"Light" vs. "Heavy" Hair?

[2luvmycurls]

This may be a kinda dumb question, but it's been going through my mind, you know, one of those "I wonder why..." things that you can't get out of your head? Yeah.

So my question is what makes some people's hair really heavy and others' light?

Is it the thin vs. thick, curly vs. straight, fine vs. course thing?

For instance, I have very thick hair (I always assumed it was course too until I actually looked at the strands) that is pretty curly/wavy. It's very light and fluffy (fluffy if I don't add much gel). Even when I *shudder* straighten it with blow drying/straight iron, it still doesn't have much weight to it.

But I had a friend in school who had hair just a tad bit longer than mine, and it was thick, but straight, and she actually had to get it cut shorter because the weight of it was giving her headaches!

Why is this?:confused:

[Riot Crrl]

I can't make my hair thicker or coarser, so I can only really compare things that make it heavier on my own hair that are changeable.

If it is longer then it is heavier.

If I put more stuff in it and allow it to get more buildup (I don't actually consider buildup to be a bad word. It mostly depends on what it is that I am allowing to build up) then it is heavier. I actually recommend this strategy of heavier leave-ins and stuff, if one has more volume than they like.

Some people are going to have denser/thicker/heavier hair than others. Some will also have a scalp that tolerates weight less well than other scalps I suppose. It is probably mostly genetics and length.

[girlcat36]

My hair is virtually weightless. Poofy, fluffy, lighter than air. When I go running people are surprised that I don't put my hair up, but it is so lightweight that I can barely feel it, and it doesn't make me hot.
I wish my hair had some weight to it!

[2luvmycurls]

Yeah, me too. But I'm learning to work with what I've got and be happy for aspects that are nice (for instance, I've never had a "hair headache")

[getoffmyskittle]

I'm one who went from heavy hair to light hair - thanks to a lot of shedding! I definitely don't miss the daily hair headaches, but I think it has to do with scalp sensitivity, updo balance, and sheer hair mass. My hair type hasn't changed, but how much I have has decreased (even though it's gotten longer). I also make more stable hairstyles than I used to.

It's possible that you have more taper than your friend, and the taper is disguised by the general curly/wavy/fluffiness. It's also possible that she is just not very good at putting her hair up without having most of the tension in just a few strands.

[spidermom]

I don't notice so much the weight, but the insulation value is enormous.

[Angellen]

I consider my hair to be fairly heavy. I've got quite a bit of it, and by picking up my ponytail, you can really feel the heftiness of it. Also, like spidermom, I've practically got a cloak--the thickness traps body heat when down and keeps me nice and toasty--whether I want it or not.

[EmpressRi]

I know for sure I have heavy hair. If I wear it up too much, it can give me a headache and/or sore head. I can't move it around too much either. It surely keeps me warm in the winter though!

[FrannyG]

I would think that a C/iii would have much heavier hair than an F/i would. I doubt that curls or lack thereof would make a difference.

[Anje]

I've got light hair. It's close to tailbone (actually, DH says it is, but I think I need another inch or so) but when it's loose, it isn't very "swingy."

I've seen JJJ on YouTube fanning her hair out when it's detangled, and it falls back down in a very cool way. Mine is much "floatier" than that and just fluffs wherever.

My circumference is roughly 2.75", last time I checked, but I think the fact that the strands are fine has more to do with that behavior.

[NurseMama]

I don't notice so much the weight, but the insulation value is enormous.

Isn't that the truth!!

Personally, my hair is rather fine- I just have a lot of it. When I have been waist+ it really was never heavy.

[daydreamer]

I consider mine to be light. It's normal volume but very fine texture, and straight -- and I never get hair headaches unless I'm wearing a headband (and thus not the hair's fault).

[mira-chan]

I've got light hair. It's close to tailbone (actually, DH says it is, but I think I need another inch or so) but when it's loose, it isn't very "swingy."

I've seen JJJ on YouTube fanning her hair out when it's detangled, and it falls back down in a very cool way. Mine is much "floatier" than that and just fluffs wherever.

My circumference is roughly 2.75", last time I checked, but I think the fact that the strands are fine has more to do with that behavior.

I have coarse thick hair but its "light." It floats down as described above. It's not swingy. My hair is anti social, each strand separated from the rest and floats down so it looks fluffy. It is heavier than fine hair weight wise but it doesn't act like it. If I put something in it to weigh it down it just looks more gunky and dull when down then nicely weighed down and flowy.

