To correctly care for your hair, it’s first really important to identify the type of hair that you have. Helpfully, men’s hair can be split into four easy-to-understand categories, making it nice and straightforward for you to identify your hair type. This then allows you to treat it correctly and ensure you can maintain a head of hair to be proud of long into the future. Below, we explain the different hair types and how you should care for them to keep your hair healthy and strong.
Hair types for men explained
While there are different ways to classify hair type, Andre Walker’s hair typing system is widely accepted as the standard. Established in the 1990s, the system posits that there are four hair types:
- Straight
- Wavy
- Curly
- Kinky-coily
These classifications can then be broken down into further categories, such as straight-fine, wavy-defined, curly-loose, and kinky-coily-tight, but most men are happy with the general classification. So, how do you identify and care for your hair type? Let’s find out.
Haircare routine for straight hair
Straight hair is really easy to identify, as it lacks any definitive curls. It is typically strong and responds well to styling, and isn’t overly affected by heat. Straight hair also looks naturally shiny because the natural oils flow freely from your scalp all the way to the end of the follicles. So, it’s really important to wash straight hair frequently to prevent the build-up of oil, which causes your hair to look greasy.
Therefore, caring for straight hair is all about preventing the build-up of natural oils. You should wash your hair daily or every couple of days with shampoo and conditioner to keep your hair looking shiny and healthy.
Haircare routine for wavy hair
Wavy hair falls in that sweet spot between straight and curly. It’s voluminous and can be styled in endless ways, and it can be rocked short or long. Like straight hair, wavy hair can be prone to excess oil, but the real problem is the dreaded frizz that can occur if you don’t look after your hair.
Again, washing your hair regularly is important, but conditioning wavy hair is the best way to eliminate frizz. A natural conditioner will keep your waves nourished and healthy and prevent them from drying out, so make sure you condition your wavy hair well and often.
Haircare routine for curly hair
Curly hair is that which consists of curls that are at least an inch long. Naturally, you need to let your hair grow out before identifying it as curly, and it can take a few months of growth until your natural curls take shape. Curly hair is generally thick and is prone to frizzing, although you don’t need to worry as much about a build-up of oil.
When you’re washing curly hair, make sure you use warm water instead of hot, as this will keep the level of frizz down. Also, treating your curly hair with Argan oil is a great way to eliminate the frizz that appears after washing and conditioning.
Haircare routine for coily hair
Coily hair takes curls to the next level. It is sometimes referred to as corkscrew or spiral hair, and it is identified by tight coils that begin immediately at the scalp. In a one inch section of hair, you will see multiple curls, which is the best way to identify this hair type. The key thing to remember about coily hair is that it tends to shrink when it’s wet, and it’s the most fragile hair type that is prone to drying out.
Therefore, moisturising coily hair is of the utmost importance, and using an Argan oil treatment a couple of times a week is a good move. You should also make sure that you crank the water temperature down when you’re washing coily hair, or you will find that it dries out even more quickly than normal.
Caring for all types of hair
If you have noticed that your hair is thinning, you may be experiencing the early signs of male pattern hair loss, a condition that affects millions of men of different ages all around the world. If you think that you might be experiencing male pattern hair loss, it’s important not to panic. As well as following the hair care tips for your hair type, you can incorporate some simple steps into your daily routine to combat and treat male pattern hair loss.
For instance, using a DHT-blocking shampoo is a good way of revitalising the hair follicles on your head and may help you if you’re experiencing the early signs of a receding hairline. We also provide a range of other hair loss treatment plans that are suitable for men at different stages of the Norwood Scale, so browse through our options today to see which is best suited to your current circumstances.
All of our blog articles are reviewed by our Medical Director before publication.
