Figuring out how to tell if your hair is thinning out is actually an art of careful observation. While you might think hair loss would be blatant, the early signs are so subtle that you might miss that window of opportunity where you can get your hair back to looking as full and voluminous as it once was.
But fear not: Not only is it a natural process that happens to pretty much everyone, but it’s also pretty fixable—if you catch it in time. “While hair thinning is normal, almost all hair thinning can be treated by a dermatologist,” says Neera Nathan, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and chief dermatological advisor at Vegamour. “It is completely normal to seek care if it bothers you.”
The road to fuller-looking and healthier hair starts here, with a breakdown of less-than-obvious signs of hair thinning and ways to treat it. Read on to see what the experts had to say.
- Several factors can speed up or worsen the process of hair shedding, but the most common ones are stress, hormones, and age.
- Signs that your hair is thinning include a thinner ponytail, a more visible scalp, and brittle strands.
- Using the right hair products and supplements may help stimulate hair growth. For more severe cases, there are in-office treatments such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy that may help.
What causes thinning hair?
Several factors can speed up or worsen the process of hair shedding. Dr. Nathan says stress, hormones, and age are the most common causes of hair loss. Hair and skin health are also indicators of our internal health and immune system. “Vitamin deficiencies and protein deficiency can lead to hair thinning,” she explains. “So can extreme physical or emotional stress, like childbirth or loss of a loved one.” Shilpi Khetarpal, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist and clinical advisor at Great Many, agrees and adds that inflammatory conditions on the scalp, such as psoriasis or seborrheic dermatitis, can also result in hair loss.
Early Stages of Hair Thinning
What does hair thinning actually look like? Most signs of hair loss start off so slow and subtle that you might miss them if you’re not monitoring these slight changes. But the five most common ones to look out for are:
A Thinner Ponytail
If you’re putting up your hair for specific hairstyles, especially for a ponytail, pay attention to how much hair fits through that hair tie. If you find yourself wrapping your hair tie around more times than before to secure your ponytail, Dr. Nathan says, it can be a subtle hint that you’ve lost some density in your hair.
A More Visible Scalp
This happens to both men and women, but in different parts of the head. Men will typically see a receding hairline (“We call it the M-pattern recession of the frontal hairline,” Dr. Khetarpal says) and thinning around the top of the head. For women, they will notice their natural part getting wider or a more visible scalp overall. But this is a gradual change, so you may not notice it right away.
Wispy Hairs
The appearance of short, wispy hair may also be a sign that your hair is thinning, as it shows miniaturized hair follicles, according to Dr. Nathan. But she notes that wispy hair often gets confused for breakage, so it might be something you take note of.
Brittle and Fragile Strands
Once your hair starts to become more damaged, you’ll notice that it will also lose a lot of volume. Dr. Khetarpal adds that brittle and fragile hair that comes quite suddenly may be something that you’ll want to determine the underlying cause of ASAP.
Shedding
It’s important to differentiate between normal shedding and hair thinning (and some people may even experience both). How do you tell if your hair is shedding or thinning? Shedding is common, and losing about 100 to 150 strands a day is completely normal. When it gets excessive, it may be a sign that your hair is thinning. Certified trichologist Bridgette Hill explains that many triggers can lead to this, including hormonal changes, weight loss, diet, poor nutrition, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, stress, prescription-medicine intake, products used, and styling habits.
Marisa Garshick, MD, board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology, adds that hair thinning is a gradual reduction in hair density or a decrease in the diameter of individual strands. “This can be a gradual process and may be seen in androgenetic alopecia as hairs may become finer over time and may result in more scalp showing, a widening part, or decreased volume of hair.”
How to Prevent Further Thinning
The good news is that there are several options you can turn to that will help stimulate hair growth—in most instances. “It’s important to remember that hair loss is what we call multifactorial,” says Dr. Khetarpal. “There are often multiple factors that cause it and multiple ways it needs to be treated to see improvement.” The most common forms of prevention (and treatment) include the following:
Using the Right Hair Products
One of the easiest hair-loss treatments is a topical solution you can incorporate into your hair-care routine. Dr. Nathan recommends starting with shampoos that specifically help stimulate hair growth, and even points to dandruff shampoos, as they can help reduce the amount of hair that sheds. Dr. Khetarpal agrees and says to look for ingredients such as zinc pyrithione or ketoconazole.