Some hair conditions need pH balancing more than others. There are common hair conditions and the table below describes the characteristics that define each:
|
Hair Condition |
Texture |
Elasticity / breakage |
Appearance |
|
Normal |
Soft and smooth to the touch |
Highly elastic hair strands and with minimal hair loss |
Lustrous |
|
Dry Hair |
Coarse in texture and feels like straw |
Little or absence of moisture leads to easy and excessive hair loss and breakage |
Appears dull and lifeless Presence of frizz and/or split ends |
|
Oily Hair |
Greasy to the touch |
Medium to high elasticity; the presence of oil lessens threat of breakage |
Appears limp and lank Oily scalp and with presence of dandruff |
|
Treated / Heat Damaged Hair |
Coarse in texture |
Over processing makes hair fragile and prone to breakage |
If maintained properly, can appear good but over processing |
Aside from the condition of your hair, you should also consider your hair type and texture. These are critical in determining the best balancing treatment for you.
Your hair shape talks about your hair strand’s curl pattern.
|
Hair Type (Shape) |
Description |
|
Straight |
· Hangs loose and free · Shiny and reflects light easily · Difficult to curl and can become easily oily |
|
Wavy |
· Lies between straight and curly · Wavy hair is more susceptible to frizz · Has a little bounce and shine than curly hair |
|
Curly |
· Much tighter curl pattern from spirals, ringlets to corkscrews · Full of body but not a lot of sheen · Easily frizzes in humid climate and is prone to damage |
|
Kinky |
· Most African-Americans have this hair type · With extremely defined curls that are tightly coiled · Driest and most fragile of all hair types |
Hair texture determines the thickness of your hair strand. A simple test to do to find out your texture type is by pulling a strand of hair and comparing it against a piece of thread.
|
Hair Type (Texture) |
Description |
|
Fine Hair |
Hair strand is thinner than the thread piece Fine hair when healthy has a natural shine. Fine hair is soft and difficult to style. If unhealthy it appears limp and lank. |
|
Medium Hair |
Hair strand is about the same size as the thread piece Medium hair is considered normal hair type as a lot of people have this hair type Medium has lots of body and usually can be easily styled and managed Its softer than course hair but more voluminous than fine hair |
|
Coarse Hair |
Hair strand is thicker than the piece of thread Often rough, wiry, heavy, wild and strong It is often dry, difficult to process and resistant to treatment Requires heavy conditioning to keep this hair under control |