Thin/fine hair - possibly silly questions

[CluelessJL]

Sorry if any of these are asked all the time, but with the search function down I have a few quick(ish!) questions...

How do I tell if I have fine hair? I've never thought about it before and now I can't think how you'd tell without measuring up to other people.

Is there a way to tell the difference between naturally thin hair, and hair that has thinned from damage? I don't have obvious patches of damage/thinning, but I think my hair is thinner than it was years ago.

If hair is just naturally thin, will anything help change that? I've read about things like jbco for growth but will those things only help encourage growth where it could/should already be occurring?

Are there any special considerations/hazards/etc. of thin or fine hair?

Thanks ladies

 

[krissyhair]

Compare your strand to the strand ofsomeone you consider to have thick hair. The thicker hair will be darker and more opaque. The fine strand will let more light shine through and appear thinner.

If it's naturally thin, it will look pretty much the same from root to tip with few irregularities. If it's thin from damage, there will be lots of irregularities, and appear thicker at the root.

Nothing can change naturally fine hair. Hair that is thin from damage eventually needs to be trimmed, but if you're concerned with growth you can baby it.

 

[GGsKin]

I have both fine (moreso towards the front of my head) and med/thicker strands at the back. I class myself as fine though but what Krissy says is true. My thicker strands are darker and stronger than my fine strands- which look almost translucent in comparison. I have to be especially gentle when detangling the front of my hair- I notice it is way easier to lose hair (in breakage) at the front than it is at the back.

 

[NappyNelle]

I'm a normal porosity natural with low - medium density fine stands.

Thick hair strands are about 1/2 the width of the thread. Fine hair strands are about 1/4 the width of standard sewing thread.

Density refers to the number of those stands on your scalp. You can have high density hair with fine stands, low density hair with thick strands, and a myriad of combinations in between.

Fine hair tends to need more protein treatments to strengthen and add elasticity. IMO fine hair is sensitive to heat styling.

 

[Prettymetty]

I used to have thick coarse hair, but now my strands seem fine/medium. I need a lot more protein these days. The plus side is that my hair is softer, more elastic and retains moisture better.

I don't know if pregnancy changed my hair or if it was my diet.

 

[CluelessJL]

Thanks for the replies!

I think my hair is fine and thin there certainly seems far less of it than any pictures I've seen on here. Sigh. Sounds as though I should try upping the protein. I'm slightly terrified of overloading and causing more damage though...

 

[PJaye]

As a fine-haired person, I strongly advise listening to your hair and allowing it to dictate what it may/may not need. For example, my hair is protein sensitive and not particularly vulnerable to heat styling, so incorporating a PP's suggestions would cause havoc for me. Further, some believe that fine hair cannot withstand the rigors of heavy sealing, conditioning and/or butters, but mine seems to thrive using these techniques. IMO, the best course of action is to listen to your hair because, in the end, it always knows best.

 

[CluelessJL]

Thanks PJaye! I guess my challenge at the moment is the fact that I'm still learning my hair - I don't really know what it likes or needs at the moment!