What is Type 3C Hair?
There are four types of hair: straight, wavy, curly, and coily. Each type has its subcategories. In the type 3 hair category, 3C curls are considered to be the tightest pattern (the other types include3a hairand3b hair). If you have 3C curl type, then your hair’s defining characteristics include:
- Tightly-packed corkscrew curls
- Hair prone to dryness, frizz, and breakage
- A lot of volume and fullness
In addition, 3C hair can tend to “shrink.” That means that it appears much shorter dry than wet. With type 3C, your hair might shrink up to 50%.
What Does 3C Hair Look Like?
So, now you know the basic information about 3C type hair. But what does this hair type actually look like?
If your curls can wrap comfortably around a pencil, then your hair is considered type 3C. These curls are often called “tight corkscrews” because of their shape and size. When you examine 3C curls close up, they tend to stretch into their signature S-shape.
Even with this information, it can still be difficult to tell it apart from other types such as 4A.
Is My Hair 3C or 4A?
Type 3C and 4A are right next to each on the hair type chart. Many of those starting their haircare journey find it hard to differentiate between them. So, what separates these subcategories?
There are three main differences:
- Shape– 3C type curls are S-shaped, while 4A curls are typically a tighter S-shape or sometimes, a Z or zig-zag shape.
- Circumference– 3C has a much wider curl circumference compared to 4A. Type 4 curls tend to be more coily and dense. They typically have the circumference of a crochet needle.
- Shrinkage– Another key difference between 3C and 4A is that 4A type curls tend to experience more shrinkage. While 3C hair can shrink up to half its wet length, type 4 curls can shrink up to 75%.
After you figure out your hair type, the next step is to learn how to nurture your curls.
