How Do Hair Thickeners Work

For those of us who remember watching Felicity (early 90s), you probably remember Keri Russell’s beautiful curls (see photo far left). Never has a haircut caused so much publicity: when Russell’s character chopped off her long ringlets, fans petitioned the WB network. Often time, a hair style is associated with an individual. For example, Jennifer Aniston’s medium layered cut was a subject of great demand during the peak of Friends’ airing. Then you cannot help but think of flowing locks when you think of Gisele Bundchen or Jessica Simpson. Not surprisingly, the “hair industry” is a big profiting business. We, male and female, want thick, luxurious hair. This demand has made way for miracle products such as “hair thickeners.” But how much of this “miracle” is hype and how much of it is real? More specifically, how do hair thickeners work?

How Do Hair Thickeners Work: The Technology
The technologies involved in hair thickening cover a wide range including products that remove heavy oil from hair to ones that trap moistures in the hair shaft to increase volume. The majority of hair thickeners work by attracting polymers (positively charged) to the hair shaft (negatively charged) to cause a thicker appearance. This may sound like a simple technique, but for someone with thinning or light hair, the difference can be significant. These products come in sprays or cream and may require additional work, such as blow drying, to achieve maximum results.

How Do Hair Thickeners Work: The Myths
True to its name, hair thickeners give the appearance of thicker hair. The keyword here is “appearance.” Hair thickeners do not re-grow hair or delay the onset/progression of hair loss. Thus, continuous usage is necessary to maintain the effect. If you are interested in a product that re-grows hair, look for products such as Propecia (finasteride) or rogaine (minoxidil). The first is a daily prescription while the later is an over-the-counter topical solution.

Modern hair thickeners are not spray-on pigments (like the ones seen on the Ron Propeil infomercials). Outdated hair thickener technologies include wool fibers, scalp makeup, or spray-on pigment. Heavy rain and perspiration can cause the dye to be released and run down your face/neck. Oops. As you can image, the limitation for these products is high.

How Do Hair Thickeners Work: The Products
The below product reviews are not a complete representative of what is available on the market, but can serve as a starter in your research for a hair thickener.

Kerasome: Product is made of “ground and sterilized real human hair,” and is available in seven different colors. The ground hair is suspended in light adhesive solution and is applied to your scalp like a lotion. A short session with the blow dryer will cause the hair particles to adhere to your own hair and scalp. To release the product, shampoo your hair. The manufacturer of Kerasome claims that their product is imperceptible to the naked eye, even at close distance. They offer a 30 day promotional free trial.

Toppik: Apparently, it is Hollywood’s best kept secret! Tiny color matched hair fibers are applied to the thinning region of your scalp. The fibers will intertwine with your own hair via static electricity and magnify your hair fiber. Because these molecular bonds are strong, the fiber stays attached even through strong winds and rain exposures. Fox 13 investigated the effectiveness of Toppik and the results are amazing!

Check out the following product reviews via video links:
FoxTV
Eyewitness

Couvre: The technique behind Couvre is similar to the ones mentioned above, however, consumer reviews are all over the place. Courvre Protein Hair Expanders clings to damp hair and swells to the hair shaft upon exposure to heat (with a blow dryer). A quick study online shows that around 50% of users ranked this product as “the best” while a good 30% are not satisfied with the product at all. The good news is that it costs only half of the price of the ones mentioned above.

Other hair thickeners to consider: Fullmore, Dermatch, Morebody, and Top Brass.

The above products can be found on Amazon.com (refer to their ad below) or at professional hair salons (though probably for a higher price). As you can tell, there are numerous hair thickener agents on the market and results can vary. Furthermore, a product that works for one type of hair may not work for another. When in doubt, get a professional referral.

Please share your hair thickener experiences and advice in our forum!
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