What causes this?

[hairconvictions]

I have had stick straight hair my whole life, and I noticed within the last month that my hair is super wavy, almost curly.
Is it because of the length (this is the longest my hair has been in my whole life-waist)
or because I stopped using shampoo (I switched to W/O in October of 2011).

It's awesome! I just want to know what is doing it, so I can better care for my hair.
I have learned so far that I need to wait 48 hours before I can even THINK about brushing it after I wash it.

Thanks all!

[ratgirldjh]

My hair was always straight when I washed with shampoo. When I stopped using shampoo and use soap, co washing, WO, or pretty much any method that does not involve detergents I have wavy hair.

[Sharysa]

Seconding the shampoo switch, although for me I just switched from commercial shampoo to Dr. Bronner's based with essential oils.

Over the past few months, my hair's got WAY more texture and the waves are starting to hold their shape really well.

[raej]

I had quite straight hair as a child, then around 13-14 my hair suddenly had a bit of wave to it. I always attribute the change to hormones...but I also started dying my hair at that time too; so not quite sure which it was.

That's awesome for you if you like the waves!

[leslissocool]

Mine it's the opposite!

I moved to hard water :lol: no shampoo change (I use natural organic stuff sulfate free shampoo) conditioner is the same and I use cones. But my hair got straighter more of a true wavy. I love it!

[MaryMarx]

It's the opposite for me too, when WO my hair was straighter, with commercial shampoo it's curly. :agree:

[hairconvictions]

Thanks everyone! I had to use some poo bars yesterday to get some gunk out of my hair (an unfortunate epsom salt incident) so I'll see if the wave stays as true while the oils build up back to normal.

[jacqueline101]

Wow I've never heard of it.

[spirals]

The answer, I think, is in your post. "Is it because of the length?" I think so. My curls are on the looser end of the scale. It takes a longer length for a curl to complete itself. Think of the difference between a tightly curled piece of curling ribbon and one you passed the scissors over lightly. For me it takes maybe 5 or 6 inches to get a spiral.

[Majala]

My hair gets curlier the longer it gets. Now, at shoulder length, it's almost straight apart from a curl here and there at the ends. At apl it's much more wavy/curly. But I do notice a big difference in my hair texture depending on the products I use, whether and how much I oil my hair, moisture level in the air and other causes I haven't yet figured out. I also noticed that my hair was the curliest when it was the most damaged.

A lot of women see changes in hair texture when they have hormonal issues/changes. I have two friends who went from curly to almost completely straight - one when she got pregnant and another when she started taking birth control pills.
I had curls as a baby, but then my hair got completely straight and it stayed straight until reaching puberty, when it got wavy/curly again, much like in raej's case.

[Rose Angel]

Oi! Its the same with me!! I've had STICK STRAIGHT hair all my life but as soon as I grew til waist my hair showed the most beautiful waves/coils I've ever seen on my own head. I mean come on, after 24 years of my life I get to know my hair has curls at the end?? Yes I grew it out this long the very first time, without any chemical dye / treatment whatsoever.