Can Thinning Hair Get Thick Again?'

Name: Sai

Question: Worried about my hair, it's thinner than it used to be and it's getting worse. Can thinning hair get thick again? I used to have thick hair when I was at school (I'm 23 now).

Answer: Hi, Sai. We'd need more information to give you a thorough answer to your question so the details that follow are simply for guidance.

In order to receive a confirmed diagnosis of any hair loss condition you may have, and personalised treatment recommendations based on this and your medical profile, where appropriate, a consultation is advisable.

For now, we can explain what causes thinning hair in men and the solutions currently available.

At 23 you are of an age where Male Pattern Baldness, the most common type of hair loss in men, is a consideration. This is a genetic condition, passed down through families, whereby you inherit a sensitivity to the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

The condition may present any time following puberty; when it does become active, the DHT attacks hair follicles located along the top of the scalp, from hairline to crown. This causes their gradual weakening, which can then cause thinning hair in these areas, a receding hairline and hair loss.

If Male Pattern Hair Loss is left to run its course, the thinning hair will not get thicker of its own accord, instead - as it is a permanent, progressive condition, the affected areas will continue to thin, usually resulting in eventual baldness.

Should your hair thinning be affecting your entire scalp - not just the top, vertex areas associated with Male Pattern Hair Loss - this suggests a temporary condition known as Telogen Effluvium.

Consider what happened approximately three months prior to you noticing the hair loss you are currently experiencing; Telogen Effluvium causes a temporary disruption to the hair growth cycle and, as a result, there may be significantly more hair fall than normal approximately three months after a trigger event.

This generally concerns some form of physical or emotional stress, including intense personal or work pressures, an underlying illness or dietary deficiencies.

Whilst thinning hair caused by Male Pattern Baldness will not 'get thicker' again of its own accord, where Telogen Effluvium is the only issue, normal hair growth can resume without intervention so the hair should return to its previous density within approximately six months.

It is worth noting that if you have the relevant genetic predisposition, this condition can also spark the premature onset of Male Pattern Hair Loss.

This is not always the case, but if you have been experiencing thinning hair for a significant period of time, it is certainly worth having a professional hair loss specialist assess your scalp to determine the precise cause.

In either situation - or if both conditions are present simultaneously, which is entirely possible - a customised hair loss treatment course can be tailored to your needs by a specialist.

These courses are based around clinically-proven hair loss solutions and, where appropriate, additional hair growth supporting products, in order to help encourage healthy hair regrowth and prevent baldness with on-going use.