Combing Hair and Hair loss: You Asked, We Answered

What are you to do when you have very thin hair that no matter what you do looks limp and flat? Some people backcomb their hair – a.k.a. tease their hair – but could backcombing cause hair loss?

What Backcombing Does to Your Hair

Back in the ‘80s, everyone was backcombing their hair; teasing their bangs until they stood inches off the top of their heads. Today, it’s used more subtly to add volume to otherwise flat hair. For a temporary solution, if it’s done right, backcombing can make your hair look fuller. The problem is the aftermath.

Literally, you are chafing your hair follicles by backcombing against the grain. The cuticles are lifted up in the process so that they don’t lie flat against the follicle. That is what gives your hair the appearance of fullness. But, once you flip the cuticles, there is no way to lay them back down smoothly against the follicle.

What happens next is those hair cuticles continue to peel back until what is left is frizzy, frayed hair, and split ends. Even if you carefully backcomb your hair, over time, damage is inevitable.

3 Alternatives to Backcombing Your Hair

Does backcombing cause hair loss? The answer is not necessarily, but it does cause hair damage that eventually leads to weakened and broken hair follicles. If you have super-fine hair that is impossible to add volume to without teasing, there are alternatives.

1. Try a Thickening Serum

With repeated, daily use, a thickening elixir can have a lasting effect that creates fuller looking hair. Plus, if you find a really good thickening serum, it will not only improve the health of your hair but it will also make your scalp healthier.

2. Use the Right Hair Nutrients

It is a scientific fact that certain nutrients produce stronger, healthier hair. Vitamin C for instance produces collagen which is important for your hair’s elasticity. When you pull on a strand of hair and it doesn’t break but rather bounces back, that’s a sign of good elasticity. Vitamin B7 (Biotin) strengthens hair so that it is less prone to breaking. Niacin helps repair cell damage in your hair follicles – perfect for hair damaged by backcombing.

3. Add Hair Fibers

Less expensive than weaves and easy to do yourself, adding hair building fibers is one way to quickly pump up the volume on thin, flat hair. You just apply the hair fibers to the parts of your hair that need volume and set it using a simple fiber-holding spray.

Lesser known to most is the hair health benefits of protein. Protein helps to produce keratin which helps nourish your hair with natural oils. Marine proteins appear to be the best for producing better hair growth which can be found in top line shampoos and conditioners. For fine hair, choose lighter volumizing shampoos that don’t leave your hair feeling weighed down.

Fuller Hair Takes Time

Patience is a virtue when trying to create volume in naturally thin hair. It will take repeated treatments but if you use the right hair products, you will see noticeable differences in the way that your hair looks and feels. Give your products time to repair and rebuild your hair to a fuller, more lustrous state.