Styling Tips and Hairstyles for Black Women with Thin Hair

Did you know that 50% of women all over the world suffer from hair loss? Although alopecia is associated with men, all ethnicity and gender suffer from hair loss and hair thinning. African-American women are blessed with thick hair, but too much styling can cause hair thinning.

Let’s face it, the hair is the first thing that people notice about a person. When the hair starts to thin out, it can affect a woman’s self-esteem. Hair loss can also cause mental distress that’s why most women are willing to pay thousands of dollars on hair products and treatments to induce hair re-growth. If say, you have naturally thin hair or your hair is starting to thin out as you age, consider these styling tips and hairstyles:

Avoid Layers

Layering curly hair is best left for black women with thick, flowing hair. If your hair starts thinning, get a shorter haircut instead. A shorter ‘do will give the illusion of thicker, healthier hair. Plus points for easier styling in the morning! A short, angled bob is a great way to give the appearance of thicker hair. The same thing goes for a smooth pixie, curly bob, or a cropped pixie like Lupita Nyong’o!

Experiment with Parting

Parting your hair in different directions can add fullness and volume to flat, thinning hair. Start by experimenting with different parts and secure it with bobby pins of you have long hair. If you have a shorter ‘do – like a bob – you can use a styling spray to keep the hair in place. A side messy part adds a carefree, hippie-chic vibe while a zigzag part adds extra bounce to thinning tresses.

Playing with Curls

If you have healthy but thinning hair, experiment with different curls to add fullness to thinning hair. Loose waves or medium curls will give volume to straight hair. Just make sure to provide the tresses enough protection from the heat to prevent damage.

Hair Extensions and Weaves

For black women with very short hair, try getting a weave or hair extensions to conceal bald spots or thinning hair. Hair extensions and weaves are made with either synthetic or real, human hair. They are used to let the natural hair grow to a certain length or experiment with hairstyles that require longer hair strands.

Chignon

For long-haired women who do not want to cut their hair, wear your hair into a chignon instead. A Chignon is a hairstyle wherein the hair is gathered into a knot that sits low on a woman’s head. You can experiment with different variations of the chignon to give the appearance of fuller hair.

The Twist

The twist is a hairstyle wherein sections of the hair are twisted instead of braided to achieve the overall effect of dreadlocks. It’s the perfect hairstyle for black women with very tight curls. Twisted hair makes the best base for various hairstyles. It can also protect the natural hair from stress and give the illusion of longer, thicker hair!

Before styling your hair into a twist, apply a hydrating pomade to the length of your hair to protect the strands from breakage. Comb through the hair with a large-toothed comb and separate a one-inch section near the nape. Now, separate the section into two smaller ones, wrapping one side over the other in a twist. Keep twisting until you reach the tips of your hair.