Dealing with thinning hair is something that eventually impacts everyone to some degree. As much as we wish we could all keep our luscious, thick hair of youth–the reality is that many of us deal with hair loss, hair thinning, and conditions that impact our hair’s density and thickness.
And unfortunately, some clients end up dealing with these issues sooner than they might like. It’s not always age that causes hair loss or hair thinning–sometimes it’s diet, a medical condition, or just a genetic anamoly.
And while working with clients struggling with thinning hair can be a bit of a challenge, it doesn’t have to be–there are lots of ways that you can incorporate your barbering expertise to help them manage, accept, and style thinning hair in the best ways possible.
Not sure where to start with this? We’ve got you covered. This blog is going to outline a few go-to tips for helping your clients who are dealing with thinning hair. And as a quick aside, if you’re looking for recommendations on how to encourage your clients with hair loss or help them prevent hair loss entirely, we’ve got an entire blog on that subject, too.
Check out our post on preventing hair loss after you read through this one!
How to Help Clients Style Thinning Hair
Thinning hair is a common problem–but it doesn’t have to be an issue.
As a barber, you’ve likely styled and managed thinning hair before, so you probably have a few of your own tricks up your sleeve. But if you’re struggling with cutting techniques, management, and styling tips to pass along to your clients, this blog is a great starting point.
Here are a few of our go-to barbering tips for styling and managing thinning hair.
Create Density With Angles
When cutting, employ techniques that give the illusion of fuller, thicker, and denser hair. One of the easiest ways to do this is to create angles with vertical sections as you’re cutting. Leave more length on the top and bottom of your sections and aim to keep hair longer at certain points. This gives the look a feeling of balance, density, and fullness–without actually needing to have it.
Help Them Find the Right Products
The right products can make all the difference. As much as we wish there was a miracle product to recommend for hair regrowth (there are companies out there, but none that we have enough experience with to link here), there’s no guarantee that a product will boost growth. Still, there are products out there that can address issues that lead to thinning hair.
If you get your clients hooked up with the right shampoo, their thinning hair might not feel so dry and dehydrated. If you get your client the perfect everyday holding and volumizing mousse, their go-to look might seem a bit more full and dense.
The right suite of products won’t change thinning hair, but they can offer an aesthetic solution to help your clients achieve a look that appears fuller, healthier, and more voluminous.
Leave a Little Extra Length on the Crown
When cutting and styling the hair at the crown of the head, aim to leave a little more length than you normally would. Then, over direct hair forward. We’re 100% not asking you to give your clients bad combovers here.
What we are saying is that if you over-direct and then cut, you’ll be able to build in more weight and balance to the overall cut. This gives the illusion of a fuller head of hair.
Help Them Get to the Root of the Problem
While you can’t solve hair thinning, you can help your clients–in some cases–prevent it from getting worse. Work with your client to get to the root of the issue. Are they dealing with high stress that’s causing early thinning? Work with them to figure out what’s stressing them out and encourage them to eliminate or mitigate these areas of stress.
Are they battling a health condition? If this is the case, they should abide by their doctor’s medical advice. Is it just genetic? Though this is definitely out of their control, there might be ways to deal with the eventuality of hair loss and thinning overall.
No matter what the actual issue might be, there are ways to help them manage their thinning hair. If they need it, help them adapt and embrace a new style that might fit their changing hair needs.
As barbers, we often come up with our own tips and tricks for working through common industry circumstances. If you’ve been in the biz for a while, you probably have some of your own advice up your sleeve for helping clients style and manage thinning hair.
The community of barbers we’re proud to foster here would love to hear some of those tips. So, go for it–share what you know with the crew. Drop a comment in the reply section below and let your knowledge flow!
Remember, we’re constantly updating our blog with tips, tricks, insight, and career-boosting advice. If this sounds right up your alley, make sure you subscribe to the National Association of Barbers.
P.S. don’t forget to check out our barbering liability insurance–it protects your career, keeps you safe, and ensures the continuation of your services no matter what goes down (accidentally or allegedly).
