Curly, straight or bald? Pinterest introduces inclusive new hair type search function

Now users can search by choosing from six hair textures

Pinterest has added a new filter to allow searches by hair type. Miguel Bruna; Joel Mott / Unsplash

Pinterest, the popular image-sharing platform, has added a new filter. Now, for the first time, users will be able to search images by hair type.

In a clear step towards wider inclusivity, the platform has released the new function to help black, indigenous and people of colour (Bipoc) source images that are relevant to them. Users are now able to search using six hair types: protective, coily, curly, wavy, straight and shaved / bald.

Hailed as a "first of its kind", the new filter uses “computer vision-powered object detection” to identify different hair types across the platform's 500 million images, allowing users to pinpoint results even with more general terms such as "summer hairstyles", "short hair" and "glam hair".

"Our mission is to help everyone feel like Pinterest is a place for them," said Annie Ta, head of inclusive product at Pinterest.

“We have an opportunity and responsibility to do a better job of increasing representation in the products we build. That's why we built hair pattern search using computer vision technology to help identify hair patterns in images. By doing this, we hope we're able to use technology for good and make it easier for people, no matter who they are, to find hair inspiration for them on Pinterest."

The new function builds on the inclusivity introduced with a 2018 filter that allows searches by skin tone. Together, the aim is to help users find "inspiration that is most relevant to their style and preference," said Pinterest.

The new function is already live on desktop, iOS and Android across the US, the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and is expected to be launched in more countries over the coming months.

The company reported that in the past month, there were more than 120 million hair searches and more than five billion hair-related pins on the site.

In a bid for better inclusivity and body acceptance, Pinterest also announced at the start of July it was banning adverts that promote weight loss, as well as products and images that champion a low body mass index. It also declared that images of weight-loss procedures and so-called "ideal body" images would be blocked.