Make me understand...thick vs. thin hair

Z

Zakina

Active Member
This may be a stupid question but here goes....:look:

What is the real difference between thick and thin hair? When someone says they have thin hair does that mean that their strands are thin?
And does having thick hair mean that your strands are thick...or is it that pleaple with thick har just have more hairstrands on their scalp?
 
Not a stupid question at all. It could be a combination of both--thin strands and less hairs on the head.
 
Thick and thin refers to the amount of hair on the head. Fine and coarse refers the texture and diameter of the hair strand itself. You could have fine, thick hair or coarse, thin hair. I hope I explained that right.:look:
 
Lavendar said:
Thick and thin refers to the amount of hair on the head. Fine and coarse refers the texture and diameter of the hair strand itself. You could have fine, thick hair or coarse, thin hair. I hope I explained that right.:look:
Click to expand...

Yep, that's what's I've read.
 
Its really a genetic thing. Your hair thick or thinness depends on the amount of hair follicles you have per square inch of scalp. If you a natural its easy to have thickness regardless of having thin or thick hair. But if you are relaxed, you will be able to tell immediately if you have thick or thin hair.

To determine the quantity of hair you have, pull your hair back into a ponytail. If it's very slim—about the diameter of a dime, you have a thin hair type. Another clue: can you see your scalp when your hair is wet? If so, your hair is probably a thin hair type.

If your ponytail is "two-fisted"—and looks almost like a true horse's tail, your hair a thick hair type. When your hair is wet, it covers your scalp very well, without any scalp showing through.

If you fall between these extremes, you have a medium hair type—the most common hair type.

Thin hair type
Your hair type has very, very small in diameter strands, you'll tend to be weightless and have flyaway hair. Frequently, it's straight hair and won't hold a curl easily. Your hair can be maximized with blunt hair cuts that capitalize on its often silky hair texture. Hair products that reinforce the hair—proteinized conditioners, light gels, and mousses—can also boost thin hair's "wimpy" looks. Your hair has to be permed with extreme care to prevent damage.

Medium Hair Type
Your hair has the widest range of possibilities. It's the most common and the most manageable.

Thick Hair Type
Your hair type is often very strong and you're likely to have hard to manage hair. A layering haircut can give thick hair more shape and direction. Silkening products—pomades, surfacers, and even strong hair gels can add control. Very straight, thick hair is often resistant to perms, can be stubborn about holding a curl, and likely to need frequent perming to maintain hair's new texture.
Zakina said:
This may be a stupid question but here goes....:look:

What is the real difference between thick and thin hair? When someone says they have thin hair does that mean that their strands are thin?
And does having thick hair mean that your strands are thick...or is it that pleaple with thick har just have more hairstrands on their scalp?
Click to expand...
 
i think some people use thin and fine or coarse and thick interchangeably when they're not people could have any combination of the four its just they usually appear in pairs like above (thin and fine) and (thick and coarse). Like i have what some consider fine hair but it's not thin. I have quite a bit of hair it's just the texture is sort of fine so when a relaxer hits it it just lays down flat flat whereas the texture of other people's hair is such that it wont lay down flat flat but still look "full" but that doesnt mean their hair is thick
 
prettyfaceANB said:
Its really a genetic thing. Your hair thick or thinness depends on the amount of hair follicles you have per square inch of scalp. If you a natural its easy to have thickness regardless of having thin or thick hair. But if you are relaxed, you will be able to tell immediately if you have thick or thin hair.

To determine the quantity of hair you have, pull your hair back into a ponytail. If it's very slim—about the diameter of a dime, you have a thin hair type. Another clue: can you see your scalp when your hair is wet? If so, your hair is probably a thin hair type.

If your ponytail is "two-fisted"—and looks almost like a true horse's tail, your hair a thick hair type. When your hair is wet, it covers your scalp very well, without any scalp showing through.

If you fall between these extremes, you have a medium hair type—the most common hair type.

