by
Black Girl With Long Hair
With fine hair, a dime-sized amount of product goes a very, very long way! Thicker haired naturals require more product to coat and seal their strands, plus they often require heavier products — like shea-based butters and creams — that tend to be more expensive. Many fine haired naturals can skip heavy butters and seal with lighter, cheaper products like coconut oil or aloe vera gel.
While coarse strands and thick hair take more coaxing to loosen their curl pattern, fine hair tends to take to heat more easily and requires less of it to straighten out. On the flip side, you have to be careful not to burn fine strands. Keep your blow dryer at medium to low temperatures, and don’t keep the flat iron on for long!
Thick hair can look a bit bulky when pulled into a bun or a single braid and can put a strain on hair ties and bobby pins. Fine hair is easier to pull into one, and can look a bit more effortless
There’s nothing hotter in the summer time than a mass of thick, heavy strands. The “scalpiness” of fine haired styles is actually a plus in the summer time, providing a way for heat to escape the body.
While thicker haired naturals have to divide their strands into several sections and cleanse and condition each one individually, fine haired naturals can get away with fewer section and, in some cases, not sectioning at all. Plus, fine haired section take less time to work through and air dry much faster.
When you have less strands to detangle, the process is much quicker. Plus, fine haired naturals can get away with finger detangling only, while many thicker haired naturals must also incorporate hair tools like Denman brushes and wide toothed combs.
When there’s less hair to get through, styling tends to go faster. On fine hair a set of twists or box braids can take less than 2 hours, while thick hair styling often take 4 hours of more. Plus, thick hair can be a downside at the salon, with many stylists charging extra cash for clients with a lot of hair to get through.
Fine haired ladies, tell us, what are the benefits of your hair type?
99 Responses
I just wanted to say that you can have FINE and THICK hair at the same time. Most of my strands are baby fine but I have so much of it so my hair is really thick so none of these points related to me. I think the author was using the term fine when they really meant thin hair and it wasn’t accurate.
Agreed!! I have fine hair, but a lot of it so I was thinking the same! Like a lot these don’t apply.
I use heavier oils and butters because I have a lot of hair and I feel like shea butter or JBCO keeps my hair moisturized the longest. My hair is 4b, so detangling DEFINITELY isn’t easier lol. I still have to wash my hair in sections. If I don’t, my hair will be a big matted mess.
My thin narurally curly hair is difficult to style…the twist out just don’t work for me. I totally agree shampoo day is a breeze and drying my hair takes no time at all. Too much of any product weights my hair down so a little difinatly goes a long way. I absolutely love aloe vera gel on my hair, no build up or flaking and it helps my fine hair actually appear fuller.
I have thin hair as well. I am 6 1/2 months in and STILL don’t know what type my hair is. I mean there is definition somewhat, but the back is still as straight as a perm. What kind of hair is this? I am so confused. I appreciate my hair, I just don’t know what to do with it, short and hard to figure out. Help!
Agree! Easier to fix, shorter time needed.
It doesn’t take as long to fix, but it also doesn’t look as good. I would much rather spend two hours for a decent looking hairstyle than spend 20 minutes and still have a “scalpy”, pitiful looking style. Why would anyone with thin hair try to wear box braids? Does anyone really believe lots of visible scalp is attractive? Who wears wigs to hide masses of hair? Wig wearers are more likely trying to cover up an abundance of scalp and a paucity of hair. What does it matter to save money on product if even more money must be spent on extensions to add fullness for a decent looking style. By the way, we still have to spend money on product. Have you priced volume adding shampoos, mousses and sprays lately? Not cheap!
For the record, I have soft, fine, thin hair. It feels good to the hand, but it is hard to style in attractive ways. Since most people will see my hair rather than run their fingers through it, the feel is not as important as the look! I know we should all be thankful for what the Creator has given us, but I sure wish my portion had included thicker hair.
I totally agree Sheila! I am the same way! I’d prefer thicker hair even with all of the benefits of fine hair.
