How can I really be sure what my hair type is????

[candycane]

I have read and understand Andre Walker's book that details hair types. However I still don't know what my hair type is. I have a relaxer and have been relaxed almost all of my life. I have heard of people who go natural and then are quite surprised to discover the type of hair they really possess. But I have also heard people that go natural talk about "scab" hair. Which if I am not mistaken, is that hair that will grow until all traces of the chemicals have disappeared from the scalp. So the hair texture may change the longer the person remains chemical free. So I guess my question is, who have a sure fire way to determine hair type on a relaxed head??

Candycane

 

[canuck]

jeez. there is no sure fire way, but i guess after 6 weeks to 8 weeks, you should get some idea of texture. Then, when you do,you work with the texture until it changes - or stays. Even Mr. Walker himself says that you should judge your hair texture on like, an inch of hair. Then (this is my advice) play it by ear.

yours

canuck

 

[sweetcocoa]

I agree with Canuck. The longer my hair got the looser my curls seem to be getting(I think it's the weight of the hair). My problem is I have such a mixture of textures. The lower back through the nape and the lower sides of my hair dry more in waves..the uppersides dry in coils and the very top and crown I can't really tell(except that's where my hair frizzes the most).

 

[Integrity]

my hair texture and wave pattern has changed with the incorporation of vitamins esp. EPO. what about that? is my real hair hair type b4 or after?? sometimes, maybe dry, kinky and tight tight coils that is fragile and yet unmanageable may result from a relatively poor diet or vitamin deficiency?? /images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[azul11]

I was always wondering the same thing. can you really determine your hair type as it was as a child when say the people doing your hair didnt really do a good job. i have seen people who with the help of a good conditioner had hair go to another type completely. i look at pics of 3c with gloria ruben and it looks similar to what my hair looked like as i was younger but not as curly and more tight. but when i was in a vitamin regime i defintely saw some 3c and 4a mixed in but without much attention it looks like 4a/b. thats where i get confused. because i cant use any other system because i need to physically see the hair to determine what i have. i just say 4a to be safe since thats the closest i think my hair comes to. God bless you all.

 

[Integrity]

nice to know we are on the same wavelength azul! geez, i thought i was the only one. i dont really bother with hair typing at all!! i just know that my hair can be difficult to take relaxers and that it behaves differently with each wash and relaxer!!!!

 

[aikaa71]

this is a good thread.

i put my type as 4b and was wondering why the type ends at 4b. I sometimes feel like a 5a(if there is such a thing), especially when i have lots of growth and need a touch up. My hair is unpredicable with relaxers, sometimes they turn out great and at times it reverts after 3 weeks.

i have not noticed any change in texture although im taking vitamins and EPO

 

[Integrity]

aikaa, how much EPO are you taking and for how long?

 

[MSCHICHI]

I have been natural some 2 and 1/2 years, on the hair boards for over a year, I still don't know for sure. /images/graemlins/blush.gif

It seems to be more a guesstimation than a science. Like another poster said, you don't know if your hairtype looks like something else because of scab hair, hair weight, an improper diet, breakage, or products. Maybe there is no locked-in hair type, and it simply changes as a result of all of these. Maybe it is a combination of all of these things.

It could be less what it was when it started growing out of your head, and more how it ended up after a while. You can see this effect in children. When their hair is short, you don't know what it will end up as, but at is gets longer, it takes on more of its true nature. When my sister was little, she looked like she had a soft 'fro, but when her hair hit her butt, it looked loosely curled.

At first I thought I was 3c, then it looked more mostly 4a (again, I think), and it looks 3c-ish around my hairline. Especially around my ears, the curl pattern looks considerably looser. I always have to scrunch up the looser curls to match the tighter ones. But then again, as it gets longer, it looks looser.

Pictures of curl types only help so much. It is hard to tell when you see a dark mass of curls, exactly what hair type it is, only that it may or may not be close to yours.

Maybe some day I will figure it out. Perhaps if a few people that are familiar with the system look at it, or we all compare our curls, we might be able to figure it out. Then again, it may be some time before our hair gets to the point that we are fully able to ascertain our true hair type. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[candycane]

Thanks ladies for the respones. But I have to admit I am more confused that ever /images/graemlins/ohwell.gif I admire those that really have a firm grasp on their hair types and what products work well for them. However, I have been a frequenter of the hair boards for almost 3 years now and I still don't have a clue as to my type. I have been told all my life that my hair is coarse. My mother and hair stylists throughout the years have assumed that my coarse hair was really strong and really resistant to relaxers. I have found that to be quite untrue.

