How to Get Thicker Hair, According to Three Top Trichologists

Density

First, look at density. For instance, you may have thick strands but just not many of them. Kingsley says you can improve density by taking care of the scalp—that is, cleansing frequently—and making sure to eat well with three balanced meals a day that include proteins and carbohydrates. She also suggests looking into products and supplements that target hair density, such as biotin, vitamin B12, vitamin D, zinc, and iron.

Volume

Next, you can look at your hair volume. If you’re predetermined to have finer strands, there are ways of inflating and boosting them to encourage the appearance of thickness, which is where styling and cuts come in.

Here are some pro-recommended ways for how to get thicker hair…

Think of food as hair fuel.

Good hair starts with good health, so think of food as hair fuel. “Always start with what you are putting in your body, as your quality of nutrition will dictate the quality and quantity of raw materials your body has to work with to make new tissue, like hair,” says Richardson. “Excessive hair shedding is very commonly down to deficiency within the body, so making sure you are consuming a diet rich in protein, omega 3 and 6, vitamin D, and vitamin Bs is essential.”

She continues, “Remember your hair is just one long strand of dead protein, but your whole body also relies on access to protein to repair and make new cells. Your body’s cells will take priority over your hair if protein becomes a limited resource.”

Kingsley agrees. “Eating a healthy, balanced, and varied diet is key,” she says. “The impact that nutrition has on hair growth should not be underestimated. As hair is nonessential tissue, and hair cells are the second fastest growing cells your body makes, its nutritional requirements are very high.”

Only supplement if you actually need to.

It can be tempting to start shopping as soon as your hair isn’t playing ball, but hair-growth supplements shouldn’t be your first and only solution. (See above: Start with your diet.) “Supplements can be helpful, but they are there to supplement,” says Richardson. “If your levels are already good, chances are that supplement isn’t adding further value to your body and will likely be excreted out or may even cause complications if levels build up too high. An excellent diet should always come first.”