Naturals....Why must relaxed ends

McQuay30

McQuay30

Well-Known Member
Naturals, Why must all relaxed ends be gone in order to determine a person true hair type? If the relaxed ends add weight than it would straighten the curl pattern but with my new growth and I am still able to feel a curl then my relaxed ends is not having an effect on my curl pattern?? I hope I am making sense.
 
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Beacause the relaxed ends weigh down the hair, possibly causing the hair to stretch it's curls. Thus making it a (possible) looser hair type.
 
The theory is that the relaxed ends "weigh down" the hair, elongating the curl pattern, thereby making it more difficult to accurately type the hair.

Sent from my MB501 using MB501
 
But wouldn't any length of hair no matter weather its relaxed or not weigh the hair down?
You could have two years of natural growth and only have two inches of relaxed ends left and even when you were to clip those off you'd still have a lot of additional hair weighing the rest down...
I worded that weird but hopefully someone understood it :)
 
blackbarbietea said:
I transitioned once, and I an agree with this. Completely true. My texture was different without the relaxed ends.
Click to expand...

I think it boils down to the ratio of natural hair to relaxed ends. By the end of my transition I had about 14 inches of hair of which 2 or 3 inches were relaxed. People told me I could not be accurately typed with the ends. While my curls did pop once I chopped, it was obvious that I was 4a both before and after the cut. However, if you have two inches of NG and 10 inches of relaxed hair, no, you will not be able to accurately type it.
 
I've never got this either. What if you hold the relaxed hair up so it's not weighing down the hair? Wouldn't it be the same as when your relaxed hair is cut off?

Also, I thought hair types are just determined by the curl size? I mean, a 4a curl is still gonna be 4a even if it's weighed down by relaxed hair because the curl is smaller than say a 3b. Whether it's stretched out won't make a difference.

But I do agree that it depends on how much new growth you have.
 
WyrdWay said:
But wouldn't any length of hair no matter weather its relaxed or not weigh the hair down?
You could have two years of natural growth and only have two inches of relaxed ends left and even when you were to clip those off you'd still have a lot of additional hair weighing the rest down...
I worded that weird but hopefully someone understood it :)
Click to expand...

I see what you're saying. Yes, the weight of natural hair will elongate the curl pattern as well. This is part of why a lot of the long haired natural youtubers are always getting told they have a looser hair type than what they claim--it is very easy for your 4a hair to look 3c once it becomes very long.
 
prettypithy said:
I think it boils down to the ratio of natural hair to relaxed ends. By the end of my transition I had about 14 inches of hair of which 2 or 3 inches were relaxed. People told me I could not be accurately typed with the ends. While my curls did pop once I chopped, it was obvious that I was 4a both before and after the cut. However, if you have two inches of NG and 10 inches of relaxed hair, no, you will not be able to accurately type it.
Click to expand...

Ratio that's the word I was looking for! :)
 
GaiasDaughter24 said:
Beacause the relaxed ends weigh down the hair, possibly causing the hair to stretch it's curls. Thus making it a (possible) looser hair type.
Click to expand...

Okay, with that said does it my my perimeter which seems to be a 4b could actually be a 4a because the relaxed have stretched the curl pattern?
 
WyrdWay said:
Ratio that's the word I was looking for! :)
Click to expand...


Okay, ,so when my hair is dry and the coils I feel ar not my true type? I can understand with hair being wet to add weight and elongate the curl pattern but when the hair is dry? With that said how will a person ever figuer out the correct products to use?
 
Sheena284 said:
I've never got this either. What if you hold the relaxed hair up so it's not weighing down the hair? Wouldn't it be the same as when your relaxed hair is cut off?

Also, I thought hair types are just determined by the curl size? I mean, a 4a curl is still gonna be 4a even if it's weighed down by relaxed hair because the curl is smaller than say a 3b. Whether it's stretched out won't make a difference.

But I do agree that it depends on how much new growth you have.
Click to expand...

Good point about holding up the relaxed ends..and yes since the different from 4 to 3 to 2 is the curl size. How much new growth would a person need to determine curl size?
 
You can tell what hair type you are when you are transitioning. You just don't truly know how tightly coiled your hair is until you cut the relaxed ends. I knew I was 4a but I just did not know how tightly coiled. My shrinkage is out of this world. Completely dry my hair is a medium sized curly fro. Wet I have a bob with some length. Stretched my hair is cbl (collar bone length). I can not pull my hair into one pony tail. I can only pull it into two puffs. I can only do this on wet hair or dry hair that has been stretched in some way. I never believed the relaxed ends were pulling my new growth until the day of bc. My friend starting cutting my hair and my hair started coiling up and was so short.
 
McQuay30 said:
Good point about holding up the relaxed ends..and yes since the different from 4 to 3 to 2 is the curl size. How much new growth would a person need to determine curl size?
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Hmm, I'm not sure how much new growth, but quite a substantial amount. Like, maybe a few inches?
 
Yeah it does make a difference. You can't figure out the diameter of your curl pattern or the amount of shrinkage you have. If someone is transitioning and is curious about their curl pattern, they can take a very small section, cut off the relaxed ends & see what the difference is.
 
Shay72 said:
You can tell what hair type you are when you are transitioning. You just don't truly know how tightly coiled your hair is until you cut the relaxed ends. I knew I was 4a but I just did not know how tightly coiled. My shrinkage is out of this world. Completely dry my hair is a medium sized curly fro. Wet I have a bob with some length. Stretched my hair is cbl (collar bone length). I can not pull my hair into one pony tail. I can only pull it into two puffs. I can only do this on wet hair or dry hair that has been stretched in some way. I never believed the relaxed ends were pulling my new growth until the day of bc. My friend starting cutting my hair and my hair started coiling up and was so short.
Click to expand...