I have to say I have a love hate relationship with my super fine hair. The back of my head is so fine that my twist outs are always flat in the back because there just isn’t enough density back there. Even when I go to the hairdresser they struggle to style my hair because it doesn’t hold a style long and I have really bad gaping. On a lot of levels I wish I did have thicker hair. I would like to be able to do a chunky twist out. But with my fine hair that would be only two twist in my hair. I have accepted my hair for what it is and will never be. The only real advantage I see is detangling doesn’t take as long, like it would if my hair was thicker. Outside of that I would have to say having fine hair sucks!! The breaking, the knotting always having to use weaves, wigs and extensions to achieve certain styles and thickness. I rare wear my own hair out because it doesn’t hold a style and by noon my hair is a messy birds nest. So I will try these styles to see if they work for me.
POST MORE ON FINE HAIR!! jeez smh
Get real. There are no real or significant advantages to fine hair when it is also thin. My soft, thin, very porous, very curly hair has been natural for about 16 years. The right side is noticeably curlier than the left side. I don’t know how to describe my texture, but folks generally say I have texture like a mixed person (whatever that is!) Braids and twist outs would show way too much scalp to be attractive by any sane standards.(I am a woman, not a Chia pet.) My curl pattern is so strong that my hair pulls out of braids in about 2 days even with tons of gel. And, the added hair slides off my thin strands. Before I gained so much weight, I wore it very short and got lots of compliments when it was dark brown, more when I dyed it reddish brown, and tons of compliments when I bleached it snow white. When it’s longer I pull it up with a banana clip and have a wet-look curly puff. For special occasions I get blowouts from a Dominican salon. However, I have to curl it every morning when I wear it straight(and use tons of volumizing spray). Wrapping it just immediately flattens out any curls, pin curls do absolutely nothing and I cannot sleep with rollers. I have worn weaves in the past but stylists here in central Virginia put fake looking straight hair on Black women’s heads. I would need to go to NY to get weave custom blended to match my color and texture if I decide to go the weave route again.
[img]https://bglh-marketplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/sheila025.JPG[/img]
[img]https://bglh-marketplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/BlondeBlueEyedHeadShot_edited.jpg[/img]
Truly, love your hair. Be grateful that you have hair on your head at all. I have thin 4b hair, in order for me to get a full twist out look, i need to make smaller twist, my hair is short since i only been natural for a year, and i realize heavy cremes don’t work. Someone tries to give compliments and even then get torn down. STOP THE SELF HATE and be grateful you even have hair.
I’m with you on the short washing times. It takes me about an hour from wash to set (twists), but yes, I’d never wear the twists out. All my hair can fit in about 6 twists and they are not thick. My hair does puff up with the twist out though because people seem to think my hair is thick (that’s that day 2 and 3 hair working). Detangling is still not as easy for me. I try to embrace my thinness as best I can but when I see beautiful styles on thick hair I always wish I could replicate them on my hair. Oh well. Great article.
I think finer hair is as beautiful as fuller hair (individual strands). They are both wonderful as long as the woman rocking it recognizes the beauty of the hair which was given to her- whether fine or thick.
It’s all beautiful-
shorter wash days? oh God I wish… takes me like 3.5 hours!
Do any of you have youtube videos for us to learn from? Can you recommend youtube videos catered to thin/fine hair? Thanks
I have THICK COARSE LONG hair and, although very beautiful, its a struggle. If you have thin, fine hair just rock that shit and love who your are. At least you’re natural and thats all that matters 🙂
i have very fine hair, but i have lots per square inch, so it looks really thick. if i pull my hair back in a braid, it won’t be dry till the next day. i use plenty of conditioner, and coconut/olive oil too. the only time i was free of all of that stuff was when i kept it very short. it was wash and go. a little leave-in conditioner and i was done. but now that it is long… i just wash and braid it, or pull it back. i have type 3 hair. none of those beautiful 4 hairstyles work with my hair. a little envious. no afro here… just curly when wet, or wispy hair if brushed out. and… one must be very careful with fine hair. been natural since ’73. how many times did the beautician but the chemicals on my hair and then i had burned scalp and damaged hair because she left it on the same amount of time for someone with coarser/thicker hair? i had to say no more of this nonsense. one must be careful combing out the tangles, and i use lots of conditioner to do that painlessly. i never use a blow dryer as it damages the hair. having fine hair, in my opinion, does not make it any easier to care for.
still wish i had thick hair though
Thin and fine hair girl here…I was reading hoping to say Amen afterwards but nope. These advantages aren’t necessarily better than a full thick head of hair! Who are you kidding I will love to have a thick mane no matter the ‘type’. BUT I have learned to love and accept what God gave me. But I can’t help every now and then to look how much greener the grass is on the other side.
