As you peruse this gallery, you’ll see that most, if not all, of these haircuts for thin hair keep things short. No long, sweeping locks here. Generally, they’ll keep to collarbone length, give or take, using layers to give your strands body. Additionally, Dean adds, “What can help make hair look fuller is incorporating a fringe. What it’s doing is it’s adding to your perimeter. That makes your whole haircut look fuller. If your hair is all one length it might look stringy and long. If you cut a fringe [and create that] perimeter, it automatically is going to increase the look of volume in your hair.”

Useful for creating body and texture in thin hair. Per Mertz, “Make sure the hair can wrap at least one and a half times around the barrel of the curling iron.” You can also achieve the same effect with heatless curls.

Alvarez recommends volume products like Biolage’s Volume Bloom line to give your hair some oomph. “Start with the shampoo, keep the conditioner off your scalp and spritz the Full Volumizer Spray from roots to ends,” she advises. If you don’t want a whole routine, I found that the Biolage Gelée Styler adds great volume when styling hair from wet and provides great hold.

Round brushes are great for lifting the roots and setting volume. To really lock in the style, Alvarez sets the hair section with rollers and allows them to cool before brushing out.

If you’re looking for the best texture spray for fine hair, I rounded up a list of 11 editor vetted and approved picks. Texture sprays and powders add grit to your hair, thereby increasing its volume and the style’s staying power. I’ve never regretted a few spritzes of the R+Co Bleu Lifestyler Volume & Texture Spray before combing out my hair with a hairspray-coated hairbrush.

Before you run off to the salon, Alvarez offers a PSA regarding the crucial difference between fine hair and thin hair. “Fine hair refers to the thickness of individual hair strands, meaning each hair is thin in diameter, while thin hair refers to the overall density of the hair follicles on the scalp, meaning there are fewer hair strands per square inch. You can have fine hair that is thick or coarse hair that is thin.” she explains.

Styling thin hair can be difficult—there’s not much to work with, for starters. Thin hair can have a hard time holding its shape, and you may have patches of scalp that show through. There are also some hairstyles and cuts that just won’t work, short of trying a wig or hair extensions. (Though, as noted in the hairstyles above, sometimes there are fun looks that justify the reinforcements if you’re willing to jump through some hoops, like curtain bangs.)

Dean tells me that generally, you shouldn’t confine yourself to a specific hair length, but does concede that those with exceptionally thin hair wouldn’t want to grow it past their collarbone. “[As the distance from your scalp to the ends increases, the thinner it looks]. So, the collarbone is somewhat ideal, but again this is a guideline. It’s not the end-all-be-all.”

Luckily, there are plenty of ways to amp up your hair volume for the illusion of a fuller head. “Definitely avoid using harsh chemicals and/or lathering shampoos because they break down the hair and it will cause it to be finer, thinner and weaker,” Dean advises. “Make sure you’re using volumizing products such as a volumizing mousse.”

When styling, he tells me that over-directing your hair is key. This occurs when, for example, you blow-dry your hair in the opposite direction that it normally falls. You can also use volume and texture sprays to give the roots extra lift. Though, try to avoid the ingredient Sd Alcohol 40 B, which is incredibly drying.

Another hack is coloring your roots. “That’s an automatic way of making anyone’s hair look fuller,” Dean says. “If you’re pulling your hair back and you see your scalp, dabbing that in at your roots will make it look twice as thick.” He advises choosing a color that is closest to your roots, instead of matching for the ends.

And, of course, you can also opt for hair extensions. Dean calls them “A good, cool shortcut if you just want to amp up your hair, but you don’t want to go through a lot of other hoops.”

Why Is My Hair Thinning and What Can I Do About It?