She is so right about needing to wash/style hair daily if you have fine hair. I don't anymore -- not since the pandemic/working from home-- it's really improved the health of my hair but 4 days out of 7, my hair looks flat and terrible because I am no longer washing/styling daily! Ive heard about the value of silk pillow cases for ages-- have bought silk pillow cases as gifts but never for myself. Especially now that my hair is long, I know it will help me. This turned into a bit of a splurge weekend-- so what the heck, I am ordering one today!

As for the washing/styling techniques-- yes, do all of them. Ive done them so long, I can't actually compare to not doing them.

Have never used a scalp foundation.

There is a lot of good information in her video. Watch it on YouTube to read the comments section. There is more information there. I need to get a silk pillowcase.

Many African American women use sleep caps, silk pillowcases, and/or wrap their hair at night. I would think this is helpful if you have any sort of extensions or braids.

Yes, my hair looks better freshly washed, but if I’m just WFH, I do not bother to style it at all. I wash every other day unless like when it’s been super hot and humid, I’d wash daily. And if I’m going somewhere where I’m wearing a N95 mask, I jut pull it back anyways.

Interesting that she also had hair transplants. I just watched a couple of those videos. I will use the Virtue Flourish for a few months, maybe look into the products promoted by Rikki Lake if that doesn’t help, but I seriously would consider transplants if I am a candidate. It is a permanent solution. Women don’t really talk about it but neither do men. Look at Elon Musk, Machine Gun Kelly, Tom Hanks, and tons of other celebrities. There is someone about 10 min from my house who’s supposedly one of the best in the southeast.

I did order the fill-in extensions, but my color is back ordered and will take a few more weeks.

I have a question about the video woman's transplant. It looks like they took hair from the back of her head which at one point was bare and had a dressing on it. If they harvest hair from that spot, does it ever grow back? What about the follicles they removed?

Okay, I bought a silk pillowcase months ago and still haven’t used it. I don’t know why. I am using it starting tonight!

The best part about having longer hair is that my bedhead is much easier to deal with than it was with short hair. I had to completely wet/re-style my head every morning when I had short hair.

Bunny from what I’ve seen in photos and videos, that area for donor hair is hair that is resistant to falling out, and in general it’s an area that’s not really missed because the hair grows over that. That area is also thicker with follicles, and not every follicle is removed. So, see her one-year follow up and see how it regrew in that area. Not totally 100% but it’s not really a factor.

gsciencechick, thanks, I'll check it out if I get time.

I bought a satin pillow case at Walmart--I think it does the same a silk or am I wrong.

She says "silk," but she shows satin. The two terms aren't mutually exclusive, of course; a lot of satin fabric is silk. But a lot is not. I'd always heard that satin pillowcases work because your hair slides over them. I haven't felt silk satin in quite a while, but silk has a way of "catching" if you rub it the wrong way, so I don't know . . . The YouTuber (sorry, I don't know her name) has partnered with the company that makes the silk pillowcases.

Amazon has a $9.99 polyester satin pillowcase with over 254,000 reviews. If it were me, I might be tempted to try that one.

I do have a satin case i use on a pillow I travel with on car trips. It is nice but at home I have a king pillow. Thinking about a silk pillowcase but they all look like satin at silk prices. I too am wondering about whether they are the real deal. The company I am looking into starts with a B and is heavily advertised.

Silk is a fiber, satin is a weave structure. Fabric can be silk satin. Silk comes from silk worm cocoons and it comes in many forms. If it is reeled silk-the cocoons are literally unwound in long unbroken strands and then woven into fabric or it can be from short waste fiber that can be very smooth or really gnarly stuff. Think what is called raw silk-very nubbly. Silk as a protein fiber has some very specific qualities. I dont know which one would help hair. Polyester can look like silk but wouldnt be the same at all.