Thin hair type
Your hair type has very, very small in diameter strands, you'll tend to be weightless and have flyaway hair. Frequently, it's straight hair and won't hold a curl easily. Your hair can be maximized with blunt hair cuts that capitalize on its often silky hair texture. Hair products that reinforce the hair—proteinized conditioners, light gels, and mousses—can also boost thin hair's "wimpy" looks. Your hair has to be permed with extreme care to prevent damage.

Medium Hair Type
Your hair has the widest range of possibilities. It's the most common and the most manageable.

Thick Hair Type
Your hair type is often very strong and you're likely to have hard to manage hair. A layering haircut can give thick hair more shape and direction. Silkening products—pomades, surfacers, and even strong hair gels can add control. Very straight, thick hair is often resistant to perms, can be stubborn about holding a curl, and likely to need frequent perming to maintain hair's new texture.
Click to expand...

Respectfully Prettyface, I think this explanation is using thin and thick interchangably for the diameter of the hair shaft as well as the amount of hair on the head. That is the reason most people get confused as to what thin and thick actually refer to. For consistency's sake, there is a distinction between thin and fine and coarse and thick, IMHO. My hair must be really screwed up because according to your post my hair should be thin because you can see lots of my scalp when my hair is wet (because it's extremely fine), but actually the diameter of my ponytail is larger than a quarter, which would put it in the thick category.:perplexed
 
Lavendar said:
Respectfully Prettyface, I think this explanation is using thin and thick interchangably for the diameter of the hair shaft as well as the amount of hair on the head. That is the reason most people get confused as to what thin and thick actually refer to. For consistency's sake, there is a distinction between thin and fine and coarse and thick, IMHO. My hair must be really screwed up because according to your post my hair should be thin because you can see lots of my scalp when my hair is wet (because it's extremely fine), but actually the diameter of my ponytail is larger than a quarter, which would put it in the thick category.:perplexed
Click to expand...

Very true. I was only referring to thick or thin not fine or coarse. But the description works for me so I shared it. I have very coarse and thick hair according to this description (big ponytail and no scalp showing when wet). Maybe, you have medium thickness according to this description...
 
The whole thick vs thin thing always alludes me. When you see people like Dsylla's hair everything else to me is just thin in comparison. Well, not really but you hopefully get the point. I know my hair isn't thin but I don't know if I would call it thick. If your hair isn't all the same length how would you be able to determine the size of your pony??
 
*Bre~Bre* said:
The whole thick vs thin thing always alludes me. When you see people like Dsylla's hair everything else to me is just thin in comparison. Well, not really but you hopefully get the point. I know my hair isn't thin but I don't know if I would call it thick. If your hair isn't all the same length how would you be able to determine the size of your pony??
Click to expand...

Okay, well what comes after thick...... cause that's what I would call your hair.:lachen: I determine the size of my ponytail by how thick the point is where you form the ponytail...where your ponytail holder is.
 
*Bre~Bre* said:
The whole thick vs thin thing always alludes me. When you see people like Dsylla's hair everything else to me is just thin in comparison. Well, not really but you hopefully get the point. I know my hair isn't thin but I don't know if I would call it thick. If your hair isn't all the same length how would you be able to determine the size of your pony??
Click to expand...

Girl you better stop. You know you got thick hair. Can I some please? :lol:

I really love your hair though.
 
prettyfaceANB said:
Very true. I was only referring to thick or thin not fine or coarse. But the description works for me so I shared it. I have very coarse and thick hair according to this description (big ponytail and no scalp showing when wet). Maybe, you have medium thickness according to this description...
Click to expand...

Okay....so this is an article you posted from somewhere...gotcha! And I think you are right....I probably have medium thickness. Just 2 years ago, I only had one thin layer of hair with no temples...I don't think thick is ever in the cards for me, but I'll take medium anyday!:yep:
 
Lavendar said:
Okay, well what comes after thick...... cause that's what I would call your hair.:lachen: I determine the size of my ponytail by how thick the point is where you form the ponytail...where your ponytail holder is.
Click to expand...

