Silky 4b hair??

[Ogoma]

huh.............?

I didn't want to be the one to touch that comment

 

[Ogoma]

@Ogoma What helped you learn the difference from silky, spongy, and wiry texture? I had followed a link to a post of BlackHairCareMedia, but everytime I read it and look at the examples, I am still not grasping the difference. Is this something that is learned on dry no product hair or wet no product hair? Sorry for hijacking the thread

McQuay30:

Just by researching and working with my hair. I know what my hair looks like with and without products dry and wet, how it looks stretched, how it frizzes, and how it shrinks depending on the humidity.

I went into my transition blind and had a hard time at it. When I clued into the resources available, I decided to take the time to learn my hair so I understand what I am working with. I did the curl analysis and confirmed that my strands are medium-coarse and low porosity, and picked up the rest myself along the way. The one thing I never tried to find was my curl pattern. I go by 4a/b because it is the most popular and given my African heritage, chances are I fall in that category.

- my strands at the back is more medium and is silky: it is the part of my hair I am more likely to see breakage, takes well to protein, and gets straight very easily so I need to be mindful when stretching if I don't want a mullet.

- the strands in the middle and front are more coarse (very thick strands) and wiry: reacts negatively to protein so I try to avoid that area or put less there, frizzes easily (less smooth strands), does not shrink as much because of the weight of the hair, and naturally parts in the middle.

- the strands on my edges and coming a little into the sides are more spongy. They feel spongy and springy to the touch. It shrinks up a lot more than the other parts of my hair (so I get a cool cut when my hair is dry ); looks fuller when I have attempted twist/braid outs; is the easiest part to detangle; and will frizz (less curl definition) faster than the other sections when I don't use styling products or touch my hair a ton.

It is a continuous learning process and I am just glad I have this resource (LHCF). I am having a challenging time styling my hair, but for now, I think I know what my hair needs to maintain its moisture/protein balance and what to do to get it back on track if I veer off.

 

[virtuenow]

Sorry to ask this question outiside the thread title but exactly is the diameter for 4b hair and the diameter of 4a hair?

Here's an example. Its close to the size of a pen spring and needle head: http://public.fotki.com/mwedzi/texture-and-misc/texture/smallestcurl.html

I have silky 4b hair sprinkled in all over my head. I will have to try to find a photo of my hair unmanipulated but I don't tend to allow my hair to be free like that.

My strands are fine and I have mostly cottony and silky texture along with (what some would consider) 4a and 4b strands. My hair straightens easily with tension (banding or braiding).

The letter/number combo refers to the curl/kink/wave size or lack thereof and the texture (silky/cottony/spongy) refers to the characteristics of the hair. Coarse/medium/fine refers to the diameter of each individual strand.

I'm not saying that b/c I don't think you know, I think that a lot of people get confused and think that 4b means coarse (synonymous with rough, in laymens terms) When that is not the case at all.

So like @Tiye said, 4b can come in silky, cottony or sponge texture -- as can any other curl type (3a, 3b, 4a, 2b).

Well said MzSwift!

 

[McQuay30]

virtuenow, WOW!!! I will compare this to one of my O's.

 

[McQuay30]

Is silky 4a/b hair apparent while the hair is wet or dry loose or wet or dry stretched?

 

[BlaqBella]

Seems to me that its more obvious/apparent when the hair is properly balanced-moisture/protein- wet or dry...

ETA: Basically when the strands are healthy.

 

[Danewshe]

He is definitely a 4a. My 4b hair is much more tightly coiled than that.

 

[JJamiah]

Where your hair features in the (modified) Andre system depends solely on curl size.

3b-from magic marker size /Sidewalk chaulk
3c-pencil size to under magic marker size
4a-between pencil and penspring size
4b-coffee stirrer size/pen spring size (or "z" pattern hair)


I got this off another forum.

http://cornrows.co.uk/proguide/hairtextures.jpg

HE is a cutie patootie Adorable. His hair is beautiful. I don't think he is a 4b at all.

He looks a cross between a 3c - 4a to me. Sometimes with pics it's hard to tell never the less both of you have gawgus hurrr