[nessthing]

Mine is heavy when in a braid or a bun where all the mass can work together, but when loose I can't feel any weight at all.

[Darkhorse1]

Good thread! I'm the same way. My hair is long, medium thick strands, and it has natural wave, but very light. My mom, on the other hand, had long, straight hair and her hair was so heavy, like your friend, she cut it because she got headaches and her part was widening as she grew it longer.

[Juliette]

My hair is terrible. It's very light and 'airy' and fine. There doesnt seem to be that muchof it either but it is in great condition. Even thought its not dry it is very weightless and floaty.

[Rini]

Interesting! Mine is much lighter when it's curly, and seems to have more weight when it's straightened out a bit. I wonder why?

[Siava]

I don't notice so much the weight, but the insulation value is enormous.

Snakes scarves help, too. Tee hee! After reading your post and seeing your signature pic it's the first thing that came to mind - couldn't resist. :)

Yea, I think the thickness and length of the hair has a lot to do with the weight. DD has very thick hair with some length. When I play with it I can feel just how heavy it is in my hands.

[bex487]

My individual strands are fine, but I have a lot of them and my hair tends to be heavy. It's gotten so much better since I hit about 18-19 (perhaps due to BC?). When I was little my hair had to be short all the time because of the sheer weight of it. I still have a lot more hair than many people, but at least now it's not so heavy and oppressive.

[Islandgrrl]

I have fine to medium hair, but heaps of it, and it's heavy. The longer it gets the more heft it has, and I do get hair headaches from time to time if things aren't positioned quite right.

[sipnsun]

I think heaviness would probably be determined by 1 or 2 different factors; how many hairs per square inch you have and/or the individual thickness (diameter) of each strand. My hair is thin and fine, so it isn't heavy at all. My mom's hair is fine but she has a lot more hair than me which makes her hair heavier than mine.

[2luvmycurls]

I think it's a mystery, lol, because many of you who said you have heavy hair are a F/M and iii like myself. I guess I'll just have to see if it gets heavier as it grows (I'm hoping it does, because I would think that would also help with the puff). When I have it in a regular braid, I do feel like it's a good bit heavier.

[rhubarbarin]

Mine is light as a feather!

It's not long (BSL) and I'm a M (I think) ii, with a lot of taper right now. The longest it's ever been is past waist curly, and I don't remember it being heavy at all then.

Without product, it's bouyant and floats every which way.

[Lady Godiva]

I consider my hair to be heavy, perhaps very heavy. Some years ago when my hair was mid-calf length, I weighed my unclipped updo on a letter scale. It weighed about 12-13 oz., IIRC. Today it's floor length, and the ends have much more volume now than then, so I figure it's one or two ounces heavier, at most?

More important than its weight (or my estimate of that today), what really hits home with me is how it plunks down when I let it out of an updo. I use a single hair stick for my Infinity Buns and a single large Ficcare Maximas for my Log Rolls - meaning I use no hair pins or bobby pins, also - so when I let down such styles, I can let them plummet down. When I do this, they really drop, and they land with a slight thud. It's not usually audible, but I sure feel it! *whomp* The drop can yank my head back. My hair is super slick, smooth and straight, so there are no obstructions. Not even air is in there for a cushioning effect, so the roll of hair accelerates down. My hair just drops. *kaplunk*

[2luvmycurls]

Lady Godiva -- It sounds like your hair's got some helf, that's for sure! :) It sounds really lovely though! Slick, smooth, straight..ahh. I could put my hair in a tight bun with NOTHING in it (no pins or anything) and it will often stay unless I vigorously shake my head, lol, so my hair doesn't do the "kaplunk" thing.

[girlcat36]

I would think that a C/iii would have much heavier hair than an F/i would. I doubt that curls or lack thereof would make a difference.

With curly hair, the strands are much more porous and dry, and the hair weighs less than straight, moisturized, less dry hair. The moisture gives it a bit more weight.
So I think a curly would be lighter than a straightie with the same i thickness.
Just my opinion! :D

[Haith]

I have fine to medium hair, and there's quite a bit of it, but my hair is still so light. Maybe my neck muscles are just in great shape from having carried it around for so long that I don't notice the weight. But, my hair is much more "floaty" than "swingy".

