Many women with curly hair spend hundreds of dollars on products and tools that will boost and highlight their beautiful girls. A 2017 study by Texture Trends found that women with curly hair are willing to spend twice as much on hair care products than their straight-haired counterparts. Curly hair requires the right shaping, products, and routines to fight frizz and keep shine and volume. Over a three-month period, the study found that women with curls spend an average of $82 on hair care products, while women with straight hair spent an average of just $40.
Finding the right products that will keep your texture on point and your hair healthy is a hefty task. Picking the right haircut plays a critical role in the appearance of your curls—especially if you suffer from thinning hair. Getting the wrong haircut can make it significantly harder to maintain your curls and could even aggravate hair loss. We asked Jennifer Mendoza, owner of Flourish Hair & Beauty in Chicago, Illinois, Michelle O’Connor, artistic director for Matrix, and Dr. Ailynne Marie Vergara-Wijangco, a clinical dermatologist and researcher with ThankYourskin, what the worst haircut is if you have thinning curly hair. Read on to find out tips and tricks for finding the right cut for your hair!
What causes curly hair to fall out?
If you suffer from hair loss, it can feel like the hair-shedding process will never stop. The truth is, it's natural to experience hair thinning as you get older. Factors like genetics, new medicines, hormonal changes, stress, and changes to your diet or hair care routine can all play a role in shedding hair. And, how you style your hair and the hair products you use can even have an impact on hair density. Popular curly hair brand DevaCurl settled a lawsuit in Jan. 2022 over hair loss and scalp irritation. Users claimed that the products that were supposed to naturally boost curls were actually relaxing the curls leading to hair loss.
"Thinning hair refers to minor to moderate hair loss," Dr. Vergara-Wijangco explains. "Unlike widespread hair loss, thinning hair doesn’t necessarily cause baldness. It does, however, give the appearance of thinner spots of hair on your head. Thinning hair happens gradually, which means you have time to pinpoint the causes and figure out the best treatment measures."
People with curly hair are more likely to experience fallout as a result of damage to their bouncy follicles. According to the website, Naturally Curly, having curly hair means you're more susceptible to hair breakage while combing, straightening, or trying to detangle hair. Of course, it's important to reach out to your dermatologist to narrow down the causes and treatments for thinning hair.
The right haircut for thinning curly hair
One haircut that Mendoza highly recommends against for thinning curly hair is a pixie cut. "This tends to age women with curly hair and doesn’t enhance the look," she notes. Now, while a pixie cut means less hair to care for and less upkeep, it may not be the best cut for curls. When picking a haircut, Mendoza says that it's essential to find a style that cooperates with your hair texture. That way you can boost your beautiful, natural curls!
To pick the right haircut for your curly hair to hide signs of hair loss, there are lots of things to consider and choose from. A great cut for thinning curly hair that's been trending for a while now is a shag cut. "It's ultra-modern, has a sleekness that hugs the face, and allows you to play with the pieces-ness that only curly tendrils can give you,” O'Connor says. This messy chic, effortless look, is a low-maintenance style that boosts volume.
Another important thing to consider with curls is also the products you use and the routines you follow. Mendoza has a few recommendations for choosing products and making a curly haircare routine. "Use sulfate-free shampoo, don’t shampoo your curls daily, and use a concentrator on your blow dryer when styling," she says. And, how you dry your hair can affect hair loss. It can be tedious and may take a long time, but it's always best to air dry your hair when your hair is experiencing follicle fallout.
Taking care of your curls doesn't have to be impossible. Sometimes the haircut you get can make a world of difference! But, knowing what works best with your hair texture and shape is key–especially if your hair is thinning. If you have naturally curly hair, you should avoid a short style like a pixie cut. Instead, hair experts recommend trying something with layers. Anything with layers and a little bit of length is always a good option to consider. Next time you visit the salon, talk to your stylist about styles that work best for your face shape and curly hair. And, avoid cutting your hair wet and straightening or blow drying heat. This will only damage your curl pattern and could exacerbate your thinning hair even further.
