FIA Hairtyping...Is this right?

[ZenBird07]

I think that I have finally figured out where I stand with FIA but I still need help...
1. My shaft is not round it is more flat but yet it's a little bit course -individual hairs is very visible upon observation.
2. When worked with hands and thoroughly dried It is very nearly straight. But during the actual drying process or if I let it go, ie after a clarify, I have wild ringlets.
3. I was reading that a ii thickness is most common in caucasians. I think I'm between a ii and a iii however I'm mixed race and feel kind of booted out of ii as an option (or was that with the medium/course option?)... my pony is nearly 2 inches thick.

My questionnaire I guess would be where on FIA do I belong? I've been trying to make FIA work for me but that's not looking to be the case...

Hope I posted in the right place. Wanted to make it more poll-like but don't know how to make it look like that...

[Carolyn]

When you say 2" thick, do you mean diameter or circumference? We measure thickness by ponytail circumference. Wrap a cloth or flexible tape measure snuggly around the base of the ponytail.

[ZenBird07]

When you say 2" thick, do you mean diameter or circumference? We measure thickness by ponytail circumference. Wrap a cloth or flexible tape measure snuggly around the base of the ponytail.

Oooh...good point. I did diameter. Tape measure...let me see... Okay now I get 4 inches...?...:o

Changed the classifier for that one... Thankyou Carolyn...:)

[Carolyn]

I thought that might be the case. Isn't it nice to get thicker hair in an instant? :D

[ZenBird07]

I thought that might be the case. Isn't it nice to get thicker hair in an instant? :D

Indeed!! Gelatin works better than I thought!;)

[Fractalsofhair]

In regards to the curl, I'd think you have a weak curl, my hair is sorta like that. That means it can sometimes be curly, and othertimes be straight, though I'm just white, so it might not be so applicable. As you are mixed race(if African American and white/Asian), I would find it to be unusual for you to have totally straight hair naturally, though not impossible. If you're a mix of other races, such as Asian and white, it's quite possible to have curly hair.

And the i, ii, iii is basically just a way to measure how thick your hair is. ii may be the most common, but a lot of people fall into other categories. iii isn't quite the best term since a lot of members have even thicker hair than that! If you generally think your hair is thick(you have a lot of hair), and you measure it and it has a large ponytail circumference, you're an iii or an ii/iii. If you have "thin" hair,i, or i/ii is probably the best description.

[Roseate]

I wouldn't worry about what kind of hair you are "supposed" to have, there are exceptions to everything. I never actually noticed the race-related guidelines in the Fia system, I guess most white folks don't have coarse hair, but I do. :shrug:

About the curliness- if your hair can be made mostly straight without much effort, my guess is you're more likely to be a 3a than a 3b. 3b's usually spiral all the way to the root and it takes some work to straighten them. Just a guess, though; next time you clarify snap a picture for us!

[ZenBird07]

Thanks guys. I'll try to snap a photo when I clarify.
A weak curl? That's an interesting concept...But that does make it easier for me to fit into a 3a, you're right. My getting my hair nearly straight isn't exactly effortless though.
I have to usually plan it out and decide that I care and don't want a lot of curl after a wash and from the time it's wet to the time it's dry, taking about a day and a half, I have to play with it to get it smooth with the least amount of curl as possible...
Braid it, take it out of the braid. Twist it, take it out of the twist. Smoothe with hands in a pony. Part hair down middle. Smooth both sides with hands. Repeat.
Things like that. It takes a lot of effort to do it without aid from products and toys... Thanks for the help so far...:)

[Anje]

I wouldn't be surprised if you're at least a solid 3b, if braiding your hair makes it straighter. It sounds like you need to manipulate it an awful lot to get it straight without heat. (Have you tried "hair wrapping"? As in, spiralling your hair around your head?)

In any case, the standard method of hair typing is to wash your hair and just allow it to air dry with minimal manipulation. (Lots of folks say no combing, others find a quick wet detangling to be necessary in general.) Snap a picture once it's dry and post it.

(Oh, and BTW, "Fia" is actually the person who came up with the system. She's around here occasionally.)

[ZenBird07]

I wouldn't be surprised if you're at least a solid 3b, if braiding your hair makes it straighter. It sounds like you need to manipulate it an awful lot to get it straight without heat. (Have you tried "hair wrapping"? As in, spiralling your hair around your head?)

In any case, the standard method of hair typing is to wash your hair and just allow it to air dry with minimal manipulation. (Lots of folks say no combing, others find a quick wet detangling to be necessary in general.) Snap a picture once it's dry and post it.

(Oh, and BTW, "Fia" is actually the person who came up with the system. She's around here occasionally.)

Is hair wrapping kinda like a crown braid except with twists? No, I've never tried it. But I just may. That sounds helpful. Solid 3b? That makes sense to. I'll fix the classifier... Thankyou. And I'll try to clarify and snap a pic but I might have to detangle or else it would amplify the wild creature effect the dry it and leave it alone steps would take on me...

And yes, I've realised that FIA is the actual person a few days ago. I'm just used to everything in my life at one point or another coming up alphabet soup(ie, the army) or dealing with the government in general, that's just how I default. I hope it doesn't offend anyone... :)