What types are there and how to determine the type of hair

The first step to effective hair care is knowing what type of hair you have. Although each person’s hair is different, it usually fits into a few major categories. It can be helpful to know if your hair is coily, curly, wavy, or straight to help you select the styling tools and methods that work best for you.

However, it doesn’t end there. The thickness, porosity, and health of your scalp are other important factors that affect how your hair feels and looks. These specifics can affect anything from the frequency of hair washing to the kinds of treatments that will be most effective for you.

Knowing what type of hair you have will help you take better care of it and maintain its best appearance. Whether you’re attempting to improve the natural texture of your hair or are struggling with dryness or frizz,

Why determine the type of hair

To choose the appropriate care that can either maintain the current state of the scalp or help solve existing issues, such as increased dryness, oiliness, dandruff, or hair loss, it is necessary to determine your hair type.

Many thanks for typing:

• a cleanser is selected – shampoo. It should be chosen in accordance with the needs of the scalp and root part;
• a cosmetic bag with additional care – masks, serums, sprays. Without knowing the type, you will not be able to understand what exactly your curls lack – nutrition, hydration, restoration;
• care habits are adjusted. Having determined the type and the problems associated with it, you will be able to understand how to properly care for your hair, what procedures are required, and which ones are better to refuse.

What will happen if you determine the hair type incorrectly or do not determine it at all

The answer makes sense at first glance: the wrong kind of care will be chosen. In actuality, though, poor care will have the most hazardous effects:

• the original problem will worsen. Relevant for oily and dry curls, which without the right products and procedures will become even oilier or drier;
• the characteristics of the scalp and rods will change. Especially relevant for girls with a normal type who may well become the owners of dry or fat;
• New difficulties will be added – A large dandruff may appear on fat, on dry – constant fragments of rods along the entire length.

We hope to have persuaded you, and now you will discover everything there is to know about hair types with us. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments section!

Selecting the appropriate care and styling techniques for your hair requires an understanding of its various types. Texture, thickness, and curl pattern are the main factors used to classify different types of hair, which range from fine and straight to coarse and curly. Examining these traits in detail to determine your unique hair type will help you choose the best products and treatments to keep your hair looking and feeling great.

The main characteristics of the hair rod

We will examine every possible characteristic to help identify the type of hair further. This will enable us to run additional tests and correlate each type’s characteristics with the individual’s characteristics.

Different hair rods include:

• thickness;
• density;
• porosity;
• elasticity.

Thickness

Thickness: This parameter establishes the hair rod’s diameter. Hair rods range in thickness from:

• Thin – hairs of the smallest diameter, often weakened and exposed to external influences. But there are also advantages – they are easy to lighten, dye and style;
• medium – the gold standard by which thin and thick hair are determined. The most unpretentious type, which lends itself well to any type of hairdressing procedures;
• thick – have the largest diameter. Strong and resistant to external influences, which leaves an imprint on the susceptibility to styling – thick rods resist and tend to take their original position. They are more difficult to dye and lighten, so hairdressers often keep the compositions longer.

Empirical diagnostics using thickness are performed by squeezing a tiny strand between your thumb and forefinger and running your fingers the length of it. The thicker the rod, the more noticeable the strand is in your hand. Because thickness is a relative concept, an amateur may find it difficult to determine, but hairdressers and stylists have already honed this skill and can do so quickly.

Density

Density is defined as the number of adjacent growing rods per square centimeter or inch. They are separated based on density into:

Just like with diameter, the determination of sparse or thick hair is made in relation to average hair. An average density of 2200 hairs per square inch, or 2.5 centimeters, is the generally accepted standard.

Density should be considered when coloring because it directly affects the amount of dye used and can alter the original color due to the rods’ close proximity to one another.

Density is frequently linked to natural color:

• natural blondes often have thick hair;
• brown-haired and brunettes – medium;
• and red-haired girls – sparse.

We advise assessing the density visually. To do this, approach the mirror and use your hands to move a large strand to one side. Your hair is sparser the more of your scalp is visible.

Porosity

The density of the rod scales next to one another is determined by a structural criterion called porosity. Three different forms of porosity exist:

• low;
• medium;
• high.

• Healthy curls have low porosity – tightly fitting scales. They get wet hard, as they do not absorb moisture and often repel dyes or other chemicals.
• Medium porosity is also a manifestation of the norm – such hair retains the required amount of moisture inside, which allows it to look healthy. The main advantage of medium porosity is the absence of problems with styling and coloring.
• High porosity is most often the result of improper care, frequent chemical or thermal effects. Hereditary or congenital porosity is less common. Porous hair is fragile, brittle, prone to curling in high humidity.

