Hair Care Routine for Fine, Thin Hair

Hi friends! In today’s post, I’m going to be updating you on my hair care situation. I get a ton of compliments and questions about hair care, which shocks me for a few reasons. 1. I do not consider myself hair care savvy. I’m pretty low maintenance in that department and aim to do the least amount of work as possible. 2. I’ve been struggling with hair loss for about 1 1/2 years, which has affected my self-esteem considerably. So when I get hair compliments, it’s a really big deal.

I’ll preface by saying I’m not the most well versed in the realm of hair care, and I’m not even sure this hair care routine will be my constant forever. But it is what I’m using now and have been enjoying.

The Hair Situation:

I have fine, thin hair that is not color treated. It’s also naturally straight.

The Back Story

My journey considers a back story explanation, and I’ll try to keep it brief. About 2 years ago, I thought I was seeing effects of hair loss. I was seeing more scalp around the front of my hairline. I accounted it to wearing it in a ponytails too much or using too much heat. So I stopped. However, about 6 months later, my hair was falling out in handfuls. And I was noticing larger, sparse areas–specifically in the front on the right side and toward the back. And my ponytails were getting thinner and thinner. I won’t even lie, it freaked me the f*ck out! My already thin hair was coming out in large handfuls. Literally, I thought I’d wind up bald. So I made an appointment with a dermatologist.

Immediately we ruled out genetics and major trauma or stresses. While I have a few small psoriasis patches on my scalp, we also ruled that out as the cause of the loss. They weren’t in the same places I was losing hair. She also felt the hair loss was nothing I was causing by outward forces like styling. I was only using heat on my hair a few times a week, rarely used product, and hardly wore my hair in tight styles. So we took a look at medications I was on.

At the time, I had switched to a low estrogen birth control and was taking a beta blocker for heart palpitations. My doctor had me switch birth control pills to something with higher levels of estrogen, because hair loss is a common side effect of birth control pills with low estrogen levels. So I did, for about 6 months. I noticed zero change. So I switched from a beta blocker to a different medication that didn’t list hair loss a side effect. Still, no change.

I was then referred to an endocrinologist. Mind you, hair loss was only a partial reason for these referrals. I did have other symptoms and health concerns as well. She cleared my endocrine system as being fine … “perfect” was actually her word, and referred me to a GI doctor to take a look at my stomach and intestines. It turns out a whole lot of problems in your body can cause hair loss. After tests and visits from the GI, I left with a few diagnoses. A gluten sensitivity and a B-12 deficiency, both of which can cause hair loss. That diagnosis came only a couple of months ago. That was 2 years of trying to find a cause with no such luck. However, I did learn a lot from each of these doctors about hair loss.

A Few Lessons In Hair Growth

Everyone’s hair goes through a growth cycle, including the loss of hair. Women in particular have this issue due to rises and falls in iron levels and during various stages of their menstrual cycle. Hormones play a large role as well, along with vitamin and mineral levels, which we already knew. Most hair loss isn’t permanent.

The Routine, Tools, + Products

It’s a little early for me to say confidently that going gluten free and taking B-12 injections has helped my hair loss issue, but time will tell. While I haven’t received a definitive reason as to why my hair started falling out in frightening amounts, I have found a few products and tools that have made a difference.

Back to my hair type. Having fine hair doesn’t mean you have thin hair. You can have fine, dense hair or fine, thin hair, or anything in between. My hair is also naturally straight. Fine hair tends to be limp and lack volume (insert the flashing arrow pointed at me). It also tends to get oily more quickly. Also to note: That little back story was a long explanation to me dealing with hair loss. A lot of my products are focused on regrowth or strengthening what’s already there.

1-2x per week:

I only wash my hair once or twice a week, depending on the week.

Shampoo + Conditioner: With fine hair, it’s a battle between keeping the volume from your shampoo or softening your hair with conditioner. I usually opt for conditioner. I’m currently using the Superfoods Hair Pack from Briogeo. The shampoo/conditioner duo is packed with matcha, apple, and kale to add shine and hydration. I like it. It doesn’t weigh my hair down, which is always a plus. I also like Klorane’s Thickness + Vitality shampoo. I find it really does make my hair look thicker.

When I finally run out of the Briogeo products, I want to give Kristin Ess’s The One Signature Shampoo + Conditioner.

