Hair loss can be a major source of insecurity for many people. As such, knowing how to make your hair thicker can be the first step in rebuilding your self-confidence. Since there are many ways of improving hair growth and thickness, it can be beneficial to know some of the causes behind thinning hair in the first place. Figuring out the reason behind your hair loss or thinning hair can help you find a more accurate form of treatment, as some solutions may be more effective than others.
Why Do Men Go Bald?
Male baldness and hair loss are fairly common, more so than in women. There are several factors that may play into why you’re going bald in the first place so it’s important to target those root causes. Knowing what can cause baldness can help you figure out if and how it can be controlled.
Male Pattern Baldness
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The natural loss of hair in men is known as male pattern baldness or androgenetic alopecia. It’s a common affliction that’s said to affect an estimated 50 million men in the United States. Its two most common factors are genetics and hormones.
Although it’s more common among older adult men in their 50s or older it can begin as early as your teenage years. If baldness or hair loss runs in the family, your genetics might increase your likelihood of having male pattern baldness.
With male pattern baldness, you might notice a receding hairline and/or thinning hair around the crown of your head. Sometimes it starts as small bald spots on the scalp. This is due to a shrinkage in hair follicles caused by hormonal changes as you grow older. This is also why some teenagers experience male pattern baldness during puberty as their bodies start producing more hormones during this time.
Medication
Certain drugs may cause excessive hair loss in some people. Side effects from medication may vary from one person to the next, so it’s important to keep track of how different medicines may affect your body. Drugs that could cause hair loss include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Acne medication
- Anti-depressants
- Thyroid medicine
- Steroids
- Mood stabilizers
- Weight loss pills
- Antibiotics
- Chemotherapy drugs
- Hormone therapy medicine
It’s worth noting that hair loss from medication can be temporary. As such, if you experience excessive hair loss from taking new medicines, it’s best to consult with your doctor regarding other alternatives available to you.
Grooming
Some hairstyles can be more damaging on your hair and scalp than others. If you have long hair and often keep your locks in tight ponytails or buns, you’re at risk of suffering from temporary hair loss. This is due to the hair near the scalp being pulled too tightly. Having your hair in braids or cornrows for long periods of time can be damaging to your scalp as well.
Lifestyle
Being under a lot of stress can cause hair loss in men as well. You might also show signs of hair loss due to your diet, as you might be getting too much vitamin A or too little iron. Ultimately, what causes hair loss, be it temporary or permanent, will depend on a variety of factors that have to do with your lifestyle. Be prepared to make adjustments to how you live your life if your current lifestyle takes a toll on your health.
How To Make Your Hair Thicker: Possible Solutions
Some men may choose to let nature take its course and live with it. However, if the unsightly balding affects your self-esteem, there are several potential solutions on how to make your hair thicker again.
One common treatment is hair transplantation, which is the surgical process of moving hair follicles from the back of your scalp to fill up other balding spots. Although it’s an effective treatment for hair loss, hair transplants can be a painful and expensive process that might not be covered by your health insurance. If you’re looking for other non-surgical solutions for hair loss, there are plenty of growth products on the market you can try.
Take note, however, that results and the effectivity of certain hair thickening products may vary. Even though one product may be hailed as the best hair loss treatment for some, it could be completely ineffective for others as well. It’s always best to consult a specialist to find out how to make your hair thicker and which hair treatment is best for you.
1. Hair Thickening Shampoo
Using a hair growth shampoo for men is one of the easiest solutions on how to make your hair thicker. There are several hair thickening shampoos out in the market, so it’s a treatment that’s readily available should you decide to use it on your thinning strands.
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We recommend the Jack Black True Volume Thickening Shampoo, as it’s formulated with natural oils and proteins that help thinning hair follicles grow healthy and thick. With creatine as a key ingredient, this shampoo for hair growth and thickness adds volume to your hair while strengthening it from root to tip.
2. Hair Thickening Conditioner
When it comes to proper hair care, your locks will need some moisture and nourishment after washing. Thus, it’s important to pick out a hair thickening conditioner that not only promotes better hair growth but leaves your hair feeling soft and smooth.
