HAIR TERMS

We believe that knowing the structure of hair can help you understand how to properly care for your hair and how Beautiful Curls products work.

Hair follicle – The gland in the skin from which hair grows; the living tissue that makes hair grow is in the follicle.

Hair shaft – The part of the hair you see; it is made up of cells that aren’t living anymore and is made up of proteins, primarily keratins. Therefore, if you damage your hair, it cannot heal.

Cuticle – The outermost layer of the hair shaft that protects the inner layers. In humans, the cuticle is made up of 8-11 layers of flat, translucent cells laid out like roof shingles. On healthy hair, these cells are closed and reflect light, giving a shiny appearance. The cuticle layer is the same thickness on both fine and coarse hair. Therefore, the cuticle on coarse hair makes up a smaller percentage of the total hair diameter. This means, by weight, fine hair has a greater protective percentage than coarse hair. The amino acids that make up the cuticle layer are more hydro-phobic (repel water) than the amino acids of the cortex.

Cortex – highly structured and organized middle layer of the hair containing bundles of keratin (protein) fibers. The cortex is the primary source of mechanical strength and water uptake. The cortex contains melanin, which colors the fiber based on the number, distribution and types of melanin granules. The shape of the follicle determines the shape of the cortex and how straight or curly the hair is. Straight hair has round follicles, and oval and irregularly shaped fibers are generally wavier or even curly. The protein fibers making up the cortex are held together by bi-sulfide bonds. When hair is chemically straightened or curled, these bonds are broken. In order to chemically straighten, color or curl hair, the cuticle must be opened up to allow the chemical to penetrate the cortex.

Medulla – the innermost region of the hair shaft; an open, unstructured region that is not always present. When present, it gives hair a thicker appearance. A 2010 study has found that the medulla is more likely to be present in gray hair. There is some evidence that when the medulla is present, the hair is not as elastic or resilient.

HAIR TEXTURES

Hair comes in many textures – from fine to coarse. Texture is another term for the thickness of an individual hair shaft. Thin shafts give a “fine” texture, while larger diameter hairs are called “coarse.” Most people fall somewhere in between. Hair texture varies from individual to individual, and can be different in separate areas of the same head. You may have coarse hair on the top of the head and fine hair at the nape of the neck. Race and ethnicity are irrelevant in determining hair texture, as coarse, medium and fine hair can be found among all racial and ethnic groups.

Hair texture is important when deciding which Beautiful Curls products are best for your curls.

Fine hair – On fine hair, the cuticle makes up a larger percentage of the hair shaft cross section. The cortex is smaller in diameter, requiring less conditioning agents. Fine hair can easily become “weighed down” by conditioners that are too concentrated.

Coarse hair – Coarse hair has a large diameter, but the cuticle contains the same number of layers as in fine hair. The diameter is determined by the size of the cortex, and in some cases, the presence of the medulla. Because the cortex is so much larger, it can absorb more conditioning agents. In addition, the greater surface area of the hair shaft means the hair can become dull, dry and damaged more quickly than fine hair.

Medium hair – Medium texture indicates a middle-range of the size of the hair shaft, and it's considered the most common hair texture.

CURL PATTERNS

Kinky Hair

• Kinky hair is very tightly curled, with a clearly visible spiral pattern that can have rounded curves (“S” pattern), or more angled curves (“Z”) pattern.
  
• Kinky hair can be of any texture – fine, medium, coarse – and either thin or thick (more strands per inch of scalp).
  
• Kinky hair can easily tangle, since the coils interlock together. Because of this, breakage will occur if care is not taken when detangling.

Kinky Hair Tips:

• Avoid agitating ends of hair during shampooing, as this encourages tangles.
  
• Use generous amounts of conditioners, as kinky hair is longer than it looks, and ends are often dry since scalp oils cannot travel as readily down the hair shaft.
  
• Use extreme care during detangling to reduce breakage.
  
• Use Deep Conditioning Treatment 1-2 times a week to rehydrate and reinvigorate kinky hair.
  
• Let hair air dry or use drying hood after styling.

Curly Hair

Curly hair is all curls in between wavy and kinky. This covers a large range of curl diameter, but in all cases, the curls are well defined, springy with a well-defined "S" pattern

Curly hair ranges from big, loose curls to bouncy, tight corkscrew curls.

Curly hair comes in all textures, fine, medium and coarse.

Curly Hair Tips

• Looser curls and finer textured curls will benefit from lighter conditioners and gels (Curl Enhancing Leave-In and Defining Gel).
  
• Tighter curls or coarse textured curls benefit from the extra moisture in the Curl Activating system.
  
• Use Deep Conditioning Treatment every 1 or 2 weeks to rehydrate and reinvigorate curly hair.
  
• If top curls pull flat, use duckbill clips on the crown of your head to lift them while styling.
  
• Let hair air dry or use a diffuser after styling.

General Curl Care – for all curl types and textures

• Use Sculpting Wax on ends to add shine and moisture (pea-sized amount into palms, rub together and smooth over hair, or concentrate application on ends for fine hair).
  
• Never brush or comb dry curls.
  
• Sleep on silk pillowcases (use natural silk satin, no polyester as polyester can cause static) or wrap hair in silk scarf to prevent tangles while sleeping.

Wavy Hair

• In wavy hair, the wave or curl forms a gentle “S” pattern throughout the hair.
  
• Wavy hair yields to gravity, hanging down and staying relatively close to the head.
  
• Wavy hair can have a fine, medium or coarse texture.

Wavy Hair Tips:

• Use Curl Defining Gel that enhances curls, but doesn’t weigh them down.
  
• If top curls pull flat, use duckbill clips on the crown of your head to lift them while styling.
  
• Let hair air dry or use a diffuser after styling.
  
• Use Deep Conditioning Treatment every 2 or 3 weeks to rehydrate and reinvigorate wavy hair.

Sources:
Sanchita Mistry1, Jyoti Ratan Ghosh2 and Arup Ratan Bandyopadhyay1. 2010. Histomorphological and Quantitative Characteristics of Black and Gray Human Scalp Hair. J Life Sci, 2(1): 49-52 (2010)