Axis 1
Pattern
Straight, wavy, curly, or coily describes the repeating dry shape. One head may contain several patterns.
Chairside self-check · private by design
Hair Type Scanner for Men
Use this free hair type scanner for men to build a hair passport from what you can actually observe — pattern, strand width, apparent density and moisture behavior — then leave with adaptable haircut families and the words to use in the barber's chair.
- Photo stays local and is optional
- No automatic classification
- No hair-loss or scalp diagnosis
- Mixed answers remain mixed
1
Read the air-dried pattern
Choose the family that best describes several sections after washing and air-drying without heat or strong-hold product. One head can hold more than one pattern; pick the dominant one.
2
Separate strand width from density
Different measurements: fine strands can grow at high density, coarse strands at low density. Roll one shed strand between two fingers, then check scalp visibility across several parts in even light.
3
Estimate porosity from behavior
Porosity is estimated from how hair behaves with water and product — not from a photo, and not from the unreliable single-strand float test. Conflicting answers stay mixed.
4
Check scalp comfort
This does not diagnose dandruff, dermatitis, infection or a hair-loss condition. It only decides whether routine self-care advice should stop.
The four-axis rule
“Hair type” is not one label.
Most quizzes collapse men's hair into a single letter-number code. This hair type scanner keeps four independent axes separate, because a barber uses them separately.
Axis 2
Strand width
Fine, medium, or coarse describes one strand. It does not tell you how much hair covers the scalp.
Axis 3
Density
Lower, medium, or higher describes apparent coverage across several parts. Photos and lighting can distort it.
Axis 4
Porosity behavior
A low, balanced, high, or mixed leaning comes from repeated wetting, drying, and product observations.
Barber language, decoded
Agree on the shape before the clippers start.
A useful consultation separates the target silhouette from the technique. Once the hair type scanner has produced your passport, these terms help you ask a precise follow-up instead of relying on a reference photo made with different density, texture, growth direction, or head shape.
- Taper
- A gradual shortening at the sideburns or neckline. It does not automatically mean the whole side goes to skin.
- Fade
- A stronger short-to-long transition on the sides and back. Specify low, mid, or high and where the shortest area should begin.
- Guard
- A clipper attachment that helps control length. The lever position, cutting direction, and hair compression still affect the result.
- Debulk
- Remove interior weight. Ask where and why; low density and defined curls can be harmed by indiscriminate thinning.
- Natural outline
- Keeps the visible hairline softer instead of carving a new hard edge. Compare it with an edge-up or line-up before choosing.
- Crown / growth pattern
- The direction hair grows around the top-back area. Leaving the wrong length can make a cowlick stand up or collapse.
Privacy and limits
What this workbench refuses to pretend
No image analysis
The optional image is a local mirror. It does not leave the browser and does not determine any answer.
No medical diagnosis
The tool does not identify alopecia, dermatitis, dandruff, infection, or the cause of a scalp or hair change.
No false precision
It uses broad pattern families and behavior signals. Borderline or conflicting porosity answers stay mixed.
No haircut guarantee
A barber still needs to examine dry length, crown, cowlicks, grain, hairline, and scalp visibility in person.
Questions before the chair
Hair type scanner FAQ
Can one photo accurately identify my hair type?
No. A clear front-facing photo can help you inspect the visible outer silhouette, but it cannot reliably measure curl pattern, individual strand thickness, density, porosity, scalp health, or the cause of hair loss. This hair type scanner therefore keeps the photo optional and local, then asks you to confirm each useful axis from direct observation and hair behavior.
Does this hair type scanner upload or store my photo?
No. The optional photo is displayed with a temporary local browser URL. This tool has no photo upload step, does not send the image to an analysis API, and discards the preview when you remove it or leave the page.
What is the difference between strand thickness and hair density?
Strand thickness describes the width of one hair strand: fine, medium, or coarse. Density describes how much hair appears across an area of the scalp: lower, medium, or higher. They are independent, so fine hair can be high-density and coarse hair can be low-density.
How does this tool estimate hair porosity?
It compares three behavior questions: how quickly clean hair becomes wet, how it usually dries, and how it responds to a modest amount of product. If the answers conflict, the passport reports mixed signals rather than forcing a label. This is a practical estimate, not a laboratory measurement or a photo-based claim.
Does the scanner diagnose hair loss, dandruff, or a scalp condition?
No. It does not diagnose alopecia, dandruff, dermatitis, infection, or any other medical condition. The scalp question only stops routine advice when persistent burning, pain, sores, heavy scaling, or a sudden patchy change is reported and directs the user to a dermatologist or qualified clinician.
What should I show my barber?
Choose one adaptable haircut family and copy the barber brief. It records your self-observed curl pattern, strand width, apparent density, and porosity behavior, then asks the barber to check your crown, cowlicks, hairline, growth direction, dry length, and guard choice in person before cutting.
Editorial sources
Read the evidence behind the boundaries.
- WebMD — Types of Hair: How to Know Your Hair Type
Four broad pattern families and the distinction between pattern, porosity, elasticity, and other hair characteristics.
- American Academy of Dermatology — Curly hair care tips
Dermatologist-reviewed guidance on wet detangling, reducing friction, and adjusting routines through trial and error.
- American Academy of Dermatology — Dry scalp and related conditions
Why overlapping scalp symptoms require qualified assessment instead of a web diagnosis.
- BCcampus — Barbering Techniques: The Design Consultation
Professional consultation practice: evaluate growth patterns and direction of grain before the service.
- Wahl Professional — Bald Fade cutting guide
Clipper guard, taper-lever, grain, blending, and fade-line vocabulary used in barbering practice.