4 Ways To Prevent & Treat Thinning Hair For Women

Hair thinning and loss is something we frequently associated with men. However, women can also experience thinning hair and hair loss. For women, there can be even more of a stigma associated with thinning hair, since it's not traditionally seen as a female problem.


If you're a woman who's experiencing hair thinning or loss, don't feel ashamed. It's actually more common among women than you'd think, it just isn't discussed as frequently. Here are some tips on preventing hair loss, in addition to some ways to treat thinning hair for women.

Prevent It: Ease Up On The Tight Styles

A simple way to prevent hair loss is by ditching the tight tight ponytails and high buns that most women are so fond of sporting. Sure, these styles are great for workouts or for lazy days. However, they put an unnecessary amount of stress on the root of the hair follicle, causing it to weaken over time.

If you want to get your hair off of your face, try wearing it in a loose French Braid. This allows the hair to be pulled back without placing any strain on the roots. If you have a lot of loose pieces around your face, substitute pins for a soft fabric headband.

Treat It: Use A Shampoo For Hair Loss

While an over-the-counter shampoo won't do as much as a prescription product, it definitely can help to reduce additional loss and shedding. While preventative hair loss shampoos used to be quite medicinal and geared towards men,there are plenty of new anti-hair loss shampoos on the market that are indistinguishable from the feminine products you'd find at the salon.

Prevent It: Avoid Tangles

Maybe Marcia Brady had the right idea when she brushed her hair 100 times each night. We've all occasionally had a few lazy days where we allowed our hair to become tangled. However, if you're experiencing issues with thinning hair, it's imperative that you avoid allowing your hair to become tangled. Similar to those tight ponytails, tangling puts a lot of strain on the root of the hair. Furthermore, when brushing out those tangles, we tend to yank a lot of hair out inadvertently.

You don't have to find your inner Marcia and brush 100 strokes per night. However, periodically run a brush or comb through your hair a few times a day, working in very gentle motions.

Treat It: Try Minoxidil

Ultimately, the only proven treatment for thinning hair which is available both via a prescription and over-the-counter. Minoxidil is usually available in a liquid or a foam that you apply to your scalp once or twice a day. Although there are minoxidil products that are specifically marketed as "for women," any minoxidil product will work fine for either gender.

Minoxidil is one of the best ways to treat thinning hair for women, especially when used in conjunction with the aforementioned tips and tricks. Ultimately, preventing and treating female hair loss is able being gentle with your hair and using products that prevent further hair loss. If you can create an anti-hair loss regimen and stick to it, you'll see results over time.