Hairstyles & Haircuts That Add Volume Back To Thinning Hair

Even with thin hair, it's possible to fake vivacious, bouncy volume with the right cut and style. "Volume" generally describes the lift and thickness of hair. Thin hair can appear flat, so that the natural shape of the scalp is more obvious. Volume refers to the density of follicles on the scalp, but it's also influenced by styling. The correct cut allows for more lift and body so that the hair has its own sense of movement and dimension.

The best cuts for thinning hair are ones that reduce weight and maximize texture. And, when styling, it's important to reach for lightweight products, often marked "for thin hair," to avoid weighing strands down any further. Coloring can also add volume by creating what stylists call "healthy damage" so that hair becomes stiffer and easier to style. Plus, adding color can increase the visual contrast, which means hair looks fuller and more dynamic. So even if your hair is thinning, the right cut and style can add body back to your look, giving you the bodacious hair of your dreams.

Sometimes, the quickest way to give your locks an immediate boost of fullness is to chop them short. Removing the weight of the extra hair will automatically create automatic bounce and lift, giving the illusion of thickness. Ask your stylist to give you a textured cut. Instead of laying flat against the scalp, which just emphasizes the shape of the head, this allows the hair to take on a silhouette of its own. 

There's a reason this style is a perennial hit, including with older women looking for haircuts that bring a youthful vibe. The choppy texture creates visual interest, disguising any areas that may have thinned — especially if you work some texturizing product into the ends or add some chunky highlights to emphasize the sense of dimensions. Just don't make the mistake of assuming that shorter equals lower maintenance. A pixie cut may look effortless, but getting the right shape and lift often requires careful styling. If you're still on the fence, measuring your face is an easy trick to figure out if you should try short hair.

If going full pixie isn't quite your style, then a long bob — sometimes just known by the portmanteau "lob" — offers the best of every world: length, soft texture, and modernity. The shoulder-grazing style is versatile and low-maintenance, but still long enough to be pulled into an easy claw lip style. This makes it ideal for those who want the polished advantages that come with shorter hair without having to commit to it.

The soft layers will help keep hair light, minimizing unnecessary weight while adding soft movement. That's the kind of visual interest that will make your style appear fuller, even as you keep a bit of length. Face-framing pieces that hit just below the chin give the style a nice, voluminous shape.

There's a reason Jennifer Aniston's signature '90s-era layered style — colloquially known as "The Rachel" haircut after her "Friends" character — is one of the most iconic looks of all time. The rounded, face-framing shape creates an easy, youthful volume that flatters just about any hair texture. Meanwhile, the varying lengths create natural movement and bounce that add to the illusion of fullness. The weightlessness of the layers will also emphasize any natural texture. The added visual interest, especially if you have any natural wave or curl, distracts from any thinning areas.

Bonus: This look is basically designed to be styled with curlers, which is one of the easiest ways to add volume to hair. Smaller rollers will add the most volume; just be sure to use a heat protectant and apply the rollers with care since the last thing you want to do is further damage your hair.

Post 2021, 1970s styles have made a serious comeback. These heavily layered haircuts are typically achieved with a razor to emphasize natural texture, which can work wonders for those who need a boost of volume. From the edgy wolf cut, which features a short, mullet-like, choppy shape, to the voluminous butterfly cut, which utilizes longer layers for a softer, more feminine look, shags introduce lots of body and texture. The result is hair with plenty of visual depth to give it a fuller appearance; an ideal haircut to try if you're in your 30s and starting to notice some thinning.

The beauty of the shag is that it is incredibly low maintenance, requiring little more than a wash-and-go to make it look nice. That said, the key to making the shag work for your hair type is finding a stylist who understands how to shape the layers so it brings out your natural texture.

While the other styles add a sense of volume with layers and texture, a blunt cut bob takes a different approach to creating body. First, it minimizes the overall weight of the hair, keeping things light and bouncy. Its uniform length, meanwhile makes the ends look denser. This style works particularly well for straight hair, as it forms a blunt line at the bottom, creating visual depth that makes your hair look fuller. For more volume, take a flat iron and curl the ends inward. Pro tip: Getting hair cuts every four to six weeks will keep that cut looking clean and keep the ends looking full.

The blunt bob is a great option if you're looking for a statement style but aren't ready to go as short as a pixie cut. The clean line of the blunt cut, and the movement created by the flirty, flippy ends, is both feminine and dramatic. If you're used to rocking a longer style, a cut like this can refresh your look and flatter your thinning hair, all in one go.