When we talk about hair types, the four types of hair that come to mind are straight – type one, wavy – type two, curly – type three, and coily – type four. However, the hair type chart includes many subcategories such as 1a straight, 2a straight, and so on. There are up to 12 hair types. For each type, there is a different hair care routine to help bring out the full and shiny potential of your hair.
Each type has its own unique characteristics, and all are beautiful. But do you know what makes them so unique, and do you actually identify your hair type? Well, we have created this comprehensive hair pattern guide to provide you with up-to-date information on all hair types and how to identify them.
There are 4 Main Hair Types
Hair types are classified into straight, wavy, curly and kinky, known as 1,2,3 and 4. The hairstyle and hair texture determine the class of your hair type. The types are essentially unique, just like fingerprints. For example, 2 people with type 2a hair may have completely different texture, hair thickness, volume, number of strands, moisture balance, etc.
What can you say about your hair when you look in the mirror?
* Curly or straight?
* Are the curls large or tight?
* Is your hair brittle and tight or does it have a gentle and tousled texture?
These are all signs that indicate your hair type and where your hair locks fall in its sub-category. Types A, B and C are also needed to determine the hair patterns. Today, there are 4 classes and 3 subgroups each: 1A, 1B, 1C, 2A, 2B, 2C, 3A, 3B, 3C, 4A, 4B, 4C.
Type 1: Straight Hair
Type 1 hair is characterized by smooth, silky and flat features. This is the type that distributes natural oil most on the scalp. This is why straight hair is the most shiny. People with straight hair don’t need intense hair oils and serums. In addition, as the hair grows longer – for example, long straight hair – it tends to be less voluminous than curly and wavy.
Subtypes of Straight Hair
1A Hair Type
1A type hair is the finest and straightest, with no curl or wave. Easy to oil from root to tip. It has a very smooth and silky texture with thin & fine strands. People with 1a type hair don’t need a flat iron, but the main disadvantage is that it is fragile and breaks easily.
1B Hair Type
Type 1B hair is just one category in the Andre Walker Hair Typing System. It’s based on how the hair looks and how it curls. 1B hair is straight with a medium-thick texture. Compared to 1A, it gives the hair a fuller look and is easier to style. 1B straight hair may have some subtle bends in the middle and gently curled ends. It has a few coarse fibers that make the hair look more voluminous.
1C Hair Type
Hair type 1C is the coarsest, most wavy, and thickest of the straight hair group. It’s more voluminous and prone to frizz than 1A and 1B. While it doesn’t have any noticeable curls or waves, it tends to have a fuller, denser look compared to other straight types. When you’re taking care of your hair, you can use a moisturizing shampoo to help control frizz.
How to Take Care of Straight Hair
Noteworthy considerations for hair care for straight hair are these:
* Preventing excessive oiliness,
* Providing moisture balance and nutrition in accordance with the pH value of the scalp,
* Avoiding excessive straightening, not doing treatments that will cause hair strands to break
In accordance with this information, there are various recommendations for straight hair care based on years of expertise. Here are the top hair care tips for those with straight hair.
- Don’t wash your them daily
- Consider investing in dry shampoo
- Choose a lightweight hair oil, serum and moisturizing mask.
- It’s always a good idea to moisturize the ends.
- Schedule regular trims.
- Start building volume from the beginning.
- Focus your conditioner on the right areas.
- You might want to consider picking up a paddle brush.
- Pick styles that work with your hair type.
- Don’t forget to cut the ends on a regular basis.
Celebrities with Type 1 Straight Hair
Type 2: Wavy Hair
Type 2 wavy hair has a natural wavy texture with a defined wave pattern. The waves are less defined and looser than those in Type 3 or Type 4. It’s not curly or straight, but has big waves that form an “S” shape. The waves are pretty close to the head and get curlier from the ears on out. Type 2 hair is the least dry of the 3 main curl types, compared to the others. It’s not any oilier than Type 1.
Subtypes of Wavy Hair
2A Hair Type
Wavy-fine hair with very undefined S shape waves. Among wavy hair types, it is the closest to straight. 2A waves often look great once they’ve air-dried naturally. However, just like thin type 1 hair, 2A strands can also break off and shed.
2B Hair Type
It’s wavy with a slightly more defined “S” wave. It’s also more resistant to hair loss and breakage than 2A. It usually has good volume with a mid-texture and is prone to frizz. It takes a bit more effort to straighten than Type 1, but it’s really easy to create a beachy look just by spritzing with salt spray.
2C Hair Type
Type 2C waves start at the scalp, and they’re thicker and coarser than other type 2 subcategories. It doesn’t respond well to styling. The hair tends to frizz. On top of that, they have a stronger curl retention, so you can style this wavy curly hair in defined curls that will make a bigger impact than on other Type 2 hairs.
How to Take Care of Wavy Hair
How to treat wavy hair with an anti-frizz, curl-defining treatment, here are the 10 wavy hair tips of the haircare expert:
- Try using a sulfate-free shampoo.
- Give your hair some TLC with a moisturizing conditioner.
- Give it a good rinse.
- Try to wash your hair just two or three times a week to help your natural hair oils stay in.
- Use a leave-in conditioner.
- Apply a conditioner that’s right for type 2 waves.
- Apply a lightweight hair growth serum.
- For extra lift, clip up the roots while drying.
- Use anti-frizz products like creams and serums to control flyaways and keep waves smooth.
- Use a diffuser on a blow dryer to enhance natural wave patterns without frizz.
Celebrities with Type 2 Wavy Hair
Type 3: Curly Hair
The Type 3 category includes all forms of curly hair: loose curls, tight curls and corkscrews. This is characterized by well-defined and tight curls that form distinct “Z” or “S” shapes. May have slight curvelous zigzags. It can be thicker, denser and fluffier than Type 2 wavy types. You need to moisturize often to reduce dryness.
