We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Shopping Beauty Hair Care The Best Hairbrushes for Thin Hair and Hair Loss Treat your hair with TLC to keep those strands soft and beautiful. By Barbara Bellesi Zito Barbara Bellesi Zito Barbara Bellesi Zito is a freelance writer from Staten Island, NY with more than 18 years of experience covering home and lifestyle topics for a variety of publications. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on March 18, 2024 Fact checked by Jillian Dara Fact checked by Jillian Dara In addition to fact-checking for Real Simple, Jillian covers various topics from food and wine to luxury travel and culture guides for outlets such as Travel + Leisure, Forbes, and Conde Nast Traveler. Our Fact-Checking Process In This Article View All In This Article Our Top Picks Reviews Final Verdict How to Shop FAQs Take Our Word for It Photo: Real Simple / Kristin Kempa The proper hairbrush for your hair type is vital—the wrong one could be doing more harm than good. For thin hair in particular, gentleness is the most important factor to consider in a hairbrush, says Dr. Alan J. Bauman, MD, ABHRS, IAHRS, FISHRS, founder, CEO, and medical director of Bauman Medical Hair Transplant & Hair Loss Treatment Center. “Harsh brushing can further damage fragile hair strands, irritate the scalp, and exacerbate hair loss,” Dr. Bauman says, adding that soft bristles typically made from materials like natural boar hair or nylon are best. To find the best hairbrushes for thin hair, we researched dozens of the most popular brushes on the market, taking into account the bristle material, shape, size, and special hair concerns. For recommendations on what to look for in a hairbrush if you have thin hair or hair loss, we sought insight from Dr. Bauman and Kimberly Gueldner, founder and leading stylist at Voël Hair. Our Top Picks Best Overall: SALE Crown Affair The Brush No. 003 at Amazon $150 $102 Jump to Review Best Budget: SALE Black Egg Wooden Boar Bristle Brush at Amazon $15 $8 Jump to Review Best for Wet Hair: Tangle Teezer The Ultimate Detangler Fine & Fragile at Amazon $16 Jump to Review Best Splurge: Sisley-Paris The Radiance Brush at Nordstrom $115 Jump to Review Best Paddle: Dyson Paddle Brush at Dyson.com $40 Jump to Review Best Round: Belula Boar Bristle Round Brush for Blow Drying Set at Amazon $22 Jump to Review Best Boar: Shash Boar Bristle Classic Hair Brush at Amazon $47 Jump to Review Best for Detangling: Wet Brush Original Detangler at Amazon $9 Jump to Review Best Low Tension: Aveda Wooden Paddle Brush at Amazon $45 Jump to Review Best Sculpting: Paul Mitchell Pro Tools 413 Sculpting Brush at Amazon $8 Jump to Review Best Overall Crown Affair The Brush No. 003 PHOTO: Sephora $102 at Amazon $98 at Sephora View on Crownaffair.com What Stands Out It’s made with pure boar bristles, and the ergonomic handle offers a comfortable grip. What Could Be Improved The stiff boar bristles may take some getting used to. Delicate tresses are in for a treat with The Brush No. 003 from Crown Affair. It’s handmade in Italy using pure boar bristles, which go to work gently on hair, coating each strand from root to tip with the scalp’s natural oils. Each stroke prevents hair from becoming dry and brittle and even provides the scalp with a nice massage. Those with fine or thinning hair will notice more shine and volume with each use. The boar bristles are nestled in a flexible cushioned pad with a breathing hole that helps reduce tension on the scalp. The ergonomic handle is made from natural beechwood and offers a comfortable, firm grip. Just be sure to use it on your hair only when it’s dry to avoid damage and brush from scalp to root to detangle hair and restore shine. Shape: Oval | Bristle Material: Boar | Hair Types: Thin and fine Best Budget Black Egg Wooden Boar Bristle Brush PHOTO: Amazon $8 at Amazon $22 at Walmart What Stands Out It’s extremely gentle on fine or fragile hair. What Could Be Improved Some might find the bristles to be too soft for their hair texture. This oval brush has a lightweight beechwood handle that offers a comfortable grip. The soft bristles are made from adult boar hair, and each one goes through a rigorous screening process that makes them