Hair Texture vs Textured Hair

Did you know that hair texture and textured hair are not the same thing? If this is news to you and you want to learn more then you’ve come to the right place. At The Good Hair Co, we aim to help you uncover the mysteries of the hair world to bring you closer to understanding your hair and establishing your hair’s profile.

Let’s talk about hair texture.

WHAT IS HAIR TEXTURE?

Hair texture describes the width (diameter) of your hair shaft as it growns from your scalp. Here’s a little bit of science for you! Your hair has two distinct structures - the hair follicle itself and the hair shaft. The hair follicle is a funnel-shaped structure in the outer layer of the skin (the epidermis). Your hair starts growing by forming new cells at the bottom of a hair follicle in the dermis layer (second layer) of the skin. As these cells multiply and move upward through the skin, they're cut off from the artery that nourishes the root of the hair causing it to form a hard protein called keratin. This process is called keratinisation which forms the hair you can see on your head known as the hair shaft. This hair shaft is made up of 3 layers - a cuticle layer which is the outermost layer, a cortex layer which is the second layer and a medulla which is the innermost layer mainly found in coarse-textured hair. The texture and curl pattern that is formed as your hair grows depends on the shape and size (diameter) of the hair follicle.

The diameter of a single strand of hair varies from person to person and ranges from fine to coarse. The larger and wider the hair follicles the more coarse your hair shaft will be, the smaller and narrower the hair follicle is, the more fine your hair shaft will be. It’s easy to confuse hair texture with hair density but they are completely different aspects of your hair. Hair density measures the number of hair fibres on your head whilst hair texture describes the size of each hair fibre. You can have low-density hair (i.e. thin hair) with coarse texture hair shafts or you could have high-density hair (i.e a lot of hair) with fine texture hair shaft.

SO WHAT IS TEXTURED HAIR?

Technically, all hair has some kind of texture, however, 'hair texture' is different from 'textured hair'. As said above, hair texture is the degree of fineness or coarseness of the hair strands (aka hair shaft). Textured hair refers to hair that has some kind of curl pattern to it, i.e. not straight. This is usually found in curly and coily hair where the hair follicle creates different shapes and dimensions in your hair shaft to form different types of curls. Even if you were to straighten your curly or coily hair, there will still be some texture depending on how your follicles are shaped. When you apply chemicals to your hair you remove this texture or create a lack of texture but only to the hair shaft; the hair that you can see on your scalp made up of dead cells and keratin. Your natural hair, the hair underneath the skin, will still produce your natural texture which will show through once it grows out of your scalp i.e re-growth.

WHY IS HAIR TEXTURE IMPORTANT FOR MY HAIRCARE?

Regardless of whether you have straight, wavy, curly or coily hair, your hair texture will fall into one of these hair texture types—fine, medium and coarse. The care and treatment your hair needs will vary from one hair texture type to another. Most people have a combination of two hair textures that can change due to diet, genetics, medical conditions or hair practices. Knowing what your hair texture is now will help you to observe changes better so you can understand why it has changed and how to manage it. Thus, allowing you to figure out the best products, methods and routines for your hair.

Remember, hair texture is the size of a single strand of your hair and not the condition of your hair. Dry, oily, frizzy, relaxed and damaged are all terms that describe the condition of your hair, not your hair’s natural texture. Your hair can be fine, medium or coarse with oily roots and dry ends or oily throughout and frizzy. The reason for your hair’s condition, as well as the texture of your hair, calls for specific products and routines to help keep it looking its best. 

WHAT DO I DO NOW?

Now that you have an idea of the difference between hair texture and textured hair, read our blog post on different ways to find out your hair texture. Better yet, book your consultation with one of our certified hair experts. Get a personalised regimen consisting of highly effective product recommendations to solve your hair and scalp concerns. Let us help you discover the expert hair care advice you need to get the healthy hair you want.