There are two options to get highlights- at home or at the salon. If you are on a budget or prefer the comforts of home, an easy to use kit such as L’Oreal Couleur Experte will give you a base colour and highlights in an hour. A personalized colour consultation is available online to help you choose the most flattering shade along with application tips for fabulous results.

If you opt for professional highlights, seek out a colourist that will do a consultation for you before your appointment. The more they know about the look you are trying to achieve, the better. Ask for foil highlights using 2-5 shades of a similar tone for a natural look that will add dimension to your hair.

Whichever method you use, here are some helpful hints that will give you gorgeous looking hair through the use of highlighting:

1. The Two Shade Rule- Never go two shades lighter or darker than your natural colour- the results will look more avant garde than natural and will only showcase thinning hair further. If you already have hair that breaks this rule, see a professional colorist to get it back within your natural range.

2. Thin is In- Thin highlights and lowlights give a natural sun kissed look that will add visual thickness to your hair.

3. Beauty is Skin Deep- The more you work with your skin tone, the better colour results you will have. If you have warm (yellow based) skin, stay away from golden tones and go for deeper red based tones. If you have cool (pink based) skin, highlight with ash and wheat based shades rather than warm tones.

Look Good, Feel Great!

Dale
www.vollumaforwomen.com

Never fear; this can still be the case, even if your hair is thinning.

The first thing to do is visit the doctor. Your thinning hair may be caused by a number of different factors, some medical in nature.  Discuss both the possible causes and treatment options with a professional.

In the meantime, these helpful tips will help you feel better about yourself by making your hair look its best.

Volume Building Basics

Get a good cut that will properly frame your face and accentuate positive facial features, like your eyes. Pick a cut that complements your style and minimizes the appearance of hair loss. The classic short bob works for most people. A zigzag or side part can help build additional volume on the top.

Once you’ve chosen a cut, the colour is the next step. Although many people think hair colouring can further damage thinning hair, this is a myth! Hair colouring can actually give your thinning tresses awe-inspiring body and volume.

Out-of-the-box colours suit some purposes, but to make the most of a thinning hairstyle, go to a pro. A single hair colour, regardless of how well it flatters your skin tone, does nothing to hide thinning areas. In fact, it can draw attention to them.

Decisions, Decisions!

Carefully select a colour specialist by asking friends and family with fabulous manes for referrals. Consult with the stylist before taking the plunge.  Using colour swatches, select a base colour, as well as an additional complimentary tone (or even two) for highlights.  You could also choose a lighter overall colour, with a shade slightly darker for lowlights.  The idea is to create depth, movement and volume with a multi-tonal style.

While some people are tempted to pick a dark shade to accentuate their tresses or cover grey, the best choice is a colour close to your skin tone. This is especially true if you experience thinning around the scalp, as the lighter tone blends more naturally with your skin and reduces the contrast in a receding hairline.

Prevent Further Damage with Foils

Most professional stylists will recommend semi-permanent colour because it does not contain ammonia or peroxide, which can dry hair. If you choose to highlight, ask your hairdresser to use foils, not a cap. With caps, strands of hair have to be pulled through tiny holes. This can stress the hair and scalp. When using foils, sections of hair are simply painted and enveloped within foil strips.

You will find that a carefully selected new cut and exciting colour give you not only a new look, but greater confidence. This will definitely put the bounce back in your step!

Look Good, Feel Great!

Dale
www.vollumaforwomen.com

The Three Do’s for thinning hair:

- Do make bangs a part of your life. Bangs are in. There was a day when the last thing we wanted was bangs. Now, they are not only the “in” thing for younger women, but they are also good for women with thinner hair on top. They give the illusion of more hair in the front. Ask your stylist to layer your bangs. This adds more volume, making your hair look thicker.

- Do have your stylist chop your hair. Before you go running for the door, chopping does not mean chopping all of your hair off. You will simply have your stylist cut your short hair into layers making sure that your ends are “choppy” or irregular. This style gives shape and movement to thin hair, adding volume in the right places.

- Do keep it short. Length pulls the hair down, making any thin areas more noticeable. Shorter hair makes it seem like you have more volume.

Here are Three Don’ts you should never do for thinning hair:

- Don’t dye your hair light blond. The lighter your hair, the more likely it will be that people will notice your scalp shining through. If you don’t want your thin areas to be evident to the entire world, consider a darker shade.