[redtea]

I think my hair is on the heavy side even though it's not much thicker than average. A hairdresser I used to go to even commented once on how heavy my hair was when it wasn't even that long. My best friend has curlier hair than I do - she's probably a 3a/3b - and it's probably at least 3x as thick as mine.. she used to have it down past her waist and I would sometimes style it for her.. now that was some heavy hair!

[magicatt]

My hair is light and the strands are floaty. It's fairly straight although there is a bunch of tiny waves in there and very fine but voluminous (I'm a 4.5" ponytail circumference) and currently hip length--so I have a ton of hairs per inch and my hair is pretty long. I had someone recently pick up my braid and she was shocked at how light it was. I never get hair headaches and will often forget that my hair is in the updo I put it in that morning instead of a sleep braid and lay down in bed before I realize.

[Altocumulus]

I find that my hair is heavier when it is well moisturized. I don't think it's the few drops of oil that make it feel heavy, I think it's the water the oil prevents from evaporating from the strands that does it.

[2luvmycurls]

The whole moisterized vs. dry thing makes sense to me, and that's probably why even when I straighten my hair, it's not at all weighty, because it still needs to get in better shape -- more moisturized and all that.

Lots of great replys here! Very interesting seeing all of your responses :) (And here I thought when I posted the question that it would be like a one-response thread with a "duh" answer) :D

[Honey39]

I have heavy hair, that you can feel the weight on - it tends to 'thud' down. My friend, on the other hand, has THE most beautiful hair I have ever seen, a mass of waist length curls, and it has no weight at all - it's like candy floss or gossamer threads or something. It's so lovely - she says that wet her hair is almost non-existent, but dry it fluffs up to this incredible cloud of dark curls.

I don't know why my hair is heavy, it's thick, but it seems to have a lot of weight to it. Like me, I guess, lol. Heavy in the hips!

[spidermom]

Snakes scarves help, too.

Don't forget - snakes are cold blooded. He's actually cooling me off.

[taliarose]

I've had people comment for years about how thick and heavy my hair is. What I find is I don't feel the weight from my hair. If I let it out from a bun it slowly unwinds and heads straight down. Then again I've found way back when that pulling my hair doesn't bother my scalp at all. :laugh: A horse even had a tough of war with my braid a couple of months ago and that didn't even bother me. :agape: I very rarely get hair headaches and then I think it's more the position of the hair sticks than the weight... I think it's just a combination of things. Helps make us unique!

[Mely]

Fabric that hangs nicely and has a sort of swing to it is said to have a nice drape. Rayon, for example, usually drapes well, where as cotton has more of a tendency to poof out.

My hair doesn't drape well--it is definitly of the more poofy variety.

[taliarose]

My hair doesn't drape well--it is definitly of the more poofy variety.

OMG that is how people discribe my hair when it's down. Even in the family we all talk about our poofy hair!!:cheer:

[GlassEyes]

My hair's fairly light, for now. It blows around a lot.

It'll keep getting heavier though, I know it. XD

[ladystar]

My individual strands are thick! My hair is heavy but I have no problems with my scalp hurting from weight, only when I pick it up in a ponytail for a couple of days.

[ChatoyantLocks]

My hair is on the heavy side, but it doesn't generally bother me, because my neck muscles apparently adapted as it grew. I didn't realize this had happened until I tried a style that moved the balance point of my hair significantly forward from what I was used to, and my neck started to feel weird after a while.

[darkwaves]

My hair never feels heavy, except when I catch it wrong in an updo. (Snag a single hair, for example.)

But as spidermom says, the insulation factor is enormous!

[LongForLife]

Wow, I never realized how unusually heavy my hair must be. I have always had issues with extreme hair heaviness. When not layered, it is literally a lion mane. It is very heavy, when dry or moisturized, that doesn't seem to matter much. I easily get hair headaches with any sort of up-do, so I need to be very careful that it is not pulling at all. Otherwise I can get really bad migraines. Since my hair has been layered, it has helped with the headaches and weight, but I really would like to grow the layers back out. I LOVE the look of my current V style, but it is such a pain for getting it all up or for braids.

I always wondered why people have different weights of hair. I think the others are right when they say genetics are a big part of it. I have had tons of people comment on how thick and heavy my hair feels. But when I wear it down, I do not notice the weight so much, just the extreme horse blanket warmth. :D It can come in mighty handy in the cold winter. ;) I also have very thick hair, so I am sure that is what partially contributes to the weight.

