Does our type really correlate with our length? TYPE 4s!

What's your hair type and length?

  • 4a and SL

    Votes: 42 11.7%

  • 4a and APL

    Votes: 42 11.7%

  • 4a and BSL or longer

    Votes: 34 9.5%

  • 4a/b and SL

    Votes: 72 20.1%

  • 4a/b and APL

    Votes: 52 14.5%

  • 4a/b and BSL or longer

    Votes: 35 9.8%

  • 4b and SL

    Votes: 46 12.8%

  • 4b and APL

    Votes: 17 4.7%

  • 4b and BSL or longer

    Votes: 18 5.0%
  • Total voters
    358
  • Poll closed .
A

anon123

Well-Known Member
Here is part 2 of the survey. Part 1 (for type 3s incl 3c/4a) is here.

I know, I know, but it's something I've wondered for the board as a whole. We are a knowledgeable group of hair-growers, so I wonder if any difference we see outside of the hair board is equalized here. Especially since we know that density and strand thickness play such an important role, maybe curl diameter is not particularly relevant for us.

There are a max of 10 poll options, so I couldn't do all the options in 1 thread. So I'm doing 2. One for the 3s and one for the 4s. I'll put links in each thread to the other.


Options for the type 4s:


  1. 4a and SL
  2. 4a and APL
  3. 4a and BSL or longer
  4. 4a/b and SL
  5. 4a/b and APL
  6. 4a/b and BSL or longer
  7. 4b and SL
  8. 4b and APL
  9. 4b and BSL or longer

Poll results after 2 days are in this post.
 
Last edited:
4a BSL and longer. I cut 2" off at the beginning of summer for a blunt look so I know it's growing. In the last few years I really learned a lot about hair care and I put the techniques into practice.
 
Last edited:
My hair type is 4A/4B, while relaxed I was a little past shoulder length, while natural I am APL. It only appears that my natural hair is very short due to shrinkage.
 
I BC'd last year.. after some stops and starts I'm shoulder length ish layered natural--some strands a bit past, lots not quite there x.x (17 months, about)

When I transitioned (short term) i was just about evenly just past shoulder length--this was also when i stopped cutting my hair every two weeks. ...I liked it blunt, lol.

I donno if this is representative or what.
 
I'm going to stick with 4a and say shoulder length, I do have some strands touching APL. 4a description fits my hair but I see some other ladies that have hair that they say is 3 something and my hair looks very similar.

It's quite confusing.
 
4b, SL. Never been past SL either, relaxed or natural. (Though I did cut it very often before seriously trying to grow it longer.)
 
I'm touching BSL, and I'm a 4c ? I've seen 4a on here and my hair looks nothing like that, If you have a category 5a then I would claim that.
 
I'm 3c/4a... my 4a sides crown and nape are between SL and almost almost APL. My 3c is about SL/CBL... I guess they don't count here lol
 
I'm relaxed and I picked 4a/b BSL or longer, with shrinkage full APL. My hair has never been this length before. I believe that my hair still has some growing to do. I'm excited just thinking of my terminal length when I do decide to transition.
 
4b (and beyond!!!) BSL and longer. Haven't measured in a minute. I am not sure when I will measure again maybe December. I feel like I have been stuck here for years. But I digress.

I don't think hair type correlates with length, but I do believe because we have not had the knowledge in understanding how to handle or to be more specific grow 4 type hair it has been historically short length for the masses. Some have been able to grow 4 type hair mainly with a chemical addition, but until the natural revolution I don't think I knew two people who had long natural 4b type hair.
 
I think this kind of poll could only work if you are asking terminal length.

I don't see how it would mean much if you're asking people who are currently growing out their hair.
 
I'm 4a/b, and I'm about APL stretched - definitely past shoulder length.

And, I agree with Neith - this is only 3 years worth of growth for me - I am assuming that I will be much longer 3 years from now, and that would 'skew' the results. You'll have everything from people who have been growing for a minute, and people who have just BC'd, too.

