I am utterly complexed...

[Cichelle]

When I started to transition, I got myself psyched to have type 4b hair. I was dreaming of a variety of styles I have seen people wear who have 4b hair. Thought I'd be rockin rough and stuff with my afro puffs and I envisioned them looking a certain way. Am I the only one who was "complexed" and even felt somewhat of a loss to find that I don't have 4b hair? I had to change my inspiration pics 'cause they are not realistic for me now. I'm cool with my hair now...all is well and good. I'm starting to love it and learn what it's all about. But I was just wondering if I am the only one who had that experience.

 

[mytia]

4a-b being the kinkiest of the hair types is my type. I've worn my hair relaxed for years and now I texturize but I clearly remember what my hair was like before relaxing and when it's time for me to touch up (which is every 3 to 4 months) my hair type shines through. So the typing system has always been pretty clear for me.

 

[CarLiTa]

Hehe Toinette, I think I know what you're talking about. I was reading an old thread and someone would just not admit that she was a type 4, they told her, and she's like 'well that's your opinion, my hair is type 3 and that's how it is..." I was like no way, Jose...

Yeah but anyway, the hairtype thing doesn't rock my boat. I only care about it when I see a black person whose hair type is out of the norm, then I'd think to myself, 'that could be a type 2, or a 3a' but besides that, don't really see the point. We are all kinda using the same products anyway. Now, if i ever was to think about it, I'd say i'm 3b everywhere else and 4a in the crown, because my head has pencil-sized soft curls that don't curl up all the way, and in my crown, I have small-straw-sized coarse super kinky/curly hair... which is why i can't stretch my relaxers too long. Anyone knows the definition for sure, please let me know

 

[Porsche19]

It's also hard to type people correctly. Some people may have a mixture of types... or thier hair is in between two types.

The last one applied to me. My hair is either a loose 4a or tight 3c. 3c is supposed to be the diameter of a pencil, 4a is supposed to be the diameter of a coffee stirrer, the majority of my hair's curls are bigger than a coffee stirrer, but smaller than a pencil. It's DIRECTLY in between the two types. I call it 4a though, but I wonder how many people here would put me in the 3c catergory.

 

[so1913]

It's also hard to type people correctly. Some people may have a mixture of types... or thier hair is in between two types.

The last one applied to me. My hair is either a loose 4a or tight 3c. 3c is supposed to be the diameter of a pencil, 4a is supposed to be the diameter of a coffee stirrer, the majority of my hair's curls are bigger than a coffee stirrer, but smaller than a pencil. It's DIRECTLY in between the two types. I call it 4a though, but I wonder how many people here would put me in the 3c catergory.

I'd describe my hair the same way....I consider myself 4a although people here put me in the 3c catergory.

I think i'm going to stop all together trying to "type" my hair...it is what it is no matter what you call it.

 

[mscounselor]

I'd describe my hair the same way....I consider myself 4a although people here put me in the 3c catergory.

I think i'm going to stop all together trying to "type" my hair...it is what it is no matter what you call it.

Im there with you so! After washing my hair and seeing the ng, I was like hmmmm....that doesn't look like a coffee stirrer and even when it dries it doesn't, but I still call myself a 4a. I think I am just going to call it hair and be happy with that.

 

[so1913]

When I started to transition, I got myself psyched to have type 4b hair. I was dreaming of a variety of styles I have seen people wear who have 4b hair. Thought I'd be rockin rough and stuff with my afro puffs and I envisioned them looking a certain way. Am I the only one who was "complexed" and even felt somewhat of a loss to find that I don't have 4b hair? I had to change my inspiration pics 'cause they are not realistic for me now. I'm cool with my hair now...all is well and good. I'm starting to love it and learn what it's all about. But I was just wondering if I am the only one who had that experience.

Nope, you're not the only one who had that experience...I can definitely relate to this.

 

[skegeesmb]

I believe some people just want type 3 hair. I see a lot of people who say they are 3's and I can't see it.

