Q: Are bob hairstyles a good idea when you have thin hair? If a bob hairstyle is not a good idea, what style would you advice then for my thin hair?
A: To clarify matters, I want to explain to those who may misunderstand the terminology that “thin hair” refers to the hair’s density (i.e., the number of hairs per square inch on the head) not to the diameter of
the individual hairs. The use of terms like “thick” and “thin” can be misleading unless you specify the parameters you are describing with those terms.
Generally speaking, the biggest mistake women (and even men) make when dealing with thin hair is to wear the hair too long. Healthy hair, with its smooth cuticle layer, is prone
to lying close to the other hairs on the head. The production of sebaceous oils by the scalp will increase the propensity of the hair to “clump”. Since thin hair doesn’t have as many neighbors to hold it out from the
scalp, it tends to become flat from the weight of the long strands.
The result is that the hair forms clusters that look stringy, which simply makes the hair look thinner. The clusters of hairs hang lankly across the scalp, and the scalp itself is
clearly visible between them.
However, cutting the hair shorter, and in a layered style helps to distribute the hair ends and lighten the weight of the individual strands. This lets the clean, healthy hair
remain more “individualized” and evenly distributed in its position on the scalp. This makes the hair look fuller and more diffuse (as though you had more hair).
As with any hairstyle, specific styles are dependent on the shape of the face and balance of the features, but with thin hair types, you do want to focus on shorter, layered looks
in order to make the most of the hair you have.
