Thick hair is one of those things that is important to women who struggle with hormone imbalances because it makes us feel more feminine. Every day we see social media influencers, celebrities, movie stars, and even cartoon characters growing up with that ideal long flowing beautiful hair and that gives young girls and women false reality on hair. This can discourage those who have hormone imbalances with thinning hair and bald spots especially. Sometimes I feel like I want to pull a Britney and just shave mine all off and start over… can you relate? I am here to remind you that most (some people are just blessed with thick hair) of these “spotlight” type of people use wigs/extensions/hair replacement therapy to fix their own hair issues to make themselves look better for different media.
Does your hair shed in clumps in the shower every time you wash your hair? There are ways to help reduce it and get your hair back on a healthy growing route! I am going to list my hair routine and also a few products I love to use for my fine, thin, wavy brown hair type and I hope these tips can help you also!
Here are some tips to add to your hair routine for thinning hair:
Give Your Hair a Break:
Do you have fine hair like me? Does your hair get greasy really fast where you feel like you need to wash your hair every day? Well, to get healthier hair, you need to give your hair a break! Washing our hair too much will dry out our hair substantially especially if you are using the wrong shampoos and conditioners. I highly suggest trying to wash your hair every other day or every other two days. This gives your hair that time to soak in that natural oils your scalp is producing and will strengthen/hydrate your hair over time. To help combat the greasy look try adding a small amount of dry shampoo in your hair RIGHT AFTER you dry it. This will give your hair some added volume and also help keep it from being greasy the next day. Add dry shampoo as needed until wash day. Now I know there are jobs in the medical field, etc. where it is necessary to wash your hair more often. Not to worry, I will list a few shampoos and conditioners that will help keep your hair from drying out so much each wash. Keep reading this post on my hair washing routine for those products! I will list a few dry shampoos I really like in between washes here:
My Hair Washing Routine:
So there is a special method to washing my fine/thin hair. I like to start by brushing my dry hair before I go into the shower to prevent any future tangles while washing (this is especially important for wavy hair types). Make sure to always brush out tangles going from ends and upward. Don’t brush scalp to ends. I then get in shower and use medium heat to wet my hair. I then begin to use a cleansing conditioner to prevent any dryness for my hair because it is fine and breaks/dries easily. Sometimes shampoo can be too harsh on fine/thin hair types and the cleansing conditioner helps hydrate the hair but still clean it. I definitely use a stronger shampoo mixed with the cleansing conditioner once every week to reduce any build up also. It is still important to wash your scalp thoroughly just not every time you wash. Rinse out the cleansing conditioner completely then squeeze all water off the ends of hair. Now it is time to use conditioner! Add conditioner mainly on the bottom half of your squeezed out hair to your ends and try to let it sit for at least 3-5 minutes. When it is time to rinse make sure that your conditioner is 85% rinsed out. Leaving a tiny amount of conditioner left in your hair well help protect it when it is time to dry and style. Be sure to use a hair mask for at least 30 minutes once a week if possible also. After shower, be sure to spray a leave-in heat protectant!
If you have hair that gets super frizzy you will LOVE the Color WOW Dreamcoat Spray. It makes my hair really shiny and silky and keeps all of it tamed throughout the day even in harsh humidity. I like to apply this spray after leave-in heat protectant spray and before drying. Be sure to check out Color Wow products, I am not sponsored by them but I am a HUGE fan of all of their products. I will list a few hair products I love to use here:
Reduce Heated Tools:
I straightened my hair every time I went out to do anything growing up as a teen in the 2000’s. I hated my wavy hair… it never curled in a pretty way and so to combat that I would straighten my hair like crazy up until I was 25. When you use consistent heat, like flat and curling irons, your hair will be so dry and turn so brittle that it will then break off easily creating thinner hair. I highly recommend reducing your heat products to just blow drying on low heat with a round brush. I put my flat iron up and invested in the Dyson hair styler a few years ago and use the brush attachment to dry my hair and never looked back. It straightens my hair enough where I like it, the brush gives my hair volume, and best of all the heat is less damaging to my hair and my hair is more protected. This is something I recommend to anyone I know. Mine has lasted forever and I love the other attachments that come with it also for different styles.
It is worth the money for the long run I promise. My hair actually shines now and my strands are stronger since using this as a part of my routine. Less broken ends too! You can check out where to get a Dyson Airwrap Styler here or cheaper at Sephora:
Reduce Hair Ties and Updos Styles:
Fine/thin hair breaks easily when pulled up for long periods of time throughout the day. I highly recommend only doing hair buns and high pony tails as needed. I will pull my hair up to workout then use dry shampoo when I’m done and let it back down to prevent breakage for the rest of my day. I stopped leaving my hair up all day and I have noticed that my bald spots on my temples have started to grow back since. As nice as it is to have it out of your face, DO NOT SLEEP WITH YOUR HAIR PULLED UP!! It is so bad for your hair. My favorite way to style my hair “up” is to wear a baseball hat with a low ponytail that will not pull hard or tight on my hair and keep it out of my face. Hair claws are also in style these days and look cute with less damage. Be mindful of what types of hair ties you use to pull your hair up too. I have found hair coils are my favorite because they hold up your hair well, never tangle, and don’t leave creases in your hair after you let it down. I will list a few of my favorite hair coil brands here:
Sleep with a Silk Pillow:
I have mentioned in previous posts that a silk pillow helps with skincare but also makes a difference in your hair! Silk pillows will prevent less friction than cotton pillowcases. The more friction on your pillow, the more hair breakage you will have. Silk pillow cases also do not absorb moisture like cotton does and will help keep every bit of moisture in your hair. You can find many silk pillow cases online:
Overall, be consistent and patient with your hair maintenance and you will see great results with hair sheen, growth, and even thickness. For better hair from the inside, I always recommend hair, skin, and nails vitamins along with a healthy diet and exercise. For hair growth, I like the Bondi Boost and Vegamour products they are both great! Check them out!
Always consult with your doctor and hair stylist for any lifestyle changes to your body or hair. Thank you for reading my post. I hope these tips can help you reach your hair goals in the future!
Lots of love & Balance-
Hormonal Haven