Hair comes in a variety of lengths, textures, and colors. Sometimes the hair we want isn’t exactly what we see when looking in the mirror. For example, you may long for a head of curls but were born with stick-straight strands. And while there are a variety of tools and styling products to help you achieve the right look, it’s helpful to first determine what kind of hair you have – fine vs. thinning.

While they may sound interchangeable, they’re quite different, and require different care for you to look your best.

Fine Hair

Fine hair means strands of hair are smaller in diameter than other types because it lacks the medulla – or inner structure. Fine hair also has less protein which can make it appear floppy and lifeless. It’s typically smooth in texture and often seen in lighter colors like blonds.  People with fine hair may think they don’t need to condition, but it still requires a balance of lipids, moisture, and protein to prevent it from becoming dry and brittle. Stay away from products that can make fine hair look greasy and weighed-down.

Thin Hair

While fine hair refers to the thickness of each strand, thin hair refers to hair’s density, or how much distance there is between hair follicles. As opposed to other hair types where most follicles contain more than one hair, thin hair contains fewer per follicle. Hair density is determined by genetics.

Thin Vs Thinning

Having thin hair is not the same as thinning, which is hair loss. Nor does being born with thin (or fine, for that matter) make you more prone to hair loss.

When one’s hair is thinning, the quality of the hair is changing for a variety of reasons like age. As a person gets ages their hair starts to grey, the cuticle gets thinner, and the hair becomes more fragile. Additionally, hair’s life cycle slows down meaning more time goes by between the shedding and regrowth phase. What’s more, during “miniaturization” the amount of hair in each follicle can decrease, resulting in a feeling of thinning hair.

To best determine whether you have thin or thinning hair, look for changes over time. If you notice more shedding when you wash or comb, notice more scalp through, or see areas around the hairline start to recess, you are likely experiencing thinning.

Fine, thin, or thinning – you can’t tell the difference. All you know is that you’re concerned about current – or the potential for future – hair loss. If that’s the case, don’t guess, contact. DiStefano Hair Restoration Center, that is. We’ll analyze your hair for you and, depending on its type, recommend a sound hair treatment plan. And should we discover that thinning is underway, we’ll explain, step by step, how we can help you restore your full head of lustrous hair.  Contact us for a free consultation today.