Clearly this person doesn’t have fine hair. I have medium fine strands, BUT my hair density is THICK! I.E. I have a lot of individual strands on my head. So no, it doesn’t take less time to detangle, nor is it easier to do so. Styling also doesn’t take less time. My friend takes about 45min to do two strand twists on her head, medium to smallish twists, for me to do the same, it takes me about 2.5 hours. Her hair is about 8 inches, mine is 5. So I still take longer with less hair.
Less product, are you crazy? The amount of water I have to use just to get my scalp wet is ridiculous, lets not even go into conditioners or styling creams, so no, don’t save any there at all!
The hot weather and the shorter styling times, ONLY if you have either SHORT hair OR LOW density hair! I have neither, my wash days from start to finish including drying time is about 12 hours, again hair is only 5 inches, when it’s longer it will take even longer. I only get relief from the hot sun when my hair are in braids or twists since the wind can get on to my scalp. If I’m wearing a fro or twistout, not a chance sweetheart.
With the bunning and the straightening, again ONLY if you have either short hair or low density hair. If your hair is high density it will still take forever to straighten. Now if you have high density AND thick strands, then yes that will take the longest, with length being thrown in there too. Bunning only works if your hair is low density.
All of these points work with fine hair that is either short or low density, as in fewer individual strands on the head. If not, it doesn’t matter, it will take just as long, take it from a 4c coily fine haired high density gal!
They did mention at the beginning that this refers to fine, low density hair….
I don’t know if it’s just me or if everybody else experiencing issues
with your website. It appears as if some of the text
on your content are running off the screen.
Can someone else please provide feedback and let me know if this
is happening to them as well? This may be a problem with my
browser because I’ve had this happen previously. Thanks
I have medium fine strands with a medium-high density. The result is that I have thin FRAGILE strands that are REAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLY challenging to detangle without breaking, and a lot of them. And my two strand twists don’t look scalpy, they look kind of cute, but they are still kind of flat.Not to mention the fact that I have pourous 4c hair that still needs thicker creams and butters for moisture.
I think the only advantage I have is faster styling. Nothing else. Did someone with thick hair write this?
For me there are no advantages of being a fine/thin haired natural. All those protective styles I see on thick haired naturals, don’t work for me. I two strand twist my hair, but I can’t wear the style out in the open, my hair has to be covered up because of the scalpiness and the twists look like snakes.
I would trade in my soft thin/fine hair for thick/ course hair in a new york minute!!
Patricia,
I have “tricks” I do with my hair. For one, I can NOT do a lot of twist outs. I just have one on top and two in the back and I get a good curl. Also I use products such as TOPPIX for fattening my hair. I just rub some on my scalp and it plumbs up my hair to give it a little fullness. Also rub my scalp and put my head upside down and it give me fullness. You have to fine the “tricks”. I’m thinking of adding hair by a strand-by-strand to give me fullness. I’m determine to have the hair I want.
I do twist outs and I don’t like to wear them out either.. I always do an up do of some sort or a nice poof on the top of my head. Bantu knotting your twists will give you fuller curlier look as well.
Also, they always say on tutorials not to separate the twists a lot once you take them out, but separating them helps me A LOT. I also lightly mist them with a water/oil mixture to make them a little more fluffy and fuller looking.
Shea Moisture’s Curl Enhancing Smoothie also seems to give me fuller looking twist outs as well! Hope this helps!
