Each hair has its own specific characteristics, meaning particularities that make them different from each other. These particularities require specific care, so only by knowing your own hair very well can you give it all the care it needs. To have beautiful, radiant, and healthy strands, it is therefore essential to know your hair types. But don't worry, we'll explain everything here!
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What determines hair types?
Hair follicles are structures, like "small pockets," distributed in our epidermis, which is the most superficial layer of our skin. These follicles are responsible for the shape of the hair, as they produce the main compound of our hair, a type of protein called keratin. In each of the thousands of keratin chains in each strand, there are sulfur atoms. When two of these atoms bond, they are called disulfide bonds. At this point, you're probably asking yourself, "Okay, but why is this important?" simply because it is this disulfide bond that defines the structure of the strand, meaning it will determine whether it will be straight, wavy, curly, or coily.
Simply put, the more asymmetrical the follicles, the curlier the hair will be; the more symmetrical the follicles, the straighter the hair will be.
Hair types through André Walker's classification
For each hair type, there is a subcategory that helps us understand the most specific characteristics of each strand. André Walker, a famous American hairdresser, created a chart listing hair types according to two specific criteria. The numbers designate the hair type: straight, wavy, curly, and coily. The letters designate the degree of curl and thickness of the strand.
Discover the groups that define each hair type below:
Understanding André Walker's Hair Type Chart:
While it might seem a bit daunting, understanding it is quite simple!
Let's start with the letters that designate curl density:
- Letter A features hair with looser curls.
- Letter B hair has a more defined curl.
- Letter C is where the curls are the smallest and most defined in each group.
Next are the numbers ranging from 1 to 4:
- Number 1 is straight hair, with no waves. After this, curls begin to be counted from number 2.
- Number 2 is slightly curly, wavy hair.
- Number 3 is for curly hair.
- Number 4 is for very curly, and coily hair.
Smooth and Straight Hair
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Straight hair is generally very silky, as the natural oils can reach the ends of the strands, but constant use of curling irons or hair dryers can make hair dry.
How to care for these hair types: To avoid dryness, straight hair needs to be hydrated every two weeks, and whenever you wish to use a heat styling tool, you must use heat protection creams before using them (except for hair dryers, of course).
1A – Shows no curl pattern. The hair is quite fine, oily, and shiny.
1B – Also has no curl, but the hair is slightly thicker than type 1A. It is also oily and shiny.
1C – The hair is thicker and heavier. They have no curls, are quite dense, and also tend to be oily.
Wavy Hair
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Wavy hair forms "S"-shaped waves and can be straight when brushed or curly when dampened, forming loose curls.
How to care for yourself: To define the waves, use styling creams or curl activators, and prefer layered cuts, as they give more movement to the waves. This hair type needs deep hydration every two weeks, with specific masks or creams to hydrate them; the use of a hairdryer should be avoided to make the waves more defined and shiny.
2A – With very ill-defined waves, the hair is almost straight. It is light and usually does not have much volume.
2B – The waves are less timid, especially when the hair is cared for.
2C – The waves are more intense and have a very defined S-shape. In this type, it is already possible to find some curls.
Frizzy and Curly Hair
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Curly hair forms well-defined curls that resemble springs, but tends to be dry. It is therefore not recommended to use dyes on this type of hair, nor to blow-dry it.
How to care for it: The ideal is to wash curly hair only once a week with specific shampoos, and after each wash, the hair should be hydrated with a specific cream or a hydrating mask. After washing, natural drying is often the best idea, as using a hairdryer will damage the curl and dry it out.
To give shape to the hair and define the curl, a suitable cream can be used.
3A – Defined and slightly loose curls.
3B – The curl is more cursive, with a much narrower, defined, and regular S-shape. The ends tend to be dry, as the natural oil from the root has more difficulty traveling down the hair.
3C – They have tighter spiral formations. Curls are well defined, but much tighter and narrower. The ends also tend to be dry.
Coily Hair
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Coily hair is helically shaped hair. It grows in a very dense spiral, which always gives the impression that it grows extremely slowly. And it's not just an impression; it's true that coily hair grows slowly.
Indeed, if we stick to an average, it grows 0.8 cm per month. However, this average should be taken with a grain of salt due to everyone being different!
How to care for these hair types: Just like curly hair, you should use a styling cream and let your hair dry naturally. This, while being much more generous with hydration due to the dryness you may regularly experience.
4A – A mix of curls and twists. The difference with type 3C is that the hair shows curls even when wet (type 3C can look wavy when wet). When dry, the curls are less defined. They tend to be drier at the ends.
4B – Very tight, or zigzag, the curls are less defined and may not be visible when dry. The strands are very fine and tend to be drier and break easily.
4C – The hair forms extremely tight "springs" that retract very close to the scalp when the strand is dry. In fact, curl formation may not even be visible when the hair is dry. It can be porous and, as it is a quite fine strand, it breaks easily.
Conclusion
We hope that with this information, you have learned more about your hair, or even learned about other types! If you have any questions, or if you wish to share your experience, please feel free to write in the comment section below.
