Hair changing texture as it grows?

[Andrea H]

So I've started to notice that my hair is getting curler at the ends. As a kid I had tight curls but it grew out into around 1b as I got older, but now it seems the curls are coming back a bit. I would've thought with the extra weight caused by length, it'd be straighter. Has this happened to anyone else? Whether your has gotten straighter or curlier? Anyone know the reason behind this? I would've taken pictures to show you, but my camera was dead when I washed my hair yesterday. Feel free to share pics if you have any though! I'd love to see if length has made a difference in texture. :)

[alexis917]

When my hair is in need of a trim, the ends get more wavy than normal.
But your hair looks really healthy in your avatar, so, I'm not sure.
Sorry if I'm not very helpful, haha.

[Andrea H]

Hm could be that too, I haven't cut my hair since Dec of 2011. Thanks! <3 And no worries, I was just curious if this has happened to anyone else. :)

[sisi33]

My hair is growing in SUPER curly- and for years, I didn't even know that I was more than a little wavy. I really think that it has to do with how you treat your hair- post-LHC is in noticeably better condition. Maybe your hair is just responding extremely well to pampering!

[Mya]

My hair gets straighter on the top as it gets longer. Banal weight effect I guess. If I'm a pixie, I have the classic curls old ladies get with a perm, if I'm around BSL I have pretty straight hair from roots to jaw length, then they go wurly until the ends.

But!

When I had a chin length bob, my hair was pretty straight (about 1c I guess) because of brushing it while it was wet. It would dry following the shape of my head.

So maybe there's something in your hair care that tames your hair into a straighter shape than it really has, and your hair recovers some shape at the ends because it's where it can get out of control more easily.

[jacqueline101]

I agree maybe you're due for a trim maybe that's your hair telling you it needs a trim. Mine gets really thin on the ends.

[Helix]

Yep, I've noticed that the 4a sections of my hair hang when my hair's wet out of the shower which is kind of annoying b/c it looks odd amongst the majority of my 4b curls. They're starting to look more like 's' curls when wet and it always freaks me out when I see this because it makes me think I have damage but once it dries they shrink up like normal and blend in with my tighter 4b/4c curls.

[chen bao jun]

My hair is growing in SUPER curly- and for years, I didn't even know that I was more than a little wavy. I really think that it has to do with how you treat your hair- post-LHC is in noticeably better condition. Maybe your hair is just responding extremely well to pampering!
I agree with this. When you treat your hair right, the strangest things happen--I don't think this has anything to do with more length.

[Andrea H]

The thing is, and I hate to admit it. I used the shampoo bar for a while, but I didn't really care for the particular one I got and haven't ordered another one yet. So I'm back to using regular shampoo and SOMETIMES conditioner(don't throw stones at me guys. D:). So I haven't really been 'pampering' my hair just yet. The only thing I've really changed is how I brush my hair and I now wait until my hair is completely dry before brushing it.

[chen bao jun]

If you waiting until your hair is dry before you brush, you are treating it better. Also, I assume you are brushing your hair more gently and alsohopefully not with one of those brushes with the ball things on the ends of the bristles?
By the way, not using shampoo does not equal taking better care of your hair. there are many members who do use regular shampoo on this board. And conditioner. Everybody's hair is different. Some people's hair hates shampoo bars, actually. And some people's hair needs an acid rinse after shampoo bars to fix the PH. There are many ways to care of hair, depending on what sort of hair you have.
A thought I am having--if you are brushing more gently, possibly you were brushing your waves or curls right out of your hair before? I have curls and didn't know it for years. My mom always said, "You had beautiful curls as a baby and then they went away," and I accepted that and thought that my hair had grown rougher and that it was naturally 'frizzy'. Then I discovered this board and other sources and tried CO and moisturizing. Bang! I had a head full of 3c curls. No product, no 'encouraging' nothing except not using drying shampoo and not weighing my hair down with grease and combing and brushing it roughly and vigorously (as I had been taught). i saw my mom again and she was so shocked and said my hair looked just as it had when I was a baby. I asked her when the curls had 'gone away' and she said, oh, when you were about three.' I asked when she started brushing my hair and she said 'oh, when you were about three--"
I am not the only person on this board who has this kind of story. I am fifty-six by the way and discovered my curls again last year--they were 'gone' for fifty plus years.

[Andrea H]

I'm using a paddle brush and it does have the little nubs at the end of the bristles, is that bad? I've found wide tooth combs to be annoying, so I prefer to use a paddle brush instead. I used to brush from the roots down, but now I do from the ends on up. (I now cringe when my sister brushes her SOAKING WET HAIR from root down.) What sort of brush would you recommend?

[lapushka]

I'm using a paddle brush and it does have the little nubs at the end of the bristles, is that bad? I've found wide tooth combs to be annoying, so I prefer to use a paddle brush instead. I used to brush from the roots down, but now I do from the ends on up. (I now cringe when my sister brushes her SOAKING WET HAIR from root down.) What sort of brush would you recommend?

The Tangle Teezer, hands down.

[Andrea H]

The Tangle Teezer, hands down.

I've heard about those! Can you get it in stores or only online?

[Salmonberry]

My hair has very long wavelength waves/ringlets. Basically the waves don't show until it's long. I call myself 1c/2a because it looks mostly straight when it's shoulder length or above, but as it gets longer, the waves start to show. When it was BSL it looked wavy. The waves are starting to come back now that I'm almost APL again. I think the standard hair typing system doesn't really take long wavelengths into account. I have very stretched out ringlets when my hair gets long enough. It could just be another aspect of your hair type that you're discovering as it gets longer.

[Andrea H]

My hair has very long wavelength waves/ringlets. Basically the waves don't show until it's long. I call myself 1c/2a because it looks mostly straight when it's shoulder length or above, but as it gets longer, the waves start to show. When it was BSL it looked wavy. The waves are starting to come back now that I'm almost APL again. I think the standard hair typing system doesn't really take long wavelengths into account. I have very stretched out ringlets when my hair gets long enough. It could just be another aspect of your hair type that you're discovering as it gets longer.

See I'd always think it would be the opposite, especially when it comes to curls/waves because your hair is more weighed down as it gets longer(or at least that's what I heard). That's interesting to hear though!

[katiebeans]

You can buy the Tangle Teezer online (I'm not sure where) but I know you can find them at some Sally's if you're lucky.

I had always thought longer hair meant less curls/waves because of the weight as well, but you never know :P Sometimes our hair can have minds of their own.

[chen bao jun]

Boar bristle brushes don't detangle but they make certain hair types really healthy. We have an export on boar bristle brushing on here, Madora.
My hair hated the tangle teazer. Just saying. Denman brushes are good detanglers, in case your hair doesn't like the TT.
They're on Amazon and I think in Sally's too(or Sally's has a knockoff)
http://www.amazon.com/DENMAN-Handbag-Classic-Styling-Brush/dp/B0002Z8QHC/ref=sr_1_7?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1362757973&sr=1-7&keywords=denman+brush