Different Hair Types ... For Dummies!
In general, there are five different types of hair that will determine what hairstyles you can choose and consequently, your beauty.
Fine Hair
About 15% of all women have fine hair. Fine hair has a diameter of 50 microns. Fine hair reflects light the best. When it is healthy, fine hair will often have a natural shine. Blondes have fine hair most often, since blonde hair is the thinnest.
Fine hair is: soft, shine, limp, flyaway, lifeless and flat.
Fine hair is much easier to damage than medium or coarse hair. The biggest problem with fine hair is to gain volume and get hair to hold a style.
To gain volume color and heat style your hair and it will hold a style easier. Use volumizing products and styling gels and mousses. Use a gentle shampoo.
It is also important to use a lightweight conditioner! Put conditioners onto the lengths and ends of your hair rather than the roots.
A short blunt cut will create the illusion of more hair. Avoid layers and long hair.
The general rule for fine hair is that the shorter it is, the lighter it is and therefore the less limp and flat it is.
Streaks are a good idea for fine hair, because they add volume to the hair.Medium Hair Type
Most people have medium hair. Medium hair is not too thick, not too thin, and has a diameter between 60-90 microns.
Medium hair has lots of body and usually holds either a blow-dry shape or any type of hairstyle very well. It has the most styling flexibility of the three hair types.
Medium hair is:
• Softer than coarse hair.
• More voluminous than fine hair.
• More manageable than fine hair.
• Medium hair is regularly considered as normal hair.
Coarse Hair Type
Coarse hair has a diameter of 100 microns and above.
Coarse hair is:
• Rough
• Wiry
• Heavy
• Wild
• Strong
Coarse hair is often dry. Coarse hair needs conditioning to keep it under control.
Wear it long so the weight of the hair drags it down. Get a layered cut. Stay away from a blunt cut.
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Thick and Thin Hair Type
Whether your hair is thin or thick depends on the number of hairs on your head not on the thickness of each hair strand.
The average head has between 100,000 and 150,000 hairs, and normal daily fall-out is 50-100 hairs.
People with thick hair have about 150,000 strands on their heads.
People with thin hair have about 90,000 strands on their heads.
Thick hair will look too bushy if cut into a short style. Layer thick your hair since layering adds mobility.
If you hair is thin, short haircuts look best. Adding highlights and low lights give the illusion of thickness.
Three Ways To Find Out What Your Hair Type Is
First way:
How long does it take for your hair to dry naturally? Your hair is fine or thin if it takes less than an hour to dry.
Your hair is thick if it takes more than an hour to dry.
Second way:
Pull out a single hair.
Put it against a piece of white paper. This way you will identify your hair type much easier.
Fine hair is difficult to see and not easily felt between the fingers.
Medium hair is easily seen against the white paper, but it will not feel wiry between the fingers.
Coarse hair will be very visible against the white paper. It will feel quite wiry between the fingers.
Third way:
Make a ponytail.
Put your thumb and forefinger around it to make a circle.
Your hair is thin if the circle is dime-sized or less.
Your hair is thick if the circle is quarter-sized or more.
Anything in-between is medium thickness or average.
There’s not much you can do about the structure of your hair. If you are not happy with the type of your hair you can’t change it but you can influence it.
Both fine and medium textured hair can be plumped up with perms and color.
They’All both get increased resilience and shape-holding power from setting lotions, mousses and hair sprays.
Coarse hair can be calmed with rich conditioners and styling gel. It is also possible for some people to have more than one texture on their head at the same time.
Good hair days can become the rule rather the exception when you get to know your hair. The easiest way for you and your hair to get along is to work in harmony.
