For many of us, hair loss is an inevitable fact of life. Or is it?

From the shoulders down, thin is good. It’s an enviable silhouette. Above the ears? Not so much. If genetics has dealt you this scant card – which can kick in any time from your mid-twenties onwards – help is at hand.

Be honest with your stylist and voice your concerns and problem areas. If your stylist knows your concerns up front, they can work to angle, shape and style your hair to best manage these problem areas. A tight fade is a great way to create density, as the length on the sides increases the appearance of volume towards the top of your head. Finish with a texturising styler like Tucker Browne’s Texture Clay to help create fullness. Apply to your fingertips and run through the hair to shape. Give a light blast of hot air for extra volume.

As the follically challenged can attest to, there is a literal smorgasbord of products on the market that claim to replenish a sparse head of hair back to its former glory. For as many products that do the job, there are just as many that do diddly squat. A good place to start is with a simple, over the counter supplement you can find in any supermarket or chemist. Supplementing into your diet biotin, also known as vitamin B7, has been proven to strengthen hair and nails and promote healthy skin.

In addition to this, you should be using products that work to increase fullness and stimulate hair growth. Look for products containing caffeine. And no, pouring your morning cup of coffee on your scalp isn’t going to cut it. Caffeine helps promote hair growth straight from the root by targeting and blocking a hormone called DHT, widely considered responsible for the miniaturisation and eventual disappearance of hair follicles.

Another key ingredient to keep an eye out for is Niacin. Niacin’s main contribution to hair growth comes from its ability to increase the synthesis of Keratin. As your hair is made up almost entirely of Keratin, this one is a no brainer. Niacin will also help stimulate blood flow to your scalp, a lack of which has been heavily linked to hair loss.

There is no quick fix for thinning hair. Time and perseverance will be your best friends here. With replenishing your hair loss, you’re not going to see results overnight. Sorry to disappoint. If you’re after those kinds of immediate results, you’ll have better luck with a toupee. But stick with this. Trust us, the time you put in now will pay off nicely.