Who is sick and tired of hair typing?

melodee

melodee

New Member
I for one am tired of us trying to classify our hair according to Andre's system. I understand the need to do so, as it helps us to be able to share valuable info about products that work for our various heads of hair. But, I am so CONFUSED by the system and the way people have interpreted it. I mean no offense, but some have labled their hair as 2 or 3 and have tiny coils or kinks naturally. I see that as type 4. I mean, if Sarah Jessica Parker and Kim Basinger are type 2, then some of the people here saying they are 2's are not really 2's. And I'm sure the reverse is also done, people who classify themselves as a 3c look like type 2 to me. But I just don't see the worth in classifying my hair down to the letter(a,b,c). Most of the time the differences are minor and mean nothing when deciding which products to use. And hair type really is in the eye of the beholder.
Anyone feeling me?
 
I can agree with a lot of what you're saying. The numbers are probably more helpful than the letters. What helps me determine if my hair "might" have the similar response to a product as someone else's hair is to actually see someone's hair rather than just hearing the number/letter.
 
I do feel you. For me, the difference btwn 2c and a 4 would be shine vs sheen. A lot of this stuff is just a guesstimation and an inadequate one I'm sure b/c most of our heads- just like our heritage- are made up of a bunch of different textures/hair types.
 
:holding hand up: Me for one. This is why I just say that my hair is naturally wavy and relaxed but not bone straight. Someone here said (don't remember who) that hair type is just as unique as fingerprints. I agree.
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Me! Me! :::raising hand::: I'm definitely feeling you on this...

When I first joined this board, I was convinced that I'm a 4a/b (I already owned Andre's book, so I was familiar with the typing system), but I remember the first time I posted pictures, a lot of the ladies here commented that my hair looked to be a type 2 or 3!!
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I was talking to my Mom the other day about the typing system and she said that she thought it was bullsh!t; that there are so many different hair types (especially now with all the "mixed" race folks) that you can't possibly put people into those categories.

I tend to agree, but at the same time, I guess it's useful for figuring out which products work the best on your particular hair texture...
 
I can relate to that. So I stopped trying to figure it out. It seems that no one agrees with this hair typing thing because it is so confusing. And yes some people who I would consider 3b or 3c classify themselves as 4a.

I guess I just don't understand it at all because I thought that it was the shape of the hair that classifies not the total appearance of the hair. I have seen some people hair that I would say is 2c because of tight waves and it is classified as 4 something.

The categories aren't broad enough to reflect the millions of different types of hair. I guess I will stay confused and just press on to keep my hair as healthy as possible.

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I'm feeling you on this, too, and I'm about to change my signature because I have so many different textures on my head, but they all equal one thing--AFRO. Andre's system is for the birds.
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[ QUOTE ]
melodee said:
I mean no offense, but some have labled their hair as 2 or 3 and have tiny coils or kinks naturally. I see that as type 4.

[/ QUOTE ]

I see more people on this board who round up, not down. They call their hair type 4 something, but the new growth pictures show waves instead of the tight coils I expected. (Or is it the coconut oil?
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)

New growth pics help a lot when I'm trying to predict if a product that worked on another type 4 LHCF member will have a similar effect on my hair.
 
I am. But let me explain why. Even though i do classify myself as a 4a/b type hair it's because i REALLY think that those pics from his scale resemble my hair. Also, even though products may work on anyones hair, i'm more apt to take the advice from someone whose hair resembles mine in thickness and type (Isis, Kitchen_tician, etc)

Now the reason i say i'm tired is because it seems that although we have alot of well adjusted folks on the board that there are those that obviously hate their type 4 hair and whenever they make a post with the hair type in the title, they are complaining about their hair being too this or too that and want to know how to "move up" and get a different hair type instead of just realizing what beautiful hair they have and working with it. For instance although my hair is relaxed you probably wont ever see me sport a super-straight super sleek style because my hair is SOOOO thick and has so much kink in it that even with a relaxer the only way i would get that "pantene" look would be to basically beat my hair into submission. So i do styles that show off the bulk and thickness in my hair instead of "killing it off". Having a relaxer doesnt mean youre going to have sleek hair, all it means is that you won't have natural hair anymore. Sorry to go off into other topics but this is just something i've been noticing a while and it kinda gets on my nerves to be honest.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Karonica said:
Ah, but you're a 2c.
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Okay, this is confusing. I'm going to bed.
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[/ QUOTE ]

LOLOLOL.....
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Maybe the pics associated w/the hair types are making it more confusing? I dunno.
 
I'm don't know whether Im tired of it...I just think it really isn't a valid system...That hair type system is ANDRE's opinion of what your hair type should be. It's somewhat confusing and some of the hair types sound the same. I don't think there's really any accurate way to tell what your hair type is because Im sure everyone has so many different types of hair textures in the hair, some may not...but I'll give him this, his system was a good try
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.
 
