Hair Matters

Many people who have fine or thin hair are always on the lookout for the Best Thickening Shampoo on the market. There are many thickening shampoos, also called Volumizing Shampoos, available. Typically, thickening shampoos use protein, collagen, keratin, wheat and/or panthenol when trying to thicken your hair. To better understand what type of shampoo you need, we should first understand the type hair you have.

If you've arrived at this page, you have probably, at some point in time, referred to your hair as either Fine or Thin hair. It is very important to understand the difference between fine hair and thin hair. The term "fine" is referring to the actual diameter of a single strand of hair, also called the hair shaft. It doesn't necessarily mean that you have less hair that other people, just that your hair, literally, is skinnier than normal hair. People with thin hair have a smaller amount of hair on their head; fewer strands of hair. Their hair could be thick and coarse, but they don't have a lot of it.

The people who are going to benefit from a thickening shampoo are those people who have fine hair. A thickening shampoo will, mostly, benefit those with fine hair. For those with thinning hair, please visit our Thinning Hair page. Let's look at the special ingredients that make up thickening shampoos.

Protein
Essentially, protein consists of a string of organic compounds. Protein plays an important part in our daily diets and having too much or too little protein in our bodies can affect our overall health, as well as the health of our hair. A lack of protein, or protein deficiency, can result in dry, brittle, weak, fine hair. On the other hand, too much protein in your diet can negatively affect your kidneys and can sometimes lead to kidney disease. Other causes of a protein deficiency can include aging, illness and chemical hair processes, such as bleaching, perming or coloring. If you hair is dry and brittle, you can add protein to your hair, without changing your diet, by using hair products that contain protein. Protein can help restore hair to a healthy state and it can also help you grow your hair stronger and faster. EC mode has some of the best protein hair products we've seen. The Power Protein Builder Treatment repairs damaged hair with its vitamin-enriched formula that infuses vital moisture to hair, detangles to improve comb-ability, increases volume and shine. They also have the Power Protein Builder, which, essentially, is the same treatment, in bottle form.

Collagen
Collagen is a type of protein that is found not only in our skin, as many people know, but also in our hair.
Much like collagen and our skin, the collagen proteins in the hair give the hair elasticity, allowing the hair to bend and not break. It also helps maintain our natural hair color and can help eliminate dandruff. With continuous use, hair products containing collagen can help promote hair growth.

Keratin
Keratin is another type of protein that our hair needs to be healthy. In fact, Keratin is the primary protein in our hair& skin. Keratin helps keep our hair healthy, smooth and shiny. If your hair is damaged, dry, or brittle, using keratin hair products can help restore your hair to it's naturally healthy state. Keratin Proteins form a protective barrier around the outside of the hair shaft, keeping your hair hydrated and nourished. A lack of Keratin can result in the hair becoming dry, brittle and breaking. You can add Keratin back into your hair using the Coppola Keratin products.

Panthenol
Panthenol is a vitamin of the B complex family and a normal constituent of skin and hair. Its effects are to improve damaged hair. It has dramatic and lasting effects of flexibility, elasticity, luster, helps with moisture retention and helps provide a good, soft feel. Panthenol (Pro-Vitamin B-5), when applied to hair, is utilized by the body as Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B-5). Panthenol is substantive to hair and can be found in normal hair in relatively high concentrations.

Panthenol, because it is a small molecule, penetrates the papilla (hair root) and the shaft of the hair. Penetration of the hair shaft occurs through osmosis. As it penetrates the hair shaft, a thin elastic film is left on the inside and outside of the shaft. This imparts flexibility and elasticity form the inside and luster on the outside. Due to its humectant character, it has a moisturizing effect on the hair, thereby avoiding dryness and brittleness of the hair. This makes the hair more manageable and imparts a shine to the hair.

Panthenol can increase the diameter of the hair up to 10%. This increase in diameter is caused by the restoration of essential moisture and not by coating the hair shaft or by cuticle "explosion". Panthenol can repair damage to the hair shaft caused by chemical explosion during chemical services (such as perms, relaxers, bleaching etc.), use of a harsh shampoo or styling tools and can repair split ends.

Wheat Proteins
Obviously, wheat proteins contain protein, but they also contain amino acids. This gives you a one-two punch when it comes to conditioning, strengthening and thickening your hair. The amino acids are absorbed into the hair strands while the wheat proteins coat the outer layer of the hair, sealing the amino acids in.

What is the Best Thickening Shampoo?
So the obvious key to the best thickening shampoo is Protein. Look for a shampoo with the words Volume, Volumizing, Thickening or Weightless in the title, then check the back of the bottle to see if any of the above mentioned ingredients are included in the formula. While a thickening shampoo is important for fine hair, a thickening Conditioner is more important.

The purpose of a shampoo is to thoroughly cleanse the hair and scalp of all unwanted oils, dirt, pollution and product build-up. This cleansing prepares the hair and scalp to be replenished with all of the good oils and vitamins you want your hair to have and that your hair needs. Both steps are completely dependant upon each other: you cannot condition without first shampooing; shampooing your hair removes things from your hair, but doesn't really add anything into. While shampoos do contain some helpful ingredients, like proteins, it's your conditioner that really delivers these ingredients to the hair. Follow the same guidelines when picking out your Thickening Conditioner. We recommend using a "matching pair". Most hair product companies make a shampoo and conditioner designed to be used together in perfect harmony.