The Other 4b...

[charmtreese]

I have always claimed to have 4b hair, my hair doesn't have a curl pattern, it kinks and zigzags, it puffs and shrinks and for the most part it truly resembles all of the characteristics of 4b hair.

But then there's this....



I use to refer to the hairs that grow in the back as type 4a, but now I think they are a looser 4b. They have all of the characteristics of the tighter 4b hair, but the kinks and zigzags are just further apart...

Looser 4b in back
Regular 4b on top

I'm not really too concerned about the difference in kink patterns, other than the fact that I will always have a natural mullet.



Are there any other 4b's out there with this type of pattern? If so, what hair type do you consider it to be?

By the way all of the pics were taken on freshly washed hair straight out of the shower.

 

[Colocha]

I have what you refer to as looser 4b in the very front of my hair. I just assumed that was regular 4b lol.
Everything else on my head is pen spring and smaller coils (I call that 4c).

 

[Pygmy_puff]

@charmtreese

I would have thought that the looser texture was 4a too. Do you consider it's 4b because it has more of a crimp pattern than a strictly spiral curl? I'm not exactly an expert at hair typing, but what I do know for sure is that your curls are beautiful (both types)!

I have a similar mullet situation. The top of my head I think is mostly 4a/3c, but the small patch of hair at my nape is 3b/3a. Not only does it stretch out more than the rest of my hair, but it grows super fast into this annoying little tail that I have to get trimmed off every couple months.

Almost all of my curls are "crimpy" like yours (just bigger crimps), but the ends curl into a little spiral. I thought that was referred to as an s-curl? Idk

 

[PeaceFlow]

When I got my hair analysed they said I was 3b/c because a lot of my strands are tiny S curls/waves. Like your pic but a lot smaller.

I always think of myself as 4a/b though because that's how it looks from a distance. Shrugs. I dont like change lol.

I see a lot of type 3 in your hair. I'd guess you were a 3c/4a mixture.

 

[krissyhair]

I attribute some of these characteristics to hair that looks like the pictures you posted:
- length
- fine texture (the thickness of the strand)

The longer and more fine the hair is, then the 4b will look like that

 

[sheanu]

@charmtreese

I would have thought that the looser texture was 4a too. Do you consider it's 4b because it has more of a crimp pattern than a strictly spiral curl? I'm not exactly an expert at hair typing, but what I do know for sure is that your curls are beautiful (both types)!

I have a similar mullet situation. The top of my head I think is mostly 4a/3c, but the small patch of hair at my nape is 3b/3a. Not only does it stretch out more than the rest of my hair, but it grows super fast into this annoying little tail that I have to get trimmed off every couple months.

Almost all of my curls are "crimpy" like yours (just bigger crimps), but the ends curl into a little spiral. I thought that was referred to as an s-curl? Idk

Yes I have that mullet situation going on and it's annoying cuz I have a fade right now. I have to get the back shaped up every couple weeks or the tail comes through also a fine haired 4b in front and 4a/3b in back sister.

 

[charmtreese]

@charmtreese

I would have thought that the looser texture was 4a too. Do you consider it's 4b because it has more of a crimp pattern than a strictly spiral curl? I'm not exactly an expert at hair typing, but what I do know for sure is that your curls are beautiful (both types)!

I have a similar mullet situation. The top of my head I think is mostly 4a/3c, but the small patch of hair at my nape is 3b/3a. Not only does it stretch out more than the rest of my hair, but it grows super fast into this annoying little tail that I have to get trimmed off every couple months.

Almost all of my curls are "crimpy" like yours (just bigger crimps), but the ends curl into a little spiral. I thought that was referred to as an s-curl? Idk

Yes, I figured since there is not a curl pattern more like a crimp pattern it was still 4b. When I twist my hair I do get a little spiral on most of my ends, some of them just remain crimpy.

 

[charmtreese]

I attribute some of these characteristics to hair that looks like the pictures you posted:
- length
- fine texture (the thickness of the strand)

The longer and more fine the hair is, then the 4b will look like that

This is helpful...

My srands are really fine, but the hair in the back was doing this even when shorter (I'll see if I can find a pic). I that it was damaged for a long time until I realized it was like that from root to ends. I also have noticed that the texture in the back is silkier.

 

[ms.blue]

My hair at the nape is a completely different pattern than my 4b/a hair. It's like a limp wave and the hair is much smoother, fine and doesn't hold onto styles unless straighten.

 

[GGsKin]

This is helpful...

My srands are really fine, but the hair in the back was doing this even when shorter (I'll see if I can find a pic). I that it was damaged for a long time until I realized it was like that from root to ends. I also have noticed that the texture in the back is silkier.

This is my hair to a T. After initially seeing my natural hair pattern emerge in certain sections, I would call it the 4b part (I say my hair is 4c/ 4b). But after seeing more patterns in my hair, being here a while and seeing so many hair types, I recognise it more as 4a/b to the rest of my 4b/4c hair. My nape is silkier, the strands are thicker than than most, and that part seems to grow faster than the rest of my hair.

 

[morgandenae]

Hi hair fraternal twin!

Majority of my hair looks like what you consider looser 4b which i considered 4a and the spots above my ears look like what you consider regular 4b which I also considered 4b.

