Okay, so first of all let’s define thick hair. Very often, people muddle up two different things, the density and the diameter. The density is how many individual strands of hair a person has per square inch of the scalp. This can vary from person to person. While the diameter refers to the thickness of each individual hair strand, again this varies from person to person.
So, what determines density and the individual thickness of hair strands?:
Genetics: According to research, genetics is the primary determinant of hair density and the individual thickness of hair strands. The width and texture of hair are influenced by the various sizes and shapes of hair follicles. And the shape and size of your hair follicles are also determined by genetics. Some people have larger follicles than others, resulting in thicker hair strands.
Health issues: In some cases, thinning or reduced density can be caused by internal hormonal issues like thyroid dysfunction or PCOS. I have worked with clients who had to get these conditions under control before seeing remarkable improvement in their hair.
We also know that nutritional deficiencies like iron, vitamin D, and even magnesium deficiencies can result in both thinning and/or poor-quality hair. Likewise, stress and crash diets can wreak havoc on hair. Medications such as some high-blood pressure tablets and even birth control can also affect hair. Sadly, some long-term medical disorders like Lupus can also result in hair thinning.
Aging: As many people age, they may experience both loss of density and thinner hair strands. This is one of the reasons I nag people to be even more gentle with styling as they age. Your hair is likely to change, don't make it worse with poor styling leading to more hair loss.
Styling: Many women may lose hair and in turn density from hair styling practices, we know for example that braids can stress thin or fine hair and cause some loss over the years.
Okay, we get it. Can we skip to the good part now?
Before we get to the good part, ask yourself this - If hair density and thickness in diameter is linked to our genetics and our genetics cannot be altered, how plausible are products claiming to make your hair thicker? …. that’s correct, most times they are lies or very ill-informed. This is why we do not make wild claims at Ori lifestyle. We are serious about not misleading you. That said, some products can appear to make your hair look thicker e.g. a thickening spray can deposit fibers on strands making it look thicker, but appear thicker and actually make it thicker are two very different things.
Here is the very very good part!! If you have lost density due to styling or poor nutrition or even stress, you can fix these things. For example, there was a remarkable improvement in my density when I stopped braiding and adding extensions back-to-back. I had lost so much hair to bad styling practices and I saw a remarkable improvement when I addressed my styling issues.
Reduce the amount of heat that your hair is exposed to, try letting it air dry sometimes and when you do use heat, take all the necessary precautions.
If you think your diet has influenced your density, try doing the following things:
● Increase your intake of foods that are rich in protein and incorporate leafy greens into your diet. If you are vegan or vegetarian, please pay even more attention to your nutritional needs and supplement with B12. Everyone should ensure they are getting enough Omega 3, so foods like salmon, avocados, and mackerel are recommended because they contain Omega-3 fatty acids, which have promising research behind them where hair health is concerned.
Make sure you are not low in Iron or Vitamin D - we know these two deficiencies can lead to hair loss. And black women in particular are susceptible to these two deficiencies. Medical advice in the UK is for all black people including children to take vitamin D daily, all year round! so take it. Our Vitamin D3&Magnesium supplements are a great recommendation. They are for adults only.
