How to Get Thick Hair: 15 Proven Steps

Struggling with thin, lifeless-looking hair? Whether you’re dealing with straight up hair loss or poor hair health due to bad hair care habits, the answer to how to get thicker hair is pretty much the same. 

Keep your hair follicles happy, clean, and well-nourished to support a healthy hair growth cycle. 

Below, we cover the best ways to grow thicker hair and keep your hair looking healthy and strong.

Using the right combination of medications, vitamins, hair care products, and good habits can help you grow thicker, better-looking hair. 

• Diet changes. Give your body the vitamins and minerals it needs for healthy hair growth, including vitamins A, B12, and C, zinc, and iron.

• Thickening shampoo. Use a shampoo with saw palmetto, ketoconazole, pumpkin seed oil, or rosemary oil to support hair health. 

• Specialty thickening products. Dry shampoo, dry texture spray, and mousse can give you the look of thicker hair in a flash. 

• Different hairstyles and hair care habits. Avoid wearing tight hairstyles and blow drying on high heat to preserve your strands and prevent damage.

• Hair loss medications. Finasteride and minoxidil can help you thicken sparse growth resulting from hair loss.

Want thicker hair? Start with a few simple routines. Use the right hair care products, eat a balanced diet, and adopt other healthy habits. 

And you’re looking to boost hair growth after hair loss, FDA-approved medications can help. 

1. Maintain a Healthy Diet

The right nutrition habits can support thick, healthy hair growth. 

Although many nutrients play a role in hair growth, research published in the journal, Dermatology and Therapy, shows that zinc deficiency can contribute to hair loss. Iron deficiency is another potential hair loss culprit. 

Good sources of zinc include:

• Oysters

• Red meat

• Sea food

• Poultry

• Fortified cereals

• Nuts

• Beans 

• Dairy products

• Whole grains

And you can get iron from:

• Lean meats

• Oysters

• Seafood

• Beans

• Fortified cereals

• Tofu

• Spinach

• Chickpeas

• Tomatoes

• Nuts

Learn more in our guide to the best foods for hair thickness and growth.

2. Try Supplements

Your hair follicles need vitamins to produce healthy, strong hair. Imbalances can lead to overall health issues, including slower growing, thinner hair. 

The following vitamins play a major role in healthy hair growth:

• Vitamin A

• Vitamin B12

• Vitamin C

• Vitamin B7

• Vitamin D

In an ideal world, you’d get most of these from your diet, but supplements can help you fill in gaps. Hims Biotin Gummy Vitamins are formulated to help you maintain a steady intake of hair-friendly nutrients year round.

Our guide to essential vitamins for healthy hair growth goes into more detail.

3. Treat Your Hair and Scalp Gently

Hair shafts can withstand some rough handling, but routine roughhousing can cause damage that leads to thinning. 

Scrubbing too hard, relying on styling tools like blowdryers and straighteners, and combing or brushing too aggressively can injure your follicles, leading to breakage, keratin damage, and thinner hair.

Some products like sulfates can also strip your hair follicles of their protective natural oils, leaving your hair dry and brittle, and making it more prone to breakage. 

Hairstyles that put an excessive amount of tension on your follicles, like dreadlocks, ponytails, or classic slicked-back hair, can cause a form of hair loss called traction alopecia. To avoid this form of hair loss, avoid styling your hair in a way that pulls too hard on hair roots.

4. Use Hair Thickening Shampoo and Conditioner

Oil can weigh down hair strands and make hair look thinner, especially if you already have thin hair. Regular washing prevents oil and dirt build up.

Which products should you use? The most effective shampoos for limiting hair loss and promoting hair growth contain natural ingredients that block dihydrotestosterone (DHT) from binding to and damaging hair follicles.

Key ingredients to look for include saw palmetto (an active ingredient in Hims men’s Thickening Shampoo) and ketoconazole. 

Some evidence suggests that rosemary oil also offers hair growth benefits.

Read more in our guide to hair loss shampoo ingredients.

5. Quit Smoking

Want thicker hair? Ditch the vapes and cigarettes. 

Smoking and healthy hair don’t mix. First, there’s the direct effect of smoke clouds on your hair over time. 

Smoking also impacts your heart health, increasing your heart disease, heart attack, and cancer risk. Health issues can trigger hair loss and there’s evidence that smoking can even damage hair follicles directly leading to hair loss. 

6. Protect Your Scalp

Did you know that you can develop fungal infections on your scalp? Fungal infections can cause hair follicle-damaging inflammation that leads to shedding. 

Tinea capitis, or scalp ringworm, is a particularly annoying fungal skin infection that can cause permanent hair loss when it’s severe. 

If you spot signs of a fungal infection anywhere on your body, reach out to a dermatologist or other healthcare professional. The sooner you treat it, the less likely it is to spread and cause permanent damage.  