Exfoliating scalp brush: Before washing my hair, I always use a scalp exfoliating brush from Aveda. I will lightly massage it all over my scalp in small circular motions. It helps to looses up any dry skin or product buildup prior to washing and increases microcirculation that can help in hair growth. The looped bristles ensure my hair doesn’t get stuck and tugged out.

1 per week:

Olaplex No. 3:  It’s not a deep conditioner; it’s a bond repairing treatment that’s supposed to strengthen the hair and reduce breakage. Once a week, I will coat my damp hair from root to ends with this and leave it on for 10 minutes. I tend to use this when I’m shaving and exfoliating, so I feel like I’m not wasting water. Then, rinse it out and shampoo/condition like normal.

I 100% have noticed a huge difference in my hair. The actual strands look thicker and feel stronger. I have less split ends and breakage, and it feels healthier. I have already been through one bottle and have purchased a second.

Daily:

Not going to lie, I don’t use any products daily. Like I said, I’m pretty low-key. What I have noticed is that adding something to my diet on a daily basis has made a positive impact.

Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides: I’m usually weary of supplements. The ones I’ve taken in the past just haven’t made an impact. And I already have to take too many pills a day–including my birth control, heart medicine, and anxiety medicine. But this was something different, and I really have been enjoying it for months!

This type of collagen is really easy to integrate into your daily routine. It’s a powder, so it’s simple to add into things you’re already consuming. I add 1-2 scoops to my coffee every morning, but you can add it to smoothies, tea, sauces, etc. Because it’s completely unflavored, you can’t taste it, and it dissolves fully into whatever you’re putting it into. Though, I do think it dissolves better in hot liquid.

Collagen can be great for your hair, skin, and nails as well as your bones and joints. It can also have positive effects of your gut health (which is something I always am in need of, having a gluten intolerance).  But I wanted to mention it in this post, because I have noticed a tremendous difference in the amount of hair I’m losing since taking this. I still have a little more hair loss than normal, but I’ve noticed a decrease since taking collagen daily. Conversely, if I don’t take this regularly, I notice more hair loss.

If you’d like, I can do a more in depth post about collagen and its benefits.

Also: This is not sponsored. Vital Proteins doesn’t even know I’m writing this post.

Other Products:

Turbie Twist: A small change that’s made a big difference in my hair is making the switch to a Turbie Twist. Instead of wrapping a full size towel around my head in the mysterious to men way us women do, I reach for one of these microfiber towels instead. The design makes it simple to put it on and keep it in place. A light weight creates less neck strain in comparison to wrapping a big towel around our hair, and it also makes the pull on your hair less. That is good if you’re worried about breakage. Not to mention, it cuts my blow drying time in half, because of how much water it absorbs. And less heat = healthier hair.

Invisibobbles: Do your hair ties affect your hair that much? Turns out…yeah, they do. Rarely do I use elastic hair ties–only when I’m intentionally using it in a hair style. When I just need to toss my hair up to wash my face or workout (lol, I don’t workout. Why did I type that…let’s say clean), I almost always reach for an Invisibobble. It doesn’t cause any breakage to my hair and doesn’t leave a kink.

Bumble & Bumble Prêt-à-Powder: Since I only wash my hair once a week, you know I’m a dry shampoo gal. I’ve tried most on the market, and I have a few favorites. One being the Prêt-à-Powder. Like I said, I’m low key, which is why this 3-for-1 product is great. It’s part dry shampoo, part style extender, and part volumizer. All I do is squeeze the bottle a little bit at the roots of my hair–the powder puffs out–and leave it sit for a few minutes. Then I really work it into my hair. It absorbs the oil at the roots, adds volume at my crown, and adds a little bit of gritty texture.

That doesn’t sound particularly appealing. But when your hair is as fine as mine, any texture I can get makes styling significantly better. I only use this a few times a week, because I do notice irritating buildup if I use it too much. But I find it’s more lightweight that some other spray dry shampoos and alleviates me having to apply multiple styling products to my hair, which would possibly weigh it down. Another perk? It lasts so much longer than spray dry shampoo. You’re welcome.

Davines Replumping Hair Filler Superactive Spray: I spray this on towel dried hair before blow drying and styling. It’s lightweight and doesn’t weigh my hair down, but does give my locks some nice volume and bounce. I notice my hair looks a bit fuller after using this.

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