U knew u were a 4a but what is meant by "how tightly coiled" a 4a person can still have different size coils and when it reaches a certain point it is a 4b. For example 4(a)1,2,3 and then 4(b)1,2,3?
 
I've been transitioning for two years now, and I really don't believe cutting a few inches will radically change my curls. Once you have 8-10-12" of natural hair, you pretty much know what you're working with. In my crown, I have 12" + natural hair and about 5" of relaxed ends. My curls may "pop" more after I finally BC, but there is no way a person can think their hair is 3a/b and then discover they are 4a/b after the BC.

Curl size can be hard to determine, but these are some hair "behaviors" I've observed regarding my own hair and other member's tresses:

If your hair curls immediately after exiting the scalp, it's probably type 4. If it is straight for an inch or so and then curls, it's likely type 3. If you had visible (curly) new growth that was difficult to blend within 8 weeks of relaxing, it's likely type 4. If your hair looked pretty much the same 12+ weeks post-relaxer, it's likely type 3.
 
I'm 10 months post and I don't believe my relaxed hair weighs anything down. In fact if I let my hair air dry, its dries out into a fro and the relaxed ends are left hanging weightless like a willow tree. Its like my fro pulls the hair up. my relaxed hair isn't heavy enough to pull anything down though.

I do think that some people have heavy relaxed (esp when wet) hair but I'm not one of them and have never been.

Sent from my PC36100 using Long Hair Care Forum App
 
McQuay30 said:
U knew u were a 4a but what is meant by "how tightly coiled" a 4a person can still have different size coils and when it reaches a certain point it is a 4b. For example 4(a)1,2,3 and then 4(b)1,2,3?
Click to expand...

Someone can be 4a and have very tight coils that look like a slinky. Most of my hair on the otherhand, while 4a, is s shaped and looks like the slinky stretched out (btw it's not my relaxed ends. I was natural for 17 years so I know my hair). But it's still a clear difference between tightly coiled 4a and 4b hair or s shaped 3c hair and 4a hair. Some people don't understand the distinction.
 
Hi ladies!

I am not natural but u have a question and this thread just made me think.

I noticed that when i am far into my stretch (12 wks and beyond) the newgrowth actually draws up and makes my hair appear shorter until i relax.

So my ? is, how does relaxed ends stretch ur natural texture when newgrowth(natural texture) draws up making relaxed hair appear shorter than it is?

I hope i didn't confuse anyone lol..this is a question i always wondered. :-)
 
It makes a big difference. I mean, if you are transitioning, then you won't understand, but once you cut off all the relaxed ends and look at what you thought you had, versus what you have, you will understand.

And you do not need to know your hair type to know what products to use. Trial and error is the best way to figure that out. Knowing if you have fine, normal or coarse hair is even better.
 
sipp100 said:
I've been transitioning for two years now, and I really don't believe cutting a few inches will radically change my curls. Once you have 8-10-12" of natural hair, you pretty much know what you're working with. In my crown, I have 12" + natural hair and about 5" of relaxed ends. My curls may "pop" more after I finally BC, but there is no way a person can think their hair is 3a/b and then discover they are 4a/b after the BC.

Curl size can be hard to determine, but these are some hair "behaviors" I've observed regarding my own hair and other member's tresses:

If your hair curls immediately after exiting the scalp, it's probably type 4. If it is straight for an inch or so and then curls, it's likely type 3. If you had visible (curly) new growth that was difficult to blend within 8 weeks of relaxing, it's likely type 4. If your hair looked pretty much the same 12+ weeks post-relaxer, it's likely type 3.
Click to expand...

Okay with that understanding, my nape and hairline surrounding is always the first to need a relaxer while the middle looks and feels as if I could have waited a little longer before relaxing.
 
ms-gg said:
It makes a big difference. I mean, if you are transitioning, then you won't understand, but once you cut off all the relaxed ends and look at what you thought you had, versus what you have, you will understand.

And you do not need to know your hair type to know what products to use. Trial and error is the best way to figure that out. Knowing if you have fine, normal or coarse hair is even better.
Click to expand...


Why is knowing if u r fine, normal , or coarse better?
 
IMFOCSD said:
Hi ladies!

I am not natural but u have a question and this thread just made me think.

I noticed that when i am far into my stretch (12 wks and beyond) the newgrowth actually draws up and makes my hair appear shorter until i relax.

So my ? is, how does relaxed ends stretch ur natural texture when newgrowth(natural texture) draws up making relaxed hair appear shorter than it is?

I hope i didn't confuse anyone lol..this is a question i always wondered. :-)
Click to expand...

Exactly, right now I am about 14 weeks post my relaxed hair is touching the top of my bra strap and since I have not relaxed in 14 weeks my hair is now a little pass my armpit. I can understand wet relaxed hair added weight, but ary dry relaxed hair?? I gues I will have to wait and see.
 
LaFemmeNaturelle said:
Someone can be 4a and have very tight coils that look like a slinky. Most of my hair on the otherhand, while 4a, is s shaped and looks like the slinky stretched out (btw it's not my relaxed ends. I was natural for 17 years so I know my hair). But it's still a clear difference between tightly coiled 4a and 4b hair or s shaped 3c hair and 4a hair. Some people don't understand the distinction.
Click to expand...


4A can be tightly coiled like a slinky or coiled and loose like a spring or stretched slinky. Interesting..........
 
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