How to Make Your Hair Grow Thicker, According to Experts

How to get thicker hair is a common question many beauty enthusiasts ask their stylists, but the truth is, no one answer works for everyone.

From regularly using some of the best hair-growth serums and other innovative treatments to taking daily supplements, many of us are willing to do just about anything for healthy hair. But the biggest expert tip to maximize length and volume? Keep things simple. “Less is more when it comes to promoting hair growth, but compliance is key,” Debby Vellozzi, head of product development at Virtue Labs, tells Bazaar. “Growth products are meant to be used daily, and while it takes time, they truly work.”

Here, we speak with celebrity hairstylists and a professional trichologist to demystify everything you need to know about growing thicker, longer hair with ease. To round out your care essentials, we've also included some expert-approved products that you can seamlessly add to your routine.

Jump to:

• Eat Smarter
• Start With Your Scalp
• Optimize Your Shampoo and Conditioner
• Get Your Blood Flowing
• Read the Ingredient List
• Try a Hair-Growth Supplement
• Minimize Your Hot Tools
• Brush With Purpose
• Fake It ’Til You Make It
• FAQs

Eat Smarter

We have great hair news for avocado fanatics. According to Michelle Blaisure of Bosley Professional Strength, healthy hair starts with nutrition. “While genetics determines hair texture and curl, our diet plays a role in how genes can be expressed,” Blaisure says. “Be sure to get plenty of good-quality protein and good fats like olive oil and omega-3s.” She recommends salmon, avocados, nuts, vegetables, and fruits to get all the key nutrients needed for growing stronger hair.

Start With Your Scalp

When it comes to hair growth, don’t sleep on your scalp. (Well, you know what we mean.) The scalp has a rich microbiome of bacteria and fungus necessary to keep the skin—and the hair it grows—healthy, explains Blaisure. When we don’t shampoo enough or use harsh cleansers, it can lead to skin problems that negatively impact hair growth. “The skin has immunity functions and is our first line of defense against toxins and environmental aggressors. When the scalp is compromised, it cannot defend itself,” she says. “Keeping a healthy balance of moisture and natural oils is important on the scalp just as it is on your face.”

She blames the overuse of hair stylers and harsh cleaning agents (such as sulfates) for stripping the hair and disrupting the scalp’s pH balance. She recommends limiting thickening products that leave behind a heavy residue and make hair look dull, as well as anything with a high pH level.

Linda de Zeeuw, master stylist at Rob Peetoom in Brooklyn, suggests massaging your scalp to stimulate blood flow and washing your hair no more than three times a week. De Zeeuw also warns against overusing dry shampoo—heartbreaking, we know—as it can build up a layer of residue on your scalp and clog hair follicles, preventing new, healthy hair from growing.

Optimize Your Shampoo and Conditioner

It may sound obvious, but it bears repeating: different hair types require specific products tailored to their needs. Cutler x Arlo Salon co-owner Jenny Balding advises those with fine hair to look for volume-building shampoos and conditioners, such as Kérastase Bain Densité Shampoo, to enhance the appearance of thickness and add shine. For those with dry or damaged hair, Balding suggests using products that tame frizz and moisturize, such as Living Proof’s Perfect Hair Day Conditioner, and finishing with a nourishing cream. A good rule of thumb is to pick a shampoo that gently cleanses the scalp and a conditioner that boosts hydration (applied to the mid-lengths to the ends), says Harklinikken CEO and founder, Lars Skjoth.

...And Don’t Over-Wash

Too much of a good thing can harm your hair. According to professional hairstylist Lucy Flora, the number-one mistake she sees clients make is over-washing. “There is nothing better for shine than the hair’s natural oils,” she says. You can help distribute the natural oils by gently brushing your hair regularly (more on that below). Just don’t go more than a few days without shampooing; you still need to rinse away product buildup to maintain a healthy scalp.

