[ChihuahuaMomma]

How can I thicken my hair up? It's thinned a lot due to years of product and heat damage...

[Couchcarrot]

You might want to check with a pharmacist first, but I have read several
Articles online that said tablets of "bee pollen" which you can buy at a
Health food store, thicken the hair. I've thought of trying it myself,
But was advised it could interfere with my high blood pressure medicine.

I'd ask my doctor or a pharmacist before doing it.

[ChihuahuaMomma]

I'm not on any medications, so that's not an issue. Odd. I've never heard of that. Thanks for the info though!!

[finnigan fashion]

I asked my Dr. this question. Her answer was to take Biotin supplements. They are a reasonable price at Walmarts. These vitamins also strengthen the fingernails.

[linnealand]

Hi CM! Good question. I think my hair is one of my best features, and I take pride in keeping in healthy. I'd be happy to some of my favorite tips with you. As you know, when you take really good care of your hair, it shows. It's one of those things that will respond to anything you do to it, good or bad. The good news is that there's a lot you can do to have really great hair.

A big part of the process in reviving your hair will come through prevention. If you start taking some extra steps to protect your hair from damage, pair that with steps to nourish it, and give all of this some time as your hair continues to grow, you'll see a very big difference.

Granted, part of what contributes to the thickness of your hair is based in genetics. Still, there's a lot you can do, and there's a lot you can avoid doing, to keep your hair as healthy and beautiful as possible.

First of all, make sure that you're using good brands of shampoos, and most importantly, of conditioners. You don't want a harsh shampoo to strip your hair of its naturally protective oils. Whenever you condition your hair, leave that conditioner in for as long as you can (from 5-10 minutes in the shower to 1 hour or even overnight while wrapped in a towel). Don't over-rinse the conditioner out of your hair. Leaving a little in can be a great trick for hair health.

I love conditioning masks. I think they can do wonders. There are plenty of good brands out there, and they often work much better than normal conditioners. You might also want to give your hair homemade conditioning treatments at least once a week.

I'm not a big fan of the brand in general, but VO5 hot oil treatments are pretty amazing. The first time your use it, you'll see a huge difference. Do one of those every single week.

After your shower, use a little conditioning hair cream, silicone drops or silk drops. A tiny bottle of silicone drops looks expensive, but it lasts for a really, really long time. The same goes for biosilk drops (but I think the silicone is even better). I like John Freida's Blond hair cream on dry hair.

Whenever you can, avoid heating your hair. For example, if you can take a shower at night and let it air dry (rather than rushing through a morning shower and a hard blow dry) you'll see that your hair will start getting much shinier, softer and more vibrant. It's a personal choice, but I love showering or bathing at night. I think it's also very relaxing, and I love waking up feeling clean, fresh and more stress free in the morning. I found some really wide cotton head bands (you could easily sew your own), and I started wearing them to bed. I've found that it really helps to keep from getting tangles or "bed-head", and I've also noticed that my hair stays shinier because of it.

If you straighten your hair, try some straightening shampoos and conditioners instead. The salon where I get my hair done when I'm in NY makes a straightening product that works wonders and feels nourishing as well. You might want to look for something like that instead. The same goes for curling irons. If you shower at night, you can put your hair up in hair sticks or rollers, and when you wake up, your hair will already be curled and looking amazing.

When you come back to tell us about your new amazing hair, I'd love to know what worked the best for you!