Nowadays, thick hair seems to be the trend and admired by most women, including many of my patients. There are myriads of shampoos, solutions, conditioners and color correctors that promise to thicken up thin hair.
However, there are also those patients whose hair is too thick and has become extremely difficult to manage and also difficult to style as per their wishes and whims.
Thinning out hair is possible, but the first one needs to decide whether one wants a lighter look or whether one is willing to lose some locks.
Thinning out hair is possible, but the first one needs to decide whether one wants a lighter look or whether one is willing to lose some locks.
Beauty parlors have hair thinning processes known as hair texture. However, these can burn a hole in one’s pocket, especially, if done on a regular basis. In contrast, a homemade remedy to thick hair provides a less costly and reliable way to manage thick hair.
In this article, you will read about the home-made remedies on ‘how to thin hair.’
This article is intended for them and thousands of others who face the same problem.
Read on to learn about the possible solutions.
Table of Contents
How To Thin Hair Naturally?
Method 1: Use Thinning Shears
Well, I am sure that the first impression most of you would have got when I referred to thinning shears must have been of scissors. They are similar and do look similar, but they are not the same.
Thinning shears are significantly sharper than scissors and intended specifically for cutting hair. Shears range in size from about 5 to 7 inches long. They commonly have an add-on, known as a finger brace or tag, attached to one of the finger rings.
They are designed in such a way that they can cut about 15% of the hair, in turn ensuring that the hair is still in shape but with less volume and density.
You can use a razor as well, but you have to be ultra-careful while doing so as even a slight mistake can lead to cuts in the skins or injury somewhere else.
When thinning your hair with shears/razor, there are five steps which are to be followed which are as follows,
Step 1: Completely Clean And Dry Your Hair
When you cut your hair with scissors, it is ideal to have wet hair as you have more control over the style.
But, in the case of thinning shears, it is better to have clean and dry hair as wet hair tends to appear more heavy and voluminous making it difficult to judge exactly how much hair is to be removed to thin out the hair.
Here, it is also essential to ensure that you shampoo and dry your hair as you normally do and not apply any styling products as these may prevent your hair from looking natural, thereby, making it more difficult to thin out the hair. Also, it may lead to hair getting stuck in the shears while thinning.
Step 2: Choose A Small Section Of Your Hair To Thin Out
It is better to thin out one section of hair at a time rather than trying out the whole mass of hair at once. This is done to ensure that the thinning is uniform throughout. Any unevenness can make the hair look messy.
A small part of the hair, ideally a fist-full needs to be taken and held away from the head and clipped with the shears.
Step 3: Use Thinning Shears To Cut Hair To The Shaft
Place the shears halfway up your hair shaft, near your ears, close the shears over the hair and open it to about half down the length of your hair and close it again. Repeat this process until you reach the tip of your hair shaft.
Step 4: Comb The Thinned Part Of Your Hair
After you are done thinning out the section of hair, comb it nicely in order to remove all the stray chopped-off pieces of hair. This also gives you an exact idea of how the hair looks after thinning and whether more thinning is required. If you feel more thinning is required go through the above process again.
Step 5: Repeat The Same Procedure For The Remaining Part Of Your Hair
After you are done with the first section repeat the same for the remaining part of your hair and ensure that it is thinned uniformly.
Also, make sure that you do not thin out the extreme back or extreme front of your hair, that is, at the root as this will damage your hair.
Method 2: Style Your Hair Differently
Sometimes, the culprit to your thickening may lie nowhere else but in the way, you style your hair itself.I suggest the following ways to style your hair which will ensure your hair does not thicken up
1. Tell Your Stylist To Cut Your Hair In Layers
Tell your stylist that your hair feels very voluminous and heavy and that you need your hair to be cut in layers so that the hair feels lighter and looks much thinner. Avoid short-cuts as that may cause hair to mushroom out from your scalp until it grows long enough to lie flat on your head.
2. Wear Your Hair Straight
Sometimes, even a simple thing such as wearing the hair straight may do the trick. Wearing the hair in waves, curls and frizzes tend to lump up a bunch of hair at one spot making it feel and look a lot thicker than it actually is.
Method 3: Change Your Hair Care Routine
Just a simple tweak such as changing the way you care for your hair can make a considerable difference in the thickness of your hair. Following are some of the simple tweaks I suggest
1. Completely Dry Your Hair Before You Sleep
If your hair is wet before sleeping makes sure to dry it before sleeping. Sleeping with wet hair can cause many problems as the hair to mat and tangle while sleeping etc.
2. Wash Your Hair In Cold Water
When you wash your hair with hot water, it opens up the shaft and can cause it to dry out, which causes frizz and the inflammation that tends to come along with thick hair.
Using cold water means the hair shaft is even and can be smoother, reducing frizz and quantity that can happen with hot water.
If you dislike washing with cold water, you can wash in lukewarm water. If you bathe in hot water, you can cover your hair with a shower cap while bathing and wash your hair later with cold water.
3. Do Not Wash Your Hair Daily
If you wash your hair daily, it will lead to loss of the natural oils which are essential for the hair to look smooth and healthy making it dry and cause it to break easily. It is ideal to wash it every three to four days so that the hair remains smooth, thin and easily manageable.
4. Dry Your Hair With A Blow-Dryer
It is better to dry your hair using a blow-dryer rather than a towel as drying hair with a towel causes it to lose its shape and get tangled making it feel thick and hard to manage.
5. Stop Using Conditioners And Agents
Conditioners contain chemicals which make the hair look thicker than it is actually is.
Use apple cider vinegar instead in order to get soft hair that does not look too thick. Take an old conditioner or spray bottle and mix half vinegar and half water in it and spray it all over your hair after you finish shampooing.
Post this, your hair will look nice and smooth and also not thick at the same time.
6. Make Use Of Volume-Reducing Hair Products
There are certain gels and creams that are available in the market which reduce the volume of hair and make it feel thinner.
Look for a product which matches your hair texture and use it according to the specifications on the package.
Avoid products that increase the volume of hair instead of reducing it.
Other Methods
There are certain unconventional methods available as well which I suggest which can help to thin out your hair.
a. Make Your Hair Into Ponytails
Ponytails look cute and can also make your hair look and feel much thinner. You could also add some accessories to your hair to make your ponytails look attractive.
b. Apply A Straightening Balm
Applying a straightening balm to your hair before you blow-dry it will ensure it does not get coiled or tangled.
c. Get A Keratin Treatment Done
Keratin is a fibrous structural protein which is a key constituent of the hair. Over a period of time, the keratin in the hair can reduce, causing the hair to become unhealthy and lose its shape.
A keratin treatment packs your hair with the protein making it smooth and more manageable. A keratin treatment should ideally be done every three to four months so that the hair remains completely healthy.
d. Cut Your Hair Short
A good way to thin out your hair is to get rid of some of the hair. This is not preferable though as the hair takes a long time to grow back, maybe, even years.
e. Donate Your Hair
A better solution to get rid of your hair is to donate it. This ensures you get rid of excess hair and also end up doing service to society. The hair is used by certain organizations to make wigs which can be worn by people who do not have hair.
Finally, I would say that besides following the above methods it is also essential to BE PATIENT and not expect miracles immediately. It may take some time for the hair to thin out satisfactorily.
Hope this article was helpful to you.
Also Read:
