Mito Health: Helping you live healthier, longer.
In-depth bloodwork & holistic health advice, backed by the latest longevity science. Only $399.
Why Hair Thins and How to Keep More of It
Understand why hair thins, then use an inside-out routine to protect strands, calm shedding, and support growth without a shelf of products.
Written by
Gabriel Tan
Hair thinning sneaks up. A widening part. More strands in the drain. A ponytail that feels slimmer than last year.
Most people respond by stacking products, then feel let down when nothing changes. The better play is simpler. Protect the hair shaft on the outside, support the follicle from the inside, and give your routine enough time to show results.
What Hair Thinning Usually Means
"Thinning" is an umbrella term. The most common pattern is androgenetic alopecia, where follicles slowly miniaturize and produce shorter, finer hairs so density looks lower.
A different story is telogen effluvium. After a stressor like illness, crash dieting or a major life event, more follicles shift into the resting phase at once, shedding rises for a while, then settles as the trigger fades.
There are mechanical causes too. Tight styles and harsh processing break the hair shaft mid-length. That looks like thin hair even if follicles still work. Knowing which picture fits you helps you pick the right fixes, instead of chasing everything at once.
How to Address Hair Thinning
Think of this as your baseline. It is a list, yes, but each item is expanded so you know how and why to use it. You do not need perfection. You need consistency.
Stretch your washes
Washing too often strips the scalp’s natural oils that keep the cuticle smooth. Less oil means more friction, more breakage, and strands that scatter light instead of reflecting it.
If your scalp is not oily or itchy, try every other day or every third day. When you do wash, massage with fingertips, rinse well, and resist the urge to scrub hard. Clean scalp, calm cuticle, fuller look.
Switch to sulfate-free products
Strong detergents are great at removing buildup. They also lift away the lipids and proteins that make hair flexible. A gentle shampoo helps the cuticle lie flat so hair reflects light and looks fuller.
Pair it with a simple conditioner that adds slip without smothering roots. You are not trying to coat your hair. You are trying to reduce friction so strands do not snap.
Dial down on heat and tension
Flat irons and hot blowouts break bonds in the hair shaft. Tight ponytails, buns and braids pull at follicles. Give your hair a few air-dry days each week. Rotate styles so the same sections are not under stress day after day.
If you color or chemically treat, build in recovery time between appointments and be predictable with aftercare. Less trauma at the shaft means fewer mid-length breaks that read as thinning.
Filter your shower water
Tap water often carries chlorine and hard minerals. Both roughen the cuticle and leave residue that weighs hair down.
A simple shower filter softens the hit so shampoo and conditioner can do their jobs. It will not regrow hair on its own but it does help you protect what you have and makes your whole routine more effective.
Avoid hair dyes
Conventional dyes can irritate the scalp and weaken fiber over time. If you color, look for less aggressive formulas, stretch the time between sessions, and follow with real conditioning, not just a quick gloss.
A calmer scalp and a smoother shaft make hair feel thicker without any extra volume tricks.
Lower daily stress
Stress does not just feel bad. It nudges more follicles into the resting phase, which is why sheds often spike a few months after a rough patch.
A short walk outside, a few minutes of slow breathing, earlier nights and fewer late screens quiet the push into shedding. These are upstream fixes. They change the signals that decide how many follicles stay in growth.
Quit smoking
Smoking restricts blood flow, depletes nutrients, and increases oxidative stress that ages hair. Quitting is hard. It is also one of the few moves that helps your hair, skin, heart, and energy at once.
Use sea kelp carefully
Sea kelp brings trace minerals like iodine, selenium and zinc. Your thyroid uses iodine, and thyroid status touches hair quality.
If you already use iodized salt or eat seafood, you may not need extra kelp. If you add it, keep amounts small. More is not better with iodine. Think of kelp as seasoning for a balanced diet, not a cure-all.
Feed growth from the inside
Hair is protein, and follicles need specific nutrients to build strong strands and keep growth humming.
Protein as the base. Include it at each meal so your body has raw materials.
Iron moves oxygen to follicles. Find it in red meat, shellfish, beans and greens.
