Hair Typing System (and ALL of it's madness)

[Pikahime]

Hi everyone!

I've been transitioning to natural for about six months now (six months that FLEW by), and I plan on cutting my hair at possibly a year or a year and a few months. My curls extend a bit past my ear when stretched. Since my hair has started to grow out, I've been trying to figure out my "hair type" (using Andre Walker's system) to figure out what products work best for me... but goodness this whole thing has been confusing! I think its mainly because I have more than one hair type in my head, and my hair is pretty dense all the way around.
Here's what I THINK is going on in my head right now.
The entire left and the most of the back of my head is a 3c or a 4a. The curls there look like just that, curls, little spirals and ringlets. This side of my head also straightens easer and doesnt hold twist outs and braid outs well. However I can tell that it would probably be really good at holding a wash and go once I'm completely natural.
The crown of my head, a 4b I think? It has a very distinct zig zag pattern that was very frizzy in the beginning of my transition but is more defined as it grows.
The right side... I honestly have no idea. There are curls there but they're very small so I'm assuming a 4c? This side of my head has always been the most dense and resistant side, extremely thick and hard to straighten, since I was a kid. It doesn't look like much of a curl pattern there, so I honestly won't know until I cut my texlaxed ends off.

As far as texture goes, I suppose it's more of a cottony/soft texture, when I was younger and even now people would say that my hair feels like a pillow or a cloud. It's always had that natural bounce and body to it, even when I was texlaxed. Porosity wise I used to have high porosity, but it's started to level out more as I learn more about my hair and how to take care of it.

However, this hairtyping thing is confusing and I feel like I'm the only one out there! Does anyone else share the struggle?

 

[DILLIGAF]

I find the hair typing system as far as Andre Walker has it isn't that great for product recommendations. Find out the density and porosity of your strands. This will help you tailor a better regime for your natural hair once you cut off your processed ends. I'm of the opinion that the Andre Walker system just basically tells us what our curls look like. I'm a 3c/4a but I have high medium density and normal porosity. What does that mean for my hair? It means my hair doesn't have too many issues absorbing products and I have a lot of hair. I can easily some creams and butters. Someone with the same 3c/4a combo may have low density and high porosity will not be able to use the same products as I do. For instance one of my best friends here in Miami has the same 3c/4a combo but because she has a low density she has to use lighter weight products in her hair to get the same results. Hope this helps and good luck on the rest of your transition.

 

[sagehen]

NOT being snarky, but you asked this question earlier this year and it was answered and suggestions were given (in the WOC hair thread) - did you get a chance to see it? I will link to it when I am able (can't find it right now). Anyway, experience and anecdotal evidence have taught me that other hair properties are more important than curl size. How porous your hair is will determine how best to balance moisture/protein, etc, and what treatments/ingredients work best for your hair. The thickness of your individual hair strands (are they fine or coarse, a combo?) will best determine what styles will work for you. Maybe your hair like manipulation? Maybe not? These are all things that take awhile to answer for yourself and they tke patience and some time dealing with your own hair to find out. Once I got off the curl size train (I have multiple textures in my hair too, so I get your frustration), I had a much easier time dealing with my hair and it stopped being a struggle.

 

[DILLIGAF]

Anyway, experience and anecdotal evidence have taught me that other hair properties are more important than curl size. How porous your hair is will determine how best to balance moisture/protein, etc, and what treatments/ingredients work best for your hair. The thickness of your individual hair strands (are they fine or coarse, a combo?) will best determine what styles will work for you. Maybe your hair like manipulation? Maybe not? These are all things that take awhile to answer for yourself and they tke patience and some time dealing with your own hair to find out. Once I got off the curl size train (I have multiple textures in my hair too, so I get your frustration), I had a much easier time dealing with my hair and it stopped being a struggle.

Truth!!! When I first went natural it was about the curl size( mulitiple textures here too). I know better and do better now.

 

[sedmo007]

I know what you mean it is very complicated, I am not sure of my hair type. One reason being that I think I trained the front part of my hair so it may not be a curly as it could be....idk. Im not good with hair.