Coarse or unhealthy?

[Lovelylocs]

I used to think that I had coarse hair before I joined LHCF. I guess that I didn't quite understand what the term meant. I've learned since then that my hair is actually quite fine- thick, but fine. According to Ouidad, 99% of curly hair is fine textured. Using oils too often and using really heavy conditioners too much leave my hair heavy and coated and eventually kind of dry (clarifying helps get rid of this).

After some chemical mishaps (coloring relaxed hair and my first attempt at self-relaxing), my hair seemed "coarse" when really it was just dried out and unhealthy. After I learned how to care for overprocessed hair, my hair became healthy again and the texture is back to normal.

I believe that just last week there was a thread about coarse hair where certain members complained about not being able to hydrate their coarse hair for anything. I can't help but to wonder how many of our members think that their hair is coarse when really it is just unhealthy fine hair that needs to be properly nursed.

 

[JustKiya]

I dunno, but I think you might be onto something - I used to think that I had/have coarse hair as well (I really need someone else in my head for a a sanity check! ) and DH commented over the weekend on how soft my hair was, and said 'Didn't you used to have a hard time keeping your hair soft???'

I suspect what most people call coarse, is really just unhealthy. I dunno what naturally coarse & healthy/fully hydrated hair looks like - but I dunno.

 

[locabouthair]

I used to think that I had coarse hair before I joined LHCF. I guess that I didn't quite understand what the term meant. I've learned since then that my hair is actually quite fine- thick, but fine. According to Ouidad, 99% of curly hair is fine textured. Using oils too often and using really heavy conditioners too much leave my hair heavy and coated and eventually kind of dry (clarifying helps get rid of this).

After some chemical mishaps (coloring relaxed hair and my first attempt at self-relaxing), my hair seemed "coarse" when really it was just dried out and unhealthy. After I learned how to care for overprocessed hair, my hair became healthy again and the texture is back to normal.

I believe that just last week there was a thread about coarse hair where certain members complained about now being able to hydrate their coarse hair for anything. I can't help but to wonder how many of our members think that their hair is coarse when really it is just unhealthy fine hair that needs to be properly nursed.

That was me that started the thread. I think you do have a point. Hair that is unhealthy will feel dry and brittle,

In my case, I have had coarse hair since the day i was born. Even when i transitioned back to natural my hair was still very coarse. In fact the longer I stayed natural the more coarse it seemed to get. And my hairdressers notice this also.

It is very possible to have naturally coarse hair. I am living proof.

 

[Cichelle]

I used to think I had coarse hair, too. But I didn't understand, at the time, what that meant. I actually have a mix of fine and medium strands. But now that I really understand what coarse hair is, I kinda wish I had it.

 

[locabouthair]

I used to think I had coarse hair, too. But I didn't understand, at the time, what that meant. I actually have a mix of fine and medium strands. But now that I really understand what coarse hair is, I kinda wish I had it.

And I always wished I had fine or medium strands. Coarse hair snaps so easily. People think it's so strong but thats not always the case.

 

[Lovelylocs]

Here is some info on coarse vs fine textures:
http://www.enotalone.com/article/5122.html
TEXTURES

* FINE: The biggest surprise my clients find out about their hair is that almost 99 percent of them have baby-fine locks. Contrary to popular belief, curly hair is often fine and quite delicate-no matter how voluminous or tightly spiraled. People frequently mistake density for coarseness, which leads to improper and harsh treatment. Care for your silky curls with a light touch-steer clear of thick styling gels and creams, silicones, and moisturizing formulas that contain oils. By applying lightweight products to your hair, you'll allow your fine curls to reveal their natural shape and spring.

* COARSE: These strands are thicker in diameter than fine hair and are much more resilient to damage. Curly hair is usually fine-coarse hair is typically found on the straighter hair of Asians and Native Americans. (Remember Pocahontas and her long smooth braids?) Sometimes mature women with gray hair will also find their tresses have become coarser. The cuticle of coarse hair stays closed, which keeps out frizz-causing moisture, flyaways, and split ends. While this hair texture may sound like a dream, it's actually so thick and heavy that curled sets rarely stay in.



Of course I take most things on the web about hair w/a grain of salt b/c there are so many myths out there.

 

[fluffylocks]

Coarse hair is actually very rare on black people, so i agree with that

The natural symptoms (couldnt think of another word) for coarse hair (dry, resistant, dull, tangly) could actually make someone with fine hair think their hair is coarse.

But coarse hair can be soft just like fine hair, it just takes more specific products and care.....You should really look at how thick each individual hair strand is to determine if you have fine or coarse hair...that would be more accurate for someone.

I think coarse hair may be stronger in terms of chemicals and things that have to penetrate, but i think it snaps and breaks just like fine hair

 

[Lovelylocs]

Plus, my fine hair is very resistant.

 

[locabouthair]

Here is some info on coarse vs fine textures:
http://www.enotalone.com/article/5122.html
TEXTURES

* FINE: The biggest surprise my clients find out about their hair is that almost 99 percent of them have baby-fine locks. Contrary to popular belief, curly hair is often fine and quite delicate-no matter how voluminous or tightly spiraled. People frequently mistake density for coarseness, which leads to improper and harsh treatment. Care for your silky curls with a light touch-steer clear of thick styling gels and creams, silicones, and moisturizing formulas that contain oils. By applying lightweight products to your hair, you'll allow your fine curls to reveal their natural shape and spring.

