How to Make Thin Hair Act Fat

Whether your hair has always been baby fine or has gotten thinner over the years, you are not alone. It’s a common 50-plus issue. Hair only grows a half-inch a month, so even if you pop hair gummies daily, you’ll still be dealing with the same wimpy locks for at least six months to a year (and opinions vary greatly in the medical and hair community as to whether these extras really help). Many women want a faster fix — something less drastic than extensions but more immediately visible than daily applications of minoxidil (the topical regrowth treatment). Here are six easy ways to make thin hair act fat.

(Left to right) Parker Posey, Emily Mortimer and Robin Wright

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1. Snip in plumpness with a bob or lob.

Long hair may be trending for women 50-plus, but long thin hair just looks stringy. Do it a favor and stop confusing length with density. For a guaranteed and super-fashionable solution, head to the salon for a chin-length bob or mid-to-shoulder-length lob (long bob), either with a blunt edge. Both chops eliminate straggly ends pronto, while the crisp bottom line hangs together for a fuller look. If your hair is thin at the front but thicker at the back, ask your stylist about a swingy A-line version — slighter shorter at the nape (thanks to invisible stacked layers) but longer at the sides. If your hair is sparse at the temples, adding long sideswept bangs or feathery full ones to your bob or lob provides stylish camouflage in front.

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(Left to right) Savannah Guthrie, Jennifer Garner and Allison Janney

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2. Get highlights to make hair look and feel fatter.

Whether you opt for foils or balayage (freehand-painted highlights), a full head of highlights or just superfine baby lights around the face, adding contrasting tones of color (instead of keeping hair a solid tone) turns visually scrawny strands zaftig. It’s not just an illusion — color physically coats the hair shaft and expands it for textural heft. If your thinning hair is also weak or baby fine, a pro colorist can choose the right “lights” to minimize the stress of chemicals. Ask for low-contrast highlights (a.k.a. blended highlights) to give multi-tone hair the most natural effect and avoid a stripy zebra look.