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Basic Hair Info
What you need to know first!
These page will break down basic hair knowledge that everyone should know. If you are a stylist or just a person who does their own hair. This page will help you understand hair structure, curl pattern, porosity and density.
The cuticle - is the outermost layer of the hair and envelops the inner layers. Its tough, dense structure protects the hair. 6 to 10 layers of flat cells surround the cortex. They are arranged in a similar fashion to roof tiles. The outermost, exposed edges are open to the tip of the hair. The cuticle layer is colourless and therefore permits the light to shine through. It makes up a good 10 percent of the hair’s diameter.
The cortex -is the thickest of the three layers and makes up about 80 to 90 percent of the hair’s diameter. Hardened fibrous cells are bundled together. Every fibrous cell is made up of thousands of protein molecules. These long fibres are twisted together in bundles. The fibrous bundles are surrounded and held together by a mass of softer keratins. The cortex also contains the colour pigment melanin, which gives the hair its natural colour. White hair has no pigment and contains no melanin
The medulla is in the center of the hair. Its diameter varies according to the thickness of the hair. In thick hair it is like a canal and gives the hair its stiffness. In fine hair it is only partly there or completely missing.
Fine Hair
Fine hair is the most fragile texture and can be easily damaged. Contrary to popular belief, people
with finer hair tend to have more hair than people with thicker hair strands. Fine hair can tend
to be oilier than other hair types. For those of you with fine hair you may find difficulty holding a
style; your hair is light and can fall flat against your head. Volume is often desired but not often
attained. Structurally fine hair has two hair layers – a cortex and a cuticle.
Fine natural hair:
•Doesn’t hold styles well
•Can become weighed down with heavy products, causing the hair to look stringy
•Can look thin
•Can break easily because it’s fragile
Medium Hair
Medium hair is the most common hair type and often covers the scalp very well. This hair texture is not as fragile as fine hair and can be manipulated into styles easily. Structurally, medium textures usually have two layers – the cortex and cuticle – and may contain the medulla.
Medium natural hair:
• Holds styles fairly well
• Usually looks thick and covers the scalp well
• Is not as prone to breakage as fine hair
Thick or Coarse Hair
This hair texture is strong because structurally it contains all three hair layers – the cortex, cuticle and medulla. The medulla, the innermost layer of the hair shaft is pretty much a series of empty spaces. It’s an area filled mostly with air and protein. This hair texture usually takes longer to dry than others, and can be resistant to various chemical treatments. It can tolerate heat well and resist breakage better than the fine or medium hair.
Thick natural hair:
• Appears full
• Holds styles well
• Can tolerate higher amounts of heat
• Can be resistant to hair colouring and chemical relaxers