can someone break down the real difference b/t 3c & 4a/b hair

[FineChyna]

the reason why i ask is because a lot of sites i visit and have a section about hair texture seem to be very unclear what the difference is themselves. even when they post pictures for examples it seems rather vague.

i thought 3c hair was hair with an s curl pattern and 4 a/b was a z curl pattern or in some cases no curl pattern but i have seen some pics where someone with an s curl pattern was under the 4a/b listing

maybe there is no 3c textured hair?

 

[dicapr]

3C has a definate curl patter, where as 4a has tiny spirals like the spring in an ink pen. 4b has the z patter on no curl pattern. 4a/4b is a mixture of textures, some coils some z pattern with no curl.

 

[FineChyna]

3C has a definate curl patter, where as 4a has tiny spirals like the spring in an ink pen. 4b has the z patter on no curl pattern. 4a/4b is a mixture of textures, some coils some z pattern with no curl.

ok so based on the explaination you just posted the person in my avi (rachel true) has a 4a texture? cause she is one of the people they had listed as 3 c

 

[Whimsy]

ok so based on the explaination you just posted the person in my avi (rachel true) has a 4a texture? cause she is one of the people they had listed as 3 c

i think she has 3c because she doesn't have tiny spirals it's a bit looser w/ some waviness it seems.

Then again i know nothing because I thought i was 4a but when i posted my natural hair on the boards everyone said it was 3c

 

[keluric]

It's not true that 4a/4b doesn't have a curl pattern. The circumference of the 4a curl is smaller than the circumference of the 3c curl, making it appear more like a coil. Also, 4a curls tend to coil back on themselves more so than 3c curls.

There can be a lot of overlap. However, I think the clearest distinction is between 3c and 4b hair. I think many naturals agree that 4b hair lacks the curl/coil pattern that 3c or 4a hair has. 4b is the hair with the z-pattern though I still don't really understand that myself. Supposedly, 4b hair has no pattern whatsoever, no curls and no coils.

I have natural, 3c/4a hair. The hair around the perimeter of my head is clearly looser 3c curls than the 4a coils I have in the crown area.

Rachel True is 3c.

 

[tkj25]

It's not true that 4a/4b doesn't have a curl pattern. The circumference of the 4a curl is smaller than the circumference of the 3c curl, making it appear more like a coil. Also, 4a curls tend to coil back on themselves more so than 3c curls.

that's it exactly. think of 3c curls as the size/diameter of a crayola fat marker -- you know the kind you used in kindergarten (heck, i still use them today) think if 4a coils as the size of crayola sninny markers to the size of a pen's coil.

3 type hair also tend to be sleeker, shiner, more separated and defined when wet. 4 type hair tends to be puffier, fluffier, sheenier and contracts more when wet. i have a narrow patch of 3c at the nape of my head, 4a skinny-marker-sized-coils at the top & crown of my head, and 4a pen-coil-sized hair on the sides & back.

 

[Whimsy]

that's it exactly. think of 3c curls as the size/diameter of a crayola fat marker -- you know the kind you used in kindergarten (heck, i still use them today) think if 4a coils as the size of crayola sninny markers to the size of a pen's coil.

3 type hair also tend to be sleeker, shiner, more separated and defined when wet. 4 type hair tends to be puffier, fluffier, sheenier and contracts more when wet. i have a narrow patch of 3c at the nape of my head, 4a skinny-marker-sized-coils at the top & crown of my head, and 4a pen-coil-sized hair on the sides & back.

By your definition i do have 4a hair after all! too many diff. descriptions

 

[tkj25]

By your definition i do have 4a hair after all! too many diff. descriptions

i find the best way to tell is on wet hair, because on dry hair both 3c & 4a hair can make an afro. so when wet, are your curls more defined/separated (type 3) or is it a mass of coils/tiny curls (type 4)

 

[dinaaike]

Just happy that I'm not the only one confused by this.
It almost seems like the type 4 was created for AA hair and then someone discovered how widely our hair can actually vary and the meaning of the types got all squirrely.

Personally, I think a more accurate typing system could be developed based on the questions in the "Find your hair twin" thread.

 

[BillsBackerz67]

Im 3c (so Ive been told)...i think 3c curls are larger than type 4 and has less shrinkage.

 

[missty1029]

i find the best way to tell is on wet hair, because on dry hair both 3c & 4a hair can make an afro. so when wet, are your curls more defined/separated (type 3) or is it a mass of coils/tiny curls (type 4)

I Would agree with this as well. Because my wet hair has defined curls. But when my hair drys I can comb it out and its an afro but not as thick.

 

[AvaSpeaks]

Just happy that I'm not the only one confused by this.
It almost seems like the type 4 was created for AA hair and then someone discovered how widely our hair can actually vary and the meaning of the types got all squirrely.