Get Your Blood Flowing

Before you stock up on promising products, try giving yourself a scalp massage, which encourages blood flow and helps break up scar tissue in the hair follicle to promote thickness. With your fingertips, move in small circular motions with a moderate amount of pressure. And although scalp massage tools have grown in popularity, Skjoth warns that sharp rubber devices or metal massaging devices can potentially damage the follicles and prevent hair growth. “When done the right way, a regular scalp massage can work wonders for microcirculation of the hair follicles, especially when used in conjunction with a serum like the Harklinikken Hair Gain Extract,” he adds.

Read the Ingredient List

Skjoth recommends avoiding products that contain silicones, artificial colors, or—if you're sensitive—fragrance. “These ingredients can cause scalp issues, which can sometimes cause dermatitis, folliculitis (infection of the hair follicle), and, if left untreated, can lead to permanent loss of hair in the affected hair follicles.” Experts recommend looking for ingredients with anti-inflammatory properties to stabilize the scalp microbiome and balance excess sebum, which often contributes to hair thinning.

Try a Hair-Growth Supplement

Taking a daily multivitamin along with a hair supplement can make a big difference, according to Balding. Blaisure agrees, adding that certain vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids are necessary for healthy hair follicle function and growth. “These need to be added for many people along with a healthy diet,” she says.

Consider options like Vegamour’s Gro+ Advanced Growth & Density supplements, which are rich in anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids and contain extracts from horsetail and pumpkin seeds, or Viviscal, which features a proprietary collagen complex designed to support healthy hair growth. Nutrafol’s Hair Growth Supplements for Women, which previously won a Bazaar Hair Award, is also among experts’ top picks for growth. Nearly every dermatologist we interviewed agrees: In a sea of powders, gummies, pills, and shots promising thicker and fuller hair, Nutrafol is the one that most consistently delivers expert-level results. Be patient: Results from pills can take three to six months—and you’ll need to keep popping them to maintain your new hair growth.

Minimize Your Hot Tools

We know it can be challenging to part with your hair dryer or flat iron. But if you truly want healthier hair, start writing that breakup text. “Keeping hot tool use at a minimum will lessen hair damage,” Balding says. “It will make a huge difference.” She stresses that if you find it difficult to stay away from your favorite hot tools, it’s crucial to use a heat-protectant spray, like Cécred’s Thermal Shield Mist or Moroccanoil Perfect Defense, along with tools that are made to evenly regulate heat, like T3’s SinglePass Flat Iron. Bazaar editors are also fans of the Dyson Airwrap i.d., a styling tool-and-dryer hybrid that uses air and minimal heat to dry and curl hair.

Brush With Purpose

When’s the last time you actually gave thought to brushing your hair? Regular and deliberate brushing can affect your hair’s thickness, Blaisure says, because it helps distribute the natural oils that help protect it from damage and add shine. Brushing your hair every day, regardless of its texture, will also help exfoliate the scalp and remove dead hair.

But it’s only helpful if you’re using the right brush. Flora prefers using a round ceramic brush, like the GHD Ceramic Vented round brush, to help create shine during a blowout. Zeeuw suggests using a boar-bristle brush, such as Crown Affair’s The Boar Hair Brush No. 003 or prestige and cult-favorite Mason Pearson. “It polishes the hair and adds a natural glow, because you are dispersing the natural oils from the scalp into the hair,” she says. As for the biggest brushing faux pas? “Don’t use a plastic brush,” she says. “That will damage your hair and make it staticky.”

Fake It ’Til You Make It

To create the illusion of thicker hair, Flora advises using a lightweight plumping product that lifts hair at the root without weighing it down. Bazaar editors are major fans of Rōz’s Milk Mousse and Root Lift Spray in particular. And to finish off your look, Flora advises reaching for a thickening texture spray, like Christophe Robin’s Instant Volumising Leave-in Mist, for extra volume.

FAQs

Meet the Experts

• Michelle Blaisure is a product and technical specialist and certified trichologist for Bosley Professional Strength.
• Jenny Balding is the co-owner of Cutler x Arlo Salon in New York City.
• Lars Skjoth is the CEO and founder of Harklinikken.
• Lucy Flora is a stylist at Suite Reyad at the Pierre Hotel in New York City.
• Linda de Zeeuw is a master stylist at Rob Peetoom Salon in Brooklyn.

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