very very slight lift though, to minimise damage, and choose a salon that uses olaplex or similar bond builder as standard when lightening hair.

I'm talking about something like this, very subtle, to create dimension and movement.

I have my hair blunt cut. I use the Dyson Airwrap, mostly the round brush for volume. A Revlon would do the same.

Root lift spray in the top. Then the GHD Rise hot brush. This gives volume and you can do tousled waves very easily for movement and body.

Finish off with Hair By Sam McKnight hairspray mist.

It sounds like a lot but you know what fine hair is like, dries quickly!

I have never received so many compliments as when I had a blunt cut.

yes, blunt/club cutting is the way forward for thinner hair, make sure you explicitly say that this is what you want.

here are some more tips for creating volume, it's aimed at curly hair but things like root clipping and swapping your parting can also work on straight or wavy hair.

I used to dye my hair with henna and that definitely made it thicker. No more fly-away strands for me! Henna sticks to the hair shaft like nail varnish on nails so the strands themselves become thicker. But henna is red and permanent and you can’t dye in top of it with anything but henna (or indigo?). This is because bleaching products from normal hairdye plus the salts that are often put into henna products cause a chemical reaction together that will basically melt through your hair. I loved the colour henna gave my hair. I have that dark blonde/light brown/mouse coloured hair naturally and it came up beautifully auburn. Henna turns blonde or grey hair very bright orange and gives nice subtle red highlights to dark brown or black hair. Worth a shot if you think you’ll like the colour though. I used to buy mine from Lush. They also sell henna/indigo mixes for different colour variations. I don’t know how indigo affects hair thickness though. Plus I think Lush avoid the metallic salts that cause the hair melting if you mix it with bleach. Not that I was ever brave enough to test that claim.

Absolutely loving all the tips - thank you all.

@Symphony830 I'll look up someone who does Great Lengths should I go down that route - so thanks for the brand recommendation. I figure if they don't look good I'll just get them out and cut it. An expensive experiment of sorts. Have also worried about the ethical aspect of them too.
Deffo always scream BLUNT CUT at my hairdresser 💇🏻‍♀️ @grassisjeweled as she always used to snip away at the ends!

@MadameButterface love that look, it's beautiful. And thanks for all the tips, you sound like you know what you're talking about.

@comfycomfy one of my friends got the air wrap for Christmas and loves it, might be onto something there!

I've got awful fine hair, and have been using Nioxin since my hairdresser recommended it. I buy from allbeauty.com and it's half the price of what the salon charges for it. I've noticed a massive difference in the time I've been using it, and it's the only thing I've tried that really helps.

I've got the full pack with the shampoo, conditioner and thickening spray. I would never normally use conditioner but need it on the ends with this shampoo.

@Babyiskickingmyribs sounds like something I shouldn't be trusted with 🤣 thanks though

@cherrypie790 thanks will look into it!

a non-colouring alternative to henna is amla powder, you can get it from continental grocers or from amazon. amla has been used for hair growth/thickness on the Indian subcontinent for many years, either as a diet supplement or applying directly to the hair and scalp.

you mix it up into a paste like henna and leave it on like a treatment then wash off, it will not colour your hair UNLESS your hair is already very blonde or white, in which case it can stain. it gives the same softness and conditioning as a henna treatment, and definitely added volume to my hair when I used it, although I cannot swear absolutely to its medical efficacy

Never heard of it @MadameButterface but sounds nice and natural! My hair is dark brown so should work well

Just marking my place for a later date!