Personally, I think a more accurate typing system could be developed based on the questions in the "Find your hair twin" thread.

Exactly! Type 4 hair is Afro-textured hair. Type 3 hair has it's curls but also, it's a finer texture as well. That's the main difference. Type 4 is usually coarser. Now some of us may have a "looser" variation of coarse hair, but it's still coarser. Hence some of us thinking we might have a combo of 3c/4a when that might not be the case.

I think that there needs to be more variation in the Type 4 area. Alot of us are mislabeling ourselves on this board. I think people are confusing type and texture as well.

For example, you can have fine, coily hair. Or you can have straight/coarse hair. But you can't have fine/coarse hair. They are opposite of each other.

The light switch has to be either on or off. They can't be both

 

[AvaSpeaks]

i find the best way to tell is on wet hair, because on dry hair both 3c & 4a hair can make an afro. so when wet, are your curls more defined/separated (type 3) or is it a mass of coils/tiny curls (type 4)

I kindly disagree. If Rachel True made an afro, her afro is not going to look like this

Think of the afros of the 70's. How tight they were? How they look when people pick them out. I say for the most part, those were Type 4 hair.

A Type 3 afro looks totally different from a Type 4 afro.

 

[AfroKink]

Exactly! Type 4 hair is Afro-textured hair. Type 3 hair has it's curls but also, it's a finer texture as well. That's the main difference. Type 4 is usually coarser. Now some of us may have a "looser" variation of coarse hair, but it's still coarser. Hence some of us thinking we might have a combo of 3c/4a when that might not be the case.

I think that there needs to be more variation in the Type 4 area. Alot of us are mislabeling ourselves on this board. I think people are confusing type and texture as well.

For example, you can have fine, coily hair. Or you can have straight/coarse hair. But you can't have fine/coarse hair. They are opposite of each other.

The light switch has to be either on or off. They can't be both

I thought type 4 is usually the finest - having the strand with the smallest sized diameter.

Lys

 

[Imani]

I thought type 4 is usually the finest - having the strand with the smallest sized diameter.

Lys

this is what i thought as well. i get confused by how people use the term "fine". Is it a texture description or a size (diameter) description? i always throught it was the latter. I consider most of my hair to be fine (bc the strands have a small diameter) but its also coarse (bc it feels rough to the touch).

 

[FineChyna]

I kindly disagree. If Rachel True made an afro, her afro is not going to look like this

Think of the afros of the 70's. How tight they were? How they look when people pick them out. I say for the most part, those were Type 4 hair.

A Type 3 afro looks totally different from a Type 4 afro.

didnt debbie allen have a fro? her hair is somewhere around 2b/3c

my uncle who has 2b/3c hair had the biggest fro in town growing up. he doesnt have any chemicals so his hair somehow was abled to beblown out like that...

 

[cocopuff]

This is why I don't bother with hair "typing" anymore. It is too confusing and a waste of time, why even bother?. My hair is mine and I'm fine with that (most of the time).

 

[PureSilver]

Off Topic
What in the world is SLAP LENGTH BillsBacker?

 

[FineChyna]

This is why I don't bother with hair "typing" . It is too confusing and a waste of time, why even bother?. My hair is mine and I'm fine with that (most of the time).

the question came about in my mind from being on the board more. when i see more people's hair pics and see their hair texture i see that the biggest gray area is with 3c and 4/a. like someone who i think might be a 3c has themselves labeled as a 4a

at first i went online trying to look up and understand the difference but most online places seem confused themselves or they have a vague definitions which is why i asked here and i guess its based on opinions because i don't really see a clear answer still unless i have readng comprehension problems...lol

 

[CoCoRica]

I kindly disagree. If Rachel True made an afro, her afro is not going to look like this

Think of the afros of the 70's. How tight they were? How they look when people pick them out. I say for the most part, those were Type 4 hair.

A Type 3 afro looks totally different from a Type 4 afro.

Like Maxwell's afro?

His doesn't real conform to the 70's soul glo fro...

 

[AvaSpeaks]

didnt debbie allen have a fro? her hair is somewhere around 2b/3c

my uncle who has 2b/3c hair had the biggest fro in town growing up. he doesnt have any chemicals so his hair somehow was abled to beblown out like that...

I didn't say that Type 3 hair can't fro. I said that a Type 3 fro looks different from a Type 4 fro.

You guys do understand that right? I mean you do understand that visually, a type 3 fro is not going to look the same as afro with really kinky or tightly coily hair?

 

[AvaSpeaks]

I thought type 4 is usually the finest - having the strand with the smallest sized diameter.

Lys

Anybody can have "fine" hair. But Type 1 family hair is going to be fine and straight.

Whereas if a Type 4 has fine hair, it still won't look like let's say Jennifer Anniston who is a type 1. Because not only is it fine, but it's coily and it's dense.