7. Change Your Haircut

Thinking of sporting a fresh look? Consider a hairstyle that creates the illusion of thicker hair. 

Donning a side part or going for an undercut can help add an extra layer of thickness to your hair type. 

If you prefer a longer hairstyle, ask your barber or hair stylist for a haircut with a fringe to help conceal thinning around your hairline.

8. Style Hair With Your Fingers

For a hairstyle that looks good when it’s a bit messy, ditch your brush or comb and use your fingers. 

Unlike combs that flatten, your fingers add lift, making hair look fuller and thicker. 

9. Blow-Dry Your Hair

Blow-drying can add bounce and volume to your hair, but be mindful of the heat. Too much can cause damage. Use the lowest heat setting and always apply heat protectant spray to prevent breakage. 

Another tip: Don’t rely on blow-drying to boost volume. It can help in a pinch, but regular use of hot tools and heat styling can lead to split ends and breakage over time. 

10. Dry Shampoo

Need a quick refresh that also boosts thickness? Spray or sprinkle some dry shampoo onto your scalp for an instant lift. It absorbs oils and dirt, leaving behind an invisible residue that makes your hair smoother, thicker, and easier to style.

Plus, it provides a light hold for your styled hair. The best part? Applying dry shampoo just takes a minute. No scrubbing or drying needed — simply apply and go! 

11. Style Your Hair with Mousse or Hairspray

Mousse and hairspray are popular go-tos for adding volume and thickness to hair. Remember the big, rock-and-roll hair of the 80’s? That was mousse and hairspray magic.

Unlike gel and wax, mousse makes each strand appear denser, giving you a fuller overall look. Pair it with some blow drying and a light mist of hairspray, and your hair will easily look almost twice as thick. 

12. Hair Fibers

Hair fibers are a great way to instantly boost hair volume. They cling to your natural strands, creating a fuller look that hides your scalp. 

They also usually stay put until you wet or wash your hair, so no need for midday touch ups. 

Learn more in our guide: do hair building fibers really work.

13. Try Dry Texture Spray

Need a quick volume boost but don’t want to weigh down your hair? Try a hair texture spray.

Simply lift sections of your hair and give them a light spray at the root to increase hair thickness. Once you’re done spraying, gently brush or comb your hair to corral any loose strands. 

Read more in our guide to hair thickening products for men. 

14. Opt for Minoxidil

Minoxidil is a topical medication for androgenetic alopecia (AKA male pattern baldness). It’s available over the counter as a liquid solution or foam that you apply to your scalp twice a day. 

The FDA-approved medication works by increasing blood flow to your follicles, shortening the telogen (resting) phase of the hair growth cycle and encouraging hairs to enter into the anagen (growth) phase early.

It also appears to improve blood circulation in the scalp, which may further help to promote hair growth — and thicker-looking hair. 

One study published in 2004 ​in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology​​​, found that more than 84 percent of male participants who used minoxidil for 12 months rated it as either “very effective,” “effective” or “moderately effective” for hair regrowth.

We offer both foam and liquid minoxidil online in a 5% formulation that’s safe and effective for stimulating hair regrowth.

15. Finasteride 

Finasteride is an oral hair loss medication that works by blocking the effects of the enzyme 5-alpha reductase, which is responsible for converting testosterone into DHT, the main hormone responsible for male pattern baldness.

By preventing DHT production, finasteride protects your hair follicles from DHT-related damage and helps to slow down, stop, or reverse hair loss.

Like minoxidil, finasteride is a proven solution for hair loss. 

In one study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, men who used finasteride over a period of two years experienced a significant increase in hair count in the crown — an area that’s often affected by male pattern baldness.

We offer finasteride online, following a consultation with a licensed healthcare provider who will determine if a prescription is appropriate.

Dreaming of thicker hair? There are plenty of ways to kickstart healthy hair growth. Supporting your overall health is key, but if you’re dealing with hair loss, it might be time to consider treatment. 

Let’s recap what we know about how to get thicker hair:

• The most effective hair growth treatments are minoxidil and finasteride. These medications are backed by mounds of evidence and they’re even more powerful when paired together, like in our Hair Power Pack. 

• The sooner you tackle thinning, the better. Since hair loss tends to worsen with time, it’s best to start using the medication as soon as you start to notice your hair thinning. 

• Lifestyle habits and healthy hair care habits can help. A balanced and good hair care routine can help support thick, strong hair growth.

• Mousse, hairspray, texture spray, and more can help cover up thinning. Noticing a budding bald patch? Medications and healthy habits take time to work. Certain products can help you create the illusion of fullness in an instant. 

Learn more about the causes, risk factors, and science-based treatment options for hair loss in our detailed guide to male pattern baldness.

Ready to start your journey to thicker hair today? Get started with a free consultation by taking our short quiz.