I have been natural or should i say perm free for almost 6 years but I always press/flat iron my hair. My texture is fine and my length is relatively short so I typically wear my flat ironed hair curled and pinned up which gives the illusion of longer hair . I have decided to break away from the heat because I know that’s why my hair is not growing however my fine tresses have me at a loss. This is the most information I’ve found and its comforting to know I’m not alone . My ends are straight and I don’t have the stereotypical beautiful fluffy thick mane. I’m thinking about doing the big chop of at least a medium one to get rid of the heat damaged hair . Any advice .
I have to disagree with a part of this article. Easier detangling was mentioned as a plus for fine hair, but the term “fine hair” has nothing to do with the number of strands you have, but with the thick/thin-ness of the strands themselves. Unfortunately, for many of us with fine hair, it means that detangling is actually a huge challenge, because the hairs just want to roll up on themselves, and they’re so light that they don’t stay where you “put” them when you run your fingers or a comb through them, even with conditioner. And you have to section when you detangle, and twist each section immediately after detangling it, or by the time you are finished “over here”, “over there” where you started will have already rolled back up on itself. We also get single strand knots very easily.
You know my struggle!!!!!!! lmfao
I thought I had fine hair until I read the part about “easier detangling” and I was like NOPE!!! But then I read your comment and I was like YUP, still have fine hair LOL
Omg, I did the EXACT same thing!!! LMBO!!! Thin but Dense. I was wondering why I have thin and thick characteristics. I was confused, til now!
I have fine hair. When I began this “journey” I would do twist-outs,but they will be FLAT,but defined and thinned out. I decided one day to just do 3 braids…I had success.With only 3 braids, 1 on top and 2 in the back. I can get a good style. Also my hair has several textures.My crown is a 3c and my edges and around the sides and back are maybe a 4a.Anyway, you really just have to work with YOUR hair using different techniques that work tailored to your hair texture.
I have fine, thin and extremely kinky hair! My hairs straightens out to over 16″ however once wet shrinks to 2″ I swear!
It took me a long while to fine product that work for my hair I’ve found that rinsing with a temporary conditioning color helps alot with body and protection. I’ve also realized that straightening is a breeze as long as I use a heat protector like Chi Ion as soon as I wash it shriks back up to a fro. I’ve recently start spiral rod setting my hair as the longer it gets the more impossible it is to manage. Coconut oil helps alot as does Motions CPR and Miss Jessies Creme de la Creme.
Hi, I am 61 years young, and I agree with everything u said. I have been natural for 4 months, since I retired, so I have a lot of time on my hands to take care of my hair. Before going natural I would perm my hair for 6 months in the summer, then use a straighten comb for 2 months ( the kind u put on the stove), then get it corn braided for the winter. (which made my hair grow). I have been doing this for so many years that I can’t remember when it started. My hair has always been thin and fine.
I think that the confusion here arises more from the fact that our hair is like a fingerprint–different for every individual. That being said, fine hair and thin hair are NOT the same thing. Fine hair= strands with a smaller diameter, while thin hair implies less hair on the head. Note that a synonym for “balding” is “thinning”. And, obviously, I do not mean to imply that people with thin hair are bald 😛
I have fine, thick hair: my individual strands are small in diameter, but they’re still kinky, and I still have a LOT of hair on my head, despite my hair only being ear-length (unstretched). I found that 2, 4, and 5 on the list were true for me, but the rest? As false as can be! I don’t feel like I use less product; I have natural friends and family with much coarser hair than I have who use up products at the same rate I do (1). And while getting my stretched hair to look right in a bun is painlessly easy, avoiding breakage and the “my hair is too tight” headache are not (3). Finally, my hair is fragile like glass without the usage of glycerin and henna within my hair routine, so #6 and #7? Pshhh. If I don’t want to be bald, I have to really take my time with detangling and styling, just like anybody else with natural hair.
The natural oils produced from the scalp keep the roots moisturized and makes it only necessary to focus on the ends.
My hair is naturally fine and it became thin as a result of a scalp condition. I found this article to be very helpful and I will definitely use these tips. One thing that has been the most help is styling my twists or braids in several layers to give the illusion of fullness. Also, when I do twist outs I create volume by lifting from the roots. I think the main point is to love your hair no matter what hair type/ texture that God has given you.