Zinc helps build keratin. Oysters, beef, pumpkin seeds, and chickpeas are easy sources.
Omega-3 fats calm scalp inflammation. Fatty fish, walnuts and flax help.
Vitamin D helps switch on growth. Safe sun, fortified foods and some fish cover it.
Selenium supports thyroid function. One or two Brazil nuts deliver plenty.
Biotin supports keratin structure. Most people get enough from eggs, meat and legumes.
Folate and vitamin C support collagen around the follicle. Citrus, berries, peppers and greens fill the gap.
Food first works better than a drawer of mystery pills. If you do supplement, keep it targeted and consistent rather than trendy and scattered.
What Thinning Hair is Telling You
Thinning is not only cosmetic. Sometimes it is your body pointing at gaps and stress. Crash dieting, very low protein intake and long stretches of short sleep are common triggers for sheds. So are aggressive bleaching schedules and tight daily styles.
Fix those inputs and many sheds will settle on their own.
Spotting the Wrong Kind of Thinning
Most thinning is slow and diffuse. A few situations signal a different story.
A coin-sized bald patch that appears fast, scaly inflamed areas, broken hairs with black dots, or sudden pain and redness on the scalp point to conditions that need directed care. Mark those as exceptions.
For everything else, your inside-out routine will do most of the work.
Final Word
Fuller hair is not about finding a magic bottle. It is about controlling the inputs you live with every day. None of this is flashy, yet it compounds.
Give your routine a fair runway and judge progress with photos in the same light. Simple choices, done consistently, protect the hair you have and help more of it stay in the growth phase.
Resources
Related Articles
Mito Health: Helping you live healthier, longer.
In-depth bloodwork & holistic health advice, backed by the latest longevity science. Only $399.
Why Hair Thins and How to Keep More of It
Understand why hair thins, then use an inside-out routine to protect strands, calm shedding, and support growth without a shelf of products.
Written by
Gabriel Tan
Hair thinning sneaks up. A widening part. More strands in the drain. A ponytail that feels slimmer than last year.
Most people respond by stacking products, then feel let down when nothing changes. The better play is simpler. Protect the hair shaft on the outside, support the follicle from the inside, and give your routine enough time to show results.
What Hair Thinning Usually Means
"Thinning" is an umbrella term. The most common pattern is androgenetic alopecia, where follicles slowly miniaturize and produce shorter, finer hairs so density looks lower.
A different story is telogen effluvium. After a stressor like illness, crash dieting or a major life event, more follicles shift into the resting phase at once, shedding rises for a while, then settles as the trigger fades.
There are mechanical causes too. Tight styles and harsh processing break the hair shaft mid-length. That looks like thin hair even if follicles still work. Knowing which picture fits you helps you pick the right fixes, instead of chasing everything at once.
How to Address Hair Thinning
Think of this as your baseline. It is a list, yes, but each item is expanded so you know how and why to use it. You do not need perfection. You need consistency.
Stretch your washes
Washing too often strips the scalp’s natural oils that keep the cuticle smooth. Less oil means more friction, more breakage, and strands that scatter light instead of reflecting it.
If your scalp is not oily or itchy, try every other day or every third day. When you do wash, massage with fingertips, rinse well, and resist the urge to scrub hard. Clean scalp, calm cuticle, fuller look.
Switch to sulfate-free products
Strong detergents are great at removing buildup. They also lift away the lipids and proteins that make hair flexible. A gentle shampoo helps the cuticle lie flat so hair reflects light and looks fuller.
Pair it with a simple conditioner that adds slip without smothering roots. You are not trying to coat your hair. You are trying to reduce friction so strands do not snap.
Dial down on heat and tension
Flat irons and hot blowouts break bonds in the hair shaft. Tight ponytails, buns and braids pull at follicles. Give your hair a few air-dry days each week. Rotate styles so the same sections are not under stress day after day.
If you color or chemically treat, build in recovery time between appointments and be predictable with aftercare. Less trauma at the shaft means fewer mid-length breaks that read as thinning.
Filter your shower water
Tap water often carries chlorine and hard minerals. Both roughen the cuticle and leave residue that weighs hair down.