soft and full of natural luster. This process actually removes much of the oil in those natural bristles, but it leaves just enough to help balance out the oil in your own hair and scalp every time you brush. The soft bristles work to gently remove frizz, plus it comes with a wide-tooth mahogany comb that also works well to detangle and distribute product through wet hair. In fact, if you’re new to natural brushes, the manufacturer recommends using the comb first to detangle and defrizz before diving into the daily use of the boar brush. Shape: Oval | Bristle Material: Boar | Hair Types: Thin and fine Best for Wet Hair Tangle Teezer The Ultimate Detangler Fine & Fragile PHOTO: Nordstrom $16 at Amazon $16 at Nordstrom $16 at Target What Stands Out The widely spaced soft bristles take it easy on fragile hair. What Could Be Improved Although this is very gentle, you might still prefer a brush with natural or nylon bristles. Wet hair deserves proper care no matter the hair type, but it is especially important to take it easy on fine and fragile hair. If you're familiar with the Ultimate Detangler from Tangle Teezer, know that this one is optimized for fragile hair with flex teeth that are even softer than the original. This oblong brush does have plastic bristles, but they are soft and flexible. Plus, they don't have tips that will eventually fall off and cause your hair to snag. The slim handle offers an ergonomic grip, and the widely spaced bristles make quick work of detangling wet hair. The long teeth work to remove knots while the short teeth help smooth strands; they work together to reduce breakage and frizz. As a bonus, this brush comes in a few cool different colors, like Hypnotic Heather and Lilac/Mint. Shape: Oblong | Bristle Material: Plastic | Hair Types: Fine, fragile, thin Best Splurge Sisley-Paris The Radiance Brush PHOTO: Sisley-Paris $115 at Nordstrom View on Sisley-paris.com $115 at Neiman Marcus What Stands Out You can use it as a wet or dry brush, and it makes your hair noticeably softer and shinier. What Could Be Improved It’s pricey, especially if you need additional brushes or combs to style your hair. A good paddle brush is a great tool for smoothing hair and stimulating the scalp. The Radiance Brush from Sisley-Paris has soft, supple bristles that work gently on both and make it easy to detangle hair and keep frizz at bay. All hair types can use this, wet or dry, and with regular use, you should notice shinier and more voluminous hair. It’s understandable that this brush might give you a bit of sticker shock, but it's worth the splurge. Shape: Rectangle paddle | Bristle Material: Not listed | Hair Types: All Best Paddle Dyson Paddle Brush PHOTO: Dyson $40 at Dyson.com What Stands Out It’s heat-resistant, so it’s perfect to use while drying your hair. What Could Be Improved Some might find the weighted handle too heavy. If you want a new hairbrush to go along with your Dyson Supersonic hair dryer— or you're looking for an excuse to finally splurge on one—this paddle brush will be a great addition to your haircare lineup. The flexible bristles are set in an oval configuration on a cushioned base that puts less tension on the scalp. The handle is weighted, too, so it feels balanced in the hand when styling. While this brush is gentle enough for all hair types, it’s also rather durable. It’s heat-resistant up to 302°F, so it's the perfect brush to grab when it's time for a blowout at home. We also like that this brush comes in five different colors: rosé, fuchsia, purple, black, and Prussian blue. Shape: Oval paddle brush | Bristle Material: Not listed | Hair Types: All Best Round Belula Boar Bristle Round Brush for Blow Drying Set PHOTO: Amazon $22 at Amazon $21 at Walmart What Stands Out It’s a great size for blowouts, plus it comes with clips and a brush cleaner. What Could Be Improved Some bristles will fall out with use. A round brush could spell trouble for delicate hair, but this one promises to be gentle. It has a combination of boar and nylon bristles that go easy on fragile strands. The 2.7-inch barrel is great for blowouts—it’s large enough so that you don’t have to worry about it getting tangled. Unlike other round brushes with harsher bristles, this one works to