Hair Texture
Hair texture describes the thickness of one individual strand of hair.
Starting with one individual strand of your own, roll it in between your finger and thumb:
- If you can't feel the strand at all then, in terms of individual strand thickness, your hair is most likely very fine. Fine hair can be very brittle and can be more susceptible to breakage, so be gentle with it!
- If you can only just feel the strand rolling, your hair probably in the middle ground of medium thickness.
- If you can easily feel the hair strand between your fingers, your hair is very thick and coarse. Your hair has the largest diameter, containing all three layers (Cortex, Cuticle and Medulla), making it very tough and resilient.
Hair Density
Hair density relates to the actual amount of hair on your head. Just like before, your hair density can be thin, medium or thick and anywhere in between. The average human head has around 2,200 hairs per square inch and around 100,000 hairs in total. Unfortunately, this one isn't as easily determined, but if you have the time to count, by all means, go ahead!
The easiest way to roughly determine density is by looking for your scalp:
-If you can see your scalp with little effort (without moving any hair), you have thin hair.
-If you can see your scalp with minimal hair movement then your hair is probably of moderate density.
- If you have to fight just to see a tiny bit of your scalp, your hair is very thick and dense.
Determining hair density is useful for understanding how your hair will cooperate with certain products and styles (e.g. using heavier products in thinner hair will weigh it down and make it greasy).
Hair Type
On the surface, there are four main hair groups: straight, wavy, curly and coily. However, these four groups are little more than generic labels to vaguely categorise the endless variety of unique heads of human hair. Each group can be parted into three main subgroups to create 12 different hair types, although, these are still only a rough guide, as there are quite literally endless amounts of curves and combinations you could have. It's also very common for people to have more than one type of curl pattern on their head.
Whether your hair is fine, coarse, thick or thin, the natural curvature of your own unique strands of hair are genetically determined by the shape of the hair follicle from which it grows.
Despite the 12 groups not covering every potentiality, hopefully you will be able to relate closely to at least one and begin to make strides in the right direction when it comes understanding your own hair type.
The 12 hair textures (& how to look after them!)
Straight hair
Straight hair has very little to no natural curl, it's very shiny and has a tendency to become oily very quickly.
Type 1A - Flat, thin & glossy.
Type 1B - Straight with some strands that have a slight bend.
Type 1C - Thicker and more coarse, with some wavy strands.
With straight hair, oils are easily distributed down the strands helping to keep it hydrated and healthy. Adding too many extra oils can lead to very greasy hair so the very basic conditioning all that's really necessary. As straight hair is prone to greasiness, you might want to avoid using too many oily products and hair oils, and use dry shampoo to limit the amount of washing.
Wavy Hair
Wavy is the halfway point between straight and curly and the most versatile hair type, ranging from smooth definitive waves to waves that are fluffy and undefined.
Type 2A - Flat S shape, sits close to the head.
Type 2B - More defined S shape, often thicker than type A.
Type 2C - Comprised of mostly S shape waves with a mix of other textures and some loose curls.
Hair is more prone to dryness and liable to get heavy and weighed down with products. Avoid frequent brushing as it will lead to fizziness and use products/oils on occasion to keep the waves moisturised and defined, however, make sure to give your hair days off from these.
Curly Hair
Strands of hair that curl into a spring like shape. Very common to have multiple curl textures mixed together.
Type 3A - Mostly curling hairs, with some wavy strands.
Type 3B - Springy, tight curls.
Type 3C - Tighter curls again, smaller and more compact, high volume.
Curly hair can become very dry, particularly at the ends of the hair. Leave in conditioners and natural oil products can help provide the hydration that's needed to keep the curls neat and defined while also keeping the hair healthy. Avoid brushing and instead apply a leave in conditioner to damp hair and run your fingers through and gently remove any tugs.
Coily Hair
Mixed texture ranging from spring like curls to z shaped kinks, very high volume.
Type 4A - Small coils that wrap round your finger.
Type 4B - Zigzag shape pattern.
Type 4C - tighter, spiralling coils
Frizz is considered to be a part of the texture, just like curly hair, coily hair has a tendency to be very dry. Brushing isn't an option, so it's best to keep the hair as hydrated as you can and embrace your amazing natural volume!
Example
My own hairs texture is somewhere in between fine and medium and I'm lucky to have a very thick, full head of hair, particularly in the back.
My hair becomes more complicated as we try to define which group it is most comparable to, as the curl pattern quite literally changes by the day.
The hairs coming from the top of the head, at the moment, are significantly longer and form a distinct S shape, but, moving onto the back and sides the hairs begin to curl, with some even creating tighter coils underneath. As my hair grows longer, the curls at the back will most likely begin to weigh themselves down and straighten out more, meaning we can probably place it somewhere close to type 3A.
Thanks again for visiting the Mane Man blog, see you again soon.
Kyle x
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