13 Hairstyles That Disguise Thinning Strands and Fake Fullness

Side-Swept Bangs

To hide hairline thinning, opt for side-swept bangs. “If you have bangs, pull hair into a loose, low ponytail and secure at the nape of [your] neck. Next, dry [your] bangs with a large round brush for volume and sweep them to either side,” instructs Jerome Lordet, a celebrity hairstylist. “If you don’t have bangs, leave a small section out from the left and right side. After you make the ponytail, pull those sections back and secure them behind [your] ears.”

Headbands

Using a headband to disguise thinning around the hairline is an age-old trick that works every time. Lordet says to secure the headband about a quarter inch from your hairline or directly over the hairline, using a comb to tease the hair. Starting from behind the headband, brush back and spray a bit of hairspray for hold.

Top Knot

A great option for naturally curly hair, a top knot is a favorite for hairstylists to help hide hair loss. “This style is best for those who have a recession patch in the crown of their head,” says celebrity hairstylist Venner James.

Depending on your curl pattern, he suggests using either a gel or molding spray to start. Once you apply your preferred product, slick your hair back into your desired position on your head with a medium-to-hard brush to help gather and put hair where you want it. You can twist or braid the top to create a structured knot. Just secure it with a hair tie and pins. For something a bit more casual, celebrity hairstylist Andrew Fitzsimons recommends leaving out the ends to help hair look fuller. 

Flipped Over Side Part

Especially if your hair is thinning at the top of your head, Matt Collins—celebrity hairstylist and Dyson global styling ambassador—says it’s best to avoid having a center part. For a deep side part, he says to start by spraying a generous amount of volumizing or texturizing spray.

Then, you’ll want to blow-dry your hair while it’s flipped upside down to give it some volume, but you can style the hair while it’s still parted at the center. Once you’re done, flip your hair over to the side, one to two inches from the center. Collins says this will push your roots in the opposite direction from which they were set and give your hair a fuller body. 

Caesar Cut

The Caesar cut (or flat wrap) is just a super short cut with slight bangs out front. James suggests this hairstyle to help disguise hair loss, as you can create a comb-over in any receding area. Style and mold hair with either a mousse or gel to ensure it holds. One of the best products to use—for a slicked-back bun or a pixie cut like this—is a pommade. It allows you to shape your hair exactly as you envision it.

Blunt Bob

The shorter and blunter your hair is, the fuller it will appear, Collins says. “If you’re experiencing hair loss, chances are there is already texture in your hair, so there is no need to add [more],” he says. “Just go for as blunt as possible.”

To add volume to your hair, Collins recommends starting with a good volumizing mousse on your roots after cleansing and before drying your hair. Then, style with natural-looking waves or add a texture spray. The shorter the strands, the more volume you can achieve when air drying, he adds.

Twist-Outs

Twist-outs are a great option to hide hair loss if you’ve got natural curls. To do this, James says to split your hair into about eight to ten sections. Working section by section, apply a generous curling pomade before twisting your curls. Leave it to dry, and once dry, undo and style as desired. He says this style works best on hair longer than four inches and can be used to create volume when the twist is separated. 

You can also opt for flat twists, where you’re twisting curls in the same motion as twists, just grabbing them to lay them flat. James says to part hair in the direction that will cover the area hair loss. You’ll then want to flat twist—or cornrow—curls. Let it dry, undo it, and style as desired.

Face-Framing Layers

According to Collins, the most common hair loss is often around the front of the hairline and temples. For that reason, hairstyles with soft face-framing layers will make sparse areas seem purposeful. He suggests styling hair with a soft, wavy texture to create the illusion of volume. To get this amount of volume and shine, start with a leave-in conditioner.

Back-Combed Ponytail

Hair loss generally pops up around the crown area for women experiencing alopecia. Fortunately, this is an easy spot to cover, says Collins. Simply style hair with a curl tonic, curl-enhancing mousse, or light-hold gel before letting hair dry (naturally or with the help of a dryer and diffuser to enhance texture for coarse hair). Then, sweep hair into a back-combed pony (or bun) with a slight pouf at the top to hide any signs of hair loss.

Curly Bob

If you’ve got long, natural curls and are experiencing receding or damaged hair along the hairline, Collins recommends a big change. Big as in chopping your hair into a full, heavy fringe and blunt bob above the shoulders. To style, use your normal styling products for curls and grab a diffuser to give your curls volume.

Pixie Cut

If a Caesar cut seems too piecey, opt for a traditional pixie cut instead. This style helps disguise hair thinning by adding texture and volume. Plus, since Audrey Hepburn popularized this cut in the 1950s, it’s stayed in rotation among A-list celebs. Read: You can be sure your cut won’t go out of style anytime soon.

Voluminous Bob

Jane Fonda has served as hair inspo since the 1960s. Through the years, she’s sported the pixie and feathered hairstyles, but this voluminous bob is one of her best. Since it has tons of depth (thanks to blow drying and texturizing products), it’ll help disguise hair thinning regardless of where it is.

Buzz Cut

Since thinning hair is natural and common, not everyone wants to disguise it. Some people may just take the leap and go bald. As Cynthia Erivo demonstrates, it can be quite freeing to lean into a buzz cut. Plus, imagine how much time you’ll save on styling.