The hair has the main function of protecting the scalp from the harmful effects of UV radiation and incident heat. Besides, since Roman times, hair has been considered a beauty attribute, being also related to people’s health and youth.

Therefore, it is necessary to recover hair and maintain good hair health, and by this we do not only mean the use of chemical products in a random and unknowing way, but the complete process of knowing what kind of hair is ours and what product suits you or not.

Sometimes, simple care ends up being insufficient and a surgical or cosmetic intervention is necessary, as is the case of some celebrities with hair implants.

All human beings do not have the same type of hair. Hair is a keratin structure formed by several layers that differ in their shape and organization. Depending on the structure that each of these layers has and its ability to react to the fatty acids of the scalp, a hair will be of one type or another.

Below we list the different types of hair according to their structure and hydration. In addition, we recommend a couple of tricks to recover hair and keep each hair type healthy to avoid the development of alopecia and other scalp diseases.

Hair types according to their structure

From the center outward, the hair is made up of three layers: the medulla, the cortex and the cuticle. The hair marrow may or may not be present in each hair fiber and represents a region without a defined structure. Around it is the cortex, the thickest layer of the hair fiber and responsible for giving it its properties of strength and hydration.

Straight Hair

Straight hair is characterized at first sight by not having waves. If you look at it microscopically, you can notice that the shape of its bark is rounded. This structure allows it to grow uniformly and also fall in all directions on the surface of the scalp. In addition, the interactions between the keratin molecules are straight, forming a ladder-like structure.

Hair care tips for straight hair

Straight hair is usually well moisturized so there is no need to overdo it with conditioners or masks. In fact, they can contribute to damage and loss of volume, making it greasy and predisposing it to infection and poor appearance.

Wavy hair

Wavy hair is characterized by the presence of waves. These undulations are a consequence of the shape of the hair follicle, which is curved and makes the hair fiber grow in an asymmetric and curved way. Also, unlike straight hair, the interactions between keratin molecules occur diagonally so this contributes to the curling of the hair.

Wavy Hair Care Tips

Due to the presence of the waves, wavy hair does not have uniform access to fatty acids and other nutrients from the scalp. For this reason, these hair types are usually less hydrated and are often associated with dryness. Added to this is the fact that the curvatures of the hair fiber represent possible sites of fracture due to hair mechanics. Therefore, if we add to this the lack of moisture, wavy hair has a high risk of being damaged if the correct care measures are not taken.

Types of hair according to sebum

The scalp is producing, through its sebaceous glands, a series of fatty acids and lipid molecules that have the main function of nourishing and lubricating the hair. In addition, the grease that covers the hair has a waterproof effect that helps protect the hair from damage by excess water.

The amount of sebum produced varies between each human being. Therefore, not everyone will have the same amount of oil on their hair. In addition, the structure of the hair facilitates the distribution of this grease along the hair fiber. For this reason, based on the amount of fat present on the hair there can be three types of hair: normal hair, dry hair and oily hair.

Normal hair

As its name suggests, this type of hair has a balance in the amount of oil present and in the hair’s moisture. Normal hair usually has good body and volume and is the result of proper hair care.

Tips for normal hair care

Although this type of hair is usually not a problem, this does not mean that we can overlook its care. First of all, there are products such as shampoos, conditioners and masks that are designed for normal hair. It’s important to wash your hair properly as excess hair is often more damaging than you think.

Dry hair

This type of hair is often associated with hair that has waves, especially very curly hair. This type of hair is the result of two main things: the dehydration of the hair fiber, product of constant exposure to heat and chemical or environmental products and a decrease in lubrication by the fatty acids of the scalp.

Tips for dry hair care

The appropriate hair treatment for dry hair consists of using products that promote hydration and contain a large number of molecules, such as fatty acids and ceramides, which resemble the protective function of sebum on the hair.

In addition, the use of vitamin masks is mandatory, not only because of the nutritional contribution, but also because they allow massaging the scalp and promoting the activity of the sebaceous glands. One of the most practical tips is to wrap the hair in a hot towel during the application of the mask, this greatly favors the penetration of nutrients into the dry hair fiber.

Oily hair

This type of hair is the result of excessive activity of the sebaceous glands of the scalp. It is often associated with straight hair since oil has a greater chance of being distributed from the base of the hair to the tip. Oily hair often lacks body and volume. In addition, it is more susceptible to infection due to imbalances in scalp conditions.

Tips for the care of oily hair

The main discomfort of oily hair is excess sebum and grease in the hair. Therefore, hair treatment is mainly aimed at decreasing its amount. To achieve this there are a couple of very useful tricks.

The first is to use specific products for this type of hair. Shampoos, or conditioners for oily hair don’t provide additional moisture or grease, but help clean the hair without dehydrating or damaging it.

Finally, washing oily hair with warm water helps to remove the excess, however, it is important to finish with some cold water. The same goes for blow-drying as heat is one of the main stimuli for sebum production.

Conclusions

We don’t all have the same kind of hair, but we all have a chance to make it look great. Maintaining proper hair health not only makes hair look good, but also prevents the development of a wide variety of diseases that can lead to hair loss. Take a look at our article on natural hair restoration remedies.

If you don’t know your hair type yet, feel free to identify it. Knowing what kind of products to use will make hair care simple and get results as quickly as possible.