Hair requires a lot of very dedicated and well-directed care. When you’re thinking about your hair care options, there are a lot of things to keep in mind. Some prominent things to keep in mind are your hair type and texture. Some people don’t even know what their hair type and texture are, which can lead to serious hair damage. Here’s what you need to know about hair type and texture.

Different Hair Types

In general, you’ll find that there are four different hair types. These are typically the hair types you’ll see people reference.

• Straight 

As the name would suggest, straight hair is very straight and doesn’t have any amount of waviness to it. Straight hair tends toward being more prone to oil issues because the oil from your scalp travels down the straight hair shaft much more easily. However, that oil also means this hair will typically look shinier and healthier if you take care of it.

• Wavy 

When you have wavy hair, you’ll have much more of a curl to the hair than you would with straight hair. However, wavy hair doesn’t usually curl into ringlets. It’s sort of a middle ground between truly curly hair and very straight hair. Frizz is a big problem with wavy hair, and it’s important to take measures to avoid that frizzy look.

• Curly 

If your hair can naturally curl into ringlets, chances are you have curly hair. Even more so with wavy hair, it’s common for curly hair to have issues with frizz. You want to opt for a care process that will help your hair curl into even more well-defined ringlets while also helping you avoid problems with hair frizz, which are common for those with curly hair.

• Kinky 

Of all the types of hair, kinky hair may be the most delicate. It needs the most care and attention, as it tends to curl into many different very tight ringlets all across the head. Avoid excessive amounts of product, as adding too much product can weigh down kinky hair. It’s also important to use a delicate touch with kinky hair.

Different Hair Textures

On top of the different hair types, there are also three well-recognized hair textures. Combining these textures with the hair types is what helps you truly understand someone’s hair needs.

• Fine 

Fine hair is best described as thin and fragile. Healthy fine hair typically falls apart from surrounding hair follicles very easily and often doesn’t handle damage very easily. When you have less healthy fine hair, you may end up with very brittle hair, which typically breaks very easily and becomes greasy quickly.

• Medium 

Most people have medium-textured hair. When you have medium-textured hair, you’ll typically be able to change your hairstyle a little more easily, as your hair will be more likely to hold a style. It’s less prone to breakage than fine-textured hair, but it can be a bit more frizzy than fine hair.

• Coarse 

If you have especially coarse hair, the good news is that you have hair that’s extra good at handling damage and holding styles. However, the bad news is that it’s typically going to be much frizzier and take a long time to dry. It’s a bit of a tradeoff, but healthy coarse hair can be extremely fun to style and play around with.

Conclusion

It’s not just your hair type that matters when you’re considering how to treat your hair. You need to make sure you’re thinking about your hair type, texture, thickness and many other elements of maintaining your hair. Regardless of your own hair type, if you think it would be fun to maintain many people’s hair at once, there’s a way to do that. Talk to an Ogle School expert about the cosmetology program and learn more about how you can become a cosmetologist yourself.