What It Means to Have Fine Hair!

When it comes to hair type, most people would prefer to have fine rather than coarse hair. In fact, the majority of the world's population believes that they have fine hair when their hair is actually coarse.  Although having the right to say I have fine hair versus coarse hair sounds better, in reality it  actually is not. 

Fine hair strands are smaller in diameter than coarse hair strands because they have fewer cuticle layers. The cuticle being the outermost protective layer of the hair shaft allows hair to withstand damage from manipulation. If you've been natural for awhile and wondering why your hair is not growing it may be a result of your fine hair. 

Unlike, coarse hair which can thrive under harsh conditions or neglect such as dry detangling, bleach color or heavy braids. Fine hair under these same conditions will not survive. The key to taking care of fine hair and allowing it to grow long and strong is to style it as least as possible. Many natural hair women stick to a hair care regimen where they wash their hair once a week. Well if you have coarse hair then this is not a bad idea. Women with fine hair should limit washing to twice a month. The reason being is that your hair breaks easily and when it is wet it breaks twice as much. If you must wash your hair four times a month then use a protein deep conditioner every time.  

The detangling process of fine hair is much different than coarse hair.  For naturalistas with fine hair, it is crucial that a good conditioner is used along with patience. Rushing through the detangling process can result in split and broken ends. A good detangling aid for fine hair is a wide tooth comb but the best aid is your fingertips (I do not recommend using a denman brush on fine hair- the hair is too thin to withstand the bristles of the brush). In addition, always section the hair before detangling. 

Fine hair can easily be weighed down by products so it is good to use a clarifying shampoo at least once a month. Products that contain Panthenol or claim to add volume to hair are the best to use on this type of hair. 

Remember: Just because you are natural it does not mean that your hair is coarse.