Your hair is one of the best beauty features you can experiment within a variety of ways. While you may be used to caring for your hair and following a certain routine, it’s best to know your specific hair type to provide it with ultimate care. Knowing your hair type will also open a world of possibilities for you. If you’ve been wondering what hairstyle would look best on you, or if you often feel overwhelmed with the variety of hair care product options and terminology, then we’re here to help you clear out the confusion.

How to Determine Your Hair Type

Before we can explain why your hair type matters, let’s take a quick overview of the factors that go into determining hair type. You’ll be surprised to know that there’s so much more to hair types than being straight or curly. 

Hair type can be determined based on 4 factors: texture, density, porosity, and scalp moisture. 

Texture

The texture of the hair depends on the diameter of the hair. A hair strand with a small diameter is referred to as fine; coarse hair has the biggest diameter, and middle textures lie in between. 

Density

The density of the hair is determined by how many strands there are. You may have fine hair, but have a healthy scalp covered with dense hair. On the other hand, your coarse hair may be thin in its density with few hair strands. Density can be described using the terms thin, medium, or thick. 

Porosity

A complete hair strand is formed of three layers; outer, middle, and inner layers. Normally, these layers maintain the humidity and health of the hair strand. If the hair is damaged to any degree, the hair strand may lose some of this humidity. The extent of damage can be determined by knowing the porosity of your hair, with highly-porous hair losing the most humidity and low-porous hair maintaining the most humidity. Medium-porous hair lies in the middle. 

Scalp Moisture 

Scalp moisture helps in determining how dry or oily your hair is. Sometimes, your hair can be both dry and oily at the same time. 

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Why Knowing Your Hair Matters

There are so many reasons why knowing your hair type matters. Here are the top reasons why it does:

Know-How to Care for Your Hair

First of all, your hair care routine will vary according to your hair type. Starting from the products you’ll use to wash your hair and the frequency of washing to following the best drying routine, your hair type will dictate your every move. For instance, fine hair is sensitive and can be broken easily, while coarse hair can be a hassle to dry. Accordingly, you’ll want to use a strong blow dryer for thick hair to ensure your strands are well-dried, all the way to the deeper layers. On the other hand, you’ll want to avoid heating fine hair, and even drying it should never be done by rubbing it with a towel. Likewise, the frequency of washing will depend on your hair needs. 

Find the Best Hairstyle for You

Unfortunately, not all styles suit every hair type. You’ll have to accept your limitations and find hairstyles that go well with your hair type. For instance, people with curly hair may find it better to style their hair in buns, dreads, braids, or twists, while thin-haired individuals can be better off with shorter hairstyles. 

Use the Right Products

In some cases, you may be able to achieve a better look with the help of some products. For instance, straight-haired individuals can get a curly look using a twisting iron and proper hair styling creams. One look at the styling creams though, and you’ll feel like you need to consult with a hair specialist. To use the right product in your hair and achieve the desired results, it’s important to know your hair’s porosity and texture. Otherwise, it won’t be as effective as you’d hoped. 

Avoid Damaging Your Hair

Using the wrong products and tools can damage your hair. We’ve already mentioned how thin hair can get damaged by excessive heat, but the same will happen if you try to dye it to a much lighter tone. Similarly, highly-porous hair can be damaged by excessive chemical treatment and high temperatures. On the other hand, hair with low porosity can quickly accumulate products, which can irritate the scalp.

There are many reasons why knowing your hair type can completely transform your life. Not only will you get to know your body better, but you’ll also be able to care for it the right way. You’ll become better at identifying products that go well with your hair, and be able to better style your hair. You’ll also avoid a myriad of practices that can damage your hair without realizing the extent of this damage. Best of all, you get to save a ton of money on products you don’t even need.