How do you know if you have fine hair?

[UP Lisa]

As far ss rubbing the hair through your fingers goes, some people have more sensitive fingers than others.

[MissManda]

I just had to resurrect this thread because I think I have a better idea of what fine hair is like this past weekend.

I remember my old hairstylist (I promise that this isn't gong to be ramble-y), would always tell me how fine her hair was would describe her natural hair texture as resembling "candy floss" or "cobwebs/spiderwebs." She would give me the whole, "Fine hair needs to be short, because blah, blah, blah..." when I'd try to discuss growing my hair very long like it used to be when I was a little girl because my hair was too "fragile" and would look stringy. I felt very discouraged about growing my hair for several years, but I would always be so incredibly confused by the way my hairstylist described fine hair. My hair is silky and shiny, yes, but in no way has it ever felt like candy floss or cobwebs, it just feels like the hair of my sister or dad, who according to my hairdresser, have M-textured hair.

So until this past weekend, I just thought that my fingers were overly-sensitive and that even though my hair didn't feel like candy floss or cobwebs to me, it might feel that way to someone else.

Well, I spent all of my weekend with two friends of mine, who happen to be twin sisters. They were both really amazed with the different kinds of braids and updos I can do. One sister asked me to braid her hair before she went to bed and the next day they asked me to do half-up French braids for them to wear to their bellydance performance. I was more than happy to, of course!

The twins both have naturally medium blonde hair (one twin has her hair dyed lighter, though) that is about 2a/2b with a similar ponytail circumference to mine. Very gorgeous, indeed. I felt so honored that they asked me to braid their hair for them.

The instant I got my hands into their hair, I knew it was of F texture. All of the little hairs were densely packed but still laid flat against the scalp. Individually, the strands were really difficult for me to feel... like cobwebs and were almost as fragile. Even though I am very gentle with hair, I can't begin to tell you how many times I apologized for accidentally breaking those little hairs. Overall, their hair felt so downy and wonderfully soft.

I later found a few shed strands of their hair on my sleeve. I picked up the hairs and held them up to the light and I could *barely* see them!

So I don't think my strands are F anymore. I recall FrannyG telling me that if my hair was truly fine, I'd know it. Now that I have encountered hair that I know is F-type, I understand when people talk about flyaways, candy floss, and cobwebs.

What I still don't understand is why so many people would categorize my hair as Fine when my strands are the same size as my dad and sister, who are both categorized as having M hair. I'm beginning to wonder if it is just because my hair is so straight or something. My hairs don't lie completely flat against my scalp and have some natural lift when washed properly. I've tried volumizing products on my hair before and the root lift they gave made my hair look really strange and unnatural (way too much lift). Maybe my individual strands have become somewhat more coarse as I have gotten older, I don't know.

I'm still not sure if I am F/M or just M. I'm pretty sure I'm on the finer side of Medium, so I guess I'll classify myself under M as I have been doing recently.

I really feel like I have a better idea of what truly Fine hair is like, which makes me happy and less confused.

[Shany]

According to your hair description, I think you are M...maybe F/M. It's a kinda hard to say, but I'm sure you are not F. In my case, my hairstylist said that I have fine hair, but a lot of them. My hairs are also densely packed and lay flat on my head. Still, I can feel my hair between my fingers, I think my fingers are overlysensitive.

Even if you were an F, you still have pretty long hair. ***It doesn't need to be short*** Healthy hair is beautiful, in general. I remember getting lots of compliments when my hair was long (past BSL) even if it's fine (but thick).

[cmnt831]

MissManda, maybe your hair is on the lower end of the medium scale; closer to the fine measurement, but still in the medium range.

I know for certain that I have two different types of hair on my head: fine on the underlayer and medium on the top layer. The fine layer is like silk and densely packed and almost straight, the medium layer actually seems like it contains less hair and has loose spiral curls. It feels more coarse than the underlayer, but not coarse like true coarse hair feels. It's funny to see the demarcation when I wear my hair half up.

Oh, and I think that my fine layer looks so much better longer, but the top layer always looks like it could do with a cut.

[PrincessBob]

All I know is that *i* don't have fine hair, my strands can look like sewing thread, so, if yours doesn't it prolly isn't coarse, which is a start for reverse engineering whether yours is fine.

[LilYaYa56]

Fine hair is characterized by a smaller diameter than average hair and it is typically very soft and lacks volume. Also, fine hair resists holding hairstyles for long periods of time.

[UP Lisa]

It can also look oily easily.