How to combat thinning hair: Q&A with top hairdresser Adam Reed

Celebrity hairdresser Adam Reed shares his top tips on how to style and restore thinning hair with hair fibre products.

(Image credit: Getty)

Thinning hair doesn't have to mean reaching for the clippers and giving yourself a buzzcut. Hair fibres are an easy-to-use tool that can be applied at home as part of your normal haircare routine, and help to disguise thin hair.

Fibres can give your hair more volume and help make it look thicker, while letting you maintain your existing style or create something new.

Recently appointed as brand expert for Toppik, a producer of hair fibre products, celebrity hairdresser Adam Reed explains how hair fibres work, and how to use them to rejuvenate your thinning hair.

1. What would be your best advice on how to style thin hair?

My advice is to not over think it, I always feel the shorter the hair the better, as it is easier to make shorter hair appear thicker. Use a lotion when the hair is damp and dry this into the hair, with either a dryer or leaving the hair to dry naturally, just make sure that it is 100% dry. Toppik Hair Building Fiber is an easy-to-use tool to help disguise thinning hair.

(Image credit: Toppik)

2. Why should people be unafraid of using hair fibres such as Toppik?

Use fibres as a part of your styling regime and you cannot go wrong.  They are a great way to help disguise thinning areas and are a good addition to your everyday styling range.  Just remember that less is always more, don’t think of them as thinning hair cover but more a tool to help complete your look.  Also remember that men’s hair should never looked over styled and you won’t go wrong.

3. How is it best to incorporate hair fibres into your styling routine?

  • Firstly, always choose a shade lighter than your natural hair colour for the hair fibers, this helps give a really natural look when they are used and blend naturally into the hair this way.  
  • Tap the product, do not shake – this gives a better product distribution which is important as you do not want to overload onto the head, plus it is always easier to add more than to remove.
  • I also suggest starting away from the hair line, starting with one small patch and working towards the hairline from there. 
  • Using the Toppik Hairline Optimizer is effective for catching loose fibers but also helps achieve a natural looking hairline.
  • Use a natural bristle tooth brush to allow a great blend (this is something that I do personally) by either tapping them onto the brush and then onto the hair, or use them to blend the fibers when on the hair.
  • Fix the fibers with a mist of hair spray, I like to use a non-aerosol spray as it does not look like a spray or set the fibers with the Toppik Fiber Hold Spray.

(Image credit: Toppik)

4. How do guys approach thin hair and what are the most common queries?

Thinning Hair and balding are not the same and this is the most important thing to remember. Also, the thing to remember is not to worry about either. Fibres are great to incorporate into your styling regime to add the appearance of thicker hair if your hair is thinning.

There is also natural keratin protein within the fibres, which has a strong static charge that means they bind statically to the existing hair to create volume.

Fibres are also good to use for those with a thinning crown – using the Toppik Spray Applicator means that target areas such as this can be targeted easily. This is also a way to help manipulate the hairline, filling in any gaps.  Using both the optimiser and spray applicator, go away from the hairline and gradually build forward before setting – it gives a much more natural look and means it can be built upon.

5. What can we do to help thicken hair naturally?

Supplements like Viviscal, a great diet and exercise are the best ways to really help thicken hair naturally.  Healthy hair really starts from within because healthy hair growth is one of the last things your body looks after.  I also swear by hair oils as this can give protected, glossy, shiny hair – everyone should use a hair oil. I love brushing the hair and I do think this encourages healthy hair growth – you’re helping to get the blood flowing around the scalp, it’s also very relaxing.

Check out the best prices on Toppik Hair Building Fiber below:

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Alistair Charlton

Alistair is a freelance automotive and technology journalist. He has bylines on esteemed sites such as the BBC, Forbes, TechRadar, and of best of all, T3, where he covers topics ranging from classic cars and men's lifestyle, to smart home technology, phones, electric cars, autonomy, Swiss watches, and much more besides. He is an experienced journalist, writing news, features, interviews and product reviews. If that didn't make him busy enough, he is also the co-host of the AutoChat podcast.