Myself I believe I am a 3ish-4ish something. Around my temples has got to be a 4a. My crown has no real curls, it fans out and is a bit wavy and coarse. My hair in the back is curly and bigger than coffee stirrer circumference. If you see it you know it's curly.

So I think 3b (back) 3c (top) 4a (temples).

And the person who claimed they were a 3a said I was a 3a and I was thinking how if I am a 3a how the HELL are you one. Our hair is NOTHING alike. I know I don't have a lick of 3a hair unless its texturized.

 

[caligirl]

How about the TEXTURE? Some people have tight curls, but silky hair. Whereas others have loose curls but coarse hair. I think it makes a difference.

 

[Tru_Mind]

How about the TEXTURE? Some people have tight curls, but silky hair. Whereas others have loose curls but coarse hair. I think it makes a difference.

Hi Caligirl!

I always wonder about texture too. When I first joined LHCF I noticed that Ayeshia and I have a similar curl pattern, but something’s different...it's the texture. Therefore, according to Andre(since 3c does not exist) Ayeshia is a 3b too...but here she is thought to be 3cish. Andre does not focus on texture...his focus is on curl pattern. The texture makes her hair look 4ish at times...but she is not a 4. I guess you could say that she has a 4ish texture...but 3b curls...if that makes any sense. However, since Andre does not focus on texture...texture does not matter when typing hair it's the curl pattern.

See the whole 3c thing confuses me, so the way I figure out hair types is by leaving it out.

-tru

 

[senimoni]

I'm glad you brought this up, b/c I wonder about the silkiness factor too.

 

[Tru_Mind]

I find it funny that Andre included texture(coarse) in types 1 and 2 only. Why...I don't know? I'm sure they're are many, for example, 3a's that probably think that they are a 3b because of the texture...and many 3b's that think that they are a 4a because of the texture. IMO when it gets to 3's and 4's hair types and textures are more diverse. Maybe that's why Andre left it alone. I've been wishing that 3a had it own sub-type(s), 3b it's own, 4a it's own, and 4b it's own...maybe that can help some of us out.

The LOIS system deals with texture. Use it alone or combine the two systems.

Some 4a's have a silkyness too, but when it comes to 3 and 4 the focus is on curl pattern not texture. I don't know why he did that, because texture is important for 3 and 4 hair types too.

The more I view threads like this the more I understand whay some of us are confused about typing and say forget it...but some of us are in straight denial.

Whom ever defined the type 3c...they can't see that that's more of descripition of what some 4a heads looks like. Of course all 4a's don't look exactly alike(because of different textures IMO)...the same goes for all the hair types.

I say stick to one discription...one is enough. Forget about the picture used to describe that discription...because that picture is just one view of what that hair type look like. The more pictures posted the better...one picture is not enough to describe a hair type.
-tru

 

[CandiceC]

4a-b being the kinkiest of the hair types is my type. I've worn my hair relaxed for years and now I texturize but I clearly remember what my hair was like before relaxing and when it's time for me to touch up (which is every 3 to 4 months) my hair type shines through. So the typing system has always been pretty clear for me.

Same here!

 

[toinette]

Hehe Toinette, I think I know what you're talking about. I was reading an old thread and someone would just not admit that she was a type 4, they told her, and she's like 'well that's your opinion, my hair is type 3 and that's how it is..." I was like no way, Jose...

carlita, thats the post!!!! i was "utterly complexed" as webby would say.

 

[InsertCleverNameHere]

Man its craaaaazay! I understand being confused...shoot...not knowing the difference between whether your hair might be a 3c or 4a is one thing...but if you claiming 3a and you look like a 4b to e'erbody else...shoot, that's not confusion thats DELUSION!

But on the real...hairtyping is only part of the story for me as far as product rec's go...If someone has thick coarse hair thats the same type as mine...9 times out of 10 it won't work...I would rather take product recs from someone with a different hairtype but with fine hair...but if I find someone with fine hair and the same hairtype, the product recs usually end up being pure gold!