Most of the comments posted where incorrect. I think most of them misunderstand what fine hair is exactly. Fine hair is smaller in diameter than thick/coarse hair, so therefore it is thin. Instead of complaining about the article maybe they should check to see if their hair is fine or medium. Just because your hair is not thick does not make it fine. My hair is fine and I found this article informative.
I think most of you misunderstand what fine hair is. Fine hair is smaller in diameter than coarse hair because it has fewer cuticle layers. Meaning it is thin hair. Just because your hair is not coarse does not mean it is fine. It maybe medium. This article was informative. If you didn’t find it informative then it is not pertaining to you.I do have fine hair and I can identify with all points.
Hi. I started my natural journal about 1 1/2 yrs. ago. Since then I’ve been looking for articles and styles for fine/thin hair. My search ended when I found your blog. YEAH!! Thank you very much.
I agree with every suggestion that you offered. I use Eco Olive Oil Styler Gel to do my twists, and coils, and my hair comes out looking beautiful, with little to none exposed scalp, after I separate the twist or coils. I even received compliments, and inquiries about how I did my hair.
I definitely fit into whatever category that this article is referring to lol. I’ve been natural for over two years. My hair is thin, whether it’s the strands or the density, it’s thin, but I do have a nice number of strands. I’ve always had trouble with twists/ braid outs being scalpy and that’s the reason that I tend to shy away from them altogether. My hair is getting to a length where my fro is pretty decent. I’ve worked out a method in order to achieve maximum “bigness” with my fro. My go-to style has been pulling my hair up into a bun and it never fails me. I’ve been looking for more ideas for protective styles and styles that will last longer than two or three days. Unfortunately, still no luck. They never seem to come out quite right 🙁
i have fine, low density hair and i don’t understand what the confusion is. maybe because (duh) i can identify with this article. a lof of the benefits make sense to me; it does take less time to wash and detangle and i can use less product than some of my thicker haired sisters. but for me, that’s where most of the benefits stop. it’s still hard to bun unless i put a lot of force on my hair, but my hair is so frail, it will break easily if i do so. i still feel like i need a half way high heat to straighten my hair.
i will say though that most articles/hairstyles are not geared to my hair type, so i appreciate this article all the more. most sytles and articles i find are geared to thicker hair ladies. each has it’s pros and cons, but i do wish i had more hair. but i have what i have and that is all i will ever have, so i just try and find styles that work for me.
I totally agree with you!!!
5, 6 and 7 are not true at all for me. All those advantages don’t apply to all fine haired people.
I agree! I’m glad the above writers got to know wat their hair prefers. I too am a fine haired natural. I want to try damp styling this time around. Its true fine haired naturals can get less scalpy with the length especially when in microbraids. I’m a fine haired natural with dense strands. I want to try my first good twist out when I’m out of my rope twist extensions.;y
I have fine and medium dense natural hair. But hair that is fine and coily is harder to detangle because they knot up easily. I can never let my hair shrink otherwise I’ll have to deal with a zillion SSKs. Personally, I don’t find a lot of advantages to fine natural hair. It can be easily damaged when straightening. Plus my hair is naturally porous. So I have to moisturize it daily. But I love my hair and I’ve learned to accept it the way it is.
My hair sounds as you have described and I know exactly how that feels. I have also learned to accept my hair.
I have fine, thin hair. Flat twists-outs work best for me. It is a lot less scalpy.
My hair is fine; however, I’ve been using castor oil for the past two months and I along with others have noticed how much it’s thickened. Plus I’ve learned a trick or two in regard to scalpy twist. I used Urban Bush Babes, Cypriana’s method for loose twisting and there is no more scalp for me. The only downside I am having now is those fine strand are easy to break. UGH
Thanks for this article, the fineness of my hair is the main reason why I decided to go natural. But the best part of having fine hair (other than the short amount of styling time) is the fact that it dries so quickly. A while back you wrote about heat being a negative effect on your hair but because I have fine hair my hair responds to heat very well and it takes an hour to straighten it. However it easy for breakage to attack fine strands that is why low manipulation is key.
