It's the spot you can't see without two mirrors. Then someone takes a photo from behind at a family dinner, and there it is: more scalp at the crown than you expected.
The crown is the hardest place to hide thinning.
Your part you can move. Your crown sits right where everyone behind you is looking.
Crown thinning needs a slightly different topper than a widening part. The base has to be rounder, the clips have to sit further back, and the hair has to fall the way your own hair falls from the swirl. Here are the five things that make it work.
If thinning at the crown came on quickly or in patches, check in with a dermatologist first. The American Academy of Dermatology has a clear overview of the causes.
Measure the crown, not the part
Stand with your back to a mirror and hold a second mirror in front of you. Find the edges of the thin area and measure it front to back and side to side. Crown thinning is usually wider and rounder than a part, so a narrow part topper often won't reach.
Add about half an inch on every side so the clips land on healthy hair.
Choose a base that reaches the back
A crown topper needs a base of roughly 5 x 5 inches or more. If your part is thinning too, look for a base long enough to run from just behind the hairline back over the crown.
Too short, and the back edge sits in the middle of the thin area, which is exactly where you don't want an edge.
Pick a silk top for the swirl
At the crown, hair grows out of a swirl, and that swirl is often where the scalp shows most. A silk top base shows a skin-toned surface instead of knots, so the swirl looks like scalp with hair growing out of it, not like a hairpiece.
More on that in our silk top vs lace comparison.
Match the shade at your crown
Go slightly longer than you think
Hair at the crown has to travel further to reach the ends of your own hair. If you are between two lengths, take the longer one. A stylist can trim it to blend in minutes.
| Your hair length | Crown topper to look at |
|---|---|
| Chin | 12 inches |
| Shoulders | 14 to 16 inches |
| Below the shoulders | 16 to 18 inches |
Clip it where the hair is strong
Place the back clip below the thin area, into the thicker hair near the nape side of the crown. Then the side clips, then the front. If the back clip sits in thin hair, the topper will lift when you move your head.
Tip: tease a tiny section of your own hair under each clip. It gives the clip something to grip.
Built for a natural part
The Noxelya SilkBlend topper
- Silk top base, so the part looks like your own scalp
- Lightweight and breathable for all-day wear
- 5 lengths, from 10 to 18 inches
- 11 shades, from Natural Black to Platinum Blond
- Snap clips, on in about 60 seconds
Your questions
FAQ
Can a topper cover a thinning crown?
Yes, as long as the base is big enough to reach past the thin area on every side and the clips sit on healthy hair.
What size topper do I need for crown thinning?
Usually 5 x 5 inches or more. Measure the thin area and add half an inch on each side.
Will the edge of the topper show at the back?
Not if the base reaches past the thin area and your own hair falls over the edge. Going one length longer helps.
Keep reading
The back of your head deserves the same confidence as the front.
One topper, sized for your crown.
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