You're so fine: whether your hair just needs a lift or is thinning due to stress, genes or damage, these body-boosting solutions can help

Natural Health, Oct, 2004 by Megan O'Connell

A recent survey of 150 stylists, conducted on behalf of the hair-care company Suave, revealed that the most common complaint of female clients is thinning hair. Though it's a bit of a taboo subject, hereditary hair loss affects almost 30 million women--that's one in four of us. If you're among those yearning for thicker, fuller hair, the expert advice here can help make it a reality.

start with the proper cut

"Keep hair above the shoulders with long layers in the back to create a cut that moves instead of hangs limp," says Philip Pelosi, a Pittsburgh-based stylist who developed the Phyto Life line of hair-care products. "Heavy bangs cut to the eyebrows also give the illusion of thicker, fuller hair." Pelosi created the Volumetrics cutting technique, a method that analyzes and works with each individual's hair texture to create more volume, and he teaches it at salons nationwide. (To find a Volumetrics stylist, call 888-263-4720, ext. 218.)

find your magic formulas

Minoxidil is the only hair regrowth formula approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use by women. You can get a prescription for a topical solution from your doctor, or find it in over-the-counter Women's Rogaine ($25 to $50; rogaine.com). The right shampoos and conditioners can make a big difference, plumping up the thickness of each strand while establishing a healthy environment for hair growth. Three of our favorites:

Aveda Pure Abundance Volumizing Shampoo and Volumizing Clay Conditioner ($14 each; aveda.com) contain certified organic acacia gum to make hair look and feel thicker.

Nioxin Bionutrient Protectives Cleanser ($13) and Protectives Scalp Therapy ($17; both at mioxin.com) have ingredients such as fennel and green-tea extracts to protect hair as they gently remove product buildup.

Pantene Pro-V Full & Thick 2 in 1 Shampoo + Conditioner ($4; at drugstores) includes the B vitamins biotin and panthenol to help amplify fullness and strengthen individual strands in one simple step.