[ QUOTE ]
jainygirl said:
Now the reason i say i'm tired is because it seems that although we have alot of well adjusted folks on the board that there are those that obviously hate their type 4 hair and whenever they make a post with the hair type in the title, they are complaining about their hair being too this or too that and want to know how to "move up" and get a different hair type instead of just realizing what beautiful hair they have and working with it. For instance although my hair is relaxed you probably wont ever see me sport a super-straight super sleek style because my hair is SOOOO thick and has so much kink in it that even with a relaxer the only way i would get that "pantene" look would be to basically beat my hair into submission. So i do styles that show off the bulk and thickness in my hair instead of "killing it off". Having a relaxer doesnt mean youre going to have sleek hair, all it means is that you won't have natural hair anymore. Sorry to go off into other topics but this is just something i've been noticing a while and it kinda gets on my nerves to be honest.

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Tell em how you really feel
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I'm just kidding. Good points
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I'm confused by the whole system. I must have changed my hair type over a dozen times. Just changed it again yesterday. I think I will take mine out of my sig too.
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[ QUOTE ]
jainygirl said:
I am. But let me explain why. Even though i do classify myself as a 4a/b type hair it's because i REALLY think that those pics from his scale resemble my hair. Also, even though products may work on anyones hair, i'm more apt to take the advice from someone whose hair resembles mine in thickness and type (Isis, Kitchen_tician, etc)

Now the reason i say i'm tired is because it seems that although we have alot of well adjusted folks on the board that there are those that obviously hate their type 4 hair and whenever they make a post with the hair type in the title, they are complaining about their hair being too this or too that and want to know how to "move up" and get a different hair type instead of just realizing what beautiful hair they have and working with it. For instance although my hair is relaxed you probably wont ever see me sport a super-straight super sleek style because my hair is SOOOO thick and has so much kink in it that even with a relaxer the only way i would get that "pantene" look would be to basically beat my hair into submission. So i do styles that show off the bulk and thickness in my hair instead of "killing it off". Having a relaxer doesnt mean youre going to have sleek hair, all it means is that you won't have natural hair anymore. Sorry to go off into other topics but this is just something i've been noticing a while and it kinda gets on my nerves to be honest.

[/ QUOTE ]

To add to your vent:

I also agree with your statement. I call myself 4a/b cuz that is the closest I can compare my hair too and it helps when I am asking for advice to at least provide a general description to the person I am asking. What works for a type 1 or 2 in many cases will not do a thing for me. But I understand about coming to grips with what you have. A lot of type 4s have a hard time accepting their hair. And as a result tend to show the least progress...Not because type 4 hair won't grow...but because they are constantly fighting their hair. You have to work with what you got and realize that the more you push your hair away from its natural tendency the more work it takes to maintain it and the better the chance you have for damaging the hair. I relax but I realize that bone straight is not a daily option for me. I know the costs to maintain that look and it is too high for me. I get aggravated when people want to relax, use a ridiculous amount of heat on a daily basis and skip on the maintainence steps and then wonder why their hair shows no progress. You cannot have it all stop expecting your hair to do the impossible.

Oh, I forgot this is about Andre's system. It is very broad but I don't see how we can get a more accurate system. We have too many different textures and sometimes they are all on one head!
 
[ QUOTE ]
The categories aren't broad enough to reflect the millions of different types of hair.

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See--that's what I thought
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The other hair typing scale, LOIS, I think... How does that go? Could someone list an abridged version of how it classifies hair?
 
:::raising hand also:::It's real confusing. I consider myself a 4a because I have tight coils instead of a 'z' shape (whatever that is) but then I see pics of those who say they are 4a but I would consider them a 3. Whatever.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Poohbear said:
Check out The Hair Lady's hair type chart: CLICK HERE!

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Now hers is helpful because you can actually look at people with a particular hair type. But in the group with Holly Robinson and Essence Atkins--there is one lady that doesn't belong to me.
 
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Supergirl said:
[ QUOTE ]
Poohbear said:
Check out The Hair Lady's hair type chart: CLICK HERE!

[/ QUOTE ]

Now hers is helpful because you can actually look at people with a particular hair type. But in the group with Holly Robinson and Essence Atkins--there is one lady that doesn't belong to me.

[/ QUOTE ]

yeah, i've seen other pics that look like they dont belong.
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[ QUOTE ]
Poohbear said:
Check out The Hair Lady's hair type chart: CLICK HERE!

[/ QUOTE ]

She gives good advice after you click on the links, but those initial photographs are confusing. I think her descriptions of hairtype are okay, though.

4a.jpg

4b.jpg

This 3b one looks like synthetic, though.
3ab.jpg

2a2b.jpg
 
Yeah...
The 3a/3b pic looks as if it could have been krinkled with an crimp iron...
The 2a/2b pic looks like she could have used a curling iron to get spiral curls...
 
I don't care for hairtyping either but the hairlady's example's and info was much more helpful. Before reading her info I lost more hair than I should have while combing.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Dolce_Dawn said:
No pics of C's?????
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[/ QUOTE ]

I think the C's are kind of "made up" in-between types.
 
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