Thick Hair vs. Dense Hair

[genesislocks]

Hey Ladies!

I have a question I've been jonesin' to ask

How can you tell whether or not your hair is "dense" in thickness, or if you have thick strands? I'm curious to know because as for myself I feel that my strands have gotten thicker, but I'm not sure where my density stands on the thickness scale.

Is it possible to have thick strands with low density or vice-versa? If you guys know please tell me!!

Thank you!!

 

[APrayer4Hair]

Good question,

When I had hair (I recently BC'ed to a twa) my hair was "full"=dense but my individual strands were/are very fine

 

[NappyNelle]

To check strand size, you can collect a few of your shed hairs and compare them to the half width of sewing thread. If your hair is thinner than the width of sewing thread split in two, you have fine hair. If your hair is the same width, you have normal hair. If your strand is thicker, you have thick strands.

Density is the number of hair strands you have in a section of hair; this can vary throughout your head. Part your hair into a 1-inch square. If you are not able to see your scalp through the strands, you have full/thick/ high density hair. If you can see about 10% of your scalp, you have medium/normal/average density hair. If you can see more than %10 of your scalp, you have low density/thin hair. (I made these numbers up, because density is hard to measure accurately.)

You can have any number of combination of strand size and density on your head.

 

[Leslie_C]

I struggled with the difference too. I read somewhere to compare the carpet to the drapes lol.......and the lightbulb came on then lol. The carpet is what thick strands look like... If your hair strands are much thinner they are fine, a little thinner then they are medium, the same then thick. As far as density, if you have very wide parts and/or you can see your scalp through your hair, your density is probably low.

 

[BlkMane]

I have super dense hair. When I part my hair, I don't have wide gaps of space. You just see a thin line of scalp. My roots/hair follicles are very close together.

On two occasions in my life, I had bad salon procedures and my hair started shedding from the root. I would save the hair that came out to see how much it amounted to. Well, on one occasion it was 3 quart-size zippy bags of hair loss. And I never had to cut my hair or do a bc or anything because if I didn't tell you I had lost that hair you would never notice. My hair was so dense that it just wasn't obvious. Though I had lost A LOT of hair, I still had a ton on my head. The hair was shed equally all over my head so I had no bald spots. I would say, that is dense hair.


Another thing, my scalp is WHITE! Seems like the sun can't get thru my hair to tan my scalp. Best sunscreen ever!

 

[genesislocks]

To check strand size, you can collect a few of your shed hairs and compare them to the half width of sewing thread. If your hair is thinner than the width of sewing thread split in two, you have fine hair. If your hair is the same width, you have normal hair. If your strand is thicker, you have thick strands.

Density is the number of hair strands you have in a section of hair; this can vary throughout your head. Part your hair into a 1-inch square. If you are not able to see your scalp through the strands, you have full/thick/ high density hair. If you can see about 10% of your scalp, you have medium/normal/average density hair. If you can see more than %10 of your scalp, you have low density/thin hair. (I made these numbers up, because density is hard to measure accurately.)

You can have any number of combination of strand size and density on your head.

Thanks! I'm going to try the sewing thread measurement then tell you what I discover

 

[LunaGorgeous]

I see how this can be confusing lol...I think when some people say 'thick hair' they really mean thickly dense hair. Some also say 'thick hair' meaning thick strands, in which case strand size varies so it can be up in the air. It can be difficult to distinguish what the individual is referring to since we interpret things differently.

For me I have ridiculously fine (as fine as thread, wispy,and delicate) strands but dense (thick) hair. I have many textures (wavy, coily, and curly) on my head, but all the strands are fine. Some of the strands are thicker than others depending on the texture, but they're all fine just the same.

 

[manter26]

There's a ponytail circumference measurement test for density somewhere on the web. You can look that up and see. I think it's all relative though because I see a lot of people say they have thick hair and it doesn't look thick to me.

 

[claud-uk]

I struggled with the difference too. I read somewhere to compare the carpet to the drapes lol.......and the lightbulb came on then lol. The carpet is what thick strands look like... If your hair strands are much thinner they are fine, a little thinner then they are medium, the same then thick. As far as density, if you have very wide parts and/or you can see your scalp through your hair, your density is probably low.

I thought this too... but then I wondered maybe not everyone has the same carpet like they don't have the same drapes?

I mean, for example, two guys don't have the same carpet strands. Some are tightly coiled and really seperated, but some are like Father Christmas beard hair.

Lord, don't quote me on this but most of my drapes strands are JUST like my carpet strands, but my carpet strands are proper sheeny and shiny like they've been clear glossed but the drapes are dull.

Both carpet and drapes are like kinky cassette tape.

 

[HanaKuroi]

Lolololol that is allllllllllll

 

[Mjon912]

Thanks for asking OP...I just learned something new, I guess I have thin dense hair....thanks NappyNelle

 

[faithVA]

To check strand size, you can collect a few of your shed hairs and compare them to the half width of sewing thread. If your hair is thinner than the width of sewing thread split in two, you have fine hair. If your hair is the same width, you have normal hair. If your strand is thicker, you have thick strands.

Density is the number of hair strands you have in a section of hair; this can vary throughout your head. Part your hair into a 1-inch square. If you are not able to see your scalp through the strands, you have full/thick/ high density hair. If you can see about 10% of your scalp, you have medium/normal/average density hair. If you can see more than %10 of your scalp, you have low density/thin hair. (I made these numbers up, because density is hard to measure accurately.)

You can have any number of combination of strand size and density on your head.

Wow that was thorough. That is the best description I have seen on this topic so far. Thanks NappyNelle.

 

[MrsJaiDiva]

Lol, my hair thickness is a Lie....thank God! My strands are between normal, and thick, but my density is Low....but you can't tell because of how curly my hair is, and because of the thickness of the strands. When I put my hair in twists, I can clearly see I don't have a lot of hair...which messes with my hairnorexia...

 

[kandake]

I have normal to thick strands but I have below average density. Well, I have high density in the middle of my head and at the top. But the other areas are really low density.

I really like when people have high density with fine strands. That type of hair tends to have a lot of weight, body and movement.

 

[grownwomanaz]

Lol, my hair thickness is a Lie....thank God! My strands are between normal, and thick, but my density is Low....but you can't tell because of how curly my hair is, and because of the thickness of the strands. When I put my hair in twists, I can clearly see I don't have a lot of hair...which messes with my hairnorexia...

This is me right here. My strands are thick, but I lost about half of the density I once had with overprocessed relaxers. Thinning hair is the major reason I stopped relaxing 3 years ago. I've been using sulfur oil and coffee rinsing to get back what I've lost and it's gradually working. I may not get it all back, but I believe in a year or so I will see a noticeable difference.

 

[BrownSkin2]

Measure the circumference of your ponytail:

i - thin (less than 2 inches/5 centimeters)
ii - normal (between 2-4 inches or 5-10 centimeters)
iii - thick (more than 4 inches/10 centimeters)

 

[MrsJaiDiva]

This is me right here. My strands are thick, but I lost about half of the density I once had with overprocessed relaxers. Thinning hair is the major reason I stopped relaxing 3 years ago. I've been using sulfur oil and coffee rinsing to get back what I've lost and it's gradually working. I may not get it all back, but I believe in a year or so I will see a noticeable difference.

Mine was from postpartum shedding, but I honestly don't think I can go back to relaxing. I got back a lot of what was lost, but nowhere Near enough to relax...I need the lie of thickness my curls give me. My crown especially, is stupid thin...