African hair typically is coarse in texture when compared to other types. Coarse hair has a larger diameter and more cuticle layers than fine, straight hair. Sometimes the layers themselves in coarse hair can even be thicker than fine, straight hair. This constant layering and thickness in comparison to fine hair makes our hair more resistant to hair color and decolorization products.

As a result in order to get the shade desired and depending on the product, you may often have to leave the color on for a longer period of time (risking over-processing), heat processing may be required (to speed up processing) or you may have to undergo a series of lightenings.