1, 2, 3, 4: Know Your Hair Type
We humans are mammals. As such, we have hair almost everywhere on our bodies - it's just the truth of life. Hair protects our mammalian skin from cold, sun, and physical damage. (Fun fact: The average person has close to 100,000 hair strands just on their head!)
Hair is also crucial for how we perceive ourselves. We like to take good care of our manes, and we get sad if these efforts don't pay off. One thing that can be a game-changer is learning your hair type. Knowing what kind of hair you have allows you to care for it properly and learn to work with it instead of fighting it.
We can categorize our hair into particular categories according to the curl pattern, shape, and tightness. Back in the 90s Andre Walker - Ophrah Winfrey's hairstylist - created a hair classification system that's been used by many a haircare professional since and has been favored by customers.
Walker's system divides hair into 4 main types from 1 (straight) to 4 (tightly coiled), but there are also subtypes that go into finer details. Some of them are not a part of Walker's original classification but were added later to catch up with the complexity of our hair.
Type 1
This type represents hair that's straight and resistant to heat treatments; it also tends to get shiny and oily fast. We have subtypes 1A, 1B, and 1C. 1A means very fine, thin, silky hair that dries straight and has a noticeable shine. 1B is a medium on the scale, with more volume and sometimes some curl at the ends, and 1C is relatively coarse, prone to frizz, and difficult to style.
Now, despite these intricacies, type 1 hair types are pretty similar and don't necessarily require different haircare routines. If you do figure out you're Type 1, it's usually good enough.
Haircare tip! Brush your type 1 hair daily and don't overload it with products like gels or creams.
Type 2
Type 2 is generally your typical wavy hair or something between straight and curly. We differentiate between 2A, 2B, and 2C types. Type 2A is fine and thin; it usually goes straight from the roots to the eye level and forms subtle waves from the eye level to the ends. It's a hair stylist's favorite because it gives in rather easily to straightening or curling.
2B has waves that tend to adhere to the shape of your head. This hair might get somewhat frizzy and it doesn't love being treated with a heat tool. Now, 2C is where curls start coming in - it has thick waves with some loose coils here and there, and the least amount of shine compared to previous types.
Haircare tip! Use hair styling products that add a little extra moisture to your hair. Go for a light mousse rather than a rich hair butter.
Type 3
In type 3, we have hair that can range anywhere from tiny ringlets to big locks. It tends to be the most sensitive to damage, heavy products, and frizz and usually doesn't do good with straight-up brushing, as it destroys the natural curl pattern.
Type 3A includes loose, large curls, sometimes mixed in with some waves; it's also very shiny. Type 3B hair consists of springy, spiral-like ringlets that hold their curl when pulled out, unlike type 3A. 3B hair tends to be coarse, more full, and frizz-prone. Finally, type 3C represents a tight, corkscrew curl that typically grows away from the roots before cascading down. It's voluminous and less smooth than the other two types.
Haircare tip! Instead of putting a brush through your hair, use a leave-in conditioner and style it with your fingers.
Type 4
Type 4 can be referred to as kinky, or simply full of tightly coiled curls. It can appear coarse, but actually, it's often very fine and delicate. Type 4A hair means tight, S-shaped curls with a more defined pattern than other coily types. Type 4B has a less defined curl and crimpy texture. When stretched out, it's not shaped like the letter S but zig zags in different directions instead. Kind of like a letter Z shape! The last one, type 4C hair is kinky, dense, and very tightly packed with little definition.
Haircare tip! You might benefit from oil-based products to combat frizziness, smooth out your curls, and give them some nutrition.
While Walker's system can be useful to make sense of your hair, it's not without limitations. Many criticized that type of classification for favoring a specific type of hair over others: specifically, fine, Caucasian hair over kinky and coily textures that people of color often have. In a world where someone's natural hair can still cost them a job, it is crucial to examine hair typing systems critically. Finding new ways to discover more about your hair type is perfectly fine, but don't feel tied up to it. Every hair texture deserves appreciation, and embracing our authentic appearance is something everyone should feel empowered to do.
Sources:
Kymberlee, H., Adesola, A., & Prajjwhal, D. (2018). Towards creation of a curl pattern recognition system. Proceedings of the International Conference on Image Processing, Computer Vision, and Pattern Recognition (IPCV), 30–33.
Moody, S. N., van Dammen, L., Wang, W., Greder, K. A., Neiderhiser, J. M., Afulani, P. A., & Shirtcliff, E. A. (2022). Impact of hair type, hair sample weight, external hair exposures, and race on cumulative hair cortisol. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 142, 105805. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105805
Walker, A., Wiltz, T., & Winfrey, O. (1997). Andre talks hair! Simon & Schuster.