Textured hair is a fast-growing market: an estimated 65% of the U.S. population has curly, coily or wavy hair.
Over 60% of the world's population has curly hair, yet most research to date has clumped hair into three catchall types - African, Asian, and Caucasian.
Less than 20% of people have naturally curly hair. The percentage gets even smaller when you consider the scores of guys out there who don't embrace their curls.
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.
Hair morphology is one of the more conspicuous features of human variation and is particularly diverse among people of European ancestry, for which around 45% of individuals have straight hair, 40% have wavy hair, and 15% have curly hair.
Hair type 1A is super-straight. It doesn't even hold a curl! 1A is the rarest hair type. It is usually found on people of Asian descent.
Curly hair is not certain to a race or ethnicity, it appears all over the world in many forms. White, brown, black and everything inbetween! There is also a scale on which curly hair is classified (2a-4c).
Yes, only 11% of the population have curly hair.
In fact, more people prefer curly hair to straight hair. Though beauty is seen differently by everyone, one thing is for sure; curly hair is getting a lot of love lately. In fact, in a survey conducted by StyleCaster, a surprising 58% of guys thought curly hair was sexier than other hair textures.
Curly hair is considered a “dominant” gene trait. Straight hair is considered “recessive.” To put that in simple terms, that means that if one parent gives you a curly-haired gene and the other parent gives you a straight-haired gene, you'll be born with curly hair.
With Caucasians, research shows that “45 percent of European people have straight hair, 40 per cent have wavy hair and 15 per cent have curly hair.” Curly hair is not exclusive to one race and it does not mean you have to be mixed raced to have curly hair. It's actually not rare for Caucasians to have curly hair.
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.
Curly hair has a history of being seen as "messy" or "unruly". According to stereotypes and media, "proper" or "attractive" people don't have curly hair. Curly hair is often described as "messy looking", as it's harder to keep tied up and harder to shape into a completely symmetrical style than straight hair.
Caucasian hair can be smooth, wavy or curly. Its colorimetry can vary from blond to dark brown. It grows obliquely, and grows about 1.2 centimeters per month. Caucasian hair has an oval shape.
Curly hair is often associated with a fun-loving, warm hearted and outgoing personality. If you have curly hair you are perceived as being courageous, outspoken, and spontaneous. You are probably someone who likes to challenge perceptions and norms.
With Caucasians, research shows that “45 percent of European people have straight hair, 40 per cent have wavy hair and 15 per cent have curly hair.” Curly hair is not exclusive to one race and it does not mean you have to be mixed raced to have curly hair. It's actually not rare for Caucasians to have curly hair.
Women with curly, textured hair tend to look younger than straight-haired counterparts as they age. Because of the natural volume that comes with having curly hair, thinning is less noticeable.
The question then becomes: Why is curly hair so attractive? In my opinion, curly hair is attractive because it is spontaneous and unpredictable. There is something beautiful about it's independence. Your curls will not conform to societal pressure and they will not acquiesce to any attempts to tame them.
Unlike straight hair, curly hair tends to lack moisture and dry out easily, making it more difficult to care for. The amount of curl in your hair is influenced by your hair follicles. People with curly hair tend to have more oval or asymmetrical follicles. This, of course, is determined by your genetics.
Many Asians have naturally straight hair, but there is a significant group of us who do have naturally curly or wavy hair! However, because it's the norm to see straight and sleek hair, curly haired boys and girls tend to think that their hair is some kind of unruly straight hair that isn't behaving.
The fact of the matter is that curly hair takes a longer time to grow longer because it grows in a curl, rather than straight down. But curly hair, as well as straight hair, usually grows about 1/2” per month. So with patience, and with a coordinated plan with your hair stylist, you can have longer hair.
All things being equal, there's no evidence that there's any difference in the natural cycle of hair loss for people with either straight or curly hair. We all shed hair at various times in the hair growth cycle but having straight or curly hair doesn't have much of an impact either way.
Genotyping results show that 94.9% of Black people have curly hair. Additionally, 12.7% of Europeans and 12% of Asian people have curls. Biracial hair is a complicated term, and it does not refer specifically to one hair type or shape.
Caucasians have the highest hair density among the ethnicities studied. Black people have the lowest. Asian people have hair density that falls somewhere in between.
Puberty, menopause and pregnancy all cause hormonal shifts that can make your tresses go from straight to curly hair. In fact, 40-50% of women experience major changes in their hair while pregnant or breastfeeding.