Thinning hair is most commonly associated with age and stress. It’s quite normal but can leave you feeling unhappy and dissatisfied with hair you once loved. So, what happens to make hair change and what helps?

As time goes by, everyone’s skin thins as a result of hormone shifts in the body. Whilst you can easily see the skin elsewhere on your body changing, it’s harder to see what’s happening beneath your hair, which means it’s all too easy to overlook scalp health - and you really shouldn't.

What does thinner skin mean for your hair?

Imagine a windy day and imagine two plants, one planted in poor, dry, shallow soil and the other in deep, rich soil, and then imagine which one is likely to stay firmly planted and thrive for longer? You’ve got it: the second plant.

Similarly, your thinner scalp has less depth to keep your precious hair roots securely anchored so, logically speaking, the better you look after your scalp, the better it will continue to do its job.

Thinning skin is accompanied by a decrease in the size of your hair bulbs (follicle miniaturisation), greying and the thinning of the hairs themselves.

Finally, your hair growth cycle changes with age. The growth cycle – each hair grows independently, so they are not all in the same phase at the same time - typically lasts around three to seven years, with the growing phase (anagen) being the longest, a short transition phase (catagen) and a resting phase (telogen) before the hair falls out and a new one takes its place (exogen). This balance, however, shifts as we age, with a shorter growth phase and longer shedding phase - which means fewer hairs on your head at any one time.

As a result, you’ll see more scalp than before, scalp skin becomes drier, and the hair’s surface is less smooth. Some follicles may also simply decide to give up the ghost and will never grow new hairs again

What can help?

The good news is that there are steps you can take to help with thinning.

Looking after your scalp. Your scalp health takes centre stage in this show! It’s never too early to make sure you’re looking after your scalp in the same way you do your face – gentle exfoliation, circulation stimulation and nourishment are your goals, combined with a good diet and avoiding harsh chemicals, tight hairstyles and too much heat treatment.

Being realistic. There’s no shortage of products out there that claim to promote regrowth and longer, faster growth but the fact is that, whilst you can support better, thicker growth, nothing makes hair grow from dead follicles and nothing happens overnight. You need the right products, combined with patience and the commitment to use them as advised over a period of at least three to six months.

Making the right choice for your hair. Whilst there are drug-based approaches that have been shown to be effective, they do come with side effects. We believe the better route is to look to more natural solutions that take direct action where they are needed most – on your scalp – using high quality ingredients:

Caffeine has many positive attributes and penetrates particularly well into skin, meaning that it has a rapid, active effect. Studies of topically applied caffeine have noted a decrease in hair loss and improved hair strength, as well as a decrease in the extent of hair loss. The scalp is stimulated and follicles begin to increase in volume.

Caffeine penetrates the scalp via follicular roots and skin and creates a ‘reservoir’ for use when needed. The concentration that can be delivered by topical application is far superior to what can be ingested by consuming caffeinated drinks – plus it doesn’t have to travel all the way through your body to reach your head!

All Hairfix Follicle products contain caffeine and – here’s the neat bit – Acacia Senegal Gum that enables slow release of caffeine over up to 72 hours (that means you don’t have to apply our products every day, so a little goes a long way). Acacia Senegal Gum also locks in moisture, helping to keep the scalp well hydrated and those wrinkles at bay.

Biotin helps boost and maintain levels of keratin – a type of protein present in hair – and is linked to hair growth, thickness and strength. If you want longer, thicker, stronger, and healthier hair, applying a serum that contains biotin may help improve the health of your hair. Biotin also helps to keep your scalp moisturised for better follicle and hair health. All Hairfix Follicle Treatments contain biotin.

Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is renowned for its anti-ageing properties, helping maintain the moisture levels in our cells. HA in the form of Nucleo Trico-Hyal (specifically developed for hair) helps provide support for the follicle bulb – the root of the hair. The results may include more fullness and body to the hair as it grows through, as well as reduced hair fall. It also helps regulate the gradual release of the active ingredients in Hairfix Follicle Max Advance and Follicle Intense Defence, prolonging their action over time.

If you'd like to know more about our range of Follicle Treatments and the different types of hair thinning they target, please click here.

You can also take our quick, easy diagnostic test here to find the Hairfix that's right for YOU.