I have fine stands myself and find it hard to find hair products that actually work. As one stated before, the less product I use the more dry my hair is, the more product I use the more product that ends up in my scarf,hands, and pillows (itchy scalp if product gets on it). My hair dries fast which is not much help if your trying to seal in moisture. My twist used to be scalpy until my hair grew longer and I was able to add more hair into the twist I also bantu knot them at night to create curls and give more volume. My hair does not however flop when in a fro it stands tall but is subdued my hot weather just like thick strands. I have to section for washing that is a must. I have to style my hair when it is damp. If to wet my strands snap and if to dry my strands snap… Currently finding the balance for my fine strands…
I would say I have fine hair because I do not have a full head of hair. Meaning I do not have a lot of strands like a woman with thick hair has. My strands are not fine but my hair in general is not thick. But I wouldn’t say my hair is thin.
I think even if your strand it self is fine but have a lot of it densely pack together your hair will still be thick meaning you have more hair than a woman with finer hair.
Well that’s my take on it if it makes sense.
My hair is fine not thin. This article doesn’t Make sense to me
+1
It seems kind of hypothetical. Like ‘if I had fine/thin hair I would think the benefits would be…’ — Maybe I’m wrong.
My hair is not thin either. The strands are fine and fragile though and I only reap one of those listed benefits which is the short wash day. I don’t know if that’s because of my hair or because of me…
Regardless, I do appreciate the encouragement meant with this article. Fine hair is rarely even mentioned in the natural hair community, maybe women feel some shame in it or something.
It’s not mentioned because it’s not part of the ideal for Afro textured hair just as thin hair is frowned upon. Ultra resistant thick hair means length and volume to most in this community therefore that is coveted. It’s a shame because those of us who fall outside the ideal kind of get forgotten hence fine but dense haired people being confused at the top of this article. We came in hoping to be informed.
oh yeah! also, my (high porosity) can take DAYS to dry, depending on how i wear it. DAYS.
i have fine AND low density hair, and i STILL don’t have most of these benefits.
straightening my hair is a half day’s job at least (even when done by professionals). keeping it straight is quite a harrowing task, damn near impossible.
anyone who this this hair is hot weather friendly needs to come try it for a few days. i’ve barely worn my hair out this summer b/c it’s like putting my head in the freaking oven when i do.
my hair is kind of easy to bun now that i’m freaking mbl, that has more to do w/ length than density.
styling is NOT faster b/c i generally have to do smaller sections to get a fuller look ( i.e micro twists vs regular twists on thicker haired girls. if i do anything other than micro, it looks hella scalpy). other styles don’t even look good on me b/c i don’t have enough density to pull it off.
less products… LOL. tell that to my conditioner bottles.
i’ll admit that my wash day isn’t that long, but that’s only b/c i don’t baby my hair the way a lot of other naturals do.
i’m wondering if the author even has low density hair. you really shouldn’t right about things you don’t have.
with all this said, i actually LOVE my hair just the way it is. i certainly wouldn’t be upset if i woke up w/ super dense hair one day, but i’ve never really thought about low density hair as a bad thing. all it means is some styles just aren’t for me. meh, no biggy.
i have fine AND low density hair, and i STILL don’t have most of these benefits.
straightening my hair is a half day’s job at least (even when done by professionals). keeping it straight is quite a harrowing task, damn near impossible.
anyone who this this hair is hot weather friendly needs to come try it for a few days. i’ve barely worn my hair out this summer b/c it’s like putting my head in the freaking oven when i do.
my hair is kind of easy to bun now that i’m freaking mbl, that has more to do w/ length than density.
styling is NOT faster b/c i generally have to do smaller sections to get a fuller look ( i.e micro twists vs regular twists on thicker haired girls. if i do anything other than micro, it looks hella scalpy). other styles don’t even look good on me b/c i don’t have enough density to pull it off.
less products… LOL. tell that to my conditioner bottles.
i’ll admit that my wash day isn’t that long, but that’s only b/c i don’t baby my hair the way a lot of other naturals do.
i’m wondering if the author even has low density hair. you really shouldn’t right about things you don’t have.
with all this said, i actually LOVE my hair just the way it is. i certainly wouldn’t be upset if i woke up w/ super dense hair one day, but i’ve never really thought about low density hair as a bad thing. all it means is some styles just aren’t for me. meh.