A simple shower filter softens the hit so shampoo and conditioner can do their jobs. It will not regrow hair on its own but it does help you protect what you have and makes your whole routine more effective.
Avoid hair dyes
Conventional dyes can irritate the scalp and weaken fiber over time. If you color, look for less aggressive formulas, stretch the time between sessions, and follow with real conditioning, not just a quick gloss.
A calmer scalp and a smoother shaft make hair feel thicker without any extra volume tricks.
Lower daily stress
Stress does not just feel bad. It nudges more follicles into the resting phase, which is why sheds often spike a few months after a rough patch.
A short walk outside, a few minutes of slow breathing, earlier nights and fewer late screens quiet the push into shedding. These are upstream fixes. They change the signals that decide how many follicles stay in growth.
Quit smoking
Smoking restricts blood flow, depletes nutrients, and increases oxidative stress that ages hair. Quitting is hard. It is also one of the few moves that helps your hair, skin, heart, and energy at once.
Use sea kelp carefully
Sea kelp brings trace minerals like iodine, selenium and zinc. Your thyroid uses iodine, and thyroid status touches hair quality.
If you already use iodized salt or eat seafood, you may not need extra kelp. If you add it, keep amounts small. More is not better with iodine. Think of kelp as seasoning for a balanced diet, not a cure-all.
Feed growth from the inside
Hair is protein, and follicles need specific nutrients to build strong strands and keep growth humming.
Protein as the base. Include it at each meal so your body has raw materials.
Iron moves oxygen to follicles. Find it in red meat, shellfish, beans and greens.
Zinc helps build keratin. Oysters, beef, pumpkin seeds, and chickpeas are easy sources.
Omega-3 fats calm scalp inflammation. Fatty fish, walnuts and flax help.
Vitamin D helps switch on growth. Safe sun, fortified foods and some fish cover it.
Selenium supports thyroid function. One or two Brazil nuts deliver plenty.
Biotin supports keratin structure. Most people get enough from eggs, meat and legumes.
Folate and vitamin C support collagen around the follicle. Citrus, berries, peppers and greens fill the gap.
Food first works better than a drawer of mystery pills. If you do supplement, keep it targeted and consistent rather than trendy and scattered.
What Thinning Hair is Telling You
Thinning is not only cosmetic. Sometimes it is your body pointing at gaps and stress. Crash dieting, very low protein intake and long stretches of short sleep are common triggers for sheds. So are aggressive bleaching schedules and tight daily styles.
Fix those inputs and many sheds will settle on their own.
Spotting the Wrong Kind of Thinning
Most thinning is slow and diffuse. A few situations signal a different story.
A coin-sized bald patch that appears fast, scaly inflamed areas, broken hairs with black dots, or sudden pain and redness on the scalp point to conditions that need directed care. Mark those as exceptions.
For everything else, your inside-out routine will do most of the work.
Final Word
Fuller hair is not about finding a magic bottle. It is about controlling the inputs you live with every day. None of this is flashy, yet it compounds.
Give your routine a fair runway and judge progress with photos in the same light. Simple choices, done consistently, protect the hair you have and help more of it stay in the growth phase.
Resources
Related Articles
Mito Health: Helping you live healthier, longer.
In-depth bloodwork & holistic health advice, backed by the latest longevity science. Only $399.
Why Hair Thins and How to Keep More of It
Understand why hair thins, then use an inside-out routine to protect strands, calm shedding, and support growth without a shelf of products.
Written by
Gabriel Tan
Hair thinning sneaks up. A widening part. More strands in the drain. A ponytail that feels slimmer than last year.
Most people respond by stacking products, then feel let down when nothing changes. The better play is simpler. Protect the hair shaft on the outside, support the follicle from the inside, and give your routine enough time to show results.
What Hair Thinning Usually Means
"Thinning" is an umbrella term. The most common pattern is androgenetic alopecia, where follicles slowly miniaturize and produce shorter, finer hairs so density looks lower.
A different story is telogen effluvium. After a stressor like illness, crash dieting or a major life event, more follicles shift into the resting phase at once, shedding rises for a while, then settles as the trigger fades.