- Don’t weigh your hair down with too much conditioner or heavy hair products. There are several good brands of hair products that add volume and dimension to thin hair. They work by thickening the hair strand, making your hair feel fuller and softer.

- Don’t over process your hair. Some women love to bleach their hair every few weeks. Others love the volume that comes from perms. You need to love the hair you have by treating it kindly. Too many doses of bleach and permanent solution can cause damage to the hair shaft.

Treat yourself to a new hairstyle to go with your best outfit and you’ll be the belle of the ball at the next party – just vow to have so much fun that you’ll forget your anxiety.

Look Good, Feel Great!

Dale
www.vollumaforwomen.com

Now Mary is an attractive middle aged woman, immaculately dressed with beautiful make-up and her hair, what was left of it, was impeccably styled. She was obviously a professional woman who cared about her looks – why would she endure that? She obviously didn’t realize that she has cosmetic options and didn’t have to suffer.

It is because of women like Mary that I wrote the book “10 Styling Secrets for Women with Thinning Hair” because women, regardless of the reason and the degree of their hair loss, have many cosmetic and styling options to help them look great and feel more confident about their looks.

When my banking was done, I thanked her and gave her my business card and told her she might find my free e-book helpful. The look in her eyes seemed to vary between suspicion and hope.

Now, with on-line banking, I don’t get into the branch much any more but I’ll be back to see if she’s taken my advice – it’ll be obvious.

Look Good, Feel Great!

Dale
www.vollumaforwomen.com

“Wigs” went out of style in the 1960s. Now called “Hair Systems” they are still a popular method of covering severe hair loss. Hair systems today available through professionals are made of the highest quality of human hair or synthetic materials custom colored and styled for the wearer to look completely natural. They can be full or partial and woven in place, taped, glued or clipped. Prices vary widely but you get what you pay for with the more expensive pieces being less detectable and more durable. As with any apparel, maintenance in the form of cleaning and coloring is periodically required.

A class of hair cosmetics called “Enhancers” or “Concealers” manufactured under many brand names, work by varying mechanisms to improve the appearance of thinning hair. Essentially there are three basic types of Cosmetic Enhancers for the hair, powders, lotions and sprays.

Lotions available in a limited color range are applied with the fingers or by applicator directly onto the thinning areas of the scalp. They work by darkening the scalp to the color of the hair and reducing scalp contrast.

Loose powders, available in a limited color range, are made of colored organic keratin fibers are sprinkled onto thinning hair areas. The fibers work by adhering to the hair shafts with electrostatic force, temporarily thickening them while the excess powder falls to the scalp, darkening it and reducing scalp contrast.

Compressed powders, available in a limited color range, made of emollients, conditioners, texturizers and botanical ingredients are applied by applicator directly onto the thinning areas of the scalp. They work by darkening the scalp to the color of the hair and reducing the contrast by neutralizing the scalp’s shine.

Aerosol sprays are available in a wider color range than powders and lotions with a variety of formulations depending on the manufacturer and are sprayed into the hair. They work to thicken the hair shaft by bonding microfibers directly to them with excess spray falling to the scalp, darkening it to reduce scalp contrast.

Hair thickening cosmetics should be considered by any woman with thinning hair. The advantage of these cosmetics is that they work well with almost any kind of thin (sparse) hair regardless of where in the process of losing or re-growing your hair you are. They are inexpensive, easy to apply and fit easily into an existing morning beauty regimen.

Look Good, Feel Great!

Dale
www.vollumaforwomen.com

As our hair loss condition progresses, we often go into denial or feel like hiding. Maybe our hair will just grow back on its own if we ignore it but unfortunately that is not the reality. Admitting to ourselves that we have a problem is the first step towards getting help leading us to the next challenge. Who treats hair loss conditions? How do you find a doctor qualified to diagnose the cause of your thinning hair and prescribe the right treatment? As women have many more potential triggers for hair loss as compared to men, first see your family physician to make the initial assessment. After the elimination of basic hormonal and medical causes, you will likely be referred to a dermatologist who specializes in treating conditions associated with the skin and scalp.

Ask your doctor to refer you to a dermatologist who is board certified with the American Society of Dermatologists. Your dermatologist will perform a battery of tests including a scalp exam, a hair pull test and possible a scalp biopsy to determine the root cause of your condition.

