Real Talk: Do You Have Coarse Hair? Here's A Simple Test To Find Out

Hair comes with a lot of descriptors and variables: straight versus curly, fine versus thick, dense versus thin, frizzy versus smooth, poofy versus flat, oh how the list goes on. One that is often misunderstood is coarse hair—people tend to think of coarse hair as anything that's brittle or rough. And while dryness can certainly be a signifier, it's not the definition of coarse hair. What does it mean to have coarse hair, how can you tell, and what can you do about it? Our explainer. 

What is coarse hair?

Simply: "Coarse hair is the type of hair texture with the widest diameter of hair strands," says celebrity hairstylist Marcus Francis, brand ambassador for new natural brand Better Natured. "It's not just wavy or curly hair, but straight hair can be coarse as well."

Coarse hair is also notorious for being dry (see: the misunderstanding above). "It has the tendency to need extra moisture and also loses moisture quickly, while the ends dry and split much easier than other hair types," he says. Logically, this makes sense. If your hair strand has a wider width, it will require more oils to keep it conditioned—perhaps more oils than your scalp can naturally produce. Whereas someone who does not have coarse hair will likely have no problem keeping their strands hydrated—in fact, they might even complain about having greasy hair. 

Of course, anyone can have dry hair. And dryness can be the result of a number of factors including climate, your scalp, products, and so on. So if you can't simply use moisture levels as a clue, how can you actually know if you have coarse hair?

How to test for coarse hair.

You don't need to run to a hairstylist to help you identify whether your strands are coarse—it's very easy to do a self-test: "Pick up a strand of hair; if you can't feel it, you have fine hair. If you can feel the texture you have coarse hair," says celebrity hairstylist Chad Wood, who is a brand stylist partner for clean brand FEKKAI. If you're still having trouble, compare it to a standard thread of fabric. If it's thicker than that, you have coarse hair. 

What can you do if you have coarse hair?

Since one of the main pain points of coarse hair is dryness, you should focus on hydration. "I like to use thicker products on coarse hair because it tends to be more dry," says Wood. "You want to hydrate the hair because it will result in more shine. I use oils, creams, butters, and balms."

Look for hydrating shampoos and thick, emollient conditioners and masks in the shower ("Because it needs more moisture, it's a great idea to incorporate that from the first steps of styling, which is in the shower," says Francis), opt for hydrating leave-ins, and seal in moisture with natural oils. Now the specifics of these products will depend on your exact type—from straight to curly—as different strand patterns have different needs.

For example, someone with coarse straight hair should look for products that have softening properties that allow for a movement and breathability, while those with curls should look for products that have more hold to amplify their ringlets. For more guidance, check out how to air-dry your hair. 

The takeaway. 

Variety is the spice of life—and hair apparently. If you've got it, not to worry: Just load up on moisturizers.