In part one of the hair typing series, I broke down the various aspects of hair typing: curl pattern, porosity, texture, density, and elasticity. But now the question is…how do you put this information to use?
The easiest way to explain this is to use myself as an example.
Like so many I was completely confused and a little overwhelmed when I first went natural. Everyone was throwing around terms, products I had to try, and declaring curl types left and right. Needless to say, I purchased product after product…that didn’t work for my hair type.
That is when I started to take the time to truly understand my hair. You can say I built a relationship with my hair. And not just the Andre Walker Typing System, which is limited in utility. I learned about various aspects of hair typing so I could better understand how to moisturize and style my hair. And that is when I had my major breakthrough.
3 Things You Should Understand About Hair Typing
Multiple Hair Types in One Head
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Most people have a variety of the listed hair types. In actuality, when applying Andre Walker’s Hair Typing System you base your assesment off of the more dominate hair type. This can be limiting when it comes to styling natural hair. You must know how to adjust your styling techniques to compensate for that.
From example Tamara of Natural Hair Rules has a loose almost wavy curl pattern or 3b in the front of her hair. When styling in two strand twist her hair easier unravels. But since she understand that she can adjust her twisting and maybe even products used.
For the record, I have 3C (in my crown), 4A and 4B in some sections. But honestly, all you need to know is that I have kinky hair. From that, you know that it is more difficult for hair sebum to reach the ends of my hair. Other than that, it is just the “abc’s” & “123’s” of hair typing are aesthetics. An descriptive way to define size of my curls.
Porosity and How It Effects Your Hair
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Porosity
is the most useful information associated with hair typing for most curly girls. Porosity refers to how your hair strands retain moisture. High porosity hair has a very difficult time retaining moisture because water enters and leaves the shaft easily. This is true for many.
I’m on the other side of the specturm with low porosity. I was that girl who kept the relaxer in longer, because it just woudn’t “take”. And today, I’m that girl who stands under the shower head FOREVER because it takes forever for my hair to feel wet. Products that others rave about just sit on top of my hair without “penetrating”. It is truly an art to get moisture into my hair.
But as I studied more about porosity and perked up my ears when others described having the same issues, a whole new world opened up for me. [And I must point out, I learned about moisturizing my hair from those whose hair looked NOTHING like mine.] So armed with this information, I’m an aloe vera, mimosa hair honey, spritz bottle toting gal. All because I KNOW how to moisturize my hair. Think about it this way. You wouldn’t buy makeup foundation without knowing whether your skin is dry, normal, or oil would you? So why would you do that when buying hair products?
Hair Texture and Hair Limitations
Hair Texture refers to the thickness or diameter of the hair strand. Your hair can be fine, medium (normal) , or thick (coarse). Fine hair is delicate –with less protein structure — and doesn’t hold curls well. Fine hair is more prone to breakage, especially if it is also prone to dryness. Medium (normal) has more protein structure than fine hair, but it is more pliable than coarse hair. Coarse hair is a thicker hair strand, holds curls well, but it is less pliable than fine or medium hair.
My hair texture is medium-thick. You know all those people who fear heat damage? I’m not one of them. I’m not saying I can’t heat damage my hair — because I have — but it is harder for me to do so. Why, you ask? Because my strands are thicker. They are more resilient. Due to trial and error, I’ve learned my heat limits. In fact, for me, wash and gos cause way more damage to my hair. But for some, with finer strands, heat can seriously wreak havoc on their hair. But if you know your hair texture, you are better prepared to deal with heat and mechanical damage concerns.
When it comes to curl pattern and elasticity, I don’t really think about it. My hair has a lot of shrinkage and I’ve embraced it. My hair is dense. Very dense. I’ve embraced that too. Detangling is more of a challenge for me, but I have a very full and vibrant head of hair. So I guess you would say this is more of a testimonial…
Each hair types with its own their pros and cons. But if you take the time to learn your hair, the pros will far outweigh the cons.
How have you applied hair typing to your hair regimen?
I have thick coarse hair. I believe I’m a 3c. My hair does not tangle. I never lose little to no hair on wash day. My curl pattern is a very loose S. I have very little definition unless I do a two string twist. I usually keep my hair in protective style during the week because I exercise daily. What products work well for my hair?