But thats just it...what if all your hair doesn't fit in the pony tail like your bangs, top portion, etc because you have hella homemade layers (:look:,no not me, but a "friend" chopped her hair up). I went to the bathroom just now and put my hair on topof my head to get all the strands in and i think my ponytail is like the size of a quarter.
 
Lavendar said:
Okay....so this is an article you posted from somewhere...gotcha! And I think you are right....I probably have medium thickness. Just 2 years ago, I only had one thin layer of hair with no temples...I don't think thick is ever in the cards for me, but I'll take medium anyday!:yep:
Click to expand...

I consider your hair thick.
 
*Bre~Bre* said:
If your hair isn't all the same length how would you be able to determine the size of your pony??
Click to expand...

I read somewhere (I think it was on the Ficcare website) that when determining thickness and putting your hair in a ponytail to put all of your hair in it, so if you have layers you might even have to pony at the top of your head. They described it as doing it however you need to do it so that all you hair gets in there. :look:
 
I have fine hair that appears to be thick in its natural state and I guess I have a lot of hair per square inch?? But really my hair is fine. That #1 description fits me well. My hair feels very light & airy. And people always tell me it's soft. I can easily feel my scalp when my hair is straight:perplexed

You can barely see a strand of my hair if it's layed on your arm, whereas other people I know their strands look like heavy thread.:drool:

I wish I had thick hair:crying3:
 
Jetblackhair said:
I have fine hair that appears to be thick in its natural state and I guess I have a lot of hair per square inch?? But really my hair is fine. That #1 description fits me well. My hair feels very light & airy. And people always tell me it's soft. I can easily feel my scalp when my hair is straight:perplexed

You can barely see a strand of my hair if it's layed on your arm, whereas other people I know their strands look like heavy thread.:drool:

I wish I had thick hair:crying3:
Click to expand...

But you DO, you do have thick hair, it's just not coarse! Dry dem tears chile! I love this thread!:lachen:
 
prettyfaceANB said:
Its really a genetic thing. Your hair thick or thinness depends on the amount of hair follicles you have per square inch of scalp. If you a natural its easy to have thickness regardless of having thin or thick hair. But if you are relaxed, you will be able to tell immediately if you have thick or thin hair.

To determine the quantity of hair you have, pull your hair back into a ponytail. If it's very slim—about the diameter of a dime, you have a thin hair type. Another clue: can you see your scalp when your hair is wet? If so, your hair is probably a thin hair type.

If your ponytail is "two-fisted"—and looks almost like a true horse's tail, your hair a thick hair type. When your hair is wet, it covers your scalp very well, without any scalp showing through.

If you fall between these extremes, you have a medium hair type—the most common hair type.

Thin hair type
Your hair type has very, very small in diameter strands, you'll tend to be weightless and have flyaway hair. Frequently, it's straight hair and won't hold a curl easily. Your hair can be maximized with blunt hair cuts that capitalize on its often silky hair texture. Hair products that reinforce the hair—proteinized conditioners, light gels, and mousses—can also boost thin hair's "wimpy" looks. Your hair has to be permed with extreme care to prevent damage.

Medium Hair Type
Your hair has the widest range of possibilities. It's the most common and the most manageable.

Thick Hair Type
Your hair type is often very strong and you're likely to have hard to manage hair. A layering haircut can give thick hair more shape and direction. Silkening products—pomades, surfacers, and even strong hair gels can add control. Very straight, thick hair is often resistant to perms, can be stubborn about holding a curl, and likely to need frequent perming to maintain hair's new texture.
Click to expand...

That is not correct.

They are describing Fine hair which is not interchangable with Thin hair. Thick and Thin are describing Hair DENSITY, not indivual strand diameter.

You have have thick strands of hair but still have thin hair because you don't have alot of it.

I personally have fine strands but I have a high density of hair so my hair is thick. Many ladies here have this type of hair too and because people don't know the difference, many of us have been subjected to harsh treatment because stylist thought our hair was thick and could take "damage".