[Little_Bird]

I think it might be related to the volume (amoung of hair in the head) and the thickness. For example, I have a ii/iii volume and an M/C thickness, so my hair is kinda heavy. My sister has lots of volume too but she is an F/M. So her hair, despite being VERY long, is not really heavy. Now a cousin of ours has 3c hair, but she was a ii with an M thickness... Her hair was really light, even at waist lenght, and sometimes it held updos, like buns, without any stick, pin or whatsoever.

So I think those are things that make the hair heavy or light, but of course the amount of product you put in it affects it too. It's an interesting matter anyhow :)

[EbonyCurls]

I have very light (sometimes fluffy) curls. My hair feels the same weight as it did when it was very short and seeing as how I'm half-way towards my goal I don't think It will ever feel weighty.
Even twice the weight it is now would still be nothing.
I think it has to do with density. IMO lighter hair has more spaces (air) between each hair.

Sometimes I think it's too thin (even though most of the time it does have the appearance of decent thickness it doesn't FEEL thick). but other times, like when it's wet I'm happy to have light-weight hair because it dries faster, it isn't heavy or give me headaches when I put it up, and when I grow to just past waist I'll be able to condense or inflate my buns as much as I want to.
I still get jealous of the heavy heads sometimes though.

[ReadingRenee]

I also notice when my hair is straight is feels heavier. When I was doing WO for two weeks it felt very heavy. When its wavy it feels light and floaty no matter how long it gets.

[flapjack]

Mine feels very heavy when wet or damp. I try not to let it come off of my back in the shower unless I have a hand holding it properly. When it's dry all bets are off. Some days, it unwinds out of a bun or braid quickly, smacks my back on the way down and swings down like it's something heavy. Other days, it feels floaty and light. I'm not sure why that is since I never use product or anything. Updos can hurt my neck after about 30 seconds if I don't put them up exactly right. But once it's up the right way, it's fine.

[LisaButz2001]

My hair is fine and I have a lot; it is heavy and I notice that most when I cut from TB to waist. When it is waist it feels as if there is nothing there for the first few days. It's dead straight, one length, blunt cut.

[ohjezebel]

I feel that my hair is fairly light - it's floaty, it doesn't stick together in one smooth mass, it separates and gets frizzy with lots of fly-away hairs.

I think a lot of its 'lightness' is due to my incredible (very severe) taper. The majority of the weight of my hair is up near my scalp, so the ends just float around on their own without sticking to each other or looking nice - unless I do a lot of work to make them clump in curls.

[fluffer]

I dont know why, but your post made me giggle flapjack! Probably because my hair is the same way. It has weight when it is wet, but when it dries, I never know what I will end up with.

I have thin somewhat fine hair, so on most days it is light and "floaty" but some days it has fabulous weight. Maybe it has to do with humidity, or product ingredients. Who knows. I sure dont.

[catfish]

My hair is super light weight, it's between waist and tailbone in length yet it feels the same way my pixy cuts felt, like nothing. My hair dries really fast to, like in 20 min. It's fluffy and soft, like duck down, it never looks sleek though and wont stay straight to save my life.

Little Bird described a cousin with very light hair that could hold itself up in updos, I can totally do that:p my hair will hold a cinnabun for hours with nothing in it.

The only time I even feel my hair is when it's wet or drenched in oil. Even then, there is not much there. The longer my hair gets the curlier it is, I don't know if that has anything to do with it.

[plainjanegirl]

My hair is heavyish. It is thick and I think that has something to do with it. I cannot get my hair in a poof. When I try a sock bun or cinnamon or bee butt bun then after awhile it will give me a headache. ( I just wrote about this in my blog yesterday). If I have my hair down or in a braid it does not bother me.

[2luvmycurls]

I cannot get my hair in a poof

Oh, you lucky lucky duck!!!! ;)

[plainjanegirl]

Oh, you lucky lucky duck!!!! ;)


I guess you do not like the poofs.
Alot of young girls and women are wearing the small poofs now in my area instead of the flat pulled back look.

[Elenna]

I may just be noticing the weight more, now that it is longer. But my hair feels heavy and it is not particulary thick nor long.

It is interesting how many people here have light hair.

Lady Godiva made me laugh about her *whomp* & *kaplunk* for plummeting hair.