Many people have little clue about the terms used to describe hair,
and truth be told, it can be confusing. Most people think of hair in terms
of being thick or fine, and curly or straight. There are several considerations when analyzing hair: texture, density, wave pattern, elasticity,
and porosity. Each of these elements combines to give us endless variety
in hair types. Your stylist is trained to look at your hair, recognize these
elements, and gauge your overall hair type.
One thing to remember is that analyzing the hair is a matter of
comparison, and the best way to learn to recognize the difference in
these elements is to view a sampling of hair from different sources and
make the comparisons yourself. The next time you're with a group of
friends, take a close look at their hair. Make a note of the ways their hair
differs from yours. Compare their hair to yours using these categories:
By using these elements you can compare and judge for yourself if you
have fine, thick, straight hair with good elasticity and low porosity, or
maybe coarse, thin, curly hair with high porosity and low elasticity, or something in between.
Knowing the terms professionals use, and being able to analyze your
own hair will help you make good choices when it comes to the styles and hair services you engage.