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For this purpose, try Paisle’s Biotin Thickening Conditioner. It uses all-natural products, and since it’s formulated with biotin, you’ll see an improvement in hair elasticity and strength. This, in turn, can stimulate hair follicles to grow thicker hair.
3. Hair Serum
Hair serums are an excellent way of giving your hair some added nourishment. Using a serum for promoting healthy hair that grows fuller and thicker gives you a more concentrated dosage of nutrients that are necessary for hair thickening. Hair serum is easy enough to integrate into your regular hair routine. Though it’s an added step, the benefits you get from giving your hair some extra bit of care are worth it.
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A great hair thickening serum to start out with is the Pureauty Naturals Biotin Hair Serum. It combines biotin, Pro-Vitamin B5, and other active ingredients that promote the growth of thicker and healthy hair. It’s suitable for all hair types, whether you have curly hair or colored tresses. To get the best results with this hair serum, we recommend to leave it in your hair to infuse into your follicles overnight.
4. Minoxidil
A popular treatment for male pattern baldness, minoxidil is a topical medicine that stimulates hair growth and slows down balding. It’s believed to work by increasing blood flow around hair follicles and stimulating follicle movement to the hair growth phase. Minoxidil will then extend the growth phase of your hair follicles, making your head look much fuller with hair.
It’s important to note, however, that minoxidil should not be considered as a receding hairline treatment. It works best for people who experience hair loss towards the crown of the scalp. Continuous use of minoxidil can result in thicker hair regrowth, though it may take some time before you get visible results. Maintaining these results will require you to consistently use minoxidil, so weigh the pros and cons before you commit to this form of treatment.
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Though there are several minoxidil products, one popular choice among many men is Rogaine. The Men’s Rogaine 5% Minoxidil Foam is an easy-to-apply treatment that boosts hair follicle activity and hair protein production. Through this, hair follicles are revived to grow fuller over time. It’s also safe for use on permed or color-treated hair and is meant to be applied twice a day.
5. Hair Vitamins
When it comes to hair vitamins for men who want thicker hair, it’s best to look for something that contains biotin as a key ingredient. Biotin is a B-vitamin that is often used as a means of fighting hair loss. Since biotin deficiency is linked to hair thinning, biotin supplements are believed to improve hair growth and are thus often used as a hair thickener.
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Many hair vitamins for men include biotin, but if you want something with high biotin strength, then go for the Natrol Biotin Beauty Tablets. These tablets include the suggested maximum biotin dosage in hair vitamins for men, so you can be assured that you’re getting enough biotin a day. Natrol’s tablets will not only help with your hair growth, but they’ll also help maintain healthy skin and nails. They’re also 100% vegetarian, so they won’t be a problem for people on veggie diets.
6. DHT Blockers
DHT blockers are another form of medication used to treat hair loss. Finasteride is the most common drug when it comes to DHT blockers; it works by blocking dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a male sex hormone that is said to cause shrinkage in hair follicles. Similar to minoxidil, finasteride is designed for long-term consistent use. Thus, significant results might not show until you’ve been on finasteride for a couple of months.
As is the case with most drugs, finasteride is not without its own set of side effects. These may include impotence, rashes, headaches, and abnormal ejaculation, among others. Results and efficiency of finasteride can vary, though many men have reported finding an increase in hair amount and improvement of overall hair quality after taking finasteride for hair loss.
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Finasteride comes in a tablet form, but it is only available for purchase with a prescription from your doctor. However, many DHT-blocking hair vitamins for men contain saw palmetto, a more natural alternative to finasteride. One medication that uses saw palmetto to inhibit DHT is the HairGenics Propidren Hair Supplement. Besides having saw palmetto as a primary ingredient, Propidren also includes biotin to further fortify brittle hair. Using a supplement like Propriden alongside hair growth shampoo for men could help improve your hair quality and decrease hair loss in the long run.
7. Laser Treatment
Laser therapy is another option to consider when you’re looking into viable solutions on how to make your hair thicker. Theoretically, laser treatments promote better circulation and stimulation that boost hair follicles to grow hair. Since it’s non-invasive and painless, laser treatments for hair loss are a popular option among men who are looking into how to get thicker hair.