Subtypes of Curly Hair
3A Hair Type
The most distinctive feature of hair in this typology is its loose curls. 3A curls are in the form of loose loops, so brushing this curl type of hair can damage the curl definition and result in a frizzy mane. To avoid frizz, don’t brush your curls when they are dry.
3B Hair Type
Tight ringlets consisting of fluffy curls & moderately tight curls. Less likely to become oily. As this hair type is prone to dryness, proper moisturizing is very important. You will need to moisturize to maintain the spiral ringlets.
3C Hair Type
3C type curly hair is tight, dense and S or Z shaped. The shape of the curve is quite pronounced, even more so when damp. 3C hair can shrink naturally and there is a higher risk of breakage and frizz if dryness persists. 3C hair products should provide good moisture and hydration.
How to Take Care of Curly Hair
These curly hair care tips from dermatologists may help you to care for your tight locks:
- Wash as needed, 2 or 3 times a week to avoid dryness.
- Avoid heat styling, although it is more resistant to heat than types 1 and 2.
- Use thick conditioner and oils to maintain moisture.
- Take care of your scalp with anti-dandruff shampoo on the scalp.
- If you want to dye your curly hair, hydrate it first and choose a gentle, ammonia-free dye.
- Use a leave-in conditioner and a wide-toothed comb or fingers to detangle.
- Protect from the sun’s UV rays, you can wear a wide-brimmed hat.
Celebrities with Type 3 Curly Hair
Type 4: Kinky/Coily Hair
Kinky or coily hair is the most textured hair type. It is characterized by very tight curls or zigzag patterns that can range from fine to coarse. Type 4 hair type has all forms of coils; including loose, zig-zagging, tight coils. The kinky coils are tight and spiral all the way through. In comparison to types 1, 2 and 3, type 4a is more sensitive to dryness and can be hard to detangle when dry. It requires a deep moisturizing hair routine.
Subtypes of Kinky / Coily Hair
4A Hair Types
In this type of kinky hair, natural hair oils can’t penetrate far down the shaft of hair. People with this type 4 hair often have itchy and dry scalps. Highly concentrated oils, serums and conditioners are needed.
4B Hair Types
Type 4b hair is more bulky and zig-zagged. Care must be taken when brushing to avoid breakage and single strand knots because the 4b form of hair is likely to be a mixture of coils and zig-zags.
4C Hair Types
Type 4C hair is really dense and coarse. The curl pattern is pretty undefined and there’s a lot of shrinkage. Of all the hair types, 4C is the one that frizzes and shrinks the most. But with the right hair care routine, you can make a difference.
How to take care of Kinky/Coily Hair
The following routine for curly hair and tips for hair care can help you:
- Use protective styles. They are the best for coily hair.
- Trim your hair 7-8 times a week to remove split ends, and protect the health of strands.
- Keep your hair moisturized with leave-in conditioners, hair oils, or creams. Consider the LOC method.
- Sleep on a silk or satin pillowcase or use a satin scarf to minimize friction.
- Try a pre-shampoo treatment for your coily hair.
- Use a deep hair mask weekly.
- Lightweight hydration.
Celebrities with Type 4 Coily Hair
Which hair type is more difficult to transplant?
Performing hair transplants on individuals of Afro-American descent with androgenetic alopecia is more challenging. That’s why the Afro hair transplant technique is used for these people with kinky-type hairs. Afro-hair transplantation can be performed using two modern techniques:
- Direct hair implantation (DHI)
- Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)
DHI is a transplantation method performed with a pen-like tool. It’s a preferred technique for hair density enhancement. Entering between the hairs with the DHI pen is healthier in terms of not causing damage to other hair, as there is a possibility of causing damage to existing hair with the sapphire method.
For patients requiring more graft transplantation, the surgeon’s preference should be the sapphire FUE technique. Surgeons should prefer FUE if they will transplant more than 5000 hair grafts.
If you want to learn more, schedule an appointment with Vantage Hair Clinic now, let us inform you about the most suitable hair transplantation technique for your hair type!
How to Determine Your Hair Type
To figure out what type of hair you have, think about the way your hair curls, the texture, and how thick it is.
- Curl Pattern: let’s look at the curl pattern, check if your hair is straight, wavy, curly, or coily. Use the Andre Walker Hair Typing System, which classifies hair into four main types (1–4) and subcategories (A, B, C).
- Texture: Take a moment to feel the thickness of your strands – are they fine, medium, or coarse? Fine hair is thinner, while coarse hair is thicker and more textured.
- Density: There are three main hair types: thin (fine), medium, and thick (coarse). So, which of these describes your hair density? Take a look at how much hair you have on your scalp. Dense hair has a lot of strands, while sparse hair has fewer.
- Porosity: It is how absorbent your hair is. It affects how well products work. There are three factors to consider:
- 1. How absorbent your hair is.
- 2. How well your hair responds to different products.
Knowing these three things helps you find the right products and care for your hair.
Why Hair Type Matters
Your hair type is important because it helps to give you the right care for your hair, so it stays healthy and looks great. Knowing your texture, hair pattern and density helps you choose the right moisturizing or thickening products, control frizz and avoid product build-up. Tailored routines prevent split ends, make curls stand out more, and keep the scalp healthy, which makes your hair look and feel great.
At the same time, knowing what type of hair you have and how your genes affect them means you can choose the best hair transplant technique if you lose hair in the future. Know your hair type well for healthy hair, strong and dense fibers, and switch to hair care products with the cleanest ingredients!