Lol you just described my hair down to the science…
I love this article. I feel like no one ever wants to discuss fine hair. I used to be jealous of girls with thicker hair but now I love my fine curly hair!
Benefits
-my hair is never heavy no matter how long it gets.
-Products last longer because I use less of it.
-If I want to have my hair look thicker that can always be accomplished through certain styling techniques.
-I have a small head so I guess my fine hair compliments this feature.
-My hair only takes a hour get it bone straight.(which I don’t do anymore)
Finally, a natural hair article for my hair type. Yes. to all of the above. I use to try to use a lot of product but it would either weigh my hair down, give me an itchy scalp or break my hair off.
Itchy scalp is so annoying…
This is a great article, because as much as I love my hair. I am honestly disappointed that my hair does not foof or fluff like other naturals that have thicker hair that is the same length as mine. I have come to understand that my “volume” will come as a result of just having long hair and not because it is extra thick. I second some of the other comments, I have a lot of hair ( many strands), but it is pretty fine and I can’t get the “big hair” that I love without picking and using a hair dryer.
There’s a difference between fine hair and thin hair and this article just described thin hair. I have fine hair. Hundreds of thousands fine afro hairs with tight 4c coils that are dense, yet not coarse. No “scalpiness” happening here. At the end of the day, I wish people would stop trying to classify and stereotype hair. I love reading others’ hair stories, reading about various products, and seeing various hairstyles, but ultimately we all have different hair.
In the very last part of the article the author did say and I quote “For the purposes of this article, fine hair refers to thin strand and low density hair.” So she in fact mentioned she would only be dealing with fine hair with low density.
I’ve always believed that fine hair is easier to bun, which is probably why I wear buns so much–low buns, high buns, you name it! I think it definitely helps to consider the advantages of fine hair. The images on the web that represent natural hair predominantly feature thick hair, and I know for a fact that in my first year of being natural, it was especially discouraging for me to discover that styles were going to look drastically different on my hair just because it is fine (and a bit thin). And the point about washing time–yes! My hair is approaching bra strap length and I never take more than 15 minutes to detangle and wash combined. It’s encouraging (and imperative) that all kinds of hair are appreciated, fine, thin, coarse, thick, whatever.
This almost made me feel good about my fine hair…but then I remembered the BREAKAGE part 🙁
Breakage with fine hair is very much controlled by the owner. Switch to better detangling methods that suit your hair (as breakage is often related to detangling). The idea of raking a comb through my hair is terrible, but with my fingers, so much easier, painless and effective.
I also have fine, dense hair. I’ve learned to love it. I appreciate the short dry times, and whatnot.
Number 5 definitely holds true for me, I don’t section at all to wash my hair.
While I often covet the thick strands of thicker-haired naturals, on wash day I am always grateful to be a fine-haired girl. I can easily shampoo, condition and style in less than an hour. I am always in awe when I hear about detangling sessions that last for 2 to 3 hours.
I agree with majority of the things said in this post except for the air drying aspect. I have fine hair and it still takes for ever to dry because my hair holds water in granted it may not take 24 hours but its definitely a 5 hour waiting period.
If your hair takes longer to dry you may have hair that has lower porosity. Check out articles on that topic.
Ooh that just made me feel better about my fine hair! The scalpy twists can be annoying but actually like it now!
I have fine, dense natural hair and have tried every product under the sun and I still haven’t found a product or regimen that makes my hair happy. I always end up with super dry hair because the products are too light or greasy, crunchy hair because the products are too heavy. HELP! Not enjoying my fine natural hair right now.
I feel ya, same here.. If anyone can’t help!!!!
Try the Aubrey Organics line. They have a whole host of products that you can try out. If you e-mail their customer service dept. (on their website), they will send you free samples. The sample packets are small, so ask for multiple samples.
Also, grapeseed oil, coconut oil and shea butter work wonders on fine hair. Glycerine mixed with water in a spray bottle also works great on fine hair.
I have fine hair as well and the trick is not to use too much product. Just a little dab will do ya.
