Before we talk about what this type of hair is, let’s talk about what it’s not: thin hair. Thin hair describes fewer strands overall. This can occur due to hair loss from hormonal changes, new medications or a medical condition.

Fine hair, on the other hand, describes the thickness of individual strands. People with this hair type can have a lot or a little hair depending on their lifestyle and genetics.

How can you tell if your hair is fine? Here are a few common characteristics:

• Lacks volume
• Breaks easily
• Is lightweight
• Tends to get greasy easily
• Can be easily straightened
• Is soft and silky

There are a lot of solutions out there for limp hair, but how can you tell what actually works? When it comes to this hair type, there are three areas to focus on: styling, volumizing and hair health.

Styling

One of the major issues when styling is product weight. When your hair lacks its own volume, it has difficulty keeping shape with heavy creams and sprays.

The result is locks that deflate over time, making your hair appear thinner than it actually is. Even worse, it may get greasy as the residue condenses.

Instead of trying to cement a style in place with piles of product, try a light hand instead. You can also look for styling products that are designed for fine hair.

Volumizing

Even if your hair doesn’t naturally have volume, you can fake it with the right products and techniques. For example, there are many mousses and sprays that lift from the root to create volume without weighing down your hair. Or, you can find the right volumizing shampoo for fine hair.

You can also try backcombing, combined with a holding spray, to get a little more lift. Additionally, professionals recommend rough drying wet hair with your head upside-down to get extra oomph.

Hair Health

Since this hair type is more prone to breakage than others, it’s essential that you take care of it. Many anti-breakage products tout their moisturizing ability, but you need to be careful about what you use.

Specifically, you want to nourish the cuticle, which is the outer casing on each strand. Some products even thicken or swell the cuticle for an added touch of volume.

However, hydration can also mean grease and residue if you overdo it. You should avoid heavy conditioning and instead just focus on the ends, where hair is most likely to be dry and damaged.

No matter what hair type you have, the weather will affect it. With hair that’s fine, your biggest concern is any element that will weigh it down.

Of course, there are ways to guard against even the roughest weather. With the right products and hair care regimen, you can look amazing no matter the conditions outside.

Humidity

Humidity can be a huge issue if your hair is both dry and fine. Dry hair will naturally absorb moisture from the environment, which can weigh it down. Fine hair can become limp and greasy within hours in high humidity.

The solution is to make sure your locks are properly moisturized. If your hair is healthy and hydrated, it won’t absorb as much moisture and therefore won’t be as affected.

Cold

It’s well-known that winter is hard on skin, but it can also do some real damage to hair. Cold weather tends to be dry, which wreaks havoc on strands in a number of ways.

First of all, this lack of atmospheric moisture facilitates the transfer of electrons from and to your hair’s atoms. This can lead to static cling, especially if you’re wearing a lot of wool.

Fortunately, there are a number of products that can prevent the buildup of static. If you don’t want to spend too much money, there’s also a DIY technique used by online beauty gurus — just rub your hair with a dryer sheet.

The second issue you need to look out for is dryness. Without moisture in the air, your locks are more likely to lose hydration.

The third problem is directly related to the second — split ends. When your hair lacks hydration, it’s more likely to break, resulting in jagged, forking ends.

Finally, cold weather can steal the shine from your normally glamorous locks. Once again, this ties back to a lack of hydration.

Heat

On the opposite end, is hot, dry weather. As you might expect, heat can dry out hair and cause many of the problems you experience with cold weather.

However, there’s added issue of sunlight, which is comprised of UV radiation. This radiation can damage hair just like is does your skin: by changing the molecular structure.

For fine hair, this can exacerbate brittleness, especially if you spend a lot of time at the pool, as chlorine can also dry out and damage hair. Fortunately, there are many hats that block UV rays, offering protection without risking residue.

Wind

Wind can be your worst enemy when you’re trying to pull off an intricate style, but did you know that it can also lead to dryness? Excessive wind can cause moisture to evaporate faster, leaving your locks thirsting.

Brittle from this lack of hydration, hair is more likely to break as you try to untangle it. With its thin strands, hair that’s fine is even more susceptible.

All hair types can benefit from a little TLC, but what works for one can completely ruin another. When it comes to fine strands, less can actually be more.

One of the biggest struggles is balancing dryness and greasiness. As the weather and other factors shift, you may have to switch up your routine to accommodate your hair’s needs.

