wats the difference between 4a and 4b hair?

[divatude]

I'm so confused cuz they both look the same to me. I don't understand wen they say 4b hair comes in a zig zag pattern does it really? And wen ppl with 4a or 4b come out there hair they all get a puff. Can someone explain to me wat the difference is?

 

[hopeful]

4a is coily. Like pinsprings. 4b if you take a strand and look at it closely it will have zigzags. It may not look zigzaggy all together, but individually it does. My sides of my hair, around my ears is like this.

 

[Nonie]

My definition is different. Both types are made of coils but 4A has bigger curls than 4B which clump and stand out with a WNG. With 4B, the coils are so tiny that they cannot cup each other with ease and clump.

I think if you read through the thread that asked the difference between 4A and 3C you will see a lot of examples of 4A vs 4B to get the idea.

ETA: Here's the thread I suggested you read: http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=464028

 

[divatude]

I did read that thread but to me 3c is noticeably curly

Does 4a lie flat wen u bun?

 

[Nonie]

I did read that thread but to me 3c is noticeably curly

Does 4a lie flat wen u bun?

If you read the thread, did you miss the posts/pics on silky 4A and even a silky 4B that were posted? Hair lying flat has more to do with texture than curl pattern. Hair can be 4A and cottony (no shine) or 4A and silky. And while I used to be a believer 4B cannot be silky, I remember someone posting hair that might've been 4B and that was silky. Silky hair is easier to smooth down.

But I do believe gels can get people to smooth down their hair regardless of texture. I don't use gels or even a scarf when I pull my hair back. I don't even use a brush. I just use my hands and I reckon my hair 4B hair is lying flat in these pics. No? It just doesn't bling coz it's not silky.

My hair was shrunken and had just been washed when I wore those ^^ puffs and still I got the front to lie flat with hands.

This is my hair when dry and stretched. Again, no brush or scarf or gel. I'm sure if I cared about having every hair pasted to my head, I could get it to be even flatter with gel, but this "flat" works for me:

 

[Nonie]

The mom in his video IIRC has silky 4A hair that is uber shiny when smoothed back: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KjZ6M4qAXg