The word “typology” itself has several meanings. Within the context of this word includes types, methods of filing certain phenomenon or matters to a broader sense. In connection with hair, we talk about its different types according to maturity of hair, characteristics, features and color.

According to maturity of hair, we distinguish them as follows:

• Embryonic growth
• Lanugo
• Vellus hair
• Terminal hair

 
Embryonic Growth

These are the first germinal hairs that can be found after 9 weeks of infancy at certain parts of the face such as above the lips, eyebrows and the chin. Embryonic hair is denser than that of a post natal growth. Originally, hair covering the whole body are all the same, it is only at a later stage when they can be classified according to genetic information, hormonal influence or the external environment.
 

Lanugo

These are fine hairs which are scattered all over the body and may occur after childbirth. They have a different structure and most of it has minimal pigmentation.
 

Vellus Hair

Vellus hairs replace lanugo hairs during gestation. They have a very fine texture, still with lower pigmentation with the absence of hair bulb, coarseness and volume of a mature hair.
 

Terminal Hair

Terminal hairs occur during the first few months of a baby. They have fully developed all the layers, pigmentation and coloration including equal distribution of hair colors. Obviously, its covering character becomes more visible during more mature ages such as during puberty.
 

Terminal hairs are classified as follows:
 

• Long Hair
  • capillus (pilus capitis – hair on the head)
  • barba (beard) 
  • hirci (hair on the armpit) 
  • pubes (hair on the pubic region) 
  • body hair 
     
• Short Hair
  • cilia – eyelashes
  • supercilia – eyebrow
  • vibrissae – hairs inside the nostrils 
  • tragi – hairs on the ear canal

Further classifications are according to its character and form.
 

Form and structure of the hair is characterized by:

• Straight – Mongolian type
• Common – Slightly wavy such as Caucasian type
• Curly – African type
   

Form is influenced by its structure which is a three-dimensional circular projection similar to the form of a helix. Of course we already know that these original hair forms can easily be modified by means of modern chemical products available in the market today.

Hair can also be classified according to color:
 

• Red hair
• Blonde hair
• Brown hair
• Black hair
• Grey hair

 
Red Hair

Red-hairs have synthesized hair structures – formed by both types of melanin: higher level of pheomelanin (reddish pigment) and lower level of eumelanin (dark pigment) that eventually creates a color similar to that of a copper in the color spectrum.
 

Blonde Hair

Blond hairs are also characterized by the formation of both colors mentioned. However, cell structures forming the dark pigment eumelanin is relatively low consequentially leading to lighter hair shades.
 

Brown Hair

Brown hair is characterized by very high levels of the dark pigment eumelanin and lower levels of the pale pigment pheomelanin.
 

Grey Hair

In grey hairs, there is a change in the formation of colors greatly affected by the limited activities of the enzyme Tyrosine.
 

Last important classifications are as follows:

• Healthy
• Unhealthy
   

A classic hair disorder that we can think of is unhealthy hair which is easily damaged by environmental factors. Most of these problems involve disturbed normal hair growth such as harmful effects on the hair stem or even the hair structure itself. This eventually leads to the loss of hair elasticity, luster and shine which later on result to hair breaking and split ends. In addition, it is also important to be aware of appropriate hair care according to your hair type to achieve a healthy and beautiful hair.