How to Determine Your Hair Type

Natural hair is very complex and is as unique as a fingerprint, no 2 heads of natural hair are the same.

One of the most exciting aspects of natural hair is also simultaneously the most confusing.

Knowing your hair type will enable you to choose more suitable products and will help provide you with guidance on how you should care for your hair. 

While there are a number of ways you can go about determining your hair type, there are a few things you need to know before you will be able to accurately assess your hair.

Also Read 7 Foods That Could Help Your Hair Grow Faster 

Type 1

Simply put, type 1a hair is completely devoid of a curl pattern. It is straight, shiny, fine hair that typically grows quickly and easily, is soft, oily, difficult to curl and/or cause significant damage to.

Type 2

The common denominator amongst those who fall under this category is that their hair tends to be more coarse than those who fall under type 1. They also tend to have some variation of the “S” wave pattern.

Type 2a

Wavy, fine, thin, and mildly coarse, type 2a hair is marked by its distinctive “S” shaped pattern and is typically easy to style in a number of ways.

Type 2b

Wavy, medium/coarse, this hair tends to be naturally frizzy and gives little resistance in terms of styling.

Type 2c

Wavy, highly coarse and typically very frizzy, this hair type is often very resistant to styling efforts and is marked by its very thick wave pattern.

Type 3

There are a number of common factors share by those who have type 3 hair. Firstly, the hair appears to be straight when wet but returns to curly once it is dry. Humidity has the tendency to make this hair type curlier and/or frizzier yet this hair also has a lot of body and sheen and is fairly easy to style. What’s more, these springy, vibrant curls are also fairly easy to straighten with a blow dryer or flat iron.

Type 3a

Defined by their loose curls, those with 3a hair tend to have shiny, thick, and lustrous, but they also often have a combination of textures. On the one hand, it can be thick and full with a definitive “S” pattern. On the other hand, it can also be marked by its frizziness. What’s more, the longer the hair is, the more defined the curls are.

Type 3b

Marked by its tight curls and also, often, a combination of textures, 3b hair has a fair level of sheen with a medium amount of curl to it.

Type 3c (Often skipped)

Defined by their tight corkscrew curls, those with 3c hair can have either kinky or very tightly curled coils. Furthermore, it is also imperative to note that this hair type is often skipped over when dealing with the Andre Walker system.

Type 4

The last category of the Andre Walker system, those who have hair that fall under this section tend to have very kinky hair that is also very tightly curled. It is also typically wiry to the touch with the appearance of coarseness, however, it is fine, fragile, and easily damaged. Healthy 4 hair has a fair amount of sheen, is soft, silky, and has a good level of elasticity.

Type 4a

Those with 4a hair have soft, tightly coiled hair with well-defined curls.

Type 4b

Also very soft, fragile, and tightly coiled, those with 4b typically have less defined curls with a “Z” pattern shape.

Type 4c (Often Skipped)

Lastly, the 4c type is very similar to 4b but the curls are so tightly coiled that it almost appears to have no curl pattern at all. On the bright said, this hair type is perfect for afros, braiding, dreads, and many other styles.

Overall, there are a number of methods to go about determining your natural hair type. It is a simple, but vital process as different styles and products work best for different types of hair. No matter what your hair type is, just be well aware that there is an array of styles and products that will make your hair type pop!

See hair type chart below:

Photo credit:Black Hair Information