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You can look into clinics that offer laser treatments for hair regrowth, but there are certain tools that are readily available for your convenience. One such device is the iRestore Laser Cap, an FDA-cleared laser hair growth system that can be worn from the comfort of your home. This medical device is used to treat hair loss, hair thinning, and receding hairlines in both men and women. Some hair fall might occur upon initial use of the laser cap, but this is normal as your scalp is merely making room for new hair to grow. It’s recommended to use the iRestore Laser Cap consistently for optimal results, though visible improvements can be seen as early as 3 months of usage.
8. Essential Oils
For a more natural option on how to make your hair thicker, you can consider essential oils as a potential treatment. Navigating the world of essential oils can be overwhelming since there are so many formulations to choose from. There are many benefits to essential oils, but when it comes to oils for how to make your hair thicker, rosemary oil is one of the best ones to consider. Rosemary essential oil is said to stimulate hair growth and strengthen circulation. Additionally, it’s also great for treating dry or itchy scalp and may be used to prevent dandruff.
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Thanks to its antioxidant properties, the inclusion of rosemary oil into your daily regimen can be beneficial not just to your hair, but to your skin and even mood as well. The Rosemary Essential Oil from Maple Holistics is excellent for this since it can be used in different ways. Made from 100% rosemary oil, Maple Holistics’ essential oil can be used for aromatherapy purposes, as a massage oil, or as a supplement to your skincare routine.
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Besides rosemary oil, cedarwood essential oil is also beneficial for hair growth. Cedarwood essential oil can help balance the natural oils on your scalp. This stimulates your scalp for healthier hair growth. Go for something like the UpNature Cedarwood Essential Oil, which can also be used as a spot treatment alternative. This is thanks to the antifungal and antibacterial properties of cedarwood essential oil. Ultimately, using cedarwood essential oil in tandem with rosemary oil can help improve your fighting chances against hair loss and hair thinning.
9. Hair Fibers
Though more of a concealment option than an actual method of how to make your hair thicker, hair fibers are great for days when you want something quick and easy. Hair fibers are a temporary “treatment” to hair loss, as they give the illusion of having fuller hair.
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If you want something that looks natural but can effectively conceal the look of thinning hair, we highly recommend that you give the Toppik Hair Building Fibers a try. Applying these fibers will allow you to achieve the look of fuller hair in an instant. The Toppik hair fibers are resistant to rain, sweat, and wind, so you won’t have to worry about any fading throughout the day. Plus, shade matching is convenient thanks to Toppik’s selection of hair colors as well. Hair fibers might just be a temporary fix, but they’re easy to use and are ideal for when you want to know how to make your hair thicker without much hassle.
Best Hairstyles For Thin Hair
On the topic of concealing thin hair instead of opting for a more permanent fix, you can also choose to get a haircut that makes your hair look fuller. Your hairstyle doesn’t have to be unstylish just because your hair’s beginning to thin out, after all.
Comb-Over
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By sporting a comb-over, you can effectively conceal areas where your hair runs a little thinner. All you’ll have to do is comb your hair over to whichever side seems to be lacking in fullness. Comb-overs always look sleek and suave, so they’re a great hairstyle that can work well with any gentleman regardless of hair thickness.
Slicked-Back
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In the same way the comb-over hairstyle helps to conceal thinning parts of your hair, pushing your hair back can also help you pull off a similar look. It can help turn a receding hairline into a hairstyle that’s simple but stylish. Best of all, it’s low maintenance and casual.
Bald
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Coming to terms with thinning hair can be tough. However, sometimes the best way to overcome this hurdle is to simply embrace what you don’t have. Why not ditch the hair altogether and go for something as bold as having no hair at all? Bald men exude an air of confidence, so follow suit and work what you’ve got instead of fighting against it.
All in all, figuring out how to make your hair thicker can be a very personal experience that differs from one person to the next. Moreover, the best products for hair growth and thickness will only be as effective as you allow them to. Getting results means hard work and discipline on your end as well, so be sure to be consistent and maintain your hair care routine.
If age is a factor in your hair care journey, then check out some hairstyles for older men for some style ideas and inspiration. If you want to keep your hair short, check out these short haircuts for men that suit different face shapes.
Without a doubt, you can look stylish and dapper no matter what your age or what your size. Thinning hair may come with age, but that doesn’t have to stop you from looking more handsome as you get older.
