Curly hair types: a guide to 2A–4C curl patterns

Jump to the illustrated 2A–4C curl chart to compare waves, curls and coils.

The difficult part is often the border between two pictures: a deep wave beside a loose ringlet, or a tiny corkscrew beside a coil. Look closely at how each section turns, rather than how full your hair looks overall. The comparisons below focus on the shape of each section.

What are the different types of curly hair?

Waves, curls and coils have different shapes, even when they appear together in a curl chart. A, B and C generally move from a looser to a tighter pattern within a family. The letters are not measurements of strand thickness.

The chart gives you a way to describe your curls. The boundaries overlap, and you may have more than one pattern.

Curly hair type chart: 2A–4C

Start with the broad shape in the quick chart, then compare the neighboring patterns below. When we describe a curl as wide or small, we mean the loop it makes, not the thickness of the hair itself.

Type 2: wavy hair

Waves travel from side to side along the length. For identification, look for the repeating bend rather than expecting a section to wind all the way around itself.

2A hair has a light, loose wave that can be easy to overlook. The roots may look quite straight, with the bend becoming clearer farther down the hair. Unlike mostly straight hair with an occasional turned end, the lengths show some wave. Compared with 2B, the S shape is softer and less distinct. You do not need a ringlet for the hair to count as wavy.

2B hair has a more visible S pattern, usually through the mid-lengths while the crown looks flatter. Follow a section down and you can see the back-and-forth shape more clearly than with 2A. Compared with 2C, the wave is generally less pronounced and begins farther from the scalp. Those are useful clues, not a required place where every wave must start.

2C hair has deep S-bends that may start close to the roots. The wave is more pronounced than 2B and can look close to a loose curl. The useful comparison with 3A is whether a section mainly bends back and forth or repeatedly forms a complete spiral. If some sections wave and others spiral, a mixed 2C/3A description may fit better.

Type 3: curly hair

With Type 3, the hair turns around itself into a loop or spiral. The main distinction among the letters is how broad or compact those spirals appear.

3A hair forms broad, open ringlets. Think of a loose spiral with space inside the loop, rather than the side-to-side S of a 2C wave. It is a wider curl than the springier ringlets described as 3B. Look for that shape recurring along a section, not just one curled tip; a single ringlet does not have to define the rest of your head.

3B hair has more compact, springy ringlets. They turn in a smaller loop than 3A curls while still being more open than the narrow corkscrews associated with 3C. Compare the curl itself rather than the overall volume of your hairstyle. If broad loops sit beside tighter ones, note the variation instead of averaging them into a size you do not actually see.

3C hair has tight, narrow corkscrews with turns close together. These are smaller than the ringlets usually called 3B; stylists sometimes use a pencil as a rough visual reference. Next to 4A, the distinction is less clear: both can have small, rounded coils. A 3C description generally suggests a more open corkscrew, while 4A describes a more compact coil. There is no need to measure against a pencil to choose.

Type 4: coily hair

Coily hair can have rounded loops, close bends or more angular turns. Looking only for a tiny version of an open ringlet would miss some of those shapes.

4A hair is commonly described as small, spring-like coils with a visible S or looped shape. Compared with 3C, the coil appears more compact, although the two descriptions can overlap. Compared with 4B, the turns are more rounded and the repeating shape is easier to trace. Look at the curve of the strand or small section rather than how closely the hair sits together.

4B hair often shows tight, angular changes of direction, sometimes described as a Z pattern. The distinction from 4A is the sharper bend rather than a clearly rounded loop. A 4C description usually refers to an even more compact pattern, where individual turns are harder to make out. You may see both shapes within a section.

4C hair has very tightly coiled or bent strands, and its small repeating shapes may be difficult to see from a distance. It is often described alongside 4B, but with a tighter, less immediately visible pattern. That does not mean there is no pattern. Separate a small section gently if you want a closer look; you do not have to stretch it straight or create larger ringlets to identify it.

What’s the difference between wavy, curly and coily hair?

The difference is the shape a section makes along its length:

• Wavy hair bends back and forth in an S shape rather than forming full loops.
• Curly hair wraps around itself in ringlets or spirals, from broad loops to tight corkscrews.
• Coily hair has very close turns, which can look like compact springs or small, angular bends.

Look at several areas of your head. You may have waves at the front and loose curls underneath, or tight curls alongside smaller coils.

How do I find my curl type?

Use a normal wash day for a closer look, rather than judging a blowout or braid-out.