I use mild strength relaxers and the relaxer takes in little or no time. My hair is very fine and does not hold curls for very long. These are the ONLY things I know to be true about my hair. But I am so jealous...I wanna know my hair type too. /images/graemlins/confused.gif

Candycane

 

[nijilah]

When I first started to transition, I labeled myself as a 4b. But as my hair grew and the relaxer was trimmed, I changed to a 3c/4a. Now, having completely natural hair for about a year and hair length touching the top of my bra-strap, I notice several changes and distinct textures. I am mostly 3c, with 2 patches of 4a, and the crown and very center of my hair is 2b or 2c. I wonder if there will be anymore changes. Looking at my childhood pictures, I would estimate that I was a 2b-3c.

 

[candycane]

That is so funny!! It is so weird how many textures can be on our heads. What is also weird is how the textures appear to change once you transition completely or when you use certain products on your hair. Our hair can be so complex...yet so interesting.

Candycane

 

[skegeesmb]

I think it is hard to tell your hair type when you have a relaxer. My hair was long before I cut it. I transitioned for 4 months, my newgrowth seemed wavy, but when I cut, I was able to access my hairtype a bit better without having longer hair which stretched my newgrowth because of length.

 

[elite_chiq]

I was going to make a post on this but u already did. My hair texture is changing? Is this abnormal?, ive been natural all my life. Ive been a 4a/b all my life and when i get new growth it usually grows the same texture. But now its gettin straighter in the back...and it's starting to creep up and get straighter in parts of the crown. And when i wash my hair it turns like a 3b when its dry...tons and tons of waves...and it stays like that, when its damp its still a bit wavy (even this woman at the hair salon asked me is my hair texturized or something). Then when it become dry it goes back to 4a/b...i have no idea what hair type i have. /images/graemlins/ohwell.gif

 

[LondonDiva]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
aikaa71 said:
My hair is unpredicable with relaxers, sometimes they turn out great and at times it reverts after 3 weeks.


[/ QUOTE ]

Aikaa when your hair is relaxed it can never revert back. It's been chemically altered permanently and won't change even a little. I get the same thing you're talking about 2 weeks after a relaxer. It's the smallest amount of regrowth all over my head which acutally makes it look like the relaxer hasn't taken or it "worn off" which actually doesn't happen. See it as a good sign, your hair is growing girl.

 

[londongirl3]

I was completely convinced that my hair is 4b. I do not have any zigzag coils . I have round coils but my hair does not curl into ringlets at any time which was a guidline to type 4a on nappturality.com

I have since determined that my hair IS type 4a. I have the round coils not zigzag coils and I have a huge amount of shrinkage if I really soak it with water. I think the hair typing system is really just a guideline. The longer my natural hair gets, the straighter it seems to become. I wouldn't call it 3c but there are portions which seem like a slight wave (until I wash it and the nightmare begins).

I don't think you should be too concerned about your hair type. I'm satisfied to lump myself in the curly group and use products for curly hair.

 

[BlkMane]

candycane,

I wouldn't stress about it. I personally believe that Andre's system is flawed. There are many, many, many more hair types (variations) than just 1,2,3, or 4.

Even people that would technically belong in one of his categories can have very different types of hair.

For example, you can be a wavy haired person and have hair that never frizzes or that does, or have thin hair or thick hair...or have coarse hair or very fine hair.

Now, I'm sure that the wavy girl with coarse hair that frizzes easily will not be able to use the same products as the wavy girl with no frizz and fine hair.

See what I mean?

Realistically, there are probably like 25 types of hair.

 

[aikaa71]

Pandora, im taking 200mg of EPO, started taking it in Sept'02 but not consistently (sp). This month i have been good and im taking it daily.

Londondiva, your absolutely right, it is growth that im getting. /images/graemlins/blush.gif and i was thinking the relaxer was not strong enough (silly me)

 

[Integrity]

aikaa, that is too low EPO to see an effect on the HAIR (maybe skin yes).but ur body may be different. if u still dont see any difference with consistent use try upping to 500mg or 1000mg.

 

[Integrity]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
BlkMane said:
candycane,

I wouldn't stress about it. I personally believe that Andre's system is flawed. There are many, many, many more hair types (variations) than just 1,2,3, or 4.

Even people that would technically belong in one of his categories can have very different types of hair.

For example, you can be a wavy haired person and have hair that never frizzes or that does, or have thin hair or thick hair...or have coarse hair or very fine hair.

Now, I'm sure that the wavy girl with coarse hair that frizzes easily will not be able to use the same products as the wavy girl with no frizz and fine hair.

See what I mean?

Realistically, there are probably like 25 types of hair.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree!! We are so so different that the number of hair types probably = the number of people living on earth!