Learning Hair Density: What Is It and What Is Yours?

When I was younger, I assumed that hair was all about products, styling, and growth.

I never knew that different technical terms define and describe the actual condition of your hair. Sometimes, hair looks healthy but isn't healthy at all.

For example, my hair always looked healthy. When I would wash, condition, and style my hair, it would always have this glow to it.

However, after a while, I noticed that shiny and glowing hair didn't mean that hair was healthy. 🔅

After looking at my hair closely, I realized that it wasn't as healthy as I thought. Luckily, as I grew to understand more about hair, I learned about hair density and how you should know it before shopping for a new HD Closure Wig!

Hair density gives you information about the strength and health of your hair. It also gives you information about how well you take care of your hair.

After learning about my hair density, I was able to see how poor of a job I was doing with my hair care. Learning more about my hair density helped me move forward with my hair care.

I was able to figure out which products and tools work best for my hair density. The more that I knew, the better my hair started to look!

Learning about Hair Density

Did you know that hair density deals not only with remy hair extensions and lace front wigs but also with your real hair?

Your hair density tells a lot about the condition of your hair and how well you take care of it.

There are some who cannot control their hair density, whether it is due to genetics or a medical condition.

On the other hand, there are others who can try to retain their hair density by knowing what hairstyles and products work best.

Let's chat about what exactly hair density is and how you can find out your own.

What Is Hair Density?

Hair density refers to how close your hair strands are to one another.

Every single strand of hair adds to the overall thickness of your hair.

Professionals find hair density by counting each strand within one square inch of your scalp.

Fun fact: on average, we each have over 2,000 strands of hair within one square inch.

However, do not get this confused with hair thickness.

Hair thickness, fine hair, and coarse hair are different because it's only about the width of the hair, not the quantity.

Who would have ever thought there was a difference? Thank goodness you decided to read this article, huh, ladies?

How Do You Measure Hair Density?

Strand Count

Believe it or not, there are not that many ways to measure the density of your hair.

The most tedious of them is the strand test. This method counts each piece of hair. All you have to do is part your hair into a 1-inch square section and count the strands that way.

This procedure will have to be done numerous times until every strand has been identified. This method can take forever, but it is said to be the most effective. You are more than welcome to try this method on your own.

However, I recommend that you see a professional hairstylist. A hairstylist can gauge your hair density the best because they can conduct the strand count more effectively.

Phototrichogram

A photorichogram is a noninvasive method that takes a close-up photograph of your hair strands.

This method makes a qualitative and quantitative assessment of your hair.

Phototrichograms do not take that long and are completed by trained hair professionals; no DIY on this one, ladies. This photo is just a faster, more detailed option for a strand count.

Ponytail Test

The ponytail test is the simplest way to measure your hair's density.

This method does not take that long and is pretty simple to do yourself. Yes, a hairstylist can do it, but we are always about saving money and being more self-dependent.

To complete the ponytail test, just smooth out your hair anyplace into a ponytail. This method measures your hair density by the circumference of the end of your ponytail.

So, as you can imagine, the more hair you have, the more hair mass you will have.

Take a Look at Your Hair

You can look at your hair In its natural state and see whether you can see at your scalp or not.

If you can look at your scalp, you have low-density hair. If all you see is roots and new growth, you more than likely have high-density hair.

Medium-density hair is similar to the scalp of someone with thinning hair. Taking a look at my hair and ends, I can tell I have high-density hair.

I can also say I have high-density hair because unless I part my hair, it is hard just to see my scalp. 

Low-density hair is less than two inches, medium density is 2 to 3 inches, and high will always be four or more inches.

Why You Should Care about Hair Density

You should care about your hair density because once you are aware of it, you can proactively find styles that work best.

Knowing your hair density also allows you to make smarter choices in the products you use on your hair. With low-density hair, it is best to use lighter products so you won't weigh down your hair, which can lead to more shedding.

More or persistent shedding leads to a lower density, which can eventually lead to thinning and even balding.

Using the wrong product on low-density hair will cause the hair to look greasy and dull, and we don't want that. With higher-density hair, thicker products are best to use.

They are the best because when you have high-density hair, your hair takes more product to be beneficial to the hair strands. The main reason why using light products with high-density hair is a waste.

Medium-density hair is the in-between for those people who don't have low density but not quite high.

These people will tend to have combination hair, more than likely.

The best product to use for this density is leave-in anything. Leave-ins do wonders for medium-density hair because they help to retain moisture.

Know the Difference

Once you become aware, you become responsible.

Although hair density and hair thickness aren't the same, they act on one another.

This means that the thickness of your hair is usually dependent on the density of your hair and vice versa.

It's important that you think about this as you move along, considering that hair density is a major factor when it comes to hair health and overall hairstyle. 

When you know better, you do better. Knowing about your hair density will make or break you because your hair density determines what products and tools you use for your hair.

As mentioned before, if you have low hair density, you should use lighter products because your hair can't handle heavier products. Your hair can't handle high-heat tools, either.

For example, my hair is high in density, which means that I don't have much of an issue with heat styling tools, but I also need to use the correct washing products that penetrate my hair.

Contacting a professional will help you understand the importance of hair density. A professional will tell you how to properly take care of your hair according to your hair density.

They'll give you all the knowledge you need to get your hair in order.

If you don't want to pay for a full stylist session, try asking for a consultation. A consultation will get you in the door and give you time to figure out what you want to do!

You cannot have kinky hair; you can have low-density hair and vice versa. You need to care about this because not only does it help with which products to buy, but it also tells you which style works best with your hair and not against your hair.

An example of a suitable technique for high-density hair would be long layers, as opposed to a blunt cut that would look best on medium density. 👍🏿

For low-density hair, having a rounded cut will help give the appearance of thicker hair and work with your curls.

I know this was a lot to take in, and hopefully, this explains all you need to know. 

Always remember that every hair texture is different, so take your density into consideration next time!

Whenever you aren't sure about how to do something, don't hesitate to ask a professional.