However, you should always start with the basics: cleaning and moisturizing. By paying attention to how your hair reacts to each treatment, you can walk that fine line and get locks that are shiny, silky and voluminous.

1. Shampoo Every Other Day
   It can be tempting to wash your hair every time you shower, but that can actually do more harm than good. Shampoo for fine hair can strip away the natural oils produced by your scalp, leaving fine hair unprotected.

   As a result, your scalp may start generating excess oil to make up for the lack of hydration. This creates a cycle of greasiness and dryness that’s difficult to get out of.

   Instead of over-washing, give your hair a break by only washing every other day. This ensures that you’re not depriving your locks of the benefits that natural oils provide. You should also focus cleansing on your scalp and leave your drier ends alone.

2. Use Dry Shampoo in the Interim
   If you’re not washing your hair every day, how can you combat grease? Fortunately, there’s an easy solution for this: dry shampoo.

   Dry shampoo for fine hair absorbs excess oil without weighing strands down. In fact, when used correctly, dry shampoo can give your locks a boost of volume in between washes.

3. Use Leave-In Conditioner
   On the other end of the spectrum, many people with this hair type have to deal with dry, brittle ends. An excellent solution to this problem is leave-in conditioner.

   This product is lighter than other moisturizing conditioners and usually comes in a spray. As an added bonus, it detangles, preventing breakages as you work through wet hair after your shower.

4. Dry Before Brushing
   Wet hair is more subject to breakage than dry hair; when you brush your hair while it’s still damp, you risk getting split and jagged ends. Instead, make sure your hair is completely dry before you start brushing.

   While you may be tempted to blow dry, it’s best to air dry when possible, as heat can cause damage to fine hair. If you absolutely must blow dry, set the heat to low to minimize damage.

5. Sort Out Tangles With a Wide-Tooth Comb
   Hair that’s fine is at a high risk of breaking when it’s tangled, so it’s vital that you proceed with caution. The best way to gently work through tangles is with a wide-tooth comb. The wide teeth are less likely to snag, but are narrow enough to tease out knots.

It isn’t just external factors that affect your hair — what goes on inside your body also plays an important role in hair health. In fact, there are three major elements that can cause serious problems: smoking, pollution and stress.

Smoking

We’ve known for a long time that smoking is terrible for your lungs and heart, but it also negatively affects your hair. For example, the stress it puts on your body can lead to hair loss.

Perhaps more disturbingly, it can actually alter your hair’s DNA. This damage can make strands difficult to repair.

Pollution

Pollution can cause a lot of health problems, from asthma to allergies. However, the small particles in the air can also harm your scalp and hair.

When smoke or dust particles settle on your scalp, it can lead to itching, pain and dandruff. Since an irritated scalp may produce excess oil, this can make fine hair issues with greasiness even worse.

Stress

No one can avoid stress entirely, but there’s a good reason to try to reduce it: it can literally cause hair loss. Even in less extreme circumstances, your hair may stop growing in response to stress chemicals in your body.

If you’re trying to add volume to your hair, stress can make it a losing battle. Fortunately, there are many ways to combat stress, from meditation to self-care to therapy.

If you want to have healthy hair, your body needs the right building blocks. To access all the right molecules, you need a nutritious diet.

Of course, there’s no miracle food that will suddenly transform your locks — but moderation and consistency is key to creating voluminous hair. If you’re struggling with dull hair, you should make sure you’re getting enough zinc, iron and protein, all of which are important building blocks for strands.

We’ve talked a lot about how to cleanse and condition your hair, but are there any other products you should be using? There’s actually a big one that can make styling easier: texturizing spray.

This product is great for the one-two punch of volumizing and hold. Usually a dry spray similar to dry shampoo, texturizing spray lifts while providing added grit.

Volumizing shampoo for fine hair is a given when you’re trying to gain volume, but there are a couple of other things you can try. The first is to skip the straightener or any other heated styling tool, as they dry out locks and can severely damage already-brittle hair.

Next, get a haircut that works well with your hair type. Bobs are a favorite for fine hair, as are curly or wavy styles.

Finally, here are products you should absolutely avoid if you want to get voluminous, healthy locks:

• Sulfates
• Regular hairspray
• Heavy conditioners
• Oily products
• Heavy styling products such as waxes

Instead, stick to products that are light or specifically designed to work with your hair type.

Keeping your hair looking great doesn’t need to be a struggle; with the right products and routine, you can go from limp and brittle to shiny and rich in days. Now that you have the basics, it’s time to treat your hair right with a nourishing regimen.