The reason we were so confused is because many of us have many different curl patterns on our heads. For some the difference can be as slight as 4a-4c curls or as huge as 2b-3c. If you have noticed that your hair has varying curl patterns, you might be suffering from Multiple Curl Personality Disorder.
Don't worry though, having a variety of textures in your hair is completely normal! The most common reason is genetics. Not only can genetics play a role in your hair texture but your location, along with humidity and the weather can also change the textures in your hair.
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.
Uneven hair growth can be caused by the food you eat, your level of stress, the amount of moisture that your hair is receiving and just plain old genetics. If you are currently experiencing uneven growth in your curly hair, take a look at your lifestyle as a first step to diagnosing the problem.
The reason we were so confused is because many of us have many different curl patterns on our heads. For some the difference can be as slight as 4a-4c curls or as huge as 2b-3c. If you have noticed that your hair has varying curl patterns, you might be suffering from Multiple Curl Personality Disorder.
Can you activate the curly hair gene? People who have a curly-haired parent assume that they can activate this gene. If by puberty your hair doesn't turn curly then you can't activate a curly hair gene.
1C hair is straight but thick and coarse. It has a natural tousled look and tends to frizz. Type 2 is wavy hair.
Type 2C hair waves start from the scalp and are thicker than other Type 2 subcategories. This coarse hair type is the most prone to frizz and forms an “S” shape when dry.
Type 3a hair is characterized by well-defined spiral curls that are typically the size of a piece of sidewalk chalk. Although the circumference of 3a curls is wider than that of 3b and 3c hair, it can be difficult to tell the three curl types apart.
2C type hair is extremely wavy but not coily. The S-shape bends in the hair start off at the roots. These waves are defined and thick. The bends are looser and wider than the tighter structure of curly hair.
It's very normal to have a mix of curl patterns on the same head of hair. It starts with your genetics. You see, the gene for curly hair is not completely dominant. It can remain dormant until activated and then it changes the shape of the hair follicle which changes the hair that grows from it.
Two to three years:This is the usual length of time that transitioning takes. This does not mean that your curls do not have any more growing to do or that you will not require additional trims to get you hair to its final state, but this benchmark will let you see your crown in all its glory.
If it dries with a slight curve or “S” shape, then it's considered wavy hair (type 2). If your hair dries with a defined curl or loop pattern, you have one of two curl types. Type 3 curly hair has springy ringlets or corkscrew curl patterns but is not as dense as coily hair.
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.
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.
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.
Type 4: Kinky Hair
This hair type is also known as coily or very curly. These curls can be “S” shaped or “Z” shaped, and they are very well-defined. It's the coarsest hair type and is sensitive to heat and prone to damage. The best hair style for this type?
Yes, only 11% of the population have curly hair.
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.
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.
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.
Curly hair is determined by factors you inherit from your biological mother and your biological father. There's no single gene that determines the way that your hair looks. The way your hair looks when you're born is also a clue into the genetic information you'd pass to your own children if you have them.
The story of human migration and evolution is written in hair DNA. In sub-Saharan Africa, genes favour tight, curly hair. But in east Asia, mutations have led to straighter, thicker hair. In Europe, other mutations brought wavy and straw-coloured hair.
An increase in androgens in females can actually change the shape of the hair follicle from round to flat and this can instigate a change in texture from straight to curly.