Understanding Your Hair Type: A Practical Guide

Ever wondered why your hair feels greasy by the end of the day while your best friend’s is dry and frizzy 24/7? Or why that “hydrating shampoo” made your hair limp instead of luscious? The answer lies in your hair type.

As a cosmetic gynaecologist with over 7 years of experience working with diverse hair types, I've witnessed countless patients' frustration before they discovered their true hair type. Your actual hair type is more than wavy, curly or straight in case you don’t know that either.

I’ve had patients come in claiming that “nothing works” for their hair. The truth? Most of them were unknowingly treating their hair like it belonged to someone else.

Your hair care should be as personal as your skincare. What works for your friend might make your hair dull or damaged, simply because your hair types are different.

Understanding your hair type, texture, porosity, and scalp condition is the foundation of building a hair care routine that actually works. Understanding your hair type isn’t about beauty jargon — it's foundational for hair health. It’s about choosing the right products, preventing damage, and embracing your hair’s natural texture instead of fighting it every morning.

Let me guide you through a practical approach to identifying and caring for your unique hair structure.

🧬 What Makes Up “Hair Type”? (It’s Not Just One Thing)

Hair type is an umbrella term. It includes:

Element	What It Means	Why It Matters
Hair pattern	Straight, wavy, curly, or coily	Determines how you style & moisturise
Texture	Fine, medium, coarse	Influences product weight & volume
Porosity	How well hair absorbs & retains moisture	Affects hydration & frizz control
Density	Number of strands per square inch	Influences haircut and volume
Scalp type	Oily, dry, balanced	Impacts how often you wash

🌀 Hair Types: Which One Are You?

1. Straight Hair (Type 1)

Sleek, shiny, and usually oilier because natural scalp oils can easily travel down the shaft.

• 1A: Very fine, flat, shiny (but gets greasy fast)

• 1B: Straight with a little volume

• 1C: Straight but thick and coarse

  
  

Common Challenges: Gets greasy fast, lacks volume

Best Products: Clarifying shampoo, dry shampoo, volumising spray

Care Tip: Go light on oils and heavy conditioners. Use volumising products if your hair feels flat.

Practical Action Steps:

• Wash every 1-2 days as straight hair shows oil more quickly

• Use lightweight conditioners that won't weigh hair down

• Apply products from mid-shaft to ends, avoiding the scalp

• Choose volumising products if you have 1A or 1B hair

  
  

2. Wavy Hair (Type 2)

Somewhere between straight and curly — often frizzy, especially in humidity.

• 2A: Loose, beachy waves

• 2B: Defined S-waves with slight frizz

• 2C: Thick, wavy hair with more frizz and volume

  
  

Care Tip: Avoid heavy creams. Use lightweight curl creams or gels to define waves. Focus on keeping your hair hydrated.

Practical Action Steps:

• Wash 2-3 times weekly to maintain natural oils

• Use microfiber towels or old t-shirts to dry hair (never rough-dry with terry cloth)

• Apply styling products to soaking wet hair

• For 2A/2B: Use mousse for lightweight hold

• For 2C: Try cream-based products for definition and frizz control

  
  

Common Challenges: Frizz, flatness at rootsBest Products: Lightweight curl creams, mousse, anti-frizz serums

3. Curly Hair (Type 3)

Springy curls that range from loose loops to tighter spirals.

• 3A: Big, loose curls about the diameter of a wine cork

• 3B: Tighter ringlets about the diameter of a marker

• 3C: Corkscrew curls, dense and prone to dryness about the diameter of a pencil

  
  

Common Challenges: Dryness, tangling, shrinkageBest Products: Sulfate-free shampoo, deep conditioners, leave-in creams

Care Tip: Hydration is key. Use sulfate-free shampoos, deep conditioners, and avoid heat styling.

Practical Action Steps:

• Wash 1-2 times weekly; co-wash (conditioner washing) between shampoos

• Always detangle with conditioner in the shower using fingers or wide-tooth comb

• Style in sections to ensure even product distribution

• Use the "squish to condish" method: squeezing conditioner into hair to enhance curl pattern

• Consider using a diffuser attachment when blow-drying

4. Coily/Kinky Hair (Type 4)

Forms tight coils or zigzag patterns that contract significantly when dry. When stretched, it can show an impressive length difference from its unstretched state.

• 4A: Soft coils with a visible S-curl pattern and definition

• 4B: Z-shaped curls, fluffy texture

• 4C: Tightest coils, little to no visible curl pattern, prone to shrinkage

  
  

Common Challenges: Breakage, extreme dryness, shrinkageBest Products: Heavy butters (shea, mango), oils (castor, jojoba), LOC method

Care Tip: Gentle detangling, protective styles, and heavy moisturisers like shea butter or castor oil work best.

