Different types of hair

We have shared all the types of hair that you must know

Types of hair are usually categorized as straight, wavy, curly, and coily. Different types of hair are based on many factors like porosity, density, pattern, and hair care needs. We at The Health Fortune would love to guide you further about the sub-categories of hair types and which factors you need to identify to know your hair type.

We want every day to be a good hair day, and for that, we treat ourselves with multiple hair care treatments, hair spas, and expensive hair care products like masks, shampoos, conditioners, and whatnot. These treatments drain your pocket and still might fail to live up to your expectations. You might wonder the reason behind this. It could be that you’ve opted for the wrong hair treatment, or it could be natural reasons like your natural hair type, seasonal changes, and many more such reasons.

The truth is dry, frizzy, or unhealthy hair can be a big turn-off and also affect our overall confidence and personality. Not to forget these hefty hair care treatments and products are not just exhausting but sometimes spoil our hair quality even more. With the market full of multiple hair care treatments and a plethora of cosmetic products claiming to suit various types of hair, it’s best you educate yourself about your hair’s actual requirements.

Here are all types of hair

Depending upon the shape of your hair follicle, different types of hair are divided into four broad categories:

1. Straight Hair
2. Curly Hair
3. Wavy Hair
4. Coily Hair

These hair types are then sub-categorized into a, b, and c types of hair depending upon the texture of the hair follicle.

Type 1- Straight Hair

This type of hair has no natural curls and is straight from root to tip of the hair. Dermatologists believe that straight hair is oily in nature, as the soft texture allows the oil to flow from the scalp. Many people think that there is only one type of straight hair, but that’s not true. We have different types of hair in the straight hair category depending upon the texture and volume. Stylists believe this type is challenging to style but has a natural shine because of the oils. Here are a few tips from stylists to manage and style straight hair.

1. Avoid using shampoos with oils.
2. Use dry shampoos, which are great to manage oils.
3. Avoid washing hair too often as it might overproduce oils in your scalp.
4. Do brush your hair every day to avoid tangles.

These are further sub-categorized:

1. Type 1a is the flattest, silkiest, and thinnest straight hair type. This hair type finds it difficult to hold a curl, and it requires a texturing spray to style this hair.
2. Type 1b- This hair type is straight from the root but might have slight curls around the end but no waves. This hair is slightly higher in volume. It will help if you use a dry shampoo while you style them.
3. Type 1c- This hair type is thicker and is prone to frizz and dryness. You might want to use hair masks to maintain them. If you have damaged hair, you might fall under this hair category.

2. Type 2- Wavy Hair

Type 2 is the wavy hair type that is not exactly straight and not curly. It is in the shape of S with undefined bends and bumps. They look like beach waves when naturally dried and are fluffy in texture. These are categorized as the easiest to style hair type by stylists. Here we have further categories of wavy hair.

1. Type 2a- It looks like a flat S and is thin and silky in texture. Type 2a is the flatter type, among others. Avoid using cream or oil-based products of this type, and instead, you can use gels to enhance the natural wave.
2. Type 2b- this type is a defined S shape, and you might find them more prone to frizz if damaged. They have medium thickness and volume. These might give you perfect beach waves with a curve in the middle of the hair. Stylists recommend a balayage treatment as the color looks perfect in this hair type.
3. Type 2c- Well defined S shape which starts from the root area and forms a curl, with thicker hair comes under this category. This hair type gets frizzy quickly, and you might have to straighten them often to give them a defined look.

3. Type 3- Curly Hair

Curly hair type is the hair with spiral or spring shape, varying from multiple waves to heavy spiral strands; all of them belong to the curly hair family. These curls are delicate, and the texture of the hair can get easily damaged due to product overuse, humidity, and heat damage. These also vary in texture, and here we have shared their categories

1. Type 3a- Type A in curly hair is the loose curls that are often misinterpreted as wavy hair. These are soft and loose curls with thin hair, which are the most prone among other curly hair types. Stylists have a few recommendations for this hair type, like avoiding tight ponytails and buns as they might spoil the natural curls, and try preventing over-brushing your hair. You can use curl-enhancing mousse to sustain those natural curls.

2. Type 3b- These are curls that start from the roots and go on spiraling like ringlets. These have more dryness and are frizzy, and these might get damaged when you use products with sulfates and silicones. It would help if you used a moisturizer like leave-in conditioners to moisturize the curls and maintain the bouncy texture.

3. Type 3c- Curls that are tightly packed and have the size of a pencil from the type 3c category. These are tighter and thicker in volume as they go on spiraling from the root. These corkscrew textured curls require special care from dryness and breakage, for which you might use moisturizing hair oil. You must keep in mind a pro tip to detangle the hair and use fingertips instead of a hairbrush to maintain the curly shape and also get shiny hair at home.

4. Type 4- Coily Hair

Coily, kinky, or zigzag hair has the highest volume and is the most fragile to experiment with. Making it the most versatile hair type to style, Coily hair or not as oily as the other hair type as the coils do not allow the oil to flow through the hair. Here we have the further types of this hair.

1. Type 4a- These are the tightest and smallest curls which are often mistaken as type 3c curls. You need to be cautious about maintaining the moisture of this hair by using creams and conditioners to keep the hair healthy.
2. Type 4b- These are more of a zigzag pattern rather than curls. To maintain the look and preserve them from damage, you can use conditioners and creams to moisturize them. Use your fingertips to detangle the coils and twist the strands with your index fingers.
3. Type 4c- This hair type requires excessive moisture to maintain its health. These tighter and more fragile coils must not be brushed and should be moisturized with heavy creams and oils.

How to find your unique types of hair?

Identifying your specific hair type is essential as it helps you select the right hair care treatment and understand what products suit your respective hair type the best. It also allows you to follow a categoric hair care routine to protect them from damage and breakage.

The best way to identify your hair type is by observing its natural texture and shape. When you take a head bath, leave your hair ideal till it dries naturally. Now, without using any kind of cosmetic or natural product, observe the traits of your hair, as mentioned earlier in the article. This will help you understand your hair’s category and type.

Hair is that part of our body that tends to receive most of our attention. So, it requires the right hair care treatment which can be done best by observing its texture and straightness to know which category of types of hair they belong to. We suggest that you must use the right styling and hair care products that are suitable to your hair type.