Hair typing...... Is different when you have chemical processes

[Dotlover]

I'm not sure how to type my hair because I've been dying it for years! Before I started using bleach and chemicals, if it was an even length it appeared to curl/curve under slightly on its own. If I slept on it while it's wet it would have definate waves and kinky patterns... Now with the dye in it, if I comb it straight a few times, while drying, it will dry straight.

Sometimes if I don't comb or if I use a different product than usual it will dry with a curl pattern. Which seems more wavy, because when I brush it, it will just turn out wavy and not have clear curlies and stringy wave. The more I brush the less wavy it becomes.

I understand it seems like intuition, but my hair confuses me, it always has a strong personality of it's own!!!

[Heidi_234]

If your hair permanently changed from the chemical processing, then it's "part of" your hair type. If it something like combing or putting product on damp hair that changes the way it looks, then it's not. The general guide it to wash your hair and dry it without touching it or putting product on it that might alter the shape it forms into. After your hair is dry, see what hair type it resembles the most. The visual guide helped me to determine. If you're still unsure you can always post a pic of your freshly washed untouched hair and let the rest rule out the verdict. :D

[Aditi]

I understand it seems like intuition, but my hair confuses me, it always has a strong personality of it's own!!!

Mine too. Sometimes they become horribly wavy and sometimes straight :rolleyes:. Which made me confused too about my hair typing so i decided to mark my hair everytime i wash them and majorily they stay wavy so i have typed it according to that, today i have washed my hair and they have turned into braid wave state although i haven't braided my hair for a long time.

[Dotlover]

This morning I'm taking photos of my hair after a wash and condition. And yes it's weird it looks straight from the back but even if I comb it dry at times will curl in the front.

Maybe it's aftermath of a a perm from when I was younger?

[redneckprincess]

I know for a fact that my hair type is not my own, I have chemicals, and straight perms and color and bleach on mine but as it changes back I continue to change my hair type

[redcelticcurls]

Good question. I've been coloring mine for about 15 years, but it's still about the same curl pattern I had in early adulthood before I started coloring. But, I know my hair pretty well know, and usually know what it needs to keep its type.

On the flip side, I have seen people have a type change from long term coloring. I've seen curlies permanently lose curl from long term flatiron use. I guess it depends on the toughness of each persons hair and what they do or do not do to counteract treatments.

[silencepainter]

if I comb it straight a few times, while drying, it will dry straight.

Sometimes if I don't comb or if I use a different product than usual it will dry with a curl pattern.

I would type your hair based on if you didn't comb it while it was drying. Combing while drying can pull out some of anyone's wave or curl and often cause frizz in the processes. I would also advise that if you'd like to keep your waves/curls that you put your brush down. It is perfectly normal for a brush to destroy your wave/curl pattern.

My hair can easily be combed straight while it is drying, and combed to a loser wave after drying, but my hair is without question a mixture of waves and curls when left to its own devices.

[Dotlover]

I see how using even a comb or brush on hair will change the texture quite a lot! For a while I wasn't using flat irons mainly because my hair was just too short to make the style look very natural. Now I just put the tools down all together because of the way my hair looks without using the iron.

Well I've posted pics of my hair. The photos from 3/14/2009 and today are both naturally dried with no comb or brush.

Any clues?!? Henna was in my hair a few weeks before I took the first hair photo where you see it is the shortest length and a bit lighter. Maybe the henna causes my hair to have curlies as it dries? I've noticed it before, I always thought henna to be drying on my hairs.

[spidermom]

Looking at your album pictures, I would put your hair type at 2A currently.