 

[silvergirl]

that's it exactly. think of 3c curls as the size/diameter of a crayola fat marker -- you know the kind you used in kindergarten (heck, i still use them today) think if 4a coils as the size of crayola sninny markers to the size of a pen's coil.

3 type hair also tend to be sleeker, shiner, more separated and defined when wet. 4 type hair tends to be puffier, fluffier, sheenier and contracts more when wet. i have a narrow patch of 3c at the nape of my head, 4a skinny-marker-sized-coils at the top & crown of my head, and 4a pen-coil-sized hair on the sides & back.

i agree, im 3c, an i find i cant do the styles 4a do , and 4a's find it hard to emulate the styles i can do, i have to fluff up my hair after its dry just to get the "semi big" wash an go look , otherwise its just looks elongated with little volume. puffs dont form naturally , unless i sleep on my hair, twists dont hold, etc...

and its very easy to get a sleek look. i get tons of ppl asking me "how i slick my hair back" and i almost feel ashamed to tell them its just water and a brush, cause i know they're looking for more, but unfortunatly thats just how my hair behaves. I know alot of ppl may not see it, but to me there needed to be a hair type between 4a and 3b,

 

[AfroKink]

Anybody can have "fine" hair. But Type 1 family hair is going to be fine and straight.

Whereas if a Type 4 has fine hair, it still won't look like let's say Jennifer Anniston who is a type 1. Because not only is it fine, but it's coily and it's dense.

Thats the part I disagree with. When I think of type 1 hair, I think of the the thick rope like strands I see Asian people with. I know anyone, no matter the "hair type", can have fine strands, but it has been my understanding that type 4 is generally the finest . Black people have the smallest diameter hair strands, and Asian people have the largest. Since the vast majority of people with type 4 hair are black, and the vast majority of people with type 1 hair are non-black, for me it follows then that type 4 hair is the finest...

Lys

 

[AvaSpeaks]

Thats the part I disagree with. When I think of type 1 hair, I think of the the thick rope like strands I see Asian people with. I know anyone, no matter the "hair type", can have fine strands, but it has been my understanding that type 4 is generally the finest . Black people have the smallest diameter hair strands, and Asian people have the largest. Since the vast majority of people with type 4 hair are black, and the vast majority of people with type 1 hair are non-black, for me it follows then that type 4 hair is the finest...

Lys

Type 1 is the hair that is fine and straight. White folks hair, whatever you want to call it.

Type 1b can be like Asian hair. But Type 1 is straight. Period.

It really doesn't matter if Type 4 hair is really the "finest". Because of the way it comes out of our head, it still won't "show" it's finest. Our hair comes out coily and sometimes coarse and sometimes thick and coarse. If our hair was that fine, then we wouldn't use or get relaxers. We wouldn't need them.

 

[AvaSpeaks]

i agree, im 3c, an i find i cant do the styles 4a do , and 4a's find it hard to emulate the styles i can do, i have to fluff up my hair after its dry just to get the "semi big" wash an go look , otherwise its just looks elongated with little volume. puffs dont form naturally , unless i sleep on my hair, twists dont hold, etc...

and its very easy to get a sleek look. i get tons of ppl asking me "how i slick my hair back" and i almost feel ashamed to tell them its just water and a brush, cause i know they're looking for more, but unfortunatly thats just how my hair behaves. I know alot of ppl may not see it, but to me there needed to be a hair type between 4a and 3b,

You hit the nail on the head. There is definetely a difference. And personally, I think there needs to be a couple more added to the hair chart; 3d and 4c.

Because seriously, I understand that there are variations in our hair texture, and that some of us really do have combinations of different hair types. But come on people Type 4 hair is a little more textured and coarser than some of us are admitting. And I mean all Type 4 hair...from Type 4a-Type 4z (from the website Nappturality)

I don't know what type I am. I just know what I can do with my hair and I know I don't need a relaxer or blow dryer to make my natural hair straight. That's good enough for me

Now based on the hair chart? What would that make me? :secret:

 

[AvaSpeaks]

Just trying to delete this post because I said it below a different way

 

[Kurlee]

3C to me is like scary spice type of hair:

. 4a is more like :

 

[AfroKink]

Type 1 is the hair that is fine and straight. White folks hair, whatever you want to call it.

Type 1b can be like Asian hair. But Type 1 is straight. Period.

It really doesn't matter if Type 4 hair is really the "finest". Because of the way it comes out of our head, it still won't "show" it's finest. Our hair comes out coily and sometimes coarse and sometimes thick and coarse. If our hair was that fine, then we wouldn't use or get relaxers. We wouldn't need them.

I didn't know there was a type 1b. And it seems we have different definitions of what "fine" means.
Lys

 

[AvaSpeaks]

See and for me, that thumbnail pic is still too loose to be a Type 4.

Now if there was a 3d, then I would say that is what her hair would be.