How do you determine your hair type?
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Category: African American Hair
Forum Name: African American Hair
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URL: https://talk.hairboutique.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=36520
Printed Date: November 04 2025 at 4:37am
Topic: How do you determine your hair type?
Posted By: blackhoney112
Subject: How do you determine your hair type?
Date Posted: October 20 2005 at 12:42pm
Hi everybody I am a newbie and I was wondering how you determine your hair type? I see the symbols 4a/b etc. and I am not sure how to determine my hair type...thanks in advance for the info!  ------------- http://public.fotki.com/blackhoney112/hair_album/101505_.html - Hair album pw:Romeo |
Replies:
Posted By: Pokahontas
Date Posted: October 20 2005 at 1:21pm
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Go to this site..... http://naturallycurly2.com/curl411/types.php - http://naturallycurly2.com/curl411/types.php If your hair is relaxed you need to have a few inches of new growth. HTH! ------------- |
Posted By: aseya
Date Posted: October 21 2005 at 4:20pm
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Ok..here's my problem with the typing chart (is that what its
called?)..according to naturallycurly.com, I would be a 3a/3b. But
according to some of the charts I've seen on the BlackHairMedia board,
it's not curly enough to be a 3 and I'd be a 2b/c?? Are you supposed to check your hair when it dries naturally? Because when I use a curling balm I can get it quite curly, but when I let it airdry it just has a slight wave to it. |
Posted By: Renee
Date Posted: October 21 2005 at 6:02pm
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are you relaxed or natural? you cant tell your hair type until you have lots of newgrowth or you remember what your hair looked like when it was natural ------------- |
Posted By: Pokahontas
Date Posted: October 22 2005 at 6:31am
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Most hair type charts are quite different. I just stick to the most used one which is Andre Walker's chart. It seems to be the one that most people go by. I get confused with some of the other charts because they have me being like a 2c also and that just don't seem right. I guess you should check your hair after it dries naturally. |
aseya wrote:Posted By: aseya
Date Posted: October 22 2005 at 11:27am
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I'm natural. But I've got about 3-4 'layers' of color on the last few
inches of my hair and about 2-3 inches of virgin regrowth (haven't
colored it since May and MY GOODNESS does it grow slow!! :) ) I don't know...I put my dry hair in a pony tail today and when I took it out it was completely straight except for a little wave at the bottom. No curl at all. Unless I put loads of product in it, all of my curls straighten out the next day. I guess I'm going to say it's a 2c/3a? Also, has anyone else's hair changed over the years? Mine seems to have changed a lot over the last year or so. It's been kinda slow, but I can definitly see a difference now. I'm not sure, it might be my age, or my hormones or something like that, but my hair is much finer than its been in years and the new regrowth seems to have a much looser curl (almost just a wave). It's almost as if my hair is reverting to the way it was when I was a little girl.It's so weird!It also looks like it might be thinning a little...I've still got loads of hair, but starting to panic a little!!! Has this happened to anyone else? Should I be worried? |
Posted By: Layla
Date Posted: October 22 2005 at 4:29pm
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My hair seems to be changing right now. I'm at 12 weeks post relaxer
when I usually relax my hair and I can brush it pretty flat. Usually my
roots are so puffy. My hair looks about 3-4 weeks post relaxer. It's
not because it's growing slower or anything because I have the same
amount of new growth I usually have. It's just more wavy.
------------- Type: 3c/4a Natural Current Length: 6" Goal: Healthy, tip of nose /neck/shoulder length hair. BC: 02/08/06 |
Posted By: Renee
Date Posted: October 22 2005 at 8:04pm
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Posted By: Sistaslick
Date Posted: October 22 2005 at 9:24pm
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From my understanding of Andre's book- the difference between type 2 and type 3 is that type 2 is a wave and 3 is a curl. Waves grow "flat to the head" and appear this way when airdried naturally and curls grow "away from the head" if that makes any sense
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http://blackhairscience.com - The Science of Black Hair |
Posted By: Layla
Date Posted: October 23 2005 at 9:26am
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No, I'm not taking MSM or biotin or anything.
------------- Type: 3c/4a Natural Current Length: 6" Goal: Healthy, tip of nose /neck/shoulder length hair. BC: 02/08/06 |
Posted By: jasmine2g3
Date Posted: October 23 2005 at 6:15pm
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How do you measure the length of your hair? Do you take a ruler/measuring tape and measure the longest strands or the measure from the root at the forehead area to the ends of your hair in the back? Hope yall can understand...I always compare to the body parts like shoulder length, armpit or bra strap. Thanks a lot! ------------- 
My hair idol Transitioning Current Length:1"above bra strap-layered Texture:3c *~*~* Jazz*~*~* |
Posted By: Layla
Date Posted: October 24 2005 at 5:52pm
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I measure from the hairline in front to the ends in the back. I also measure from my middle part to the ends in the front.
------------- Type: 3c/4a Natural Current Length: 6" Goal: Healthy, tip of nose /neck/shoulder length hair. BC: 02/08/06 |
Posted By: blackhoney112
Date Posted: October 25 2005 at 12:58pm
Thanks for the info Pokahontas! 
------------- http://public.fotki.com/blackhoney112/hair_album/101505_.html - Hair album pw:Romeo |
Posted By: blackhoney112
Date Posted: October 25 2005 at 1:03pm
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I used a hair chart I found at Black beauty, Black hair
http://p069.ezboard.com/fblackbeautyblackhair86911frm84.showMessage?topicID=12.topic - http://p069.ezboard.com/fblackbeautyblackhair86911frm84.show Message?topicID=12.topic
------------- http://public.fotki.com/blackhoney112/hair_album/101505_.html - Hair album pw:Romeo |
Posted By: Pokahontas
Date Posted: October 26 2005 at 8:05am
Your welcome |
Posted By: missfro
Date Posted: October 27 2005 at 8:09am
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according to this chart i would be 3c i guess . i dont really remember how my hair used to be like when i was younger ... another site i found and this is what it had : http://www.blended-beauty.com/Biracial_Hair_Types.html - http://www.blended-beauty.com/Biracial_Hair_Types.html according ot this one i am a 3B7 .. so which one to believe .. btw have anyone tried these products !!! ------------- Hair type: 4a or 3C<--transitioning Hair length: 20" goal:relaxer free healthy hair Last relaxer: Sept 05 |
Posted By: Layla
Date Posted: October 27 2005 at 8:54am
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You are both of those types. Different charts have different hair types. Most people use the one that you are a 3c in.
------------- Type: 3c/4a Natural Current Length: 6" Goal: Healthy, tip of nose /neck/shoulder length hair. BC: 02/08/06 |