3A hair is made up of well-defined and springy curls that have a loopy, “S” shaped pattern. Their circumference is the size of a piece of sidewalk chalk. 3A ringlets have a fine to medium texture. This curl type benefits from lots of body and movement, but is prone to frizzing and dryness.
Type 3 curly hair is springy, bouncy, defined curls and ringlets. 3a curly hair is more defined and less elongated than type 2 wavy hair, but rather a more compact, bouncy S-shape. 3b curls are more defined, bouncy spirals.
3A: Big, loose curls (wine cork size) with fine/medium texture. 3B: Tighter curls (marker size) with fine/medium texture. 3C: Tight corkscrew curls (straw size) with fine/medium/coarse texture. 4A: Defined O- or S-shaped coils (coffee stirrer size) with medium/coarse texture.
The most apparent difference between types 2C and 3A hair is their appearance. 2C hair is wavy, while type 3A hair is curly. If you look closely at 2C curls, you'll see that they have more of an s-shape than a spiral (which 3A curls have). In addition to that, type 2C curls may not start at the root.
Firstly, 3a hair looks like the deep waves in wavy hair types when it's wet. In comparison, damp 3b and 3c hair still retain their ringlets. Secondly, 3a curls are less voluminous than 3b to 4c hair. This means they are the least prone to frizziness and poofiness of all the curly and coily hair types.
3A hair is made up of well-defined and springy curls that have a loopy, “S” shaped pattern. Their circumference is the size of a piece of sidewalk chalk. 3A ringlets have a fine to medium texture. This curl type benefits from lots of body and movement, but is prone to frizzing and dryness.
Coily Curls
The last, but most rare type of curl is the coily curl. This curl type is similar to that of an afro and when observed carefully, looks like the angular letter 'Z'. These curls require the most amount of moisture, as the hair type is much thicker than the other curl types.
Type 2a hair tends to lie flat at the roots and starts to form waves at eye-level. This gradual change in texture can make hair look inconsistent. The shape of these strands don't take on the slight curl pattern of 2c hair types nor do they have the definite wave texture of a 2b hair type.
You have type 3A hair if you can easily wrap your curls around sidewalk chalk. Your hair type is 3B if the permanent marker is the best suit. Finally, you know you have 3C hair type if your spiral curls are about the same size as a pencil.
They tend to be straight at the crown and start forming a defined wavy texture at the midpoint of the locks that continues down to the ends. It has a moderate amount of volume and thickness and doesn't lose its shape easily. Even wet hair still maintains a noticeable wavy pattern.
Type 2C waves are usually identified as small to medium size waves that form into a letter S shape as they grow. This shape borders between wavy and curly hair. Though for some this may already look like a typical curly hair, the 2C type does not form springs, a distinguishing feature between waves and curls.
2B Hair type is best described as wavy hair. This hair type is not quite curly and it's not quite straight. If your hair is mostly flat and straight at the roots but gets wavier and more “S” shaped toward the bottom, then you have 2B hair!
2A hair tends to have a tousled texture. 2B hair consists of 'S' shaped waves in the lengths, but sits relatively straight at the roots. 2C hair has even more defined 'S' shaped curls that start from the root and continue down the lengths of the hair.
Type 2A hair is fine and thin with individual strands forming an “S” shape when dry. It is easy to use styling products to curl or straighten Type 2A hair. Type 2B hair is wavy and slightly frizzier than Type 2A hair. When dry, individual strands create an “S” shape with some frizz.
The main difference is that 1C tends to be more coarse and thick, whereas 2A is a bit more fine and flat. 1C has some volume and body, but 2A doesn't. If you have more waves in your hair, you likely fall into the 2A category. If the waves are barely there and mainly underneath, you probably have 1C hair.
Types 4a, 4b, and 4c hair are very tightly curled or coiled. Types 3a, 3b, and 3c hair have coils or spirals in the hair. Types 2a, 2b, and 2c have a wavy or S-shaped curve. And type 1 hair is straight.
Thick (Coarse)
Thick or coarse hair texture is the strongest hair texture and typically feels coarse or thick to the touch. Coarse hair contains all three hair layers – the cortex, cuticle and medulla.
Out of all the hair types, types 4A, 4B and 4C are the curliest. They tend to form a compacted Z pattern, plus they have a high density that requires creams, gels and custards to hold their shape and reduce volume. Plus, due to the lack of cuticle layers, coily hair also requires extra moisture.
To keep the hair and scalp healthy and avoid product buildup, consider shampooing your 3A curls once or twice a week.
Type 3 and 4 are hair texture types for African-American hair. People who have type 3 hair have S shaped bouncy curls that are well defined, dry and slightly rough. This type has further three hair texture types for African-American hair: type 3a, 3b and 3c. 3a curls are springy and have a definite S shape.
As you get older, your curls may drop, loosen, or even form new curl patterns due to hormonal changes, like menopause. Environmental factors such as gravity, climate, and pollution also play a part. The thinner and weaker your aging curly hair is, the less likely it is to actually curl.