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Hair types: How to know your hair type and care for it.

Wondering what your hair type is? Not to worry. In this article, you’ll learn how to identify your hair type according to it’s category and care for it. 

Knowing your hair style is the key to unlocking a healthy and achieving your hair goals. Meanwhile , there are different hair types including straight, wavy, curly and coily. 

You would need to follow different care instructions, depending on the category your hair falls in.


What does hair type mean?

Overall , the kind of hair you have simply refers to the shape of your hair. It can be curly, coily , straight or wavy.

As mentioned in one 2020 article , a person’s hair usually consists of two structures, which is the hair strand itself, or the hair shaft, and the hair follicle.

The hair shaft comprises of different layers, including the cortex, the surrounding cells, and in thicker hair, a central medulla.

2017 study , records that the shape of the follicle determines the hair type of person.

Basically, the more oval or symmetrical your follicle is, the curlier your hair will be. Your genes also a part in how the shape of your hair follicle would turn out to be


How do I identify my hair type?

1 . Straight hair

A straight hair type

You have a straight hair if it falls flat from the roots to the tips. The hair texture is usually soft and silky, with no curls. If you have straight hair, you’ll often produce a high amount of oil. 

It is split into 3 parts:

  • Type 1A – is soft, smooth and shiny.
  • Type1B – is thicker and bouncier.
  • Type 1C – very coarse and straight

2 . Wavy hair  

A wavy hair type

It’s a mixture of this two (straight and curly). It’s subdivided into: 

  • Type 2A – Wavy and fine 
  1. Type2B – wavy with a slightly more defined S-shape.
  • Type2C –  wavy with a well-defined S-shaped waves. 


3 . Curly hair

Curly hair type


One helpful thing you can do to care for your hair is avoid combing it too much.

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Some other tips include:

  • Minimize shampoo usage 
  • Keep away from dense combs and brushes 
  • Use a diffuser on a blow-dryer 
  • Avoid heat styling tools

4 . Coily 

A coily hair type

Coily type of hair form a ‘Z’ shape. It may seem rough and coarse and is prone to breakage. It can be subdivided into 3:

  • Type 4A – Loose coils
  • Type 4B – Zig-zagging coils
  • Type 4C – Tight coils

Care instructions

1 . Straight hair 

The things you should avoid doing with this straight hair is washing it too often. If you clean it too much, it would lead to more oil production. Make sure you use dry shampoo and texture sprays for your hair.

Some other tips include

  • Minimize shampoo usage 
  • Keep away from dense combs and brushes 
  • Use a diffuser on a blow-dryer 
  • Avoid heat styling tools



2 . Curly hair 

One helpful thing you can do is try to experiment to find the right amount of brushing for your hair. 

Some other tips include:

  • Minimize shampoo usage 
  • Keep away from dense combs and brushes 
  • Use a diffuser on a blow-dryer 
  • Avoid heat styling tools


3 . Wavy hair 

Wavy hair type tends to be frizzy, which is why you need to keep it hydrated and frizz-free. Above all, if you want to keep your hair hydrated, experts recommend that you use a cleansing and hydrating shampoo. Also be mindful of the shampoo you buy, by making sure it doesn’t contain sulfate, as it will strip off the sebum from your scalp and make your hair dry.

Some other tips include 

  • Always deep condition 
  • Apply leave-in serum
  • Avoid hair dryers 
  • Wet your hair regularly


4 . Coily hair

They are more fragile that textures and because ko of this, it requires special care and attention. In addition, it’s important to keep your hair moisturized as much as you can. 

Some other tips include 

  • Getting rid of harsh shampoo 
  • Deep conditioning your hair
  • Apply leave-in serum
  • Avoid hair dryers

Take Away

Your hair type is based on the way your hair curls. Type 1 hair is straight, Type 2 is best described as wavy, Type 3 hair is curly and Type 4 is coily. Furthermore, It’s also possible to have different curl patterns on several parts of your head. The more they curl, the higher the moisturization your hair needs. 

However, you can consult your stylist for the best products and hairstyles for your hair shape.

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