Regardless of your ethnicity or racial background, there are twelve different hair types. Although your race can indicate what type of hair you have, to say that you have Black or African American hair or Mexican hair or Asian hair is inaccurate.

Your hair type is made of three categories: your hair is either straight, wavy, curly, or extremely curly; it is either fine, medium, or coarse (the actual diameter of the hair, which we will call texture); and you have a certain amount of hair per square inch (density). Some people have enough hair for three villages while other people have three strands on their entire head.

Another area of hair type, which affects all hair types, is hair life. This is how long your hair stays attached to your head before it naturally falls out and replaces itself. Hair life is why some people can grow their hair to their ankles while others can only grow it to their chin.

Determination of Hair Type:

• Straight or curly and how curly
  
• The size of the individual strand (thread vs. cruise ship rope)
  
• How much hair do you have
  

Determination of Hair Length

• The life of your hair
  

These four areas determine what type of hair you have, regardless of your race or skin color. Example: If you are a black woman, you may have curly, medium texture, high density hair with a long life. Your hair will be able to withstand chemicals and heat, and it can grow to the middle of your back. However, your sister may have extremely curly, baby fine, low density hair with a short life; this means that her options will be completely different. If you look at her hair, not her skin color, you will see completely different hair. (mouse over types links to view image samples)

Straight Hair Types

• Normal
• Thick
• Thin

Wavy Hair Types

• Normal
• Thick
• Thin

Curly Hair Types

• Low Density
• High Density

Overly Curly Hair Types

• Low Density
• High Density

Black, African American, Asian, White, Indian, Mixed Race, etc., no matter what your ethnic background you will fall into one of these categories. We can't determine hair type based solely on ethnicity because we are human beings, and hair comes from our bodies. Just imagine your physician treating your cancer the "Asian way” or the “Italian way.” They will treat your illness specifically for your body and what is right for your situation. Hair is the same way; although our race may predispose us to some things, if you follow the previous formula, you will achieve styles that will work for your hair type.

For mixed-race children, mothers or fathers can learn to manage your child's hair by breaking down what type of hair she has and then finding a style that will work for her hair type. However, mixed-race does not mean the hair is undefinable—if you follow the formula above, you will be able to determine anyones hair type.

Your hair type is the first thing to consider when picking a hair style, you cannot make your hair type do something it cannot do.  No desire, nor an amazing hairstylist, can make your hair do something it cannot do. You need to ask the question, “What is best for my hair?”