* COARSE: These strands are thicker in diameter than fine hair and are much more resilient to damage. Curly hair is usually fine-coarse hair is typically found on the straighter hair of Asians and Native Americans. (Remember Pocahontas and her long smooth braids?) Sometimes mature women with gray hair will also find their tresses have become coarser. The cuticle of coarse hair stays closed, which keeps out frizz-causing moisture, flyaways, and split ends. While this hair texture may sound like a dream, it's actually so thick and heavy that curled sets rarely stay in.



Of course I take most things on the web about hair w/a grain of salt b/c there are so many myths out there.

Thank you for posting this. My strands are very thick. I wish the bolded were true though. My coarse strands didnt protect me from years of damage.

 

[JustKiya]

Coarse hair is actually very rare on black people, so i agree with that

The natural symptoms (couldnt think of another word) for coarse hair (dry, resistant, dull, tangly) could actually make someone with fine hair think their hair is coarse.

But coarse hair can be soft just like fine hair, it just takes more specific products and care.....You should really look at how thick each individual hair strand is to determine if you have fine or coarse hair...that would be more accurate for someone.

I think coarse hair may be stronger in terms of chemicals and things that have to penetrate, but i think it snaps and breaks just like fine hair

And see - that's the interesting thing - because I'm certain I have a mix. I've been meaning to take a comparison pic of two strands of shed hair when I get them - one is about twice as thick and distinctively 'kinkier' than the other - one (the 'coarser' one) is obviously a flat 'ribbon' of hair, with thinner/thicker bits up and down the hair as it 'turns'. The 'finer' one - looks like a - well, like a hair, and I realize that's SO not a useful definition - but - it doesn't have the 'ribbon' aspects.

So, I guess, just as you can have multiple textures, you can have multiple 'thickness' - you'd have to take a good sized sample of hair to really 'assign' yourself, and...... hrmm, maybe once it's long enough to lay under a microscope WITHOUT cutting.....

 

[fluffylocks]

And see - that's the interesting thing - because I'm certain I have a mix. I've been meaning to take a comparison pic of two strands of shed hair when I get them - one is about twice as thick and distinctively 'kinkier' than the other - one (the 'coarser' one) is obviously a flat 'ribbon' of hair, with thinner/thicker bits up and down the hair as it 'turns'. The 'finer' one - looks like a - well, like a hair, and I realize that's SO not a useful definition - but - it doesn't have the 'ribbon' aspects.

So, I guess, just as you can have multiple textures, you can have multiple 'thickness' - you'd have to take a good sized sample of hair to really 'assign' yourself, and...... hrmm, maybe once it's long enough to lay under a microscope WITHOUT cutting.....

I know right

I read an article on some forum that black people can have different curl patterns, and different strand sizes in there hair, also that it can have thicker and thinner parts in the same strands due to the constant bend....it was an explanation for not cutting black hair wet....dont know where its at.

Its all so confusing though because people think coarse hair is strong, and resistant, and fine hair fragile, and soft....but you could have any mixture, and i think thats something else that gets peopel confused. Also the whole coarse strands and thin density and fine hair and thick density

 

[Cichelle]

My daughter is Chinese and has stick straight, very coarse hair. I once took one of her hair strands and compared it to a few of mine under a microscope. That is how I determined that I have a mix of fine and medium hair strands.

One time someone commented to me that I was lucky that my daughter had that "fine" hair that is so easy to take care of. They then went on to determine that I had coarse hair in comparison. Many people just don't understand what these things mean. My daughter has extremely thick strands of hair, but she doesn't have a lot of them, so her hair looks thin. Meanwhile, my hair strands are fine/medium but I have so many more, so that my hair is thicker. I wasn't going to give that person a lecture on the differences between thick, thin, fine and coarse, though!

It seems to me that hair, regardless of whether it's coarse, medium or fine, can be any number of things: dry, oily, damaged, smooth, curly, straight, strong, weak, etc. My daughter's coarse hair is strong and smooth. It's also quick to be dry and quick to be oily if I do too much of anything to it. My f/m hair is pretty strong, too. I put it though a lot over the years and considering everything, it hung in there pretty well for me. But I guess I think of coarse hair as being even stronger at its best.

 

[morehairplease]

Here is some info on coarse vs fine textures:
http://www.enotalone.com/article/5122.html
TEXTURES

* FINE: The biggest surprise my clients find out about their hair is that almost 99 percent of them have baby-fine locks. Contrary to popular belief, curly hair is often fine and quite delicate-no matter how voluminous or tightly spiraled. People frequently mistake density for coarseness, which leads to improper and harsh treatment. Care for your silky curls with a light touch-steer clear of thick styling gels and creams, silicones, and moisturizing formulas that contain oils. By applying lightweight products to your hair, you'll allow your fine curls to reveal their natural shape and spring.

* COARSE: These strands are thicker in diameter than fine hair and are much more resilient to damage. Curly hair is usually fine-coarse hair is typically found on the straighter hair of Asians and Native Americans. (Remember Pocahontas and her long smooth braids?) Sometimes mature women with gray hair will also find their tresses have become coarser. The cuticle of coarse hair stays closed, which keeps out frizz-causing moisture, flyaways, and split ends. While this hair texture may sound like a dream, it's actually so thick and heavy that curled sets rarely stay in.



Of course I take most things on the web about hair w/a grain of salt b/c there are so many myths out there.

thanks for sharing this.

 

[MissGee]

Thank you for posting this. My strands are very thick. I wish the bolded were true though. My coarse strands didnt protect me from years of damage.

I agree with that. I too have naturally coarse hair(The stands of my hair are much fatter than normal) and it has not helped with damage. My hair snaps and breaks easily,