Do Hair Fibers Really Work?

How to use hair-building fibers and make them work every time—even when your scalp is becoming more visible than your remaining hair.

A shaker container of hair-building fibers and a compact of water-activated scalp concealer, both well-used.

The more your hair thins, the more difficult it is to apply hair-building fibers. They no longer sit as they should and start to look patchy, which makes them seem more obvious. When this happens, you have to stop following manufacturer’s instructions and start being more creative.

I used hair fibers for a number of years because somebody in my life didn’t appreciate my thinning pate. I discovered that they can work well throughout every stage of early male pattern baldness, but not always as a stand-alone product. By “early,” I mean for as long as you still have enough hair to do something with.

What Are Hair-Building Fibers?

Hair fibers are microfibers that appear as powder. They bond to the hair with static electricity, making it seem fuller and more abundant. They’re usually packaged in shaker containers for easy application (see top image).

There are two types of product: fibers made with natural keratin (the protein that is the primary component of human hair) and synthetic variants.

Results are the same whichever you choose. The only noticeable difference is price; a natural keratin product retails for a great deal more than its synthetic counterparts, likeHair So Real (HSR).

Which Color to Choose

Hair fibers must be of about the same degree of darkness as your hair. If they are too light, they appear powdery. If they are too dark, the color seems patchy and overly saturated.

For Gray and White Hair

Hair fibers are available in a number of colors, including gray and white. If you’re a combination of both, choose according to your dominant color.

What if Your Hair Is Highlighted?

If your hair is streaked or highlighted, use fibers of the same degree of darkness as your darkest hair.

Mixing Colors

If the first color you try is too dark and the second too light, transfer both to a plastic bag or Tupperware container, shake thoroughly, then pour back into their shakers. You should now have a perfect match for your hair.

Male pattern hair loss of the front and crown of the head, demonstrating the type of diffuse thinning for which hair fibers can be used. — Moderate thinning at the front and crown, which is easily disguised with a combination of fibers and hair loss concealer.

When to Use Hair Fibers

Most men reach for hair fibers the moment the scalp starts to shimmer through their hair. But at this stage, a scalp concealer is less expensive and works just as well.

Add fibers only when your hair thins to the point that concealer starts to look unnatural—and obviously before others notice.

What Is Hair Loss Concealer?

There are two types of concealer. Both are rich in moisturizers, and both are safe for men with alopecia, including androgenic alopecia (male pattern hair loss).

Products like DermMatch are water-activated compact powders (see top image). They leave a matte finish and an impression of depth and fullness, even under bright lights or strong sunshine.
Products like Couvre do the same but come as a lotion. They cost less, but provide fewer applications.

Color choice is limited, so choose a shade close to your own rather than seeking a perfect match. Think in terms of lightness and darkness: because concealer creates an impression of depth, it should be either the same darkness as your hair or slightly darker. A lighter shade would appear powdery and unnatural.

If you’ve been using fibers as a stand‑alone product, at some point you’ll notice them slipping through your remaining hair and landing visibly on your scalp. Concealer keeps them invisible.

It also allows you to use fewer fibers, which gives more natural‑looking results.

Consider it an essential foundation.

How to Use Hair Loss Concealer

Apply hair loss concealer only where hair exists, whether it’s thinning hair or an area you’ve combed over.

If you’re balding at the crown, comb your hair back. If your hairline and temples are thinning, get your barber to cut your hair so that it can be combed forward. With clever styling, you can also pull hair up from the sides to inconspicuously cover the temples.

You’ll obviously have to dampen the supplied sponge applicator before applying a water-activated product like DermMatch, but you’ll get a better finish if you do the same when using a lotion. Don’t literally wet the sponge; it should be only slightly damp.

Concealer is more easily applied to wet hair, but this can result in a dull, chalky appearance. If so, apply to dry hair instead.

For a Thinning Hairline and Temples

To disguise thinning hair at the front and the temples, apply concealer from behind your hairline where you still have plenty of hair, blending toward the front with quick, short strokes in all directions. The concealer should completely fade out where your hairline begins. You can go a little over the hairline at the temples, but only if there’s enough hair to comb over.