There are mechanical causes too. Tight styles and harsh processing break the hair shaft mid-length. That looks like thin hair even if follicles still work. Knowing which picture fits you helps you pick the right fixes, instead of chasing everything at once.
How to Address Hair Thinning
Think of this as your baseline. It is a list, yes, but each item is expanded so you know how and why to use it. You do not need perfection. You need consistency.
Stretch your washes
Washing too often strips the scalp’s natural oils that keep the cuticle smooth. Less oil means more friction, more breakage, and strands that scatter light instead of reflecting it.
If your scalp is not oily or itchy, try every other day or every third day. When you do wash, massage with fingertips, rinse well, and resist the urge to scrub hard. Clean scalp, calm cuticle, fuller look.
Switch to sulfate-free products
Strong detergents are great at removing buildup. They also lift away the lipids and proteins that make hair flexible. A gentle shampoo helps the cuticle lie flat so hair reflects light and looks fuller.
Pair it with a simple conditioner that adds slip without smothering roots. You are not trying to coat your hair. You are trying to reduce friction so strands do not snap.
Dial down on heat and tension
Flat irons and hot blowouts break bonds in the hair shaft. Tight ponytails, buns and braids pull at follicles. Give your hair a few air-dry days each week. Rotate styles so the same sections are not under stress day after day.
If you color or chemically treat, build in recovery time between appointments and be predictable with aftercare. Less trauma at the shaft means fewer mid-length breaks that read as thinning.
Filter your shower water
Tap water often carries chlorine and hard minerals. Both roughen the cuticle and leave residue that weighs hair down.
A simple shower filter softens the hit so shampoo and conditioner can do their jobs. It will not regrow hair on its own but it does help you protect what you have and makes your whole routine more effective.
Avoid hair dyes
Conventional dyes can irritate the scalp and weaken fiber over time. If you color, look for less aggressive formulas, stretch the time between sessions, and follow with real conditioning, not just a quick gloss.
A calmer scalp and a smoother shaft make hair feel thicker without any extra volume tricks.
Lower daily stress
Stress does not just feel bad. It nudges more follicles into the resting phase, which is why sheds often spike a few months after a rough patch.
A short walk outside, a few minutes of slow breathing, earlier nights and fewer late screens quiet the push into shedding. These are upstream fixes. They change the signals that decide how many follicles stay in growth.
Quit smoking
Smoking restricts blood flow, depletes nutrients, and increases oxidative stress that ages hair. Quitting is hard. It is also one of the few moves that helps your hair, skin, heart, and energy at once.
Use sea kelp carefully
Sea kelp brings trace minerals like iodine, selenium and zinc. Your thyroid uses iodine, and thyroid status touches hair quality.
If you already use iodized salt or eat seafood, you may not need extra kelp. If you add it, keep amounts small. More is not better with iodine. Think of kelp as seasoning for a balanced diet, not a cure-all.
Feed growth from the inside
Hair is protein, and follicles need specific nutrients to build strong strands and keep growth humming.
Protein as the base. Include it at each meal so your body has raw materials.
Iron moves oxygen to follicles. Find it in red meat, shellfish, beans and greens.
Zinc helps build keratin. Oysters, beef, pumpkin seeds, and chickpeas are easy sources.
Omega-3 fats calm scalp inflammation. Fatty fish, walnuts and flax help.
Vitamin D helps switch on growth. Safe sun, fortified foods and some fish cover it.
Selenium supports thyroid function. One or two Brazil nuts deliver plenty.
Biotin supports keratin structure. Most people get enough from eggs, meat and legumes.
Folate and vitamin C support collagen around the follicle. Citrus, berries, peppers and greens fill the gap.
Food first works better than a drawer of mystery pills. If you do supplement, keep it targeted and consistent rather than trendy and scattered.
What Thinning Hair is Telling You
Thinning is not only cosmetic. Sometimes it is your body pointing at gaps and stress. Crash dieting, very low protein intake and long stretches of short sleep are common triggers for sheds. So are aggressive bleaching schedules and tight daily styles.
Fix those inputs and many sheds will settle on their own.
