What Hair Grades 3A-C and 4A-C Look Like
The natural hair community has embraced the following Hair Type guidelines developed surprisingly enough by Oprah Winfrey’s hair dresser. He defined hair into the following four (4) hair types:
- Type 1 – Straight Hair: This type of hair is naturally bone straight and not typical of African-Americans or “black hair.”
- Type 2 – Wavy Hair: Soft or deep waves with little to no curl. Coarse and stays close to the scalp in long “s” shaped curves. Doesn’t usually have a lot of body.
- Type 3 – Curly Hair: Unique texture. Fine and soft “q” shaped pattern. Doesn’t have a lot of sheen. Has lots of body. Straightens when wet and curls as it dries.
- Type 4 – Coily / Kinky Hair – Very tightly curled and wiry. Type 4 is usually broken up into 4a and 4b types. 4a hair has a looser coil and strands have a spiral shape. 4b hair has a tighter kink. Strands have a zig-zag shape like the letter “z” and is the most fragile and driest of the types.
If you have Type 4 hair (Coily / Kinky) and believe that you can’t wear natural hair styles, read this.
To read posts on this site about natural hair products (reviews), read Natural Hair Products for Ethnic Tresses.
More Information on Hair Types
For more information hair types, especially Types 4a, 4b, or 4c, check out these webpages:
- What Exactly is a Good Grain of Hair?
- Naturally Curly Website on Hair Types
- Love to Know Hair Website on Hair Types
- Curlz.biz Website on Hair Types
Questions: Did you find this article helpful? Did you find the information you were seeking? What has been your experiences regarding this topic? Have you heard the saying that so-and-so has “good hair.” What are your thoughts? Click here to leave your opinion.
What makes 3 so unique?.
The least amount of people have that hair type probably.
I have type 3 hair that is straight when wet but both of my parents have mixed blood line the only time my hair is managble is when it gets to a lenght to the middle of my back other wise I have to wear it up in a bun
I am an African American female and I have, according to my hairdresser, Type 3c hair. I visited the south a few summers in high school and begin to hear the term “good hair” or “kinky hair”. When I asked my parents about these terms and how southern girls had relaxers, my father’s response always stayed with me. He told me everyone has good hair. You just have to take care of it. My parents explained we were the only race on the planet that has a different build, tone, and hair texture which makes us unique. So why do I need to alter what makes me different just to look acceptable to other people? I am nerdy, quiet, and shy but my hair has personality and presence. My parents have four daughters, two sons, 15 grand kids, and 8 great-grands and all of us, boys and girls, are 100% natural. We are beautiful, unique, and no other race looks like us. Plus, in my way of thinking, why would a special unicorn every want to be a common horse?