If you’ve ever felt like your hair lacked volume or body, that could be because you either have fine hair or thin hair—or both. Though these two hair types do have similarities, they’re actually not the same thing and can be treated in different ways. That’s why we’re digging into everything you need to know about fine hair vs. thin hair, including:

• What is the difference between fine and thin hair?

• Fine hair vs. thin hair: Can you have both?

• What are the best products for fine hair?

• What are the best products for thin hair or thinning hair?

The difference between fine and thin hair

If you’ve been told that your hair is fine, that’s a term that refers to its texture. Texture refers to the diameter of each individual strand of hair and ranges from fine (the smallest diameter) to coarse (the largest diameter).

Thin hair, on the other hand, refers to the density of your hair, or how many strands of hair you have per square inch on your head. Hair density can range from thin (fewer strands per square inch) to thick (many strands per square inch). Hair can be naturally thin, or it can become thinner over time as a result of hair loss—and that’s called thinning hair.

Fine vs. thin Hair: Can you have both?

Because the terms “fine” and “thin” describe two different characteristics—texture and density—it’s possible for your hair to be both, neither or one or the other. For example, your hair can be both fine (small diameter strands) and thin (a low density of hair). You could also have a thick head of fine hair or coarse hair that is thinning.

The best products for fine hair vs. thin hair

“Fine hair is a matter of genetics, so it’s not something you can change,” says board-certified dermatologist and LovelySkin CEO Dr. Joel Schlessinger. However, because fine hair does tend to lack volume, you can temporarily boost the appearance of fine hair by using products designed to help it look more voluminous.

The best products for fine hair include volumizing shampoos and conditioners that are designed to deliver body and fullness, as well as thickening stylers that help plump up each individual hair shaft, making your locks appear less fine as a result. Hairstyling products with a heavier texture can tend to weigh down fine hair, making it look limp and flat, so you may want to steer clear of those.

If you have thin or thinning hair, you might also feel that your hair is lacking in volume. In that case, some of the same products that you’d use to enhance fine hair—such as volumizing shampoos and thickening stylers—could also be useful for thin hair types. If your hair doesn’t feel as thick as it used to due to noticeable hair loss, you might want to give hair growth solutions a try, such as oral supplements or scalp serums.

If your hair is thinning and you’ve started to notice spots where your scalp is visible, you might like to try a product with hair fibers. These types of hair care products tend to come in either a powder or spray form and are formulated with keratin or cotton fibers that work by clinging to the roots of hair near the scalp, resulting in the appearance of thicker locks. “Fiber products help thinning hair in the same way that concealer helps with dark undereye circles,” Dr. Schlessinger says. “They don’t actually reduce hair thinning, but they act as makeup for your hair by helping camouflage bald spots temporarily until you wash it out.”

The 6 best hair products for fine hair, thin hair or thinning hair

Surface Awaken Thickening Cream

Best for: Fine hair or thin hair

How it works: This styling cream is designed to add volume and body that’s ideal for those with fine or thin hair. Its powerhouse ingredient is amaranth protein, which helps hydrate hair to give it a shiny, silky appearance. For best results, apply a pea-sized amount to damp hair from mid-strand to ends and blow dry or style per usual.

XFusion Keratin Hair Fibers

Best for: Thin hair or thinning hair

How it works: XFusion Keratin Hair Fibers Best for: Thin hair or thinning hair How it works: If you’ve suffered from recent hair loss that has left you with bald spots or revealed thin areas of your scalp, then this hair powder can help camouflage them until your next shampoo. It’s made with keratin proteins that “grab” onto your existing hair to help it appear fuller, making bald spots look less noticeable. For best results, select the color that best matches your hair—options vary from light blonde to black, or even gray or white—and sprinkle the fiber powder onto your roots to blend with your existing hair.

PHYTO Phytocyane Revitalizing Serum

Best for: Thinning hair

How it works: This hair serum is specially formulated to encourage hair growth for people who are experiencing postpartum hair loss or hair thinning due to stress, diet or medication. Vitamin B6, sulfured amino acids and silk proteins all work together to help support keratin production at the follicular level for healthy hair regrowth. This revitalizing serum comes packaged in single-use ampoules to be applied three times a week for a month. After that initial month-long treatment, you can then move to a once-weekly application for maintenance.

Viviscal Professional Hair Growth Program

Best for: Thinning hair

How it works: A drug-free oral supplement, Viviscal hair growth supplements are clinically proven to reduce hair shedding as well as increase hair thickness and volume. An exclusive marine complex called AminoMar encourages hair growth while vitamin C, biotin and apple extract come together to help strengthen existing strands. “Consistency and commitment are key with these twice-daily supplements,” Dr. Schlessinger says. “Stick with it, as it takes about three to six months to see results.”

Rene Furterer Reactional Thinning Hair Ritual

Best for: Thinning hair

How it works: This five-piece kit helps improve thinning hair from all angles with a shampoo and conditioner, two scalp serums and dietary supplements. The Triphasic Strengthening Shampoo and Triphasic Texturizing Conditioner contain Pfaffia extract to nourish follicles and wheat protein to help strengthen strands. Read what LovelySkin customers had to say about the shampoo in this kit on the Rene Furterer Triphasic Shampoo Reviews page. Both once-weekly treatments, the Complexe 5 Stimulating Plant Extract helps exfoliate the scalp to encourage healthy hair growth while the Triphasic Reactional Concentrated Serum helps strengthen hair using B vitamins and amino acids. Last but not least, the Vitalfan Reactional Dietary Supplement helps support keratin production and hair bulb growth with a mixture of essential fatty acids, biotin and vitamins.

ReTress Serum

Best for: Thinning hair

How it works: While many hair loss products contain minoxidil, this anti-thinning serum instead relies on a patented biotin tripeptide complex designed to help prevent hair thinning by nourishing follicles. It’s a no-rinse formula that you massage onto your scalp once daily. With continued use as part of the ReTress four-part system, you can expect less hair shedding and a visual improvement in hair density after twelve weeks.

Now that you know the difference between fine and thin hair, do you suspect your hair might also be dry? Learn more about moisturizing your dry hair in our latest blog post, “The best hair products for dry hair.”