I used to wash my hair every time I showered which was normally twice daily. However I did not immediately turn around and put compounds on it which if you really think about it is putting dirt on your hair since most will attract dirt. A little hairspray and I was done. When in my 30s I complained about dry skin and my doctor at the time suggested a lot less showers. Once a day or if not doing anything other than relaxing every other day. My hair which was so thin and straight that I could not even keep any decorations in my hair without them just sliding off became much stronger. The hairs that I was apparently breaking off when I showered and at night started to grow. Now in my middle 70s I have a full head of hair with a slight natural curl.

It took some getting used to not showering and washing my hair that frequently but my skin and hair was in a better condition. Some people who are very active must shower frequently especially if they have oily skin.

I'm not going to lay on silk, it will be inexpensive satin. She was spot on about shampooing twice like we did in high school, or at least I did. Made a lot of sense so I'm going to start doing it again.

Don't equate fine hair with thin hair. Top half of my hair is fine, bottom half is thick with waves. In the summer I wash my hair about three times a week only if I've been sweating. Yesterday the top of my head looked like I washed with Crisco. I was too tired to wash it so I used dry shampoo. A miracle. Better than a texture spray and no gunky residue.

I recently read to use dry shampoo for extra volume even when your hair is clean.

It was a couple of years ago when I noticed the new hair growth was and is sticking up like static electricity. Yesterday I read there are two sulfates in some shampoos that has some electrical charge in them and that's what causes the hair to stick up, aka frizz, aka new hair growth. I just took a look at my shampoo which has lasted two years because it came in a big bottle, and it has both types of sulfates, which shouldn't be used on fine hair. :) If your shampoo makes a lot of lather, there are sulfates.

Off to buy shampoo.

Yall might want to think of your hair as a sweater you wear every day. A slowly renewing sweater but the hair itself will wear and fray especially depending on how you wash it.

I'm trying the virtue stuff and took before photos...I'll take them again in 3 mos and see if there's any difference.

Whoa-- i have never heard of hair that is fine in some parts and thick in others. Who knew? Mine is fine everywhere.

@OutsidePlaying, I bought one of my sisters a silver king size pillowcase but then discovered she doesn't use a pillow (who doesn't use a pillow??!!). If she didn't start using it, I would be happy to send it to you. The brand is Slip.

Dry shampoo made my hair flat and dull-- didn't help at all.

I've lost my hair twice, first because of chemotherapy for breast cancer and second for a very rare blood disorder which prevents my body from efficiently producing red blood cells - treated with folic acid and vitiman B supplements. I recently had a full body exam in a dermatology office and was diagnosed with psorisis on my scalp and advised to start shampooing with Neutrogena T/Sal and it has signifiantly reduced the big large flakes of dead skin I scratched off of my head but my scalp coverage is still very bare and I really don't have hope of getting a thick head of hair again...

One of the many touted benefits of red light therapy is hair regrowth.

(I don't sleep on a pillow either; it goes over my head. ;) )

Funky that is very sweet of you. Sure! Have you tried a silk case? I’m beginning to think there is something to it, or satin too. I did finally find a ’dry’ shampoo, which is actually a sort of mist by R&Co that works fairly well for me. It refreshes my hair and I can run a hair dryer thru it quickly.

Who doesnt sleep with a pillow?? My neck and shoulders would scream.

My hair is thin and fine. I destroyed my hair by straightening it with too much heat. Total frizz head. The more I tried to fix it, the worse it looked. I had it all cut off a month ago. Ive used my blow dryer and straightener twice since. I air dry it. I shampoo twice a week. Because its short, thin and fine, I wet it and condition it on no shampoo days. If I don‘t leave my house on my days off, I leave my hair alone. I‘m not going to colour it anymore either. I fall asleep face down no pillow, but I wake up on my side with my head on my pillow. I think I’ll look for a silk pillowcase to see if it helps.I need another cut or two to get rid of more frizz and the colour.

I bought a bunch if silk pillowcases, king, from Amazon last year. Bought one to try it and loved it. I live in Florida which is so hot even with AC, the pillowcases are always cool.

So I went back and ordered more to match the colors of my sheets.

They aren't real silk so wash well without needing ironing. But they are slippery and cool. Love them and they weren't expensive.

My hair is so thin on top that I've thought about extensions but I don't have enough hair on top to hold them on.