So

First ask your self, what does each strand of my hair look like. If it helps, take a fine ball point pen and draw a line on a sheet of paper. Place one of your hair strands up against it, a shed hair is perfect. If the hair is thinner than the line, then you have Fine hair. If the hair is the same diameter of the line then you have medium hair strands. If the hair strand is noticably bigger than the line, you have coarse strands.

Then consider ponytail size. Now, just because you have a head of thick hair strands isn't going to guarentee a thicker ponytail size. This is how you determine your personal hair type.

So if you have thick indivual strands and a huge thick ponytail then you have coarse hair with high/thick density.
 
I really came to grips with the fact that I have fine hair ONLY applying Khandib's relaxer once. Her strands are very thick and elastic. The strands can stttrrreeetttchhh. I always thought I had thick hair until I saw her actual strands. Her hair seems like she can do more to her hair than I can before seeing any damage or thinning.

My strands themselves just are not as thick as hers and very fragile, fine and soft. It is easy for me to over moisturize my hair because of this. There is a VERY fine line for me between protein and moisture needs.

BUT everytime I got the the salon they always comment on the thickness of my hair. I think I just have quite a bit of density with my fine hairs, but seeing someone else's hair really helped me to understand a little bit about the differences.

Also, someone can have thinning just because it it falling out or because of bad care. That person may actually have thick strands naturally but it does not appear so because of the condition of their hair.
 
They are describing Fine hair which is not interchangable with Thin hair. Thick and Thin are describing Hair DENSITY, not indivual strand diameter.

You have have thick strands of hair but still have thin hair because you don't have alot of it.

I personally have fine strands but I have a high density of hair so my hair is thick. Many ladies here have this type of hair too and because people don't know the difference, many of us have been subjected to harsh treatment because stylist thought our hair was thick and could take "damage".



Gym,
you said it right b/c you acknowgedged the term "density". This is where much confusion comes from. It's the density that confuses us. But the hair products are not being directed towards density so much as diameter of individual strands. thanks for being on the ball with that, and using good analogies.
 
gymfreak336 said:
That is not correct.

They are describing Fine hair which is not interchangable with Thin hair. Thick and Thin are describing Hair DENSITY, not indivual strand diameter.

You have have thick strands of hair but still have thin hair because you don't have alot of it.

I personally have fine strands but I have a high density of hair so my hair is thick. Many ladies here have this type of hair too and because people don't know the difference, many of us have been subjected to harsh treatment because stylist thought our hair was thick and could take "damage".

So

First ask your self, what does each strand of my hair look like. If it helps, take a fine ball point pen and draw a line on a sheet of paper. Place one of your hair strands up against it, a shed hair is perfect. If the hair is thinner than the line, then you have Fine hair. If the hair is the same diameter of the line then you have medium hair strands. If the hair strand is noticably bigger than the line, you have coarse strands.

Then consider ponytail size. Now, just because you have a head of thick hair strands isn't going to guarentee a thicker ponytail size. This is how you determine your personal hair type.

So if you have thick indivual strands and a huge thick ponytail then you have coarse hair with high/thick density.
Click to expand...

I appreciate this clarification. Based on what I thought was accurate, my hair consists of fine, thin strans and it is very (high) dense. It has the illusion of thickness but when you touch it, you feel the thin strands.

I went to a L'oreal exhibit at the mall this summer and part of the exhibit included a hair exam where this thing was placed in your hair to get a magnified look at it. A picture of my hair was taken (at like 200x) and it was scanned in their computer and measured and it came out as fine, thin strands with high density.
 
Thin and thick refer to the density of the strands.

Coarse refers to texture. Coarse hair is generally rough. Fine hair also refers to texture. Texture depends on the diameter of the strands. Fine hair is the smallest in diameter.

I would like to add that thick hair is never necessarily coarse.
 
Last edited:
keluric said:
Thin and thick refer to the density of the strands.
Coarse refers to texture. Coarse hair is generally rough. Fine hair also refers to texture.

I would like to add that thick hair is never necessarily coarse.
Click to expand...

this is true.

am i the only who noticed a lot of ladies with thick hair have fine strands?
 
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