 

[Lucia]

??? I gave up a long time ago trying to type my hair

 

[SilkyandSmooth]

I felt comfortable typing my own hair because I have been natural before so I know what to expect and I now have about six inches of natural hair that I don't think will do any dramatic changes once the texturized ends are cut off. But who knows? I'll find out a year from now.

As I've said before, the only time knowing your hair type is the least bit useful is for product recommendations, IMO. That's it. If I see my hair twin or hair cousins raving about a product or a styling method, 9 times out of 10 it's going to work for me, too. Knowing that saves me a lot of time and money.

I totally agree with this. I didn't relax until I was 18, so I pretty much know what my hair is going to look like once I BC. I remember the thickness, wavies/curlies & frizziness once humidity hits quite well....Product recommendations from those with similiar hair types are most definitely helpful.

 

[mscounselor]

For those of you that were confused on how there could be a 3c, Naturally Curly added their own category. If you go to the website and look under hair type, they added a 3c with a picture of Gloria Reuben.

Don't know if that's where it came from, but at least we know it wasnt Andre.

 

[Porsche19]

To me, texture doesn't play a part in hairtyping, it's all in the diameter of the curl. If you have silky or rough 3b curls it is still considered to be 3b. So I really just look at the diameter alone to determine the type. lol, not that it makes anything clearer.

Now... tru mind. I disagree about 3's and 4's being more diverse than 1's and 2's (Why wouldn't they be just as diverse... with varying degrees of waviness? Just like curly and kinky heads have varying degrees of curl/kink?) BUT I agree about everything else.

 

[azul11]

5 years ago I never knew what hair typing was nor cared. Now all of sudden its such a big issue. Now you are looking at the albums and people are claiming this or that and you go back to the hair typing pictures and try to see if maybe everyone is seeing something different than I am. Then you get the post where people are saying oh I think my hair is a 1cd or a 2pac or something. Its like ummm okay I dont see it but maybe I am not too sure about this hair typing thing. Then you get those post where people say yeah my told me on her side of the family she has Jeep Cherokee and my dad's side is American Eagle or something odd like that. As if mentioning this means their hair isnt regular black hair its a new black hair. They are a part of New black city or something. I have seen all these posts. And it makes me wonder if maybe deep down we have been taught that the lower your number the better grade of hair you have. If maybe people dont want to admit that they are deeeeeepppp in the 4s and now where near the 2s or 3s.

I understand the confusion because the pictures arent as detailed and the descriptions can be misleading. Also the fact that many people may have several types on one head. So no two heads will always look alike. DAMN THAT HAIRTYPING SYSTEM!!!! God bless you all.

 

[nurseN98]

Then you get the post where people are saying oh I think my hair is a 1cd or a 2pac or something. Its like ummm okay I dont see it but maybe I am not too sure about this hair typing thing. Then you get those post where people say yeah my told me on her side of the family she has Jeep Cherokee and my dad's side is American Eagle or something odd like that. As if mentioning this means their hair isnt regular black hair its a new black hair. They are a part of New black city or something. I have seen all these posts. And it makes me wonder if maybe deep down we have been taught that the lower your number the better grade of hair you have. If maybe people dont want to admit that they are deeeeeepppp in the 4s and now where near the 2s or 3s.

@ 1cd or 2pac

I agree with you. We are taught that type 1,2 & 3 are a 'better grade of hair' I mean when I went home, my mom was asking me (albeit in a very nice way) if I wanted to run a warm comb through my hair. Even though she is natural herself, she thought my hair would look much better straightened a little bit to make it look like I have type 2 hair or something. Why, my hair is beautiful the way it is, naps and all. A lot of folks want to look like they have something they don't. With a lot of folks, if you close one eye and squint the other, you can see their type 3 hair so they just take that notion and run with it. It don't bother me though, I'm real with myself. I ain't got time to worry about other ppls delusions.

But anywho, I've given up on typing my hair. It is what it is.

 

[Ms Red]

I gave up on hair typing, period. I just don't get it.

 

[Tru_Mind]

To me, texture doesn't play a part in hairtyping, it's all in the diameter of the curl. If you have silky or rough 3b curls it is still considered to be 3b. So I really just look at the diameter alone to determine the type. lol, not that it makes anything clearer.