Spotting the Wrong Kind of Thinning
Most thinning is slow and diffuse. A few situations signal a different story.
A coin-sized bald patch that appears fast, scaly inflamed areas, broken hairs with black dots, or sudden pain and redness on the scalp point to conditions that need directed care. Mark those as exceptions.
For everything else, your inside-out routine will do most of the work.
Final Word
Fuller hair is not about finding a magic bottle. It is about controlling the inputs you live with every day. None of this is flashy, yet it compounds.
Give your routine a fair runway and judge progress with photos in the same light. Simple choices, done consistently, protect the hair you have and help more of it stay in the growth phase.
Resources
Related Articles
Why Hair Thins and How to Keep More of It
Understand why hair thins, then use an inside-out routine to protect strands, calm shedding, and support growth without a shelf of products.
Written by
Gabriel Tan
Hair thinning sneaks up. A widening part. More strands in the drain. A ponytail that feels slimmer than last year.
Most people respond by stacking products, then feel let down when nothing changes. The better play is simpler. Protect the hair shaft on the outside, support the follicle from the inside, and give your routine enough time to show results.
What Hair Thinning Usually Means
"Thinning" is an umbrella term. The most common pattern is androgenetic alopecia, where follicles slowly miniaturize and produce shorter, finer hairs so density looks lower.
A different story is telogen effluvium. After a stressor like illness, crash dieting or a major life event, more follicles shift into the resting phase at once, shedding rises for a while, then settles as the trigger fades.
There are mechanical causes too. Tight styles and harsh processing break the hair shaft mid-length. That looks like thin hair even if follicles still work. Knowing which picture fits you helps you pick the right fixes, instead of chasing everything at once.
How to Address Hair Thinning
Think of this as your baseline. It is a list, yes, but each item is expanded so you know how and why to use it. You do not need perfection. You need consistency.
Stretch your washes
Washing too often strips the scalp’s natural oils that keep the cuticle smooth. Less oil means more friction, more breakage, and strands that scatter light instead of reflecting it.
If your scalp is not oily or itchy, try every other day or every third day. When you do wash, massage with fingertips, rinse well, and resist the urge to scrub hard. Clean scalp, calm cuticle, fuller look.
Switch to sulfate-free products
Strong detergents are great at removing buildup. They also lift away the lipids and proteins that make hair flexible. A gentle shampoo helps the cuticle lie flat so hair reflects light and looks fuller.
Pair it with a simple conditioner that adds slip without smothering roots. You are not trying to coat your hair. You are trying to reduce friction so strands do not snap.
Dial down on heat and tension
Flat irons and hot blowouts break bonds in the hair shaft. Tight ponytails, buns and braids pull at follicles. Give your hair a few air-dry days each week. Rotate styles so the same sections are not under stress day after day.
If you color or chemically treat, build in recovery time between appointments and be predictable with aftercare. Less trauma at the shaft means fewer mid-length breaks that read as thinning.
Filter your shower water
Tap water often carries chlorine and hard minerals. Both roughen the cuticle and leave residue that weighs hair down.
A simple shower filter softens the hit so shampoo and conditioner can do their jobs. It will not regrow hair on its own but it does help you protect what you have and makes your whole routine more effective.
Avoid hair dyes
Conventional dyes can irritate the scalp and weaken fiber over time. If you color, look for less aggressive formulas, stretch the time between sessions, and follow with real conditioning, not just a quick gloss.
A calmer scalp and a smoother shaft make hair feel thicker without any extra volume tricks.
Lower daily stress
Stress does not just feel bad. It nudges more follicles into the resting phase, which is why sheds often spike a few months after a rough patch.
A short walk outside, a few minutes of slow breathing, earlier nights and fewer late screens quiet the push into shedding. These are upstream fixes. They change the signals that decide how many follicles stay in growth.
Quit smoking
Smoking restricts blood flow, depletes nutrients, and increases oxidative stress that ages hair. Quitting is hard. It is also one of the few moves that helps your hair, skin, heart, and energy at once.
