Often times, many naturals have more than one hair type or curl pattern. It’s quite common for you to have a tighter curl pattern in one area and a looser pattern throughout your hair or vice versa. However, this is nothing that should make your natural hair care routine harder than any one else’s it just requires that you treat the area that has a different texture slightly differently than you would the curl pattern that is more dominant throughout the rest of your hair.
In my case, I have hair type 4b throughout the majority of my hair. In the middle section of my hair, my curl pattern seems to be even tighter and less defined, which means most likely I am working with 4c hair type in this section of my hair. Since, this area is a bit tighter it is more prone to breakage which means I have to pay extra attention to how I care for it. Which means more moisture and definitely more of an effort to protect this area.
Also if I were to wear a curly style, it is the area of my hair that will have the least amount of definition, which is why I have to make more of an effort to define this area by two strand twisting as well as bantu knotting or using rods along with my twists.
Dealing with two textures could work the other way around as well, you may have a tighter less defined pattern throughout your hair with a small section of a looser pattern with more definition. All this means is that you have to treat the two textures differently. If your edges in the back are a little more kinky then the rest of your hair a hair butter will help to smooth your edges on out. If you have that one spot of hair that is lacking definition from the rest of your hair, then use braids, twists, and rods to help make the texture more consistent.
Do you have two hair types? How do you deal with this?
7 thoughts on “Two Different Hair Types on One Head of Hair”
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I am so glad to find this post. 3/4 of my head, from the front to back, is almost straight like I have relaxer on the ends. The other 1/4 is what I think is coily, maybe a 4b. I had a natural stylist make me feel as though I was lying when I told her that I have not had any relaxer on or near my hair since Feb 2012. She told me that there is absolutely NO way I can have two types. Heck, she had me second guessing myself. As I am looking at my hair right now, I am comforted in knowing that I just have 2 types and there is nothing wrong with it.
Same here!! I had no idea that other people had the same thing like me. I had no idea it was normal to have more than one type of textures growing out of your head. So I had to do research and I’m glad it led me here. lol
My daughter is mixed Black and Hispanic for hair texture all around the sides and back is a looser curl and right in the crown in the middle is a real tight curl really tight I was wondering if this would change what products can I use to soften the middle first time Mom help please
Hello Rachel,
Unfortunately there is a major underrepresentation for people with 2 (or more) very different types of natural hair on one scalp. I myself have mixed hair, most of my hair is straight with a really tight curl area on the back. I can only hope you will refrain from using strong products on her hair at a young age. I used to have my curly hair in a little ponytail to hide the tight curls as a child and after that I used hairbuns and clips to pin my hair down in ways that were not noticeable. It’s very possible that she grows out of it but I think the only way to potentially get rid of the differences is to shave everything once and let it grow out (it will either be all tight curls or looser curls or you may see the same mixed hairtypes return). That is a choice you have to let her make when she is an adult so until that time I hope you will support her. Please make sure that she accepts herself and that she is perfect the way she is.
When I started my Natural Hair Journey, I kept cutting my hair in the back because I thought the curl pattern was too loose. Turns out I only have 4A/4B in middle but the rest is 3C.
I need help on one side my hair different it feels dry.
Could tell me how to care for it?
My right side has a tighter curl pattern than my left. The left side is more “relaxed”. I have been relaxer free since 2007 but I have used blow dryer and flat iron routinely. I do take heat breaks from time to time but my hair is so finnicky that I have to straighten it to keep it manageable. I have 2c on the left side of my head and 3a/3b on the right side and the back of my head. Wish I could find a product that worked for both sides and made wearing my natural hair easier. Maybe going fully natural with no heat at all will help over time *fingers crossed*