I agree with Mscocoface, too - I dont' really think that hair type has much to do with the ability to reach a certain length - but the knowledge of how to take care of your hair type has almost everything to do with reaching a certain length, and sadly enough, a lot of AA women have no clue of how to properly take care of 4' hair.
 
Neith said:
I think this kind of poll could only work if you are asking terminal length.

I don't see how it would mean much if you're asking people who are currently growing out their hair.
Click to expand...

That's a good point. But the type 3s are also growing out their hair, too, no? How would we know our terminal length? that's a much harder question to answer. In any case, technically the question is if our type correlates with our length; it doesn't ask why.
 
mscocoface said:
I don't think hair type correlates with length, but I do believe because we have not had the knowledge in understanding how to handle or to be more specific grow 4 type hair it has been historically short length for the masses. Some have been able to grow 4 type hair mainly with a chemical addition, but until the natural revolution I don't think I knew two people who had long natural 4b type hair.
Click to expand...

These things could be true and there could still be a correlation. That's the difference between cause and effect vs. correlation. So the question is not being a certain hair type causes you to have longer or shorter hair, but rather it's correlated.
 
mwedzi said:
That's a good point. But the type 3s are also growing out their hair, too, no? How would we know our terminal length? that's a much harder question to answer. In any case, technically the question is if our type correlates with our length; it doesn't ask why.
Click to expand...

I don't think it makes sense in any case. Just replied to this thread because it was bumped up higher.

I'm not saying it's bad to ask or be curious about it...

We are all at different points. Some people have been growing their hair out for years, some only for a few months.

We are all ACTIVELY growing our hair out too. In about 6 months, if you polled the same people, you would get different results.

Say that someone is APL right now for instance.

It doesn't "prove" anything. Maybe they just started later than someone else with MBL hair. In a few short years that person with the shorter hair will possibly have MBL or beyond.

Meaning... no one's hair is going to stay at one place unless it is their terminal length. So how can it really be compared?

Say I was to answer this poll. In a few years I quite possibly might have hair down my back... but if we were to go by this poll, then my answer would just make the "average length" of type 4's go down. When it's not true. I and all other people with shorter hair are capable of reaching longer lengths. Regardless of texture.

Sorry for being long winded:lol:
 
I'm mostly 4b very fine, medium density hair. Before the hair boards my hair length was mostly nl and sometimes it made it to a raggedy sl. After I started caring for my hair the longest it has been is apl.
 
Maybe you could have asked what's the longest your hair has ever been, because I do believe that the ability to retain length is related to hair type in some ways. IMO certain hair types/textures retain length easier.

ETA: The results of the poll are getting very interesting.

Keep the responses coming ladies!
 
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mwedzi said:
Here is part 2 of the survey. Part 1 (for type 3s incl 3c/4a) is here.

I know, I know, but it's something I've wondered for the board as a whole. We are a knowledgeable group of hair-growers, so I wonder if any difference we see outside of the hair board is equalized here. Especially since we know that density and strand thickness play such an important role, maybe curl diameter is not particularly relevant for us.
Click to expand...

ITA. There are things other than curl pattern that factor into having the type of hair that retains length, and resists damage easily.
 
I disagree with Neith's comment; if you are taking an average; yes, different people may have a different answer at a different time but chances are the next time the poll is taken there will be new people who are growing their hair and I'm willing to bet the results would still probably be the same. Everyone in here has not JUST chopped all their hair off. We have enough 4a/b types on this board to get an average of where our length is and get a good idea as to if there is in fact correlation with hair type.

Most of us have NEVER seen our terminal length anywho. It seems as if a lot of the ladies that are on the board are AT the longest length they've ever been. I really dont think doing a different type of survey would make the results any more accurate.
 
Mwedsi what's my hair type? I don't know the difference between a b and c.:wallbash: Can you send me a PM and I will vote after because I don't want to skew your results.
 
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