Deb, I like the short look. My hair now is like your first photo. I think the short hair is cute and youthful. You are tempting me to do the same.

Jane

I think I would hate sleeping on a silk pillowcase. I think I'd prefer the cap if I knew where to get one. I had super thick wavy hair all my life and the older I get the less thick it is. I've worn a blunt bob for decades and I blow it out using one of those all-in-one things she was using. It does add volume and it stays pretty well although summer humidity is my downfall. When the humidity is below 50% I get the look I want but when it's over that, I look like Shirley Temple. I wash twice a week, blow out then, and don't touch my hair till the next shampoo.

I experimented a few minutes ago with one of her suggestions and my gosh how it worked, and it also had an added benefit by optical illusion which makes the top of my hair look full with volume! My hair was still in a ponytail and I didn't brush it before or after

She suggested using scalp foundation or eye powder to pat on the part area on your head when if you're hair is thinning to cover it. My scalp sweats all summer when I'm outside and I don't have time to wash it, which I always do in the kitchen sink. I also always wear a ponytail around the house which keeps the bottom half clean. When I sweat the top part of my hair goes flat.

What I did was use a small fullish full make up brush and patted it along the part using brow powder that came in three colors. I used the darkest color but it's still a light color. I patted it on each side of the part going out about an inch so it really blends in. I also realized it's the natural highlights I get in the summer that makes my hair look like I'm missing hair at the part when it goes flat. That's a bad optical illusion. lol

Funky, my hair would be considered normal until summer. Because of the thickness and I'm not talking super thick either, it weighs down the hair on top of my head as soon as I start sweating. That's another optical illusion making me look like I'm losing hair more than normal.

If I don't blow dry my hair upside down and use not product, you can tell it's fine hair.

That was interesting - I ordered a blowout brush dryer combination - didn't have one of those. I might order the scalp foundation she recommends. I have used the Joan Rivers product that is similar and also Toppik, and I like both. But my bathroom lighting isn't great, and I'm always afraid people will notice what I did which just brings attention to it? I don't know. I have a patch right beside my part, and I can get away with styling it just so - like a combover :) But it is definitely thin and if I don't do it just so, you can see scalp there for sure.

I sent you a note, Outside. I will follow up with you soon!

Who doesnt sleep with a pillow?? My neck and shoulders would scream.

And I know, right?!! I am a baby if my pillow is too hard, too big, too lumpy or too warm! LOL.

I finally watched it.I’m so intrigued when she says her hair went from ”this”, which to me is a goal!

I have a Revlon brush, but it pretty much either blows the hair right off the brush, or is ineffective when set on low. So, I stick with my round brush and the blow dryer.

Every time I find a product I like, it is discontinued after a few years. Redken 06, I’m talking about you.

FYI! My Aldi had satin pillowcases…TWO, plus an eye mask, for $7.99!! If you are going to get a polyester case, and do not want to pay the price of the finest silk, you might get down to Aldi.

You can buy a less expensive silk charmeuse pillow case from Dharma Trading. White only, as Dharma's products are geared to those who will custom dye them.

One more comment about thinning hair: ASMR. The head-tingling response some of us get to ASMR triggers (trigger types vary by individual) can stimulate hair growth. This makes sense, as one theory of male-pattern baldness is changes in blood flow as the person ages.

I'm a fan of soft-spoken ASMR videos on YouTube. A few years ago I noticed they were helping.

Here’s an interesting article NY Times on Minoxidil in a pill for hair loss. This looks promising. (free link from my subscription).

Very timely. I'm starting to get enough hair loss that is is leaving noticeable thin areas with scalp showing. I'm debating what to do. Taking vitamins for it. I don't know if it is just inevitable aging or the result of stress. I'm trying to slow the tide of loss at the very least.

Mine came yesterday from Amazon. I was at work, so my husband tossed them in the washer and dryer for me and I started using them when I went to bed. I did a google search to see if satin is the same-ish as silk, and a few searches say satin is easier on the hair. The price is good and I got them in 24 hours.

satin pillow case

@WittyNickNameHere ;) I destroyed a patch with a straightening iron too. It's was already the thinnest area unfortunately -- right at the temple. My hair happens to be curlier right there so I would straighten it right at the roots. I knew it wasn't good for it, but I had no idea it would make it look like I was balding!