Practical Action Steps:

• Wash weekly or bi-weekly to preserve natural oils

• Always pre-poo (pre-shampoo treatment) with oil before washing

• Detangle in sections with substantial conditioner

• Implement moisture layering: leave-in conditioner, cream, then oil or butter

• Protect ends daily, as they're the oldest and most vulnerable part of the hair

  
  

Although Andre Walker's hair typing system has become the standard for categorising hair, I've found it most helpful when combined with porosity and density assessments.

Beyond Hair Type: Critical Secondary Characteristics

Porosity: How Your Hair Absorbs and Retains Moisture

Imagine you keep on applying product after product on your hair, but your hair just refuses to take them in. Imagine if your hair absorbed the product well but lost it almost immediately. This is exactly the reason why you should learn your hair porosity.

• Low Porosity: Water beads on your hair. Needs heat to absorb moisture (like warm water or steam).

• Medium Porosity: Absorbs and retains moisture well.

• High Porosity: Hair gets wet quickly but loses moisture fast. Often feels dry or frizzy.

  
  

Determine your hair porosity with this Simple Porosity Test

Take a clean strand of hair and place it in a glass of water.

• If it floats for a long time: Low porosity

• If it sinks slowly to the middle: Medium porosity

• If it sinks quickly to the bottom: High porosity

  
  

✨ Hair Care Tips by Porosity

Porosity	Do This	Avoid This
Low	Warm water, light oils, humectants (e.g., glycerin)	Heavy oils that sit on top
Medium	Routine maintenance, rotate deep conditioners	Frequent bleaching/heat styling
High	Protein treatments, sealing oils (e.g., castor)	Over-washing, hot tools

Density: How Many Hair Strands Do You Have

Your hair density determines what product you should purchase, the amount of product you should use, and how often you should wash your hair.

Simple Density Test:

Look at your scalp in strong light. How much scalp is visible?

• Hardly any scalp visible: High density

• Some scalp visible: Medium density

• Significant scalp visible: Low density

  
  

Or you could try this:

Pull your hair into a ponytail:

• Thin: Less than 2 inches

• Medium: 2–3 inches

• Thick: More than 4 inches

  
  

Practical Application:

High Density

• Product Use: Requires more product to fully saturate hair — creams, oils, and masks should be applied generously.

• Styling: Best suited for structured or voluminous styles like braids, buns, and defined curls.

• Washing Routine: Can go longer between washes; scalp oils take time to travel down thick clusters of strands. Use clarifying shampoo occasionally to prevent product buildup.

  
  

Medium Density

• Product Use: Balanced product usage — not too heavy, not too light. Lightweight leave-ins or midweight styling creams usually work best.

• Styling: Versatile — can pull off sleek or voluminous looks. Layering light to medium-hold products enhances shape and texture.

• Washing Routine: Wash every 2–3 days or as needed, depending on hair texture and oiliness.

  
  

Low Density

• Product Use: Use smaller amounts of lightweight, non-greasy products (like mousse, water-based serums, or light oils). Avoid heavy products that weigh down hair.

• Styling: Focus on volume-boosting techniques like root-lifting sprays, dry shampoo, and layered cuts.

• Washing Routine: May need to wash more frequently due to oil spreading quickly. Choose gentle shampoos that won’t strip natural oils.

  
  

Width: The Thickness of Individual Hair Strands

Your hair strand width determines how strong your hair is, how much heat or chemical processing it can handle, and which products will work best for you. Which products you should buy depends completely on your hair density. Imagine you apply oil to nourish your hair, but you end up having hairfall. This would be because the oil you chose isn’t meant for your hair density.

Simple Width Test: Compare a single strand to sewing thread.

• Thinner than thread: Fine

• Similar to thread: Medium

• Thicker than thread: Coarse

  
  

🧵 Fine Hair

• Feels like: A silky thread or barely-there strand between your fingers

  
  

• Why it matters:

  • Fine hair is delicate and breaks easily.

  • It gets greasy fast and is easily weighed down by heavy creams and oils.

  • Needs lightweight, volumising products (like mousses and dry texture sprays).

  • Avoid too much conditioner near the roots.

    
    

🧶 Medium Hair

• Feels like: A thread of sewing cotton

  
  

• Why it matters:

  • Holds styles well and is more resilient than fine hair.

  • Can tolerate moderate heat styling and colouring.

  • Most products will work — just adjust based on your density and texture.

    
    

🧵🧵 Coarse Hair

• Feels like: A thick string or sturdy thread

  
  

• Why it matters:

  • Strong and durable, but often drier and more prone to frizz.

