Understanding Curly Hair

Curly hair is a unique and beautiful hair type that grows from a rectangular-shaped hair follicle, much like how a ribbon curls when run through scissors. It comes in a wide variety of patterns and sizes. Over the past decade and a half, hair textures have been more precisely classified into types based on the size and texture of the curl:

• Type 1: Straight
  • 1A – Straight
• Type 2: Wavy
  • 2A – Slightly Wavy
  • 2B – Body Wavy
  • 2C – Wavy
• Type 3: Curly
  • 3A – Slightly Curly
  • 3B – Loose Curly
  • 3C – Curly
• Type 4: Coily
  • 4A – Medium Tight Curly
  • 4B – Tight Curly
  • 4C – Extremely Small Tight Curl

Determining whether hair is fine, medium, or coarse involves understanding the diameter of the hair strand. For example, coarse hair, like Asian hair, has a large diameter that can even cause splinters. In contrast, Caucasian hair typically has a very small diameter, making it appear thin when pulled into a ponytail, though the number of hairs per square inch is often equal to that of thick-density hair (12-15 hairs). Black hair varies widely due to mixed heritage, generally falling into the medium texture range.

When blending different ethnicities, such as Caucasian and Black, hair textures can range from 2A to 4C, often with a finer texture. People with 2A to 3A textures, predominantly of Caucasian descent, consider their hair “curly.” Asian hair usually has a 1A texture, being very straight.