Thinning hair is a very common beauty woe shared by women from forty-something-plus. We are not necessarily talking full-blown, harmone-related/ stress-related hair loss: simply the fact that over the time, there seems to be less to play with - and most of us could do with a little extra oomph in the hair department.
Have your blood checked to see if you're missing any nutrients. If thinning is associated with the menopause, it could be that you are missing some nutrients - in particular, iron. Women often lose hair around the hairline in pregnancy but it grows back - whereas menopause-related hair loss seldom does.
Work with what you have got. Talk to your stylist about the best hair cut for your face and shape - and the amount of hair you have. Take pictures with you of styles you like (as with any haircut, frankly), but in particular talk to your stylist about how practical that style might be for you, with your individual volume of hair (or lack of....)
- Shorter hair is almost always easier to manage - and looks younger and fresher; in addition, length weighs the hair down, so shorter may equal bouncier. Shorter-than-chin-length bobs or more gamine cuts may suit heart-shaped faces with a 'right-angled' jaw-line, but won't suit anyone with longer face.
- Actually, there is a simple equation to see if short hair will work for you. If measurement from your ear lobe straight down to the level of your chin is more than 5.5 cm/ 2 in, you probably won't suit shorter hair. Truly!
- A chin-length bob often works well for women with finer hair (but do remember hair will 'lift' when its dry, so it should be good centimeter below your chin when wet).
- If you are tall, broad-shouldered and anything less than slender, bear in mind that you need enough hair on your head to balance your body shape.
Camouflage any hair loss at the hairline. The hairline is the first thing people notice about you, so if your hairline is receding, try a soft, graduated fringe - side swept if you like. Damp hair down in the morning and pop a couple of big rollers in it to keep the oomph up (or use heated rollers).
Don't try to put too much volume in. On some heads, all that extra va-va-voom will just go flat after a couple of hours; better to choose a sleeker, lower-maintenance style requiring less wrist action.
Prep hair for styling with volumising shampoo and conditioner. Then use a specific thickening lotion or volumising mousse.
Apply a regular strengthening treatment
Never overuse heated hair appliances. Dryers, straighteners, curling tongs, etc will damage and weaken hair. When drying, towel hair to damp then lift the roots with a smallish brush or your fingers. Put medium size Velcro rollers on and around the top, let hair dry while you do your make-up. Remove rollers and finer-comb or brush smooth.
Between washes, use a dry shampoo. It gives extra volume.
Consider coloring your hair. Coloring your hair tends to make it thicker because the processing actually swells the hair. A good option for non-grey or partially grey hair is an overall tint. - no more than a shade or two from your natural color (VERY important), with balayage (highlights) to lift the effect and make it look more natural.
Discover the upside to grey hair. Grey hair is naturally coarser and thicker than pigmented hair - so don't fight the grey, but instead concentrate on keeping it in great condition. Depending on your skin tone, consider adding soft blonde highlights. NB; if you have grey hair, never have a 'mumsy' cut, and remember make-up helps stop you fading into the background.
Back-combing can be helpful. But again don't overdo it; ask your stylist to show you how to just tease the roots before you put in Velcro rollers, or when you take them out.
Try a quick fix, when hair's flat. Turn your hair upside down, and vigorously rub your scalp with your fingertips. It won't last long but you'll get a welcome instant lift. (Long enough for a lunch or a meeting, anyway)