How about a buzzcut?

December 4, 2012 12:28 PM

Hairstyles, products, and advice needed for my thin, flat, thinning, and breaking hair.

My hair has been thin (in texture), stick straight, and flat for my entire life. It is also becoming increasingly thinner (in coverage) and easily breakable. During the winter, my scalp is very dry and itchy, but I can't go more than one day without shampooing without it getting oily. I shampoo and condition every day but use no styling products. You can see my scalp, both where I part my hair and other areas on the top of my head. I don't have any bald spots or anything, but it is very thin. I'm looking for advice on hairstyles that will look my hair look fuller, products that will help with some of the above mentioned problems, and advice in general on dealing with this type of hair. I'm female and above chin length hairstyles do not look good on me.

posted by sunshine37 to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (13 answers total)

Your hair sounds identical to mine, except I don't shampoo as often and try to use dry shampoo instead when my hair gets oily every other day. This shampoo (and conditioner) were pretty much miraculous in stopping my hair loss. Are you in the US?
posted by halogen at 12:34 PM on December 4, 2012

I was just talking about this with my sister! I have the same type of hair that you do, but not thinning. She has the exact same hair that you describe. She and I both have pretty plain shoulder length cuts - mine is sort of a long bob, hers is layered. For fuller-looking hair, it sounds dumb to suggest, but a side part really helps.

We don't condition every day and swear by dry shampoo when our hair gets oily. She likes the spray kind that smells like pineapples (Suave makes it?).
posted by troika at 12:38 PM on December 4, 2012

Your hair also sounds like mine, texture-wise, thinning-wise, etc....I've actually stopped using conditioner because when I do my hair starts looking oily at the end of shampoo day. Last year I broke down and went to a higher-end salon ($30 for a cut and blow dry, so higher-end for me, anyway) as opposed to a Supercuts-type of place (I'd always figured why pay a lot for a cut when my hair is so crappy anyway?)....the stylist gave me this Diane Keaton type of cut, and I've actually gotten compliments on my hair since then.
posted by Oriole Adams at 12:42 PM on December 4, 2012

What shampoo do you use? Would be helpful to know.

When I wanted to grow my hair out for my wedding, my hairstylist suggested I take pre-natal vitamins to boost hair growth. I think it is the folic acid in the vitamins? In any case, it really worked and I noticed significant hair growth. I have also seen "hair and skin" vitamins that aren't pre-natal ones. Not sure which would be cheaper.
posted by dottiechang at 12:43 PM on December 4, 2012

Ugh, same hair here. I've had good luck with Herbal Essence Volumizing shampoo, every day. (If I skip a day, my hair gets so greasy it will stick to my head. Sound familiar, anyone?) Aveeno conditioner sometimes and sometimes John Frieda leave-in conditioning spray instead. I find the chin-length bob is the best haircut in terms of not looking like a plucked chicken. I've also found, much to my surprise, that Garnier Fructis Surf Hair molding product works really well to make it look thicker. It can get kind of crispy unless you blow-dry, though.
posted by scratch at 1:22 PM on December 4, 2012

Same as you, right down to the "short hair won't work." A good haircut and color from a good stylist can help a lot -- ask around for recommendations. Most important: Be as direct as possible about what you want addressed. Sometimes that kind of concern is treated more like the elephant in the room, and that helps no one.

My stylist told me that foil highlights would help rough up the texture and create some thickness -- it was something I hadn't considered, and she was right. Ditto keeping the longest length below chin, but working in layers above that. YMMV, of course.

Taking biotin can help (bonus: also helps fingernail growth). I shampoo with Neutrogena Clean most of the time, but I know people who swear by Nioxin products. Bumble&Bumble makes two products I really like: Thickening Spray, and MeFi favorite, Surf Spray.
posted by gnomeloaf at 1:24 PM on December 4, 2012

Get a volumizing root mousse and target your roots only. See this video. I use the Big Sexy Hair Root Pump and section my hair off as shown in this video. I concentrate on the top/bang area and crown area. I blow upside down.
posted by Fairchild at 1:30 PM on December 4, 2012

Here is the link for the mousse I use. Any volumizing mousse should work fine. Look for one with a spray pump so you can target roots only.
posted by Fairchild at 1:31 PM on December 4, 2012

Also, i saw a dermatologist and they recommended that I take iron supplements. And low an behold my Dr did lab work and I am low in iron. i notice that when i take the iron my hair does not shed as much in the shower. something to check. i was shocked and happy to learn this. derm also recommend otc hair loss stuff more men, but i'm not in the chemicals..so..
posted by TRUELOTUS at 1:52 PM on December 4, 2012

Thanks for all the answers so far! To answer a few questions: Yes, I'm in the US. I don't really have a shampoo that I've stuck with for more than one bottle. Right now I'm using Head & Shoulders because I thought it would help with the itchy scalp (can't tell if it's made any difference). I have medical issues that prevent me from taking anything more than a basic multivitamin, which I already take. I do already take iron supplements. I am always slightly low in iron, but that is also due to a medical issue that can't be helped.
posted by sunshine37 at 2:32 PM on December 4, 2012

I have similar hair (it sounds like) and I use Surface Awaken shampoo and conditioner. I get it from my salon, it's pricier than drugstore brands, but you use less so a bottle lasts me about 6 weeks or so. For styling products, I swear by Aquage Uplifting Foam and it's AMAZING. My hair looks nearly twice the size after I blow it out.

I second the Diane Keatonesque bob, it's not short and it's chic, classic and super easy to style.
posted by hollygoheavy at 4:31 PM on December 4, 2012

I've got similar hair, and it's tricky because many of the things you would do to increase volume are things that make it more breakable. E.g. my hair has the most volume when I've just washed it, so I'm tempted to wash it every day. I can get volume with the hairdryer but air-drying is better for avoiding breakage and brittleness. Dying it a darker or brighter colour than my natural ash-blonde makes it look like there's more of it, but again, dye is one of the worst things you can do for your hair. I can use a curling iron to put some volume in, but again, damage. And finally, some products do help, but if I use product, I definitely have to shampoo my hair every day, or it becomes oily and limp very quickly, and shampooing every day is bad for it.

So: I recommend you experiment with some of the things I just mentioned, and figure out which ones have the most effect for the least downside for your specific hair, and then do those despite the damage they cause. I've been through times where I shampoo once a week, air-dry only, don't use colour, never curl it, and honestly, while it looks shinier, it's still thin and limp, so I'd rather take the damage that some of the above methods cause.
posted by lollusc at 5:03 PM on December 4, 2012

Redken Powder Grip 03. Shake just a little on your roots for volume.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 6:21 AM on December 5, 2012