distribute the natural oils from your scalp through your strands so that your hair looks shiny and silky. This brush comes with three crocodile hair clips to help separate your hair for easy styling, and the included hair cleaner tool makes it easy to clean out the bristles between uses. The best part? This brush comes with a two-month guarantee; if it’s not right for your hair, you can send it back for a full refund. Shape: Round | Bristle Material: Boar and nylon | Hair Types: All Best Boar Shash Boar Bristle Classic Hair Brush PHOTO: Shash $47 at Amazon View on Shash.com What Stands Out The 100% boar bristle brush stimulates your scalp to promote healthy hair growth. What Could Be Improved You might prefer a brush with a heftier handle. Natural boar bristles are best for hair that needs a little TLC, so it makes sense that a brush from Shash, a company known for making boar bristle brushes since 1869, made our list. This German-made brush has hundreds of natural bristles at the ready to gently glide the natural oils from your scalp and distribute them evenly through your hair. Not only does this brush cut down on scalp irritation, including itching and dandruff, but it also promotes healthy hair growth. It's like giving a gentle exfoliation to your scalp every time you use it. The smooth handle has an ergonomic design, so it feels comfortable in your hand while brushing and styling. If you’re not impressed with its performance and the company’s 150+ year reputation, you can return the brush for your money back. Shape: Oval | Bristle Material: Boar | Hair Types: Thin and fine Best for Detangling Wet Brush Original Detangler PHOTO: Amazon $9 at Amazon $10 at Target $10 at Sallybeauty.com What Stands Out The bristles are super flexible for quick and gentle detangling. What Could Be Improved You might prefer something with natural bristles. The aptly named Wet Brush is indeed great for detangling wet hair, but it also works great for getting knots out of dry hair. The IntelliFlex bristles are nestled in a cushioned base that reduces tension as it glides through your hair, wet or dry, without fear of snagging brittle or fragile hair. The bristles are sturdy yet flexible enough to work through all types of hair for a painless detangling experience. In fact, you'll experience 45% less breakage and need to expend 55% less effort to get your hair smooth. We like that it comes in a variety of different colors, though that’s really just a bonus when it comes to the actual performance of this brush. Shape: Oblong | Bristle Material: IntelliFlex | Hair Types: Thin and fine Best Low Tension Aveda Wooden Paddle Brush PHOTO: QVC $45 at Amazon $34 at Nordstrom $5 at Aveda.com What Stands Out The extended bristles allow for easy detangling and will help you achieve a silky-smooth straight style. What Could Be Improved Some say the handle isn’t as ergonomic as they’d like it to be. The Aveda Wooden Paddle Brush features a flexible cushioned base to help reduce the tension on your scalp as it glides through your strands. The long bristles on this rectangular paddle gently massage and stimulate the scalp to promote healthy hair growth, too. They’re widely spaced, which makes it easy to quickly remove tangles from all hair types. The long wooden handle offers a comfortable grip, and the whole thing is lightweight, so you won’t get hand fatigue as you brush and style your strands. This brush is great for achieving smooth, straight styles. Shape: Rectangle paddle | Bristle Material: Not listed | Hair Types: All Best Sculpting Paul Mitchell Pro Tools 413 Sculpting Brush PHOTO: Paul Mitchell $8 at Amazon View on Paulmitchell.com What Stands Out It’s lightweight and easy to use when styling wet or dry hair. What Could Be Improved The balls on the tips of the brushes tend to fall off over time. This small yet mighty brush from Paul Mitchell is a budget-friendly addition to your hair care routine. It’s got flexible, widely spaced bristles that work gently through wet or dry hair to smooth and detangle. It's perfect to use for blow drying or finishing touches on any hairstyle. The design is slim and lightweight to reduce hand fatigue during brushing and styling. It’s also great for travel: Since it’s compact, it should