If You’re Thinning at the Crown

If you’re thinning at the top and/or toward the back, blend from the center of the balding area in all directions toward and into the thicker surrounding hair. You’ll need an extra hand mirror to see what you’re doing.

If using, apply topical hair regrowth medications like minoxidil (e.g., Rogaine) and finasteride (e.g., Propecia) before concealer. The same goes for pre-styling products like mousse or blow-dry lotion.

How to Use Hair-Building Fibers

Whether you’re applying hair fibers on top of concealer or as a stand-alone product, follow these steps:

A Step-By-Step Guide

Your hair should be freshly washed and dry. Fibers do not adhere to hair that is not clean, and they clump if it’s damp or wet.

Shake the container before use to generate static electricity.
Instead of just sprinkling, hold the container upside down over your head at a reasonable distance, and tap the bottom lightly. This way, you’ll have more control over how much you apply—too much makes the hair appear matted and unnatural. Alternatively, purchase a bulb-pump applicator, which screws onto the shaker.
Apply where the hair is at its thinnest first, then add a lesser amount to the surrounding hair. Do not pat the hair as manufacturers recommend—it causes the fibers to fall onto the scalp.
Wipe away fibers that land on your forehead with a dry cotton pad. Or use a hairline optimizer: this is a plastic stencil that protects from fallout while simulating a natural-looking hairline.
In spite of static electricity, the fibers still need fixing. Use hairspray or a spray-on gel, spraying from a distance to prevent blasting the fibers away. Direct the spray from where your hair is at its thinnest toward the thicker, surrounding hair to improve blending.
If your style needs adjusting after spraying, do it before the spray has set using your fingertips. Don’t use a comb or brush for this.

A man's hair thinning at the crown towards the back. — Baldness at the crown that would need both concealer and and hair-building fibers to properly disguise it.

Do You Need Special Hair Care Products?

Expensive keratin shampoos and conditioners designed to complement concealers and fibers don’t noticeably “fatten” hair as manufacturers claim. Stick to regular hair care products formulated for your hair type.

Products formulated for fine hair can give more body, but avoid anything labeled “volumizing.” These coat the hair with silicone or other polymers, which are heavy and cause flatness.

Sprays marketed specifically to fix hair fibers don’t work any better than other hairsprays or spray-on gels.

The Downside of Fibers and Concealers

As a temporary solution for thinning hair that’s both quick and affordable, there’s no doubt that hair fibers work for the purpose they are intended.

Applied properly, nobody will ever suspect that your hair is full of cosmetics.

But fibers are restrictive:

If you don’t wash or cover your head before bed, your pillow will be a confounded mess by morning.
You need enough time each day to “put your hair on.” And if it goes wrong, you’ll have to wash everything off and start over.
You’ll have to guard your hair with your life if you don’t want people ruffling or running their fingers through it. And you can’t run your own fingers through it, since it will be too stiff with spray and make a mess of your hands.
Both fibers and concealer are sweatproof, but no matter what manufacturers claim, you won’t be able to get your hair too wet. That means you’ll have to carry an umbrella at all times, and a visit to the pool could prove awkward. But fibers do stand up to strong winds—as long as you’re wearing enough spray.
You won’t be able to wear caps, hats, hoods, and helmets, which may present a problem for motorcyclists and construction workers. Fibers and concealer make a mess inside the headwear, and when you take if off, your forehead will be grubby and your hair flattened beyond repair.

How Long Can You Expect Concealer and Hair Fibers to Work?

Male pattern baldness is ongoing, and concealers and fibers only work for as long as you still have at least some hair. In other words, you probably won’t be able to use them forever.

Consider concealer and fibers a temporary measure while undergoing a hair regrowth treatment with minoxidil or finasteride, or while waiting until a hair transplant or hair replacement system becomes justifiable.

If you don’t intend to take a more permanent measure, perhaps it’s better to let nature take its course and embrace and accept inevitable baldness sooner rather than later.