After washing your hair, gently squeeze out excess water with a microfibre towel or old cotton T-shirt. Avoid rubbing vigorously as this can cause frizz. Then let your hair air dry. If your hair starts to form curls or waves as it dries, it's a clear sign that you have a curly texture.
To determine if you have curly or wavy hair, observe your hair's natural state when it is air-dried without using any styling products. If your hair forms loose, flowing "S" shapes, it's wavy. If it forms spirals or ringlets, it's curly. You can also check the tightness and volume of the waves or curls.
Is It Possible to Have Curly Hair and Not Know It? Absolutely! Frequent heat styling, chemical treatments, or improper hair care can mask your natural curls, leading you to believe you have straight or wavy hair.
This hair type includes strands that loop around and form a 360-degree spiral. Here, each strand clings to one another and forms different clusters. Because of the spiral that the tresses make, curly hair is comparatively drier and more brittle than other hair types.
genes and me » hair curl. Human hair comes with all sorts of colors, textures and shapes. Notably, African hair is more coiled and dry; Asian hair is straighter and thicker; and Caucasian hair is somewhere in between with around 45% having straight hair, 40% having wavy hair, and 15% having curly hair.
Fine (Type A) hair looks and feels delicate and will not hold onto curls very well. Medium (Type B) hair is easy to style and will hold onto curls for a longer period of time. Coarse (Type C) hair can hold curls very well but can be difficult to style as it's typically less flexible and more susceptible to frizz.
And there's only one defining difference between the two hair types: curly hair makes a full 360 degree spiral around, forming a complete circle where it twists. Wavy hair makes more of an S shape, going from side to side.
In general, Type 3 curly hair is defined by having an “S” shaped curl pattern. Additionally, because the cuticle doesn't lay as flat as Type 1 or Type 2 hair, the hair also isn't as shiny.
According to Curlkeeper, less than 20% of people have curly hair, making it a rare hair type. However, curly hair comes in all kinds of different styles starting with super coiled curls to slightly wavy. Curly hair requires work to maintain and take care of it, making it hard for some to stick to the routine.
During puberty, menopause and pregnancy, many people will find their will go from straight to curly or vice versa over a period of months. It's also interesting to note that even long periods of stress can be enough to change the texture of your hair.
Curly hair is born deep in the scalp from a curved bulb, and takes its winding shape due to irregularly distributed keratin, the building blocks of hair.
Definition and Structure: Damaged curls may lack a well-defined pattern. So they appear frizzy, limp, or uneven. They might have split ends or rough cuticles.
Type 2 hair, also known as wavy hair, can be defined by its “S” shape curls and looser texture. It is often misclassified as 'frizzy' hair because it tends to lose its shape easily without the correct products.
When the hair is wet, our true curl pattern tends to come out. If you then brush the hair or blow dry it, this pulls the hair straight so the waves and curls drop out. Try combing your hair in the shower when it's soaking wet, then scrunch your hair into wet curl clumps.
Type 1A: The rarest hair type, this one is very straight and fine with a “wispy” appearance. It's very difficult to get it to hold a curl. Type 1B: Though still straight, this type has a medium (rather than fine) texture and a little more volume.
Apply styling products to your hair, which will help hold the curls in place longer. Depending on what works with your hair, apply a tiny bit of mousse prior to drying your hair. Or, spray a bit of hairspray before, during and after curling.
A simple breakdown: Type 1s are straight, Type 2s are wavy, Type 3s are curly, and Type 4s are coily.
To identify your curl type, you may remove a few strands of hair, while it is wet, and lay them flat upon a surface, watch what happens as the strands dry. This can help you determine your curly hair type: S shaped curls - If your locks bend in a loose S shape, then you're likely to have a wavy hair type.
Generally, he says, the range is somewhere between once a day and once a week. “If you have very fine or thin hair, you may need to wash more often, while those with thick or curly hair may need to wash less often,” says Dr Elizabeth Bahar Houshmand, a double board certified dermatologist and hair health expert.
Signs you may have wavy hair
It looks straight when wet and shrinks in length when it's dry. It's prone to frizz and 'puffy' ends which flick out. Your hair tends to get tangled easily. You struggle to straighten certain parts of your hair.