How To Get Thicker Hair for Men: Turn up the Volume

Thicker-looking hair often comes down to making the most of the strands you already have. You may not be able to change how many follicles you were born with, but you can make meaningful improvements to how full and voluminous your hair looks.

The first step is understanding why your locks appear thinner in the first place. From there, washing keeps buildup from weighing down your roots, while the right styling techniques create lift where you need it most.

In this guide, we’ll explain how men can get thicker hair and cover the lifestyle adjustments that can help your mane look its best.

What Causes Thin Hair in Men?

Hair can look thinner for different reasons, so knowing which specific problem you’re dealing with can help you build a routine that works instead of throwing pomade on and hoping for the best. Here are a few things that make an impact:

• Genetics: Some thinning and genetic hair loss is outside your control (sorry — there’s no miracle elixir). Your family history can influence when thinning begins and which areas become more noticeable.

• Diet deficiencies: Your body needs enough protein and key nutrients to maintain healthy-looking strands. Low levels of certain vitamins like iron or zinc affect the normal hair cycle, increasing shedding. Hair supplements aren’t an automatic shortcut, though. They tend to be most useful when you have a genuine deficiency.

• Heat and chemical damage: High temperatures and repeated chemical treatments weaken the hair shaft. Over time, that damage leads to dryness and breakage, which makes the ends look sparse even when the number of follicles hasn’t changed. In this case, it’s more a case of strands snapping before reaching their full potential.

• Stress and poor sleep: Your hair goes through three main stages: growth, resting, and shedding. A stressor like poor sleep can move your hair into the resting phase too early, causing excess shedding down the line. You can’t fix this with a one-off eight-hour snooze, but a steady sleep schedule might support healthier hair over time. Stress can also lead to rough, unintended everyday habits, like skipping meals or aggressive towel drying, which only adds more strain to the situation.

How To Wash Thin Hair To Make It Thicker

Washing won’t summon new follicles from the great beyond, but it can make the existing ones look fuller. The trick is to remove grime from the roots while limiting the dryness and breakage that make the lengths appear sparse. Here’s how.

Choose a Sulfate-Free, Strengthening Shampoo

Fine or thinning hair tends to show oil quickly. Once strands start clumping together, more scalp becomes visible, and your volume heads south.

Choose a sulfate-free, strengthening shampoo that won’t leave your locks feeling devoid of moisture. Dr. Squatch’s shampoo collection includes naturally derived , sulfate and paraben-free formulas that strengthen strands and support healthy-looking hair. Rinse thoroughly, too, since leftover product can flatten the lift.

Focus Shampoo on the Scalp and Conditioner on the Ends

Shampoo needs to reach your scalp, where most oil and styling residue collect. Massage it in with your fingertips, then let the lather travel through the lengths as you rinse. Be gentle — there’s no need to scrub your scalp like you’re cleaning a stubborn cast iron pan.

Then, apply conditioner from the mid-lengths to the ends. These strands are older and more prone to dryness, so they need the moisture.

Match Your Wash Schedule to Your Hair Type

There’s no sacred, secret shampoo schedule that we’re hiding. Wash your hair when your roots become oily, separated, or noticeably flat. Fine, straight hair may need cleansing more often, while a dry or textured mane can usually go longer between washes. Curly hair needs less frequent shampooing and more consistent conditioning because natural oils have a harder time traveling along its bends and coils.

Pay extra attention to the ends. If they feel rough but your scalp feels clean, you may be washing too often or aggressively. Your hair is giving you feedback. Try not to leave it on read.

Support Your Strands With Conditioner

Men with fine hair might skip conditioner because they worry it’ll weigh down their hair. But after shampoo removes oil and buildup, the lengths tend to feel rougher and catch against each other more easily. Add vigorous towel drying or combing, and those snags can lead to pulling, splitting, or breaking, all of which make hair look thinner through the ends.

A lightweight conditioner hydrates and smoothens the strands so they separate and detangle. Apply it from the mid-lengths downward, let it rest for a couple of minutes, and rinse thoroughly.

How To Make Hair Fuller: Styling Tricks for Men

The right hair styling technique lifts your locks away from your scalp and creates texture, making it look fuller almost immediately. The wrong product or application, however, can flatten all that potential before you’ve even left the bathroom. Follow these tips to give your hair a cosmetic boost.