Use sea kelp carefully
Sea kelp brings trace minerals like iodine, selenium and zinc. Your thyroid uses iodine, and thyroid status touches hair quality.
If you already use iodized salt or eat seafood, you may not need extra kelp. If you add it, keep amounts small. More is not better with iodine. Think of kelp as seasoning for a balanced diet, not a cure-all.
Feed growth from the inside
Hair is protein, and follicles need specific nutrients to build strong strands and keep growth humming.
Protein as the base. Include it at each meal so your body has raw materials.
Iron moves oxygen to follicles. Find it in red meat, shellfish, beans and greens.
Zinc helps build keratin. Oysters, beef, pumpkin seeds, and chickpeas are easy sources.
Omega-3 fats calm scalp inflammation. Fatty fish, walnuts and flax help.
Vitamin D helps switch on growth. Safe sun, fortified foods and some fish cover it.
Selenium supports thyroid function. One or two Brazil nuts deliver plenty.
Biotin supports keratin structure. Most people get enough from eggs, meat and legumes.
Folate and vitamin C support collagen around the follicle. Citrus, berries, peppers and greens fill the gap.
Food first works better than a drawer of mystery pills. If you do supplement, keep it targeted and consistent rather than trendy and scattered.
What Thinning Hair is Telling You
Thinning is not only cosmetic. Sometimes it is your body pointing at gaps and stress. Crash dieting, very low protein intake and long stretches of short sleep are common triggers for sheds. So are aggressive bleaching schedules and tight daily styles.
Fix those inputs and many sheds will settle on their own.
Spotting the Wrong Kind of Thinning
Most thinning is slow and diffuse. A few situations signal a different story.
A coin-sized bald patch that appears fast, scaly inflamed areas, broken hairs with black dots, or sudden pain and redness on the scalp point to conditions that need directed care. Mark those as exceptions.
For everything else, your inside-out routine will do most of the work.
Final Word
Fuller hair is not about finding a magic bottle. It is about controlling the inputs you live with every day. None of this is flashy, yet it compounds.
Give your routine a fair runway and judge progress with photos in the same light. Simple choices, done consistently, protect the hair you have and help more of it stay in the growth phase.
Resources
Related Articles
Mito Health: Helping you live healthier, longer.
In-depth bloodwork & holistic health advice, backed by the latest longevity science. Only $399.
Recently published
What could cost you $15,000? $349 with Mito.
No hidden fees. No subscription traps. Just real care.
What's included
Core Test - Comprehensive lab test covering 100+ biomarkers
Clinician reviewed insights and action plan
1:1 consultation with a real clinician
Upload past lab reports for lifetime tracking
Dedicated 1:1 health coaching
Duo Bundle (For 2)
Most popular
$798
$668
$130 off (17%)
Individual
$399
$349
$50 off (13%)
What could cost you $15,000? $349 with Mito.
No hidden fees. No subscription traps. Just real care.
What's included
Core Test - Comprehensive lab test covering 100+ biomarkers
Clinician reviewed insights and action plan
1:1 consultation with a real clinician
Upload past lab reports for lifetime tracking
Dedicated 1:1 health coaching
Duo Bundle (For 2)
Most popular
$798
$668
$130 off (17%)
Individual
$399
$349
$50 off (13%)
What could cost you $15,000? $349 with Mito.
No hidden fees. No subscription traps. Just real care.
What's included
Core Test - Comprehensive lab test covering 100+ biomarkers
Clinician reviewed insights and action plan
1:1 consultation with a real clinician
Upload past lab reports for lifetime tracking
Dedicated 1:1 health coaching
Duo Bundle (For 2)
Most popular
$798
$668
$130 off (17%)
Individual
$399
$349
$50 off (13%)
What could cost you $15,000? $349 with Mito.
No hidden fees. No subscription traps. Just real care.
Core Test - Comprehensive lab test covering 100+ biomarkers
Clinician reviewed insights and action plan
1:1 consultation with a real clinician
Upload past lab reports for lifetime tracking
Dedicated 1:1 health coaching
What's included
Duo Bundle (For 2)
Most popular
$798
$668
$130 off (17%)
Individual
$399
$349
$50 off (13%)