Chop Thinning Hair

Woman with long thinning hair
Photo: Depositphotos
Q: I’m 47 and my hair is thinning quickly. It is long (a couple of inches below my shoulders) and hard to manage. It also gets greasy quickly. My hairdresser thinks that I should opt for short hair.
 
I’m afraid that it would make me look older and I would love to hear a second opinion. Is chopping my hair the only solution? I work as a receptionist at a law firm and I have to look professional at all times.

 
A: There is never only one option when it comes to improving your hair. There are so many variables to take into consideration, and while your hairdresser’s opinion is certainly important, it is not the make-or-break factor.
 
The most important questions you have to ask your self are: What is your favorite length of hair? What is your favorite hairstyle on a woman? Are you ready to part with your long hair, if it can improve the issues that you’re experiencing? If you like long hair and you’re not ready to part with it; you’re going to be unhappy with short hair.
 
I can never stress this enough. Too many hairdressers don’t take this into consideration and end up with clients who are extremely unhappy with their new hairstyle, even if it looks absolutely fabulous to other people.
 
The fact is: If the client is unhappy with the hairstyle, it is a failure, irrespective of what the hairdresser, friends, family or co-workers say or think. Always remember this, and never feel pressurized or bullied into cutting or changing your hair into a way that you don’t want to or don’t feel ready to.
 
This said, let’s look at ways that you can improve your hair:
 
1. Cutting it. You hair is very long at the moment. Is it all one length? If it is, you can have the length cut to a shoulder-length style, with lots of layers, especially in the crown area. The layers takes off the bulk, which makes you look younger, more fashionable and it’s easy to blow-dry with volume, thus you’ll easily disguise the thinning of your hair.
 
You can also opt for a long inverted bob. The front sides slant along the line of your cheekbones, and can dip as low as your collarbone, while the back is much shorter, usually along the nape of your neck. Thus, the style looks like a long style from the front, but from the back and sides it is perfectly sleek and chic.
 
The shorter hair at the back makes it easier to style, while the long hair around the face makes it a perfectly feminine and stylish hairstyle. Both the layers and the inverted bob are very professional and classic styles, thus fitting in with you work environment.
 
2. Coloring it. What color is you hair now? Dark or solid colors tend to make a face look older, as well as letting the scalp shine through, especially in the case of thinning hair. You should have your color lifted and highlighted. A light ash brown base with lots of fine beige-blonde highlights will work perfectly if you have dark hair now.
 
Or if you have blonde hair, ask the stylist to change your base color to a neutral dark blonde, while adding a lot of fine very light blonde and ash blonde highlights. The darker base makes you look younger, while the highlights add dimension and reduce the oiliness in the hair. Highlighted hair takes longer to become oily and disguises a thinning hairline.
 
©Hairfinder.com
 
See also:
 
Is there a difference between fine hair and thin hair?
 
At what age does a woman's hair start thinning?
 
Are bob hairstyles a good idea when you have thin hair?
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