Use a Matte Pomade or Texture Paste for Density

Shiny products reflect light and make the gaps between strands more noticeable. A matte pomade or texture paste does the opposite by adding grip and separation without the slick, glossy finish.

Squeeze a pea-sized amount between your palms, then work it through dry or mildly damp hair. Start at the back and move forward so you don’t dump all the cargo near your hairline. Pinch small sections into place rather than flattening everything into one solid helmet.

Blow-Dry for Lift and Volume at the Roots

Hair tends to stay in the direction it dries, so letting it fall flat while wet practically sends an RSVP to a low-volume day. Blow-dry the roots upward or against their natural direction while lifting them with your fingers.

Keep the dryer moving instead of roasting one spot like a marshmallow. Once the roots are mostly dry, guide them into your preferred shape. The lift created from the base up makes your hair density appear fuller.

A volumizing mousse can also add some more size before blow-drying. Styling powders work well for lift at the crown, but use a small amount to avoid a chalky or stiff finish.

Let Hair Air-Dry Upright for Natural Body

Don’t have a dryer? No worries. Your mane can still rise to the occasion (literally). After blotting away excess water, use your fingers or a wide-tooth comb to position the roots upward and away from the scalp. Avoid putting on a hat or lying down while it dries. The pressure and gravity will press the roots in place, leaving you with a low-plateau pancake instead of a puffy pompadour.

Avoid Heavy, Oil-Based Products That Clump Strands

Heavy oils, thick gels, and glossy waxes can bind fine strands into larger sections. That creates fewer visible “pieces” of hair and exposes more scalp between them. Instead, choose lightweight products and start with a small amount. Adding product is easy, but undoing an enthusiastic scoop usually requires a second shower and a brief period of self-reflection.

How To Thicken Hair Naturally: Lifestyle Habits That Work

Grooming can make your hair look thicker for your date tonight, but everyday habits influence how healthy it is over time. These tips can’t override genetics or guarantee new growth, but they’ll help your hair get the care it needs to look its best.

Eat Enough Protein, Zinc, and Iron

Hair is largely made from keratin (a type of protein), so consistently undereating protein can leave your body short on the amino acids it needs to produce healthy strands. Lean proteins and foods rich in zinc both help you produce keratin. 

Iron, on the other hand, helps transport oxygen around the body, which supports hair growth. Without it, you might shed more than you replace. Try to get all these nutrients through a balanced diet since you typically absorb nutrients from whole foods better than supplements. 

Massage Your Scalp Regularly

A couple of studies suggest that scalp massages improve hair thickness, reduce hair loss, and increase regrowth. This research is pretty limited, but the technique is worth trying — who doesn’t love a massage, after all? The worst that’ll happen is you unwind after a long day. 

Use your fingertips (not your nails) and work in small circles for a few minutes. The pressure should be relaxing, though, and not like you’re kneading pizza dough.

Manage Stress and Prioritize Sleep

Prolonged stress can interfere with the normal cycle in which strands grow, rest, and eventually shed. Sleep also gives your body time to recover and regulate the bodily processes involved in maintaining healthy-looking hair. Going to sleep and waking up at the same time each day is a great way to reduce stress and gives your body more recovery time than one marathon lie-in after a chaotic week.

Get in the Flow With Dr. Squatch Hair Care

Better-looking locks come from consistent grooming habits and lifestyle choices. Make those choices easier with Dr. Squatch Men’s Natural Hair Care products .

Dr. Squatch’s naturally derived, sulfate and paraben-free shampoo offers a strengthening cleanse, while our conditioner restores moisture for a softer, healthier-looking finish. You don’t need a 10-step ritual — just a dependable routine you can build on, wash after wash.

FAQ

Can a Thickening Shampoo Actually Make Thin Hair Thicker?

A thickening shampoo can make existing strands look more voluminous. But it can’t create new hair follicles or stimulate hair growth, so judge it by lift and body rather than regrowth. You can also use a volumizing mousse before drying or styling powders around the crown.

Can I Make My Hair Thicker, Prevent Balding, or Regrow My Hair if Thinning Runs in My Family?

There’s no guarantee that you’ll prevent balding or completely stop hair loss, but some medical treatment can slow genetic hair loss and help certain men regrow some hair. Topical minoxidil and prescription finasteride are FDA-approved for male pattern hair loss. A dermatologist can explain the benefits, risks, and which option works best.