Ruth Langsford reveals her secret to fuller hair after it went 'thinner in menopause'

The Loose Women presenter shared the areas of her hair affected by menopause, and how she adds thickness to her signature bob

Ruth Langsford in woman&home magazine's October 2022 issue.
(Image credit: Nicky Johnston/woman&home)

Ruth Langsford recently took to Instagram to share how she achieves her iconic bob, revealing she uses hair extensions to add volume as the menopause has caused her hair to thin.

The Loose Women presenter posted a short video showing her hair newly highlighted, and identifying areas most affected by the menopause. 'My hair has gone thinner in menopause', she said. But rather than using products like best shampoo for fine hair to help, Ruth revealed hair extensions are the secret to adding thickness to her signature style.

The video came shortly after the Loose Women panel discussed the topic of hair loss on the show, which Ruth referenced in the caption. 'Apparently there’s been a 60% increase in women seeking help for hair loss….we talked about it on @loosewomen on Tuesday and we all had our own stories. My hair got thinner during menopause which is why I started having hair extensions….not for length, but for thickness.

"I had clip in pieces first, then I progressed to tapes and not I have LOTS of Keratin bonds, really small ones so they're very discreet. Just wanted to show my natural hair before I get my extensions done again tomorrow...watch this space!'.

Ruth's fans were quick to ask questions, one of the most common being cost and whether extensions could potentially do more damage. woman&home beauty editor Fiona McKim says: "Many of us associate hair extensions with those ultra-long, ultra-glam, Rapunzel-like lengths beloved of footballer’s wives in the early ‘00s - but that’s not the half of what hairdressers can achieve with hair bonds these days.

"So many women wear discreet, cleverly placed extensions simply to add thickness and bounce without necessarily adding any length at all. Much like Ruth Langsford’s stylist Leo Bancroft, clued-up hairdressers usually attach these ultra-fine extensions using unobtrusive keratin bonds (as opposed to heavier metal rings or thick wefts, which can tug on natural hair and look heavy). This gives hair believable, natural-looking body and you can have as many or as few as you like applied. Done well, they're not cheap – but can be an absolute godsend for anyone experiencing menopausal hair thinning. It’s like any kind of ‘work,’ really – the best hair extensions are the ones nobody would guess were there."

If hair extensions aren't an option for you, there's a selection of fantastic products that can help fine and thinning hair below, all of which are tried and tested by us.

Best shampoos for fine and thinning hair

Best conditioners for fine and thinning hair

Kerrie Hughes
Editor

Kerrie is the editor of woman&home (digital). For seven years previously she was editor of Future’s world-leading design title Creative Bloq, and has written for titles including T3, Coach and Fit&Well on a wide range of lifestyle topics.

 

After a decade of working in retail, Kerrie went back to education at the ripe old age of 27, graduating with a first-class honours degree in creative writing three years later. Her career in journalism began soon after, when she secured a job as a staff writer at Future Plc. In the 14 years since, she has worked her way up to editor level, gaining a wealth of digital experience along the way.

As a woman&home reader and a senior digital editor, Kerrie’s main purpose is to ensure the brand delivers high-quality, relevant content to help enrich and improve women’s lives – a responsibility she feels hugely passionate about.  

Outside of work, if she manages to find a spare minute around her three young children, geriatric dog and activity-obsessed fiance, you’ll find her either throwing a barbell about at Crossfit, with her head in a good thriller novel or building one of the latest Lego ideas sets.