You might expect hair loss to be obvious, but the early signs are so subtle that you could actually miss the small window of opportunity to restore your hair’s fullness and volume.
"Genetics play a major role in hair thinning; however lifestyle factors such as stress, diet and hormonal changes can also lead to hair loss," explains stylist to the Swedish royals and Björn Axén CEO, Johan Hellström.
"Hair loss can also be linked to the health of the scalp since an imbalanced scalp can prevent hair growth."
While spotting early signs of hair thinning may be tricky, getting to the root cause is actually easier to suss out than you might think.
Stylists to the stars breakdown some of the less-than-obvious signs your hair is thinning and how to treat it.
Causes of hair loss and thinning
"The most common types of hair loss we tend to see are due to hair shedding and breakage," explains trichologist and owner of Philip Kingsley, Anabel Kingsley.
"Telogen Effluvium – known as hair shedding – is usually triggered by an internal disturbance to the body such as, but not limited to, illness, stress, postpartum or nutritional changes or deficiencies.
"The shedding occurs usually six to 12 weeks after the event that triggered it, so it is always important to look back to pinpoint the reason," Kingsley says.
Breakage is another cause of hair thinning. "This often occurs from dryness or damaged hair, causing hair to become weak and brittle, and breaks due to moisture depletion," she adds.
While hair care plays a factor, other reasons for sudden hair thinning can be down to "hormonal changes, medications, excessive styling or simply due to ageing," Rainbow Room‘s director Wil Fleeson.
The first sign of hair thinning
You may now be looking at your hair brush and starting to panic, but it’s normal to shed strands of up to 100 a day.
"But if you see a fluctuation where you are shedding too much hair or many more hairs than what you consider to be your ‘normal’, then this will usually indicate some internal disturbance or imbalance," explains Kingsley.
Some of the first signs of hair thinning include, "a noticeable widening of the hair parting, a receding hairline – which is more common in men but can also occur in women, a weaker hair texture – so hair that feels finer and lacks volume – and slower hair growth," explains Dr Nora, medical dermatology doctor at Rejuvenation Clinic.
How you can prevent hair thinning
"Your hair is a clear barometer of how you feel," explains Hellström, "it’s the first thing to deteriorate when you have a mineral deficiency, for example, so diet is key."
Like most issues, prevention is easier than the cure.
"Take a look at what you’re putting into your body, not just applying to your head," notes celebrity stylist and Fudge Professional global ambassador Jonathan Andrew, "Upping your vitamin and omega 3 supplements, and adding nuts and seeds such as walnuts, Brazil nuts, almonds, chia seeds can play a key role in hair growth."
For active hair thinning, Kingsley recommends addressing hormonal sensitivity with "hair follicle stimulants such as methyl nicotinate," along with anti-androgenic medications, stress management and prescription scalp drops.
Minoxidil is another ingredient to look out for that is known to support hair growth. "This can be used for both male and female hair loss," notes Andrew.
Björn Axén Scalp Detox Scrub, €23
Habits that can contribute to hair thinning
"Pulling your hair back too tightly can cause breakage, and in severe cases, traction alopecia," Kingsley warns. "If a style is giving you a headache, it’s too tight."
She also advises against using a boar bristle brush, as "it can scratch both the hair and scalp, causing substantial accumulative damage. Use a brush with long, flexible plastic prongs."
Of course, like most issues when it comes to our hair, heat can be a big culprit. "Overuse of heated styling tools is one of the worst contributors," says Fleeson.
"Not only does heat flatten the follicle, but if already damaged, this can weaken it further and damage the hair shaft, resulting in breakage and excess thinning."
Philip Kingsley Vented Paddle Brush, €31.45, Look Fantastic
The best hairstyle for thinning hair
There are some hairstyles that are naturally more flattering for thinning hair.
"For guys, if the hair is thinning at the front or on top, a shorter crop can work very well," says Andrew, "waxes and pastes can also be used to boost texture and volume."
"For women, short bobs with graduation, texture and invisible layers can be a great solution," he says. "Very long hair probably won’t do you any favours, as this will pull the hair flat."
For those looking for a quick fix, master stylist at Josh Wood Colour Katherine De Rozario suggests "the root smudge technique."
The creates a root shadow by dabbing a slightly lighter hair colour to your roots, resulting in fully covered roots and a seamless blend from root to highlight.
"It creates the appearance of a fuller hairline while also covering greys," says De Rozario.
L’Oreal Paris Magic Retouch Brown Root Touch Up, €11.99, Boots
Fudge Professional Clean Mint Shampoo, €14, Look Fantastic