Quite likely, you will be prescribed Minoxidil, the same treatment that has made headlines in treating men’s hair loss but this medication is equally effective for women. The level of re-growth experienced depends largely on how advanced the hair loss is with best results typically seen after early treatment.

Work with your doctor(s) making every effort to provide all details needed by them to make a quick and proper diagnosis. Ask family members about family medical issues and be sure to disclose to your doctor any and all drugs you are taking and personal habits or lifestyles you are engaged in, no matter how embarrassing. After all, doctors are not magicians and the more quality information you can provide, the more accurate your diagnosis can be and the quicker treatment can begin.

With good communication between you and your physician and a willingness on your part to spend the necessary time and energy to work through the potential solutions to your hair loss, you will in time, find one that works. Modern medicine has come along the way in the fight against hair loss and, when combined with the right hair thickening cosmetic, your hair can look good from the beginning of your treatments all the way through to the end with no-one being the wiser to your condition.

Appearance is important. We are judged by how we look, and that starts with our hair. It seems to those us afflicted, that men and women alike notice and pass silent judgment on us. What options do we have to help our confidence when our hair is thinning? Here are some practical and inexpensive remedies you can try to quickly look and feel better now:

• Consider a “perm” as wavy hair gives better scalp coverage and the illusion of thick hair. For best results use a mild perm solution applied to hair that is already in good condition.
• Use color – many of us enjoy coloring our hair just to cover the gray or to enjoy a new look but you can disguise thinning areas by minimizing scalp contrast and choosing a hair color closer to your skin color but go no more than two shades away from your natural color. Also consider high lights to give the appearance of greater volume. Use a gentle color on your hair; avoid peroxide and ammonia ingredients.
• Wigs are in. When your hair loss progresses beyond the point of a cosmetic cover up, it may be time for the next step. Consider a wig from a reputable supplier of hair systems; this is not the time to skimp on quality looking for the best price. Instead, look for a firm specializing in selling high quality hair systems for women. There are many considerations in wig selection and after-sales service is very important. While you are at it, try several new styles and colors and have some fun!
• Try a cosmetic enhancer after all you use cosmetics for everything else don’t you? There are a variety of products that will help camouflage your condition. You can choose a from an assortment of coloring cosmetics from packed powders applied with applicator to the scalp, to loose powders sprinkled into the hair, to weather resistant hair thickening sprays. All of these options are available without prescriptions and are relatively inexpensive.

When you really think about it, your thinning hair didn’t happen overnight did it? It will take time to investigate the causes and cures or learn to live with thinning hair. No matter what the cause, only time will ultimately decide the outcome so take heart that your hair will eventually grow back. During that waiting time try one or more of the solutions outlined above to help you look your best and feel great!

Keeping your scalp and hair healthy requires more than just washing and conditioning your hair with just any available product, especially when you are in the process of losing it. These are some things you can do in addition to normal daily care to keep your remaining hair healthy and looking its best.

• Consult an experienced hair stylist to select a style that accentuated your natural facial features and minimizes your thinning.  Discuss keeping it short (as short hair has more bounce) with bangs and layering around the face. These features give the illusion of more hair in the front and gives shape and movement to thin hair, adding volume in the right places.
• Use a mild shampoo with a minimum of chemicals ingredients and use a clarifying shampoo from time to time to remove build-up and reside. If your hair is oily, shampoo every day to remove the excess sebum produced in your follicles. Massage your scalp while shampooing to help promote circulation in the scalp. Condition, rinse well, towel dry and, using a coarse comb or brush, blow dry on a warm or cool setting only.
• Use a conditioner suited to your type of hair, ask your stylist to recommend one if you need help. Conditioners coat the hair and besides protecting it from damage due to brushing and blow drying will temporarily increase its volume. Use a lighter conditioner with fewer ingredients to pump up the volume.
• Use a good quality root lifter to help your hair stand up at the scalp and a volumizer to thicken the hair shafts and make your hair look fuller.
• Avoid any hairstyle or styling technique that pulls and holds your hair tightly. The constant pulling action of ponytails, buns, braids, cornrows and even rollers and curling irons may eventually lead to permanent hair loss in localized areas.

Taking care of ourselves and making the most our thinning hair is important for us to feel good. Using good quality professional products including a cosmetic enhancer to thicken you hair can help do just that!