Having thicker and fuller hair is something that many of us aspire to. After all, thicker hair looks healthy and well-nourished and it increases your styling options, making it much easier to achieve your preferred style.
But if your hair is thin, what can you do to improve the thickness and fullness of your hair? Thankfully, there are numerous simple steps you can take at home to try and make your hair thicker.
You might need to take one or several of these steps, depending on your current hair care routine. But we advise you to try different things and be open to trial and error so you can experiment with options that may yield the results that you desire.
First: Why is my hair thin?
Your hair might be thin for numerous reasons:
- You’re not following a healthy and nutritious diet and are, therefore, depriving your hair of the nutrients that it needs to thrive.
- You’re using the wrong products. Chemical-based shampoos and conditioners can thin your hair, causing it to look flat.
- You’re over washing or under washing your hair.
- You’re causing your hair to dry out and look thin because of the way you dry it.
- You might be experiencing male or female pattern baldness due to genetic factors.
Understanding why your hair is thin is a helpful first step, as it will help you tackle the problem and work towards a solution. Read on to discover eight simple things you can do at home to improve the way your hair looks and feels.
Eight home remedies to try for thicker hair
With that in mind, here are 8 things you can try at home to improve the thickness and fullness of your hair:
1. Take a saw palmetto supplement
Saw palmetto is a shrublike palm native to parts of the United States. Throughout history, it has been used for numerous ailments, ranging from fever to nausea. A study found that saw palmetto could be a viable option for people looking to thicken their hair, as 60% of participants had thicker hair by the end of the study period after taking saw palmetto.
You can take saw palmetto in capsule form, and it’s available at many health and drug stores without a prescription. When taken as part of a healthy diet, it presents a good opportunity to thicken your hair.
2. Massage olive oil into your scalp
If you have olive oil in your kitchen pantry, you can use it to try and improve the thickness of your hair. This oil is particularly rich in omega-3 acids and numerous other nutrients that promote the health and growth of your hair. It can also soften your hair and prevent your scalp from drying out.
To use olive oil on your hair, heat it to body temperature and massage it directly into your hair and scalp. We recommend leaving it for up to one hour before washing it out.
3. Improve your diet
The thickness of your hair is tied to your diet. After all, if you don’t eat healthy and nutritious foods, it’s difficult for your hair to thrive. Ensuring that your diet contains healthy protein, fats, and nutrients is essential as it will stimulate hair growth and prevent your hair from thinning.
If you have thin hair, check out the table below to see which foods you should incorporate into your diet to thicken your hair:
Food Group | Examples |
|
Protein |
Eggs, walnuts, cashews, beans |
|
Antioxidants |
Blueberries |
|
Vitamins |
Spinach, avocado |
|
Omega-3 |
Salmon, herring, mackerel |
As well as incorporating these healthy foods into your diet, you should reduce the amount of refined sugar and processed food that you eat. Also, reducing your alcohol consumption and stopping smoking will prevent your hair from thinning prematurely.
4. Consider hair growth medications
When researching how to get thicker hair, you will find that one of the most successful hair growth approaches is to take medication. Specifically, two medications are clinically proven to combat hair loss and stimulate regrowth.
The first is Minoxidil, often branded as Rogaine. You don’t need a prescription to buy Minoxidil spray, which you can apply to your scalp twice daily. Minoxidil works by stimulating the blood vessels in your scalp, which can promote hair growth. However, when you stop using Minoxidil, your hair will revert back to type.
Finasteride, on the other hand, is a prescription medication used by some men to treat androgenetic alopecia (male pattern baldness). It works by decreasing the levels of the growth hormone DHT, which is responsible for hair loss. If you’re wondering how to get thicker hair for men, Finasteride could be a good option, but you should consult a doctor first.
5. Buy an appropriate shampoo and conditioner
The shampoo and conditioner you use will greatly affect the thickness of your hair. Look for products described as “volumizing,” as they are specifically designed to boost the fullness and thickness of your hair. Also, looking for a sulfate-free product is imperative, as it helps eliminate product build-up and prevents your hair from drying out.
Another thing to consider is the ingredients within the product you choose. Those with tea tree oil, jojoba oil, and avocado oil are great for hair thickness. Just avoid heavy oil-based products as they can weigh down your strands and can make your hair look flat.
Changing shampoos is an important step if people want to achieve a different state of hair including thick locks, and it’s also one of the most effective treatments for hair that feels like straw. However, the process can be lengthy because you need to use a new shampoo every day.
Therefore, I advise you to try at least 2-4 methods from this article simultaneously, such as using a better shampoo, getting an ionic hair dryer, massaging your scalp, and more on a regular basis.
6. Change the way you dry your hair
Though not an instant fix, changing the way you dry your hair will yield long-term improvements in its thickness. If you use a standard blow dryer on its hottest setting, you might be inadvertently causing your hair to dry out, which can also lead to thinning. This is because excessive heat styling can damage the cuticle, preventing your hair from appearing bouncy and voluminous.
Therefore, switching to an ionic hair dryer with adjustable heat settings is a smart move. The Laifen Swift Special is the perfect ionic hair dryer to use in 2024. You can dry your hair on low or medium heat to prevent it from drying out.
Also, if you have curly or wavy hair, you can use the attached diffuser to blow dry your hair evenly and thoroughly, which makes a big difference to its texture. If your hair is natural, you can learn how to use a diffuser for straight hair to get more volume.
7. Keep your scalp healthy
When considering how to get thicker hair naturally, you also need to think about your scalp. Often, hair follicles can get blocked by dandruff and product build-up, which originates at the scalp. This is a big issue if you use lots of product in your hair, as it can stunt growth.
Scalp issues tend to be caused by overwashing or underwashing your hair. For instance, if you overwash your hair, you may remove some of its essential oils, which can cause it to look dry and brittle. If you underwash your hair, you’re not necessarily removing the product build-up, which can cause your hair to produce excessive sebum, causing it to look greasy.
Therefore, you need to strike a happy medium when it comes to your washing routine. As a general rule, wash your hair no more than two to three times per week. You can then experiment with your washing schedule and reduce or increase it, depending on how your hair looks and feels.
8. Style your hair differently
A shortcut for how to get thicker, fuller hair is to change the way you style it. While it’s important to follow the tips introduced above and change your routine, a trip to the salon can help you to get thicker hair overnight.
One simple method is to ask your stylist to incorporate highlights and balayage into your hair, as they add dimension and texture. Color treating your hair can also add the illusion of greater depth and thickness, so it’s worth considering.
If you’re unsure of which style to go for, ask your hairdresser for some ideas that will help your hair look instantly thicker and don’t be afraid to try something new.
Recap: How to get thick hair
While thickening your hair might seem like an uphill task, the reality is that you can take some super simple steps to improve the thickness, volume, and texture of your hair. We recommend starting with the products you use and considering your diet. You can then make small changes that will deliver impressive results.
Then, if you think you’re experiencing male or female pattern baldness, you might consider medications like Minoxidil and Finasteride, but if you go down this route, we advise you to speak to a medical professional first.