Assess porosity through empirical means:

1. Take a clean, dry strand;
2. With your free hand, start "combing" them, paying attention to the sensations.

Low porosity is present if combing is ineffective and the fingertips move over the hair shafts’ surface with ease.

The most noticeable kind is high porosity hair, which is rapidly backcombed and then challenging to comb.

Elasticity

Hair shafts’ elasticity is their capacity to expand and contract without suffering harm. Porosity and elasticity are closely related; the more porous the hair, the less elastic it is because there is less moisture in the hair shaft.

Elasticity may be:

Better still, the indicator should be higher. Increased fragility, or the hair breaking easily when you try to stretch it, is a sign of low elasticity. You can stretch the shaft to half of its original length without compromising its integrity if it has medium to high elasticity. Elasticity is impacted by heat, wind, sun, aggressive shampoos, and chemical exposure.

Wet hair should be used to test elasticity. After a tiny strand is cautiously removed, its behavior is examined. Elasticities ranging from normal to high allow curves to revert to their initial shape without shattering or ripping. Low elasticity causes the hair to break and not spring back to its proper position.

4 main types of hair

Determining the type based on the level of oiliness is the most popular method of classification. When selecting at-home care, girls, some hairdressers, and cosmetics manufacturers use these criteria. Here, the type is directly related to the type of scalp; dry, flaky skin and oily skin both tend to have oily tendencies along the length, which is accompanied by brittle, dry hair shafts.

Four different types of hair exist in total:

• normal;
• dry;
• oily;
• mixed or combined.

Normal

The rarest kind, known as "normal," is typically inherited and found in girls who lead healthy lifestyles.

• stay clean for 3-5 days;
• don"t get greasy at the roots;
• don"t have dryness or split ends. In rare cases, there is slight dryness at the ends.

Dry

Dry curls are weak, brittle, and split; they frequently begin in the middle of the length.

• stay clean for a long time – don"t get greasy even after 5 days without washing;
• don"t hold their style well;
• have different thickness at the roots and ends, since the lower part of the hair is subject to constant breakage.

Oily

As the name implies, oily, prone to "greasiness." The sebaceous glands’ active activity, which secrete more sebum than is necessary, is linked to the greasiness of the hair shafts.

• seem not fresh a couple of hours after washing, and if you don"t wash your hair for 2-3 days, they emit an unpleasant odor, become very greasy and stick together into strands;
• do not hold the styling, since under the weight of sebum the hairstyle “drops”.

Mixed

Girls with long hair, whose sebum does not have time to spread throughout the entire length, are more likely to choose combination or mixed hairstyles.

• the roots are oily, greasy, have all the characteristics of the oily type;
• the ends, about 1/3 of the entire length, are subject to constant split ends, brittleness.

How to determine the type by the degree of oiliness

You can use a quick test with a paper napkin to find out:

1. In the evening, wash your hair, drying it naturally. Do not apply any leave-in products, so as not to distort the results of the experiment;
2. In the morning, take three paper napkins – one for each zone;
3. First, press the napkin to the roots on the crown or behind the ears;
4. Wrap your hair with the next napkin, retreating 5-6 cm from the roots, and go down the length;
5. Wrap the ends with the third and "blot".

Check for oily stains on the napkins:

• on oily curls, all three wipes will have oily spots of varying severity – most of all at the roots, a little less along the length and a minimum at the ends;
• when dry – all wipes will remain dry;
• combined – the wipe from the roots will be oily, the rest will be dry;
• well, and the wipes of the normal one will also be dry.

We also advise taking a test from the Vichi laboratory because there are some inaccuracies in the test, such as its poor implementation on short haircuts and its inability to distinguish between normal and dry hair.

Findings:

The Alerana brand offers a test that is comparable, but instead of asking you to select your answers, it focuses on connecting the traits of various types to the state of your curls.

Hair types by shape

An alternative categorization that is less frequently employed is based on hair shape, or more specifically, curl shape. Four categories are distinguished here:

• 1 – straight;
• 2 – wavy;
• 3 – curly;
• 4 – curly.

We will go into more detail about each of these types’ internal classifications (A, B, C), as well as their features.

Type 1

Straight is the first kind. There are no curls in the hair shaft; it remains straight from the root to the ends. Within the group, there are further classifications as follows:

• 1A – thin, soft, usually of medium or low density;
• 1B – also soft, but thicker, straight;
• 1C – hard, dense.

