The Different Types of Hair
In this article, we will discuss the different types of hair.
Hair has three qualities: texture, porosity, and elasticity.
By Luc Vincent
1-Hair
Hair is a flexible and resilient cornified filament. Like all hair, it is an epidermal formation implanted more or less obliquely in the skin.
From conception, the color and nature of the hair are determined by the laws of genetics: it is already decided whether we will be blonde, black, albino, brunette, or have curly or straight hair.
Hair's primary function is to protect the scalp from heat, cold, sun, and injuries.
Did you know that bald people are more prone to head injuries than those with hair? This is precisely because hair acts like a cat's whiskers!
There are approximately 100,000 hairs in black or red hair, 150,000 in blonde hair, and 110,000 in brown hair. It is normal to lose between 10 and 80 hairs per day, and the average hair growth is approximately 1.2 cm per month.
Hair is implanted in a circle, which is why it is easier to style on one side than the other. Since hair is a dead keratinized cell, a damaged hair cannot be cured, but it can be temporarily repaired while waiting for new growth.
Repair is often done with protein or oil-based products, but none of these products can permanently repair a hair with damaged cuticles.
Regular treatments are necessary since damaged cuticles do not close properly and do not retain treatment products.
It is only after several shampoos that the repair product is released, hence the importance of repeating the operation. It is thanks to healthy cuticles that dyes and other products can adhere to the hair's keratin.
Healthy cuticles automatically close after being forcefully opened by chemical dyes. However, when they are damaged, they cannot close, making them unable to retain treatment products for long, resulting in washed-out colors and dull coloring
The living part of the hair, the bulb, needs nutrients to maintain healthy hair. To this end, it is important to eat healthily.
Intense stress, medication, anesthesia, pregnancy, hormonal changes, or serious illness can alter hair quality.
You may have noticed that after the age of thirty, people rarely have the same hair due to the hormonal changes that occur at this time, in both men and women.
Some scientists refer to hair as "the trash can of the human body" because hair can reveal dietary habits and the use of drugs or medication. (The longer the hair, the further back one can go.)
Several athletes shave their heads to avoid a hair analysis revealing the use of certain illicit substances.
Benjamin "Ben" Weider, a bodybuilder recognized in the field of dietary supplements, was able to solve Napoleon's death by buying one of his hair strands at an auction. By analyzing it, he detected two types of poison that the emperor allegedly ingested over a long period!
Hair, or rather its bulb, has a lifespan of two to six years. After that, another hair from the same follicle grows. As we age, hair lives for a shorter time and becomes thinner. Hair growth is less vigorous in some people, usually in men.
2- How to differentiate between hair types and determine your hair type
Hair has three qualities: texture, porosity, and elasticity.
1- Hair texture
To the touch, hair can be soft, rough or waxy.
Soft hair is easy to style and generally healthy.
Naturally rough hair tends to wave or curl and has a lot of body, making it easy to add volume.
If the rough texture is the result of chemical overuse, the hair will become "static" when styled.
Waxy hair (as seen in Asian hair) has a glossy finish regardless of thickness, because the cuticles lie flat. It is generally very shiny, but due to the cuticles being tightly closed (lying flat), it is difficult to add volume, maintain a style or even perm.
2- Porosity
If your hair is easy to cut with scissors, meaning there is no resistance, it is porous. If you don't want to risk using scissors to test this, wet your hair. If it absorbs water quickly, you'll know it is porous.
The main causes of porous hair are excessive use of color and perms, poor application of color, and health problems.
3- Elasticity
Elasticity is the hair's ability to stretch without breaking and return to its original length.
To test this, take a strand of hair between your two hands and stretch it slightly. A hair with low elasticity will break with minimal tension.
Also, lightly inspect your scalp. It should have good mobility, meaning it should not feel stuck to your skull. A scalp that doesn't move, or has very limited mobility, accumulates waste, which can impede normal hair growth due to poor blood flow.
The scalp should have a slightly pinkish color due to good blood circulation. A whitish color indicates poor circulation and pronounced redness may indicate irritation or hypersensitivity.
The scalp should never be too oily or too dry. Even if it feels rough to the touch, it should be free of dry or greasy flakes, and after washing, it should not have an odor.
Although sebum is associated with oily hair, it plays an important role in hair health. This thin layer of lipid that covers the skin serves to protect the scalp from dryness, and its high acidity prevents the proliferation of bacteria.
Sebum also functions to waterproof the skin, thereby preventing the penetration of chemicals in hair products.
In addition, it hydrates the hair and gives it more flexibility. Hypersecretion of sebum is normal during puberty. This production will normalize in adulthood and decrease significantly in old age.
3- External factors that influence sebum secretion are:
High temperature with humid air;
Ultraviolet rays (excessive irradiation can decrease sebum production);
Repeated shampooing with intense scalp friction;
A diet rich in sugar.
Remember that consuming vitamins A and B can slow down sebum secretion.
MAXIMUM VOLUME COLLECTION
RECREATE SYSTEM: restorative hair treatment.
SANS YELLOW COLLECTION
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