Beautiful hair nonetheless

 

[NowIAmNappy]

I have always claimed to have 4b hair, my hair doesn't have a curl pattern, it kinks and zigzags, it puffs and shrinks and for the most part it truly resembles all of the characteristics of 4b hair.

But then there's this....

View attachment 402605

I use to refer to the hairs that grow in the back as type 4a, but now I think they are a looser 4b. They have all of the characteristics of the tighter 4b hair, but the kinks and zigzags are just further apart...

View attachment 402609 Looser 4b in back
View attachment 402611 Regular 4b on top

I'm not really too concerned about the difference in kink patterns, other than the fact that I will always have a natural mullet.

View attachment 402613

Are there any other 4b's out there with this type of pattern? If so, what hair type do you consider it to be?

By the way all of the pics were taken on freshly washed hair straight out of the shower.

I thought I was looking at my own hair! I've always classified myself to be 4b. I have the Looser S waves in the front and back, the back is actually smoother and silkier than the front and the rest of my hair looks like your regular 4b.

 

[charmtreese]

I thought I was looking at my own hair! I've always classified myself to be 4b. I have the Looser S waves in the front and back, the back is actually smoother and silkier than the front and the rest of my hair looks like your regular 4b.

My hair at the nape is a completely different pattern than my 4b/a hair. It's like a limp wave and the hair is much smoother, fine and doesn't hold onto styles unless straighten.

Hi hair fraternal twin!

Majority of my hair looks like what you consider looser 4b which i considered 4a and the spots above my ears look like what you consider regular 4b which I also considered 4b.

Beautiful hair nonetheless

I thought I was looking at my own hair! I've always classified myself to be 4b. I have the Looser S waves in the front and back, the back is actually smoother and silkier than the front and the rest of my hair looks like your regular 4b.

Have any of you ever worn a wash and go?

 

[NowIAmNappy]

Only wash and go puff's because the shrinkage in each of the sections is too crazy. Let me see if I can find some pics on my phone.

 

[morgandenae]

Have any of you ever worn a wash and go?

In a wash and go currently

 

[charmtreese]

In a wash and go currently

Oooohhhh, do you have any pics? I'm scurred of W&G's!

 

[charmtreese]

Only wash and go puff's because the shrinkage in each of the sections is too crazy. Let me see if I can find some pics on my phone.

Yessss! Pics, please!

 

[IDareT'sHair]

Good Thread!

 

[morgandenae]

No I'm sorry and this one is old i'm washing in a few.

I was scared as well I just started getting into them. I heard all the horror stories about my hair type and wash and gos and tangles and single strand knots but it wasn't my story. I saturate with tons of conditioner so my hair stays super moisturized and the gel separates my coils and keeps them from tangling.

I hate the shrinkage at my current length but my hair loves the style.

 

[NowIAmNappy]

Yessss! Pics, please!

Please ignore the face in the first photo. I never planned on sending this to anyone other than my husband. In this photo I have just conditioner in it.
The second photo is with a ton of gel, I layered it in so the "curls" could be defined.

Honestly the photos are from a year ago and I vowed to never do prolonged wash and go's again. I had severe tangling and single strand knots. At the end of summer I ended up having to cut off all my growth. Now this summer I plan to wear them but very strategically, as in I'll wear a wash n go puff one day and then braid it up at night. I'll wear the braidout puff for a few days until it's time to remoisturize and then do another wash and go. I'll test this out for a month and see how my hair responds. I'm bordering waist length so I'm trying not to cut Again.

Excuse the typos I'm on my phone.

 

[imaginary]

I'm not really too concerned about the difference in kink patterns, other than the fact that I will always have a natural mullet.

Same with me for this especially . It also doesn't help that my looser section in the back is also much stronger than my hair at the front.

 

[charmtreese]

Please ignore the face in the first photo. I never planned on sending this to anyone other than my husband. In this photo I have just conditioner in it.
The second photo is with a ton of gel, I layered it in so the "curls" could be defined.

Honestly the photos are from a year ago and I vowed to never do prolonged wash and go's again. I had severe tangling and single strand knots. At the end of summer I ended up having to cut off all my growth. Now this summer I plan to wear them but very strategically, as in I'll wear a wash n go puff one day and then braid it up at night. I'll wear the braidout puff for a few days until it's time to remoisturize and then do another wash and go. I'll test this out for a month and see how my hair responds. I'm bordering waist length so I'm trying not to cut Again.

Excuse the typos I'm on my phone.

Ok, I see you! Ya'll are giving me all type of hope in this thread!

 

[whiteoleander91]

Y'all have some beautiful hair. OP your hair is lovely!

 

[Coilystep]

@charmtreese I've always thought you have beautiful hair. I love your twist. If you are interested in trying wash n goes come visit the wash n go thread. It has a lot of great tips. https://longhaircareforum.com/threads/fall-winter-wash-n-go-challenge.740985/

 

[charmtreese]

@charmtreese I've always thought you have beautiful hair. I love your twist. If you are interested in trying wash n goes come visit the wash n go thread. It has a lot of great tips. https://longhaircareforum.com/threads/fall-winter-wash-n-go-challenge.740985/

Thanks! I'll check it out.