By Kate Bayles; photograph by Sean Laurenz

“Can you give me thin hair that makes me look older?” said no woman to her stylist ever…

Thick, vibrant hair is a hallmark of youth and vitality, which is why we all want it. Shampoo commercials promise us luscious locks – plus, watch any red carpet event, and you can bet that a majority of the celebs are rocking extensions in order to fake that fullness. “Many of our brides wear clip-on extensions for the same reason our celebrity clients wear them,” notes Lauren E. Hack, beauty guru at LAUREN+VANESSA, “because your hair will look amazing.”

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Sadly, as we add more candles to the birthday cake, our hair can lose some of this lusciousness. “As we age, hair decreases in density and the individual hair strands become thinner,” says dermatologist Tsippora Shainhouse. Individual hair strands have a two to seven year life cycle, but as we get older, the hair follicle shrinks and the rate of hair growth slows down, says Shainhouse. “The hairs produced become much finer, until, eventually, the follicle can even stop producing new hairs,” she says.

Yikes. Luckily, there are steps you can take to preserve your strands. Here are five ways to deal with thinning hair.

1. Fake It ‘Til You Make It

Those hair ads aren’t all full of fluff. “Hair density can be hard to improve, but thickening and volumising shampoos can help make hair appear fuller and can even make individual strands appear thicker,” says Shainhouse. She recommends using a shampoo that contains Filloxane to add some oomph.

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2. Baby Your Strands

While we naturally lose 60 to 100 hairs a day, a regular routine of washing, blow-drying, straightening, and monthly highlights can be tough on your hair and cause you to shed more than needed – even more so as we get older. “Ageing hair is less resilient and needs to be treated with more care,” says Shainhouse. She suggests reducing the use of harsh, drying chemicals and alcohol-based styling products, and adding in heat-protectant sprays when using heated hair tools.

3. Moisturise, Moisturise, Moisturise

You know how dry, alligator-skin legs don’t look as youthful as über-moisturised ones? The same is true for your ‘do. “Reducing age-related hair dryness and brittleness can reduce hair breakage, which will also make hair appear less dense and thinner,” explains Shainhouse. Our scalps produces less natural oils as we age, so give your head a helping hand by using a moisturising conditioner, hair mask, or oil treatment to help replenish oils to the hair shaft.

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4. Pop A Pill

Though there isn’t a magic pill to automatically give you luscious locks, there are oral supplements that can help you build stronger, thicker hair over time. Shainhouse recommends looking for high-quality supplements of biotin, silica or horsetail, which have been shown in studies to promote hair growth and fullness.

5. See A Doc

While hair thinning is often age-related, it can also be a sign of a deficiency. “It is not uncommon for ageing women to develop iron-deficiency anaemia, thyroid disease or have low vitamin D levels,” says Shainhouse. “Each of these conditions can contribute to hair thinning, loss and poor hair growth.” Visit your dermatologist or primary care physician to do a blood test to check for these deficiencies.

Here’s how to prevent ingrown pubes once and for all. Plus: 6 products you can’t do without if you’re transitioning to natural hair.