  • Needs rich, nourishing products like heavy oils, deep conditioners, and leave-ins.

  • Can handle heat tools and chemical treatments better, but still needs protection.

    
    

💡 Bonus Tip: Knowing your strand width helps you understand why a product works wonders on your friend’s hair but does nothing for yours, because it’s not just about the curl pattern, but also what each strand can handle!

Texture	Characteristics	Test
Fine	Breaks easily, oily, flat	Hard to feel when rubbed
Medium	Most common, flexible, holds styles well	Feels like sewing thread
Coarse	Strong, rough, frizz-prone	Feels thick between fingers

💆‍♀️ Don’t Ignore Your Scalp Type

Think of your scalp as soil and your hair as the plant. If the scalp is dry, irritated, or overly oily — your hair suffers.

🧴 Types of Scalp

1. Oily Scalp

• Signs: Hair gets greasy quickly, you feel the urge to shampoo daily, limp roots by evening

  
  

• Care Tips:

  • Use clarifying or balancing shampoos (2–3x/week)

  • Avoid thick conditioners near the roots

  • Exfoliate scalp once a week with a scalp scrub or salicylic acid shampoo

    
    

2. Dry Scalp

• Signs: Itchy, tight-feeling scalp, white flakes (especially in winter), irritation after shampoo

  
  

• Care Tips:

  • Choose hydrating or moisturising shampoos (with glycerin, aloe, or coconut oil)

  • Avoid sulphates or alcohol-heavy products

  • Use a scalp oil or serum 1–2x a week before washing

    
    

3. Combination Scalp

• Signs: Oily near the crown or forehead, but dry/flaky at the nape or behind ears

  
  

• Care Tips:

  • Alternate between gentle clarifying and moisturising shampoos

  • Apply conditioner mid-length to ends only

  • Try a pre-shampoo scalp mask for balance

    
    

4. Sensitive Scalp

• Signs: Stinging, burning, redness, or breakouts after using new products

  
  

• Care Tips:

  • Use fragrance-free, hypoallergenic shampoos

  • Avoid harsh scrubs or foaming agents

  • Look for soothing ingredients like oat extract, calendula, or panthenol

    
    

5. Balanced/Normal Scalp

• Signs: No excessive oil or dryness, scalp feels comfortable, no flakes

  
  

• Care Tips:

  • Stick to gentle, sulfate-free shampoos

  • Wash 2–3 times a week

  • Maintain with light oils or scalp massages occasionally

Scalp Type	Signs	What You Need
Oily	Greasy roots by day-end, itchy	Clarifying shampoo, tea tree oil
Dry	Flaky, itchy, tight	Hydrating shampoo, scalp oil mask
Balanced	Comfortable, no flakes or buildup	Mild shampoo, regular oiling

Practical Integration: Creating Your Hair Profile Action Plan

1. Identify your full hair profile using the tests above. Create a hair profile combining all characteristics: "I have 3B, medium porosity, high density, fine width hair and dry scalp."

   
   

2. Audit your current products against your new understanding

   • Products causing frizz may be too heavy or too light

   • Products causing dryness may lack proper moisturising ingredients

   • Products causing buildup may not be cleansing properly

     
     

3. Start with the basics based on your full profile:

   • Cleanser appropriate for porosity

   • Conditioner appropriate for hair width

   • Leave-in product appropriate for hair type

   • Styling product appropriate for the desired hold

     
     

4. Document your results by keeping a simple hair journal noting:

   • Products used

   • Application methods

   • Environmental conditions (humidity, etc.)

   • Results (moisture, definition, longevity)

     
     

5. Adjust one variable at a time for clear cause-and-effect understanding

Understand the interplay between curl pattern, porosity, density, and width, and develop an effective routine tailored to your unique needs.

💬 Final Thoughts

Hair care doesn’t start with buying products — it starts with understanding your hair. Once you know your type, texture, and needs, everything else falls into place.

So, before you buy that trendy shampoo your influencer friend swears by, ask yourself: "Is this right for my hair?" That’s how your hair care journey becomes easier — and a lot more fun.

Your hair doesn't need to be "fixed"—it needs to be understood.

Hair care isn’t about mimicking what’s trendy. It’s about understanding your hair’s

personality. And it is more complicated than your skin type. So —

• Know your pattern, porosity, texture, and scalp.

• Use products that work with your hair, not against it.

• Stay consistent — and patient.

  
  

💬 Have a question about your hair type? Or want a personalised hair consult? Reach out to us at Eravio Clinics in Nagpur or Mumbai. We’re here to guide you from confusion to confidence.