Now... tru mind. I disagree about 3's and 4's being more diverse than 1's and 2's (Why wouldn't they be just as diverse... with varying degrees of waviness? Just like curly and kinky heads have varying degrees of curl/kink?) BUT I agree about everything else.

Hi Porshe! It seems that the more and more I discuss or try to explain this hair typing mess the more I confuse myself! I said that because I hear soooo many ladies say that about 3 and 4. However, I totally understand Andre's system...but in order to help those ladies that just can't figure their hair type because there hair don't look like the picture etc, maybe they can figure it out with extra sub-types. Maybe!

It's a fact no two heads of hair are exactly a like. Yes, I believe that 1's and 2's can be just as diverse too...they are. I don't know girl, but I'm becoming confused too...luckily I figured out my own hair type before I joined hair boards.

Thanks for bringing that to my attention.

-tru

 

[Tru_Mind]

Ladies, do you think that Andre made things even worse with his number system?

See, I didn't look at it that way. I saw it as something better. I grew up around some ignorant people...not family members, but classmates etc. who threw the "good hair" "bad hair" thing around on a regular. It seemed to me at times they related the "good hair" "bad hair" thing to color most of the time. I've witnessed this too often in the past. It's a shame!

Therefore, when I first learned about the number system I thought that it was the best thing ever...and it was about time! I never thought that it would be like this.

Is it that some bring their old ways along with it...or is the number system just as bad as the old ways? I always thought that the number system was an educated way of viewing and learning hair.

I think some of us weren't ready. What I mean is that I believe that if you thought that your hair was "bad" or "good" before the number system you're going to continue to think that way. I believe that if our way of viewing or thinking about hair had already changed before the number system...then the number system would have been a wonderful tool for all of us. Our way of thinking has to change first in order for us to expect it and be able to type our hair with no problem...if we want to...we don't have to. I don't see what the big deal is sometimes.

I see people ask what is their hair type, and 5(for example) other ladies tell them the same type and the still say that they don't know? I wonder sometimes...

-tru

 

[Leshia]

Heck, webby, I thought you were a type 1 for a long time after looking in your album. Now, I think I was looking at one of your Dominican blowouts.

She DOES blow out some hair...*nodding* Sho' wish I could. *sigh*

 

[Chivara]

Girl...some people may be genuinely confused, but I'm not buying into the myth that some of these folx believe that they they have 3a, b, c, d, e...hair They need to stop pretending that THEY think they have anything other than black, kANky, Negroid hair

Girl yes! I know I have some of the roughest stuff known to man...ain't no denying it and trying to call it 3 a,b,c...I'd feel like damn fool trying to tell that lie!

 

[curlilocs]

This thread is hilarious! I don't understand why people get a hyped up about this hair type thing!

 

[webby]

I think some of us weren't ready. What I mean is that I believe that if you thought that your hair was "bad" or "good" before the number system you're going to continue to think that way.

Yes, indeedy

@ Leshia - blow outs just take practice. I'm here to tell ya, ANYONE can do it, if I can

 

[FlowerHair]

I have wondered sometimes too, when people who have relaxed hair and about 1 inch of new growth say they are this or that hair type. It's very difficult even for me with waist length hair to say what type my hair is.
I can easily make my hair look like anything from 2b to 4a/b. When I say easy, I mean with no heat, same products. So for me, it all depends on what you do with your hair after you wash it. It doesn't even matter to me what hair type people have, I use all the good advice I get here no matter who they come from

 

[Mizani_Mrs]

I agree. But I think some people are "typing" their hair AFTER they've applied their beloved products. For instance, my hair is natually 4b but after I add a few products...it can be mistaken for a 3c when wet or 4a when dry....

I mean which is okay...u can claim to be any 'type' you want. But i think what's confusing is that other folks are viewing their albums and because they have similiar hair...these folks that are viewing are becoming confused.

I say to HAIL with it...who needs another label anyways.....