Hair Typing

Hair Texture

Hair texture is the thickness of each individual strand of hair. Hair texture varies within ethnic groups and can even vary on one persons head of hair. Hair texture is described by most sources as coarse, medium, or fine.

Coarse-the thickest type of strand and stronger than other types. Try rubbing a strand of hair between your thumb and forefinger, if the hair has a wiry feel between the fingers it is coarse. Also each individual strand of hair is usually easily visible under the light if it is coarse. Coarse hair tends to handle heat and regularly handling better than the other textures. It also takes longer for most chemical processes (i.e. relaxer, color etc…). I personally notice that the strands look kind of broad on coarse hair.

Fine– thinnest type of strands, the most fragile and easy to damage. When you touch an individual strand you may barely be able to feel it; the individual strands may also be difficult to see when held up to light. Fine hair is easily damaged by heat, chemical processing, and regular manipulation making it the most difficult texture to retain length.

If your hair did not fall into the coarse or fine category it is most likely medium. This is the most common hair texture and it does not have any particularly distinguishing traits.

 * Note: Many women with coily afro texture hair think their hair is coarse when it is actually either fine or medium. While coily hair looks strong and resilient it is often the most fragile due to the thickness of the strand and fragile points where the hair curls.

Hair Density

Density is most simply explained as a description of the number of hairs on a persons head. According to Milday’s Standard Cosmetology, the average hair density is about 2,200 hairs per square inch or 100,000 individual strands.

Low– less hair per square inch than average, also called thin. Your hair may be thin if you can easily see your scalp, especially if scalp is visible when wearing loose styles.

High– more hair on head than average, also called thick. Your hair may be thick if your scalp is barely visible; you may even find it difficult to get to your scalp when washing and styling your hair. When braiding or twisting your hair will tend to have a full look.

If you hair does not appear to be high or low density it is probably medium.

 

My hair is a combination of fine and medium strands. As you may be able to tell in this pic my individual strands are not thick at all. They actually are rather soft and fragile. My hair is very dense though so people often refer to it as thick.