Why Does Wet Hair Look Thinner?

Why Does Wet Hair Look Thinner? 

We’ve all been there -  looking in the mirror after a shower and noticing those early signs of hair thinning. It can be a confronting moment, but why does this seem to happen when our hair is wet? Is wetting your hair actually a good way of determining the health of your hair? Let’s find out. 

What is matted down hair? 

To put it simply - when your hair is wet, it’s matted down. This means it is less voluminous, and the strands end up clumping together. This is a direct result of the moisture making the individual follicles heavier, with the water effectively binding them together. As a result, it can appear at first glance that you have less hair now than you did before you stepped in the shower. While disconcerting, your hair will soon return to its natural look once dry. 

Wet hair or thinning hair? 

When you check yourself out in the mirror after a shower, it’s the perfect time to identify whether or not your hair is thinner than it used to be. This is because it’s easier to identify patches when your hair is clumped together, as they aren’t hidden by follicles when fluffy. Still, the fact that you spend most of your time with dry hair means you can rely on its volume to cover some of these patches. Even so, it’s best not to ignore them entirely, as using a range of scientifically-based treatments could help your hair thrive. 

Why does hair thinning occur? 

If you’re sure that your hair is thinning and your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you, it may have occurred for a number of reasons. It may mainly be down to age, as 66% of men experience some degree of hair loss by the time they reach 35. While hair loss can be exacerbated by lifestyle and other factors such as stress, it’s mostly a result of the hormone DHT and the impact it plays in degrading your hair follicles.

How can you check if your hair is thinning? 

Checking your scalp over time is an important way to check if your hair is actually thinning. We suggest taking some photos of your scalp in the mirror and checking in every few weeks to see if there are any changes. You should be able to spot any movements within this time, giving you a much better idea of how fast your hair loss is occurring. 

Treating thinning hair - is it possible? 

The good news is that thinning hair can be treated. Two proven medications are used to treat thinning hair in men - Minoxidil and Finasteride. These work in tandem to help dampen the process of miniaturisation and stimulate blood flow to the affected areas of your scalp. After several months of treatment, you should start to see your hair thickening again, with our Full Works Treatment Plan successful for 9/10 men.

Browse through our collection of treatments today to find the perfect solution for your thinning hair, helping you get your confidence back to where it should be.

All of our blog articles are reviewed by our Medical Director before publication.