I changed my part to the other side to let it "rest", stopped flat ironing the temples, and increased how much conditioner I use. It only took a couple of months for the hair to fill back in.

Regardless of damage, both temples seem thinner than when I was younger. I'm trying a hair growth serum by The Ordinary. Just one temple, as an experiment (to see if it fills in more than the other). It's too soon to tell if it's working. I might consider Rogaine if the serum doesn't work, maybe.

I've always had a HUGE forehead with really high corners, and secretly dream of getting implants. I doubt I ever would though.

@User I tried a few of their products on my hair a few years ago and never saw a difference. Let me know if you eventually do.

For those who are thinning all over: do you brush your hair much? My aunt cut her hair short many years ago so it barely needed to be brushed. Turns out that can lead to a bit of thinning -- partly to do with lack of stimulation, and partly to do with buildup of dead skin and products on the scalp. She started brushing her hair more and it helped.

Consider getting a brush or comb just for this purpose. Wide tooth, slightly scratchy. Just make sure it's not catching or tugging on the hair.

I like the idea of these, but I'd be worried about the rubber bristles catching the hair. The description says "hard rubber", so maybe it's not too grippy?

Regarding silk vs. satin: I imagine they both would work because you want the slipperiness. However, I'd prefer something breathable, especially since I'm a side sleeper. Poly is not going to be good for that. I saw some articles that silk is better for being antibacterial and won't absorb moisturizers from your skin and hair, but I honestly don't know. That could just a bunch of beauty magazine BS. (Big Silk trying to get you, haha.)

I once bought a cheap satin pillowcase from walmart, and my face lotion badly discolored it. I wasn't using any other products at that time-- just face lotion. So quality can make a difference. But if you tried a cheap satin pillowcase and you like it, I don't see anything wrong with that.

FWIW, I ordered another round of Virtue Flourish. I was hoping to get to Aldi to check out if we have the satin pillowcases here. I really don’t notice hair on the pillowcase, though. It’s also about preserving your style.

I am not sure I could sleep on real silk! To me, it has a very strong odor, and my olfactory system kicks into overdrive as soon as I lie down.

Last night was the third night on the Aldi case. My hair looks the same when I wake up as it did…..but it is not hot nor cold.

NYT recently had an article on hair loss and how minoxidil at very low doses taken orally seems to work well: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/18/health/minoxidil-hair-loss-pills.html?searchResultPosition=5

"But there is a cheap treatment, he and other dermatologists say, costing pennies a day, that restores hair in many patients. It is minoxidil, an old and well-known hair-loss treatment drug used in a very different way. Rather than being applied directly to the scalp, it is being prescribed in very low-dose pills.

Although a growing group of dermatologists is offering low-dose minoxidil pills, the treatment remains relatively unknown to most patients and many doctors. It has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for this purpose and so is prescribed off-label — a common practice in dermatology....

Dr. Rodney Sinclair, a professor of dermatology at the University of Melbourne in Australia, had a patient with female pattern baldness. The hair on top of her head had thinned, and she hated the way it looked. Unlike what happened with most of his patients, Rogaine worked for her, but she developed an allergic rash on her scalp from the drug. Yet if she stopped taking it, her hair would thin again.

“So I was stuck,” Dr. Sinclair said. “The patient was very motivated, and the one thing we knew was that if a patient has an allergy to a topically applied medicine, one way to desensitize is to give very low doses orally.”

To do that, Dr. Sinclair tried cutting minoxidil pills into quarters. To his surprise, the low dose made her hair grow but did not affect her blood pressure, the original purpose of the higher-dose drug.

He subsequently lowered the dose more and more until he got down to effective doses of one-fortieth of a pill and began routinely prescribing the drug. That first patient still takes it."