Good luck.
I returned to commercial conditioners I.e Herbal Essences Hello Hydration because the natural conditioners didn’t cut it. The only things I find adequate are creamy and/or water based I.e Oyins Hair Dew, Juices and Berries and Hairveda oil. My hair is also always thirsty and I’d love to hear from fine dense heads who have found what works for them with this hair type.
I have to agree Nicole I am currently experiencing the same. And just when I think I got my regime together it turns out not to be what I thought. Although my hair has grown to mid-back length it has been a constant struggle to not lose my strands. Im considering locking.
well , I’ll continue to imagine that my bun will turn into a big messy bun. And, when I do a braid out or wash n go, it’ll be a big afro. My hair will always appear shorter than some of my shorter haired thick haired ladies. Still I lurse my hair.
Thanks for a better perspective.
yes and a very, very much needed one.
[img]https://bglh-marketplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/partydiva.jpg[/img]
My fine hair gives cute twist outs in a shorter time for setting.
Hello Diva,
I was really looking forward to reading this article because I have fine hair and I can’t seem to style it in any way but a braidout… I’ve been natural for four years now and I’m still having problems. I agree with a lot of the article, but the only thing I got that would help me was #1.. I think I might be using too much oil, and I should try gel. I HAVE NO VOLUME!!! Anywho, I love your hair.. Can you let me know how you do your twist out? I’ve tried it about four times and It ALWAYS comes out flat… As do the braid out, but I can tolerate that one more…
Hi Jacqueline –
Try using Eco Styling Olive Oil gel and make your two strand twist super small/skinny. This will take longer but it will be less scalpy and your hair will look fuller when you do your twistout. You can maintain the twist out by retwisting the untwisted twist (now say that fast 5 times!) into bigger chunks when it’s bedtime.
One fine head to anothe
Beautiful twist out.
Never thought about it like that! Always focused on the down side. Thanks for the article.
Overall, it is a great article. I think there needs to be a clarification though between thickness of strand (fine, medium, coarse) and density/number of strands. I think this confuses a lot of people. You can actually have dense hair but have fine strands and vice versa.
I agree, this article swapped the two definitions (dense and fine). Having fine hair doesn’t mean I have less strands, just means that my strands are skinnier. If anything, the argument can be made that we have more hair on our heads(density) because our individual strands take up less space.
I definitely misunderstood this article for a moment because usually people refer to hair that is the extreme opposite of thick as thin. They use “fine” to describe the actual hair strands. I have thick hair (a ton of volume) but the actual individual strands are fine, if that makes sense.
My hair is the same so i wonder what principles apply then??
Me too. My strands are fine, but I have a gazillion of them packed on my head!
Same thing here, I was very confused and wondering why I didn’t get those benefits. Fine/thin strands, but good gracious are there a ton of them on my head!
Co-sign and thank you because I was reading this and thinking: well dang, I guess I don’t have fine hair after all because most of these don’t apply to me, lol. Like you, I have thick hair but fine strands. When stretched or blown out, it can look huge, but twists or braids look like spider legs…
I think there is a bit of a confusion between density and the the actual size of the hair strand
This article is dealing with low density where when you braid or twist it looks scalpy etc…. People that have fine strands but lots of them wouldn’t experience what has been mentioned.
Ha ha, spider legs! That’s the term I’ve been looking for. I just foolishly started doing twists for the first time in a long time last night while watching tv. I did half my head, then looked in the mirror and was like “yup, they still look awful on me”. Oh spider legs, you get me every time!
I agree too. I have fine strands but my hair is dense and follows the patterns of so-called thick hair here. I think this article has strand size and density confused.
So does anyone have any advantages to fine dense hair? I find that I cannot escape split ends and mid shaft splits no matter how hard I try despite not using brushes and combs.
I agree i have fine hair strands, but alot of them, which gives the appearance of having thick hair. Alot of these advantages don’t apply to me and i think it also depends on how long your hair is. My hair is near APL and takes ages to do cos of the length, if my hair was shorter it would probably be more manageable and less time consuming and need less product. Very informative article though! Thanks!