1. Cleanse, condition and detangle gently. For curls and coils, work through tangles while wet and conditioned with your fingers or a wide-tooth comb.
2. Start with the wet pattern after rinsing. Before shaping the hair with a brush, hot tool, rollers or twists, look at the bends and loops it forms. Take an initial look before adding a hold product. If you need your usual leave-in, use it and note that it is there.
3. Check more than the front. Look at the sides, crown and underneath at the back as well. Note where you see waves, ringlets or coils.
4. Look again when dry. Gently absorb excess water rather than rubbing it away; air-dry if practical. Let a section sit without pulling it taut while you compare it with the chart.
5. Choose the nearest description. If two patterns seem equally close, keep both. A note such as deep waves with loose ringlets at the back can be more useful than repeatedly changing your letter.

Can you have more than one curl type?

Yes. Different areas of your head can have different curl patterns, so a mix such as 2C/3A or 3C/4A is possible. That variation is one reason a single chart square can feel like a poor match.

You could take a photo of each area on the same wash day, with a note about any styling products used. Bring those observations to a haircut or styling appointment if you want help. You do not need to choose the tightest section as your “true” type.

Can your curl type change?

The pattern you see can change, but a different-looking wash day is not proof that the natural hair growing from your scalp has changed type. Separate a styled shape from a lasting change to the hair itself.

Styling products, straightening irons and braiding can temporarily alter a hair fiber’s curvature. That is why comparing a blowout with unstyled hair will not tell you whether your underlying pattern has changed.

Permanent chemical relaxers are different: they change the treated portion of the hair, rather than simply holding it in a temporary style. If you are growing out relaxed hair, compare untreated new growth separately from the lengths. Do not expect one wash to reveal the old curl pattern in permanently treated hair.

Excessive heat can also damage hair. If a change persists or your hair is breaking, a stylist can help you review the treatment and styling history; if you are concerned about thinning or hair loss, speak with a dermatologist. You do not need to explain that change by finding a new letter.

Does your curl type determine your hair routine?

Not completely. Curl type describes shape, but it leaves out details that matter when choosing care: strand thickness, current condition, scalp needs and the way you want to wear your hair. Two people who both call their curls 3A may still want different things from a routine.

Start with the part you want help with. You may be looking for easier detangling, a comfortable cleanse or more lasting definition. Consider your treatment history and what happens after using a product, rather than collecting products solely because the label lists your number and letter.

For practical next steps, our wavy-hair routine and curly-hair routine guides take the discussion beyond identification.

Does curly hair need sulfate-free shampoo?

Not necessarily. Curl type alone does not tell you whether to choose a sulfate-containing or sulfate-free shampoo. “Sulfate-free” is not, by itself, a guarantee of gentleness; the complete formula matters.

Consider how oily or dirty your scalp gets, how much styling product you use and how your hair feels after cleansing. If you are choosing a new shampoo, judge the cleansing and after-wash feel of that formula rather than expecting its sulfate status to answer every question.

For the fuller explanation, read are sulfates bad for your hair? or what sulfate-free shampoo means. Our guide to potential sulfate-free shampoo benefits covers reasons you might prefer one without treating it as a rule for every curl.

What else matters besides your curl type?

Strand texture describes the thickness of an individual hair: fine, medium or coarse.

Density describes how much hair you have. You can have fine strands and lots of them, or coarse strands with less density. Our guide to determining your hair type and texture explains how to look at those differences.

Porosity relates to how hair absorbs and retains water; your curl label does not measure it. That is a separate question covered in our low-porosity and high-porosity guides.

Use your nearest curl description to explain what you see, then keep your own experience in the conversation: which sections differ, what feels comfortable and how you like your hair to look.

Sources and reporting

This guide brings together NBC Select’s published hairstylist interviews and Allure’s curl-pattern descriptions with the linked Callender and Lasisi papers on hair classification. American Academy of Dermatology guidance informs the care and handling advice.

1. Pattern descriptions and wet-hair observation: NBC Select’s hairstylist interviews and Allure’s curl-type guide.
2. Classification and styling effects: Callender et al., Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology (2026); Lasisi et al., Scientific Reports (2021).
3. Strand texture and density: Anh Co Tran’s explanation.
4. Hair-care handling: American Academy of Dermatology, tips for healthy hair, habits that can damage hair, and curly-hair care tips.
5. Chemically treated hair: Effects of chemical straighteners on the hair shaft and scalp (2022).
6. Porosity definition: New York Society of Cosmetic Chemists.
7. Cleansing-formula nuance: TRI Princeton’s sulfate-free shampoo explanation; Takagi et al. (2014), body-cleanser study abstract. The latter studied body skin, not curl performance.