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Hair Loss Styling Tips for Women
Women experience hair loss or thinning for any number of reasons, from genetics to hormone fluctuations to the side effects of chemotherapy. Regardless of the cause, you don't have to deal with the embarrassment of a bald spot or thin hair when a little styling magic can give you back the look of terrific tresses.
Hiding Hair Loss With Hair Pieces and Wigs
The strategy to best cover up hair loss depends on where the hair loss has occurred and what the area looks like, says Charisse Spalding, a professional hairstylist for more than 20 years and owner of Personal Image Hair Salon in Louisville, Ky.
Toupee-style hair pieces, which are designed to cover a small area, are good for women with a bald spot or significant thinning on the top of the head. Extensions, which are popular with women who want to add length to their regular hair, may be used to replace lost or thinned hair. "A lot of women can get an extension on top of their head that blends in with the rest of their hair," says Spalding. "If you have hair underneath and it's thinning, you can get extensions the same length as your hair as a filler."
Women with extensive hair loss or who are very self-conscious about it have the option of wearing full wigs. Be sure to choose a natural hair wig that has a “breathable†base, Spalding suggests.
Hiding Hair Loss With Color
Hair coloring can help to mask hair loss and make hair look fuller and thicker — you just have to know the right tricks.
Color your hair using a slightly darker shade of color on the scalp area, says Spalding, and color the remaining hair one shade lighter. This will give the illusion of fuller, denser hair and will help to cover spots that are thinning. For the most natural look, have your color done by a professional.
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Styling Around Hair Loss
The right hairstyle can help mask a bald spot and thinning. It's not about short hair vs. long hair — it's about the way hair is cut and styled. You can add more body to the hair to camouflage the area, no matter the length, says Spalding. This is achieved by cutting layers, which can make any hair look fuller. In fact, Spalding recommends that every woman with thinning hair opt for a hairstyle that involves layers. "If they don't, the hair lays heavy and thinning shows through."
Another technique is to style your hair in a way that boosts volume, making your hair full and bouncy rather than having it lie straight or flat against your head. Try using Velcro rollers or hot rollers, a volume-adding mousse, or a round brush and a blow dryer to style your hair. Avoid heavy gels and other products than can weigh hair down.
Hair Loss: What’s the Cause?
When Spalding sees a long-time client who is losing her hair, she asks the client what could be causing it and says that women may not always realize that they're experiencing hair loss, let alone know the reason. Spalding points out the difference between hair breakage, which can cause thinning from overuse of heated styling tools, like flat irons or curling irons, and hair loss that could be caused by dietary problems or other reasons.
Taking good care of your hair can prevent thinning caused by breakage, but some hair loss goes deeper than that. Talk to your hairstylist if you notice your hair thinning, and head to a doctor for a diagnosis and treatment recommendations for hair loss if you find that it isn't related to any damage from styling products and tools.
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