Because of the density and hardness of the shaft, hair in category 1C is easier to style than hair in categories A and B. Since the first type of curls are typically non-porous, drying and damaging them is much more difficult than on any other type, which has an impact on the quality of the hair after coloring.

Type 2

The second group comprises hair that is in between curly and straight. frequently have curls at the base of their length.

Typically, the shafts have a medium to high porosity and are dense. Three subtypes comprise type 2:

• 2A – a delicate tousled wave that is visible from eye level and below to the ends. Often these are thin, of medium or low density;
• 2B – also differs in a wave from the middle of the length to the ends, but the curl is more pronounced. This is due to the medium thickness and higher density;
• 2C – even more curled in the middle of the hair, most often dry and brittle.

Type 3

Curly, with a noticeable full length S-shaped curl. These curls are hard to straighten; they return to their natural state even when exposed to extreme heat. Curly hair is easily overdone, but restoring it will be difficult.

• 3A – loose curls of a large diameter;
• 3B – curls of medium diameter, about the width of a regular marker
• 3C – tight narrow springs, the diameter of a cocktail straw.

Type 4

The fourth type of hair, curly hair, appears hard as wire but is actually very soft and brittle. They curl into a steep shape that is just narrow enough to fit around a sushi stick.

• 4A – narrow S-shaped curls;
• 4B – usually tight zigzag curls;
• 4C – thick and dense curls.

Women of African descent make up the bright representatives of the fourth variety. Rarely do girls with European and Slavic features exhibit these traits.

Questions

Do men and women have different hair types?

The hair and scalp of men and women differ significantly, but this has no bearing on the type identification. The criteria for determination will remain the same regardless of gender.

How are split ends identified, and are they a subtype?

No, it is only a result of it; the cross-section of the ends or length is not a different type. A visual inspection of the ends suffices to determine the cross-section; a split hair, upon closer inspection, is divided into 2-3-4 parts at the end, i.e., it is dissected.

How can I tell what kind of hair color I have?

It is a common misconception that dyed hair rods are a distinct type. An external process that alters the original type is dyeing. Normal hair, for instance, could become dry after multiple coloring sessions or just one low-quality dye application. Following dyeing, the type is established by their present state using the previously mentioned standards.

Share with friends!

Popular on the topic Hair

How to repair hair after a trip

An analysis of the top balms for every type of hair

Choosing a haircut based on face type: Using a haircut to sculpt the face into a more oval shape

Hairstyle ideas for short hair

What you can achieve by following step-by-step instructions when cutting your own hair

How to do artistic hair coloring and visual inspiration

Kanekalon hairstyles and braids: care and braiding instructions

Different tomboy hairstyles and examples of the people they work well for

What kinds of haircuts are available for men?

The top 7 stylish hairstyles for girls of plus size

Magazine Sections

Express your opinion or ask a question! Cancel reply

One comment on “What are they and how to determine the type of hair”

Alexander

Type of Hair	How to Determine
Straight Hair	Hair falls flat from root to tip without any waves or curls. It tends to be shiny due to the lack of twists that would diffuse light.
Wavy Hair	Hair has a slight curl pattern that forms an S shape. It is not too oily or dry and typically has more body than straight hair.
Curly Hair	Hair has a definite curl pattern that ranges from loose loops to tight, springy curls. It tends to be drier than straight or wavy hair due to its spiral shape.
Coily Hair	Hair has very tight curls or zig-zag patterns. It often feels soft and spongy or coarse and wir

Knowing your hair type is crucial to having gorgeous, healthy hair. Every hair type, from straight to curly and all in between, needs a different kind of care and attention. Understanding your hair type will help you select the appropriate products and styling methods to maintain the best possible look for your hair.

Consider the texture, density, porosity, and elasticity of your hair when identifying your hair type. You can determine whether your hair is fine, thick, oily, dry, or a combination of these factors. Understanding how your hair responds to various weather situations and how frequently it needs to be washed or conditioned is also crucial.

Learning about your hair type can help you maintain a healthier hair routine and make better hair care decisions. Keep in mind that every person has different hair, so what suits one person might not suit another. Try out various products and methods to determine what gives your hair the best look and feel.

Video on the topic

How to determine your hair type?

HOW TO CHANGE YOUR NATURAL HAIR TYPE

Hair structure on the head. Hair types. REAL FACTS about hair and scalp for a hairdresser.

Find out your hair type with this simple test

How to determine your hair and scalp type

KNOW YOUR HAIR TYPE // HAIR TYPES AND STRUCTURE // THIS WILL HELP YOU CHOOSE HOME CARE

Types of CURLY HAIR / What is it and how to easily determine yours? – with pictures