FTA:

Taking Minoxidil orally would somewhat concern me. I am very careful about what medications, supplements, etc. I take because of the liver. I had a friend with liver disease and her doctor warned her about this as the liver filters items we ingest. Even tylenol, taken more/larger doses than necessary, can be toxic to your liver. Also, there seems to be some concern of these medications and cancer:

Minoxidil is a cosmetic drug that is recognized as a mitogenic agent, and mitogens are suggested to have carcinogenic and mutagenic potential by inducing cell division and increasing the possibility of perpetuating DNA damage. (NIH)

Would it be safer to use minoxidil/rograine topically than orally?

Does Rosemary essential oil really help thinning hair? Has anyone tried that? While i do not have thinning hair, this is a very interesting thread. I have heard scalp stimulation is good and the little scrubby that Seattle shows is probably a good thing. At the very least it would feel good. I have a not hard brush, but the bristles are pretty sturdy. I usually only use a wide tooth combo on my hair (especially when wet), but usually at night I will brush it and that brush feels so good on my scalp.

My understanding of the value of silk pillows for fine/thinning hair is that it helps prevent breakage-- when you sleep on your hair, the cotton pulls at the hair. Since fine hair is much more fragile, it can lead to breakage. I have seen breakage more now that my hair is much longer.

I assume a satin pillow would do the same but like SeattleMCM mentioned, I wouldn't want to sleep on satin. Silk is so much more breathable and moisture wicking. For me-- that is important.

ETA @OutsidePlaying - I sent you a message. I am picking up the king size silk pillowcase from my sister this afternoon. IIRC the color is "silver" and it's unused/still in the box! Just let me know where to send it! I am so glad someone will be able to use it!

Again, Satin is a weave structure. Like Twill is a weave structure. Your blue jeans are twill for instance. I believe yall are referring to synthetic satin fabrics as Satin. Silk is a natural protein fiber that comes from silk worms. It comes in a huge selection of weave structures and grades. Typical Satin weave is 4:1 or 5:1. The weft goes over 4 or 5 threads and then under 1. The next row advances one thread over and repeats the pattern. It makes a very smooth surface. Done in high quality very fine reeled silk it is super smooth. I didn't watch the entire video but if the woman said silk she doubtless meant silk satin.

I bought the Revlon hairdryer brush, and i have to say, I love it! I don’t know that I know how to properly use it for full volume yet, but I love how it works with my cut. It looks pretty close to when my hairdresser blows it out after a cut.

I could never really do the brush and hairdryer combination well. I’m excited about this!

This product is the only thing I have found that truly does give my fine, thin hair extra volume. I use it on dry hair. I have never figured out how to spray only the roots, so instead I spray it on my fingers, then work it in at the roots. For my hairstyle, I only need to do the top layer of hair, but you could do more if you wish. You can see the difference immediately. It's not dramatic, but a definite improvement. And only $6 at Walmart. Pantene Root Lifter

My new pack of Virtue Flourish is lost in the mail, so I have contacted them. It shipped August 25 and I still don’t have it. USPS tracking says ”there’s a problem” and it’s stuck somewhere in transit.

OTOH, I recived the Luxy fill in hair extension pieces, and I had them put in at my haircut yesterday. My stylist trimmed them to fit my hair length, and they make my hair look fuller. These are the ”4th semester” extensions, but they can be used by anyone with fine hair, thinning hair, or post-CV fallout. They were about $65 and easy to clip in. They are just a barrette like clip.

Here is a link:

https://www.luxyhair.com/collections/postpartum-hair-loss-extensions

I also ordered the purple colored halo, but I don’t like the color with my hair so I will return those and maybe get a ponytail or bun that better matches my hair.

I started taking collagen for my face, hair and nails and am hoping it eventually does something to make my hair look healthier. Depending on which website you believe, results take 2-8 months to notice any difference in skin, so hoping it's quicker with hair considering hair grows about 1/2" a month. My hair is short now and I'm debating cutting it more soon to get rid of the left over hair colour that's still in it.

I put one scoop in my morning coffee. It has no flavour so it doesn't affect the taste of coffee.

Collagen Powder