What are the Differences Between African-American and Caucasian Hair Types?

There are many similarities between a Caucasian individual’s hair and an African-American person’s hair. For example: all hair is composed of a cortex, a cuticle, a medulla, and the keratin protein. However, there are differences when it comes to the shape of the follicle, which typically dictates the shape of the hair. A Caucasian person’s hair also generally grows at a slightly faster rate than an African-American’s hair. With that in mind, the common causes of hair loss are universal among the races, and most available treatments can be beneficial for hair restoration in both Caucasian and African-American patients.

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Learn more about ethnic hair restoration.

Procedures such as follicular unit extraction (FUE) offers patients of many races and ethnicities an advanced method of hair loss replacement that can result in very natural-looking results. It’s important to remember that, while every person’s hair is unique, an African-American person’s hair often has a lower density of follicular units in the donor area; however, the hair is often very curly and textured. This typically makes it possible to enhance the coverage of balding or thinning areas and cover bigger areas of the scalp. For individuals of African-American descent who are considering surgical hair restoration, it is imperative to choose a highly experienced hair replacement surgeon who is skilled with both FUE and follicular unit transplantation (FUT) procedures. These solutions, when performed by an experienced surgeon like Dr. Bernardino Arocha, can be extraordinarily effective for the unique features of African-American hair and can be ideal for the creation of long-lasting, natural-looking results.