fit in most makeup bags. For home use, you’ll likely use this Paul Mitchell brush to complement your hair tool arsenal rather than as your single go-to hairbrush, but it’s a no-brainer for the price. Shape: Rectangular | Bristle Material: Not listed | Hair Types: Thin and fine Final Verdict The Crown Affair The Brush No. 003 is the top pick, because the pure boar bristles are gentle on delicate strands and the handle offers a comfortable grip. For a budget-friendly pick, we recommend the soft-bristled Black Egg Boar Bristle Hair Brush. How to Shop for Hairbrushes for Thin Hair Like a Pro Brush Type The type of hairbrush you need depends on what you’re going to be using it for—anything from a gentle detangler to work through wet hair post-shower to a round brush for blowouts to an everyday brush to add shine and body. The size, shape, and color of said brushes are a matter of personal preference, but where possible, Dr. Bauman recommends keeping an eye on the spacing of the bristles. “Brushes with widely spaced bristles are less likely to tangle or pull on thin hair, reducing the risk of breakage,” he says. “This feature helps prevent further damage to already fragile hair strands.” Bristle Material You’ll see that many of the selections on this list contain bristles made from natural boar hair, nylon, or some combination of the two. When choosing a gentle brush for your delicate hair, Dr. Bauman says to avoid anything with sharp or too-rigid bristles. “Brushes with sharp or rigid bristles can cause friction and damage to delicate hair, leading to breakage and increased hair loss,” he says. “Instead, opt for brushes with flexible and smooth bristles that glide through the hair without causing unnecessary stress.” Base Cushioning If you’ve got fine, thinning, or otherwise fragile hair, it’s important that your hairbrush is gentle enough to not cause further stress to your scalp and hair. For this reason, Dr. Bauman recommends looking for a brush with a cushioned base. “A brush with a cushioned base provides additional support and flexibility, reducing tension on the hair follicles and minimizing breakage,” he says. “This feature is particularly beneficial for individuals with thinning hair, as it helps protect the hair shafts from damage during brushing.” Questions You Might Ask What type of brush is the least damaging to thin hair? Boar and nylon bristles are seen frequently among the brushes on our list because they’re much more gentle on thin hair. If you are looking to avoid further damage to your hair, avoid brushes with balls on the tips of the bristles, Gueldner says. The balls can easily break off, causing the bristles to snag and pull at your hair. Instead, opt for brushes with softer bristles—a mixture of boar and nylon. “I think softer bristles on the brush are helpful, and mixed bristle brushes are nice, as well,” Gueldner says. How often should you brush thin hair? Infrequent, gentle brushings are the way to go with thin hair, according to Dr. Bauman. “Aim to brush your hair only when necessary to style or detangle it, rather than excessively throughout the day,” he says. When it’s time to pick up the brush, Gueldner recommends taking it easy on your tresses. “Start from the bottom and work your way up,” she says. “It’s more gentle on the hair.” Can you brush thin hair when it’s wet? Yes, but be even more careful when doing so. “Hair is most fragile when it’s wet,” Gueldner says. “Always apply a smoothing product like a cream or oil mid-shaft to ends to soften the hair before brushing.” A wide-tooth comb works well to distribute the product gently through the hair, she adds. Take Our Word for It This article was written by Barbara Bellesi Zito, a freelance lifestyle writer based in Staten Island, N.Y. To compile this list of best hairbrushes for thin hair, she researched products from top brands while considering factors like bristle material, brush shape, and hair needs. For expert advice on what consumers should know when purchasing hairbrushes for thin hair, she consulted Dr. Alan J. Bauman, MD, ABHRS, IAHRS, FISHRS, Founder, CEO & Medical Director of Bauman Medical Hair Transplant & Hair Loss Treatment Center, and Kimberly Gueldner, founder and leading stylist at Voël Hair.