3A Hair Type: A Complete Guide And Caring Tips

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Many women with 3a hair type are often confused about whether they have curly or wavy hair. As such, they confuse their 3a hair type with 2c hair type. If you are in that category, we are here to help you. Today, we will tell you all there is to know about 3a hair type. Read on to know its best and worst features and some caring tips.

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What is 3A hair type?

3a hair types are of the curly family, yet they are the loosest of the curly family. Its curls are spiral with a width of side-walk chalk. Its texture could be fine or medium, but never coarse. Besides, the curls are in an s-shape pattern, bouncy, and well-defined. But it battles with dryness, frizz, and tangles. So even though its curls are well-defined, it still needs curl-enhancement products to hold the curls.

Pros of 3A hair type

Now that you have an understanding of 3a hair type let us discuss some of its pros. Here are some of the awesome features of 3a hair type:

It has loose curls

Compared to other types 3 hair, type 3a hair has the loosest curls; this means that the curls are not tightly wound together. For this reason, you can easily style your curls. Besides, type 3a has fine to medium strand texture. So, you can easily manipulate your curls to create any style of your choice.

It needs minimal products

With 3a hair type, you do not need to layer up products on your curls. Using too much product will flatten your mane. You only need to moisturize your locks to enjoy shiny and bouncy curls without using too much product. But because the curls of 3a hair type are loose, you might need some curl-enhancing products. But you should apply it minimally.

It has both curly and wavy features

As we said earlier, type 3a hair has the loosest curls. So, it is in between curly and wavy hair. It looks wavier when wet. Because of this feature, you tend to enjoy the best of both worlds. This means that you will enjoy the easy maintenance of waves and curl’s volume and curl prominence.

Cons of 3A hair type

Now that you have seen the pros of type 3a hair, it’s time to know the cons. Familiarizing yourself with the disadvantages helps you know how best to care for your mane. So here are some of the worst features of 3a hair type:

Prone to dryness

One battle that is common to all type 3 hair is dryness. However, because type 3a hair has loose curls, you might not struggle much with dryness. Still, your mane will have a moisture deficit because the strands of type 3a hair twist together. Therefore, the natural oil on the scalp will find it difficult to travel down the strands. Hence, you need an external source of moisture to keep your hair hydrated and in good shape.

Its curls are prone to flatness

The strands of 3a hair type are mostly fine or medium. Now imagine having fine or medium strands coupled with loose curls. This means that your 3a hair will have little to no volume. So it will be limp throughout the day. When buying curl-enhancement products, opt for lightweight products. These products will help you define your curls without weighing down your mane.

Prone to frizz and tangles

Another worst feature of 3a hair is it’s prone to frizz and tangles. This is because they respond well to outside factors such as humidity. The more exposed your 3a hair is to humidity, the more frizz it becomes. So, ensure your mane is always moisturized to reduce the effect of external factors.

Caring Tips for 3A hair type

By following the right routine and techniques, you will notice that caring for 3a hair type is easy. Here are some caring tips for 3a hair you should know:

Wash less often

Washing 3a hair more often gets rid of natural moisture in your mane. However, your hair needs all the natural moisture to combat frizz and dryness. So, you should ensure that you wash your hair less often. Every two to three days is okay. But, if your hair texture is fine, you might wash your locks every other day.

Clarify once a month

Another essential care tip for 3a hair is clarifying every few weeks. Most times, products build up in your mane, which not only weighs down your hair but also clogs your hair follicle. And when you wash your shampoo, you might only be able to get rid of them because of the curls. So, try and clarify your hair once a month. You should do this using clarifying shampoo. This will get rid of any product build-up in your mane. But, you should not clarify too often, as this will make your hair drier.

Moisturization is key

So that you can enjoy a bouncy and well-defined curl, you should take moisturization seriously. You should always condition your hair after each wash to keep it moisturized. Besides, you should use leave-in conditioner daily and mask your hair at least once or twice a month. The more hydrated your mane is, the less prone it is to dryness or breakage.

Dry your mane the right way

Most people just rub a towel on their hair when they want to dry it. For 3a hair type, this could be dangerous as it could cause hair breakage. So, when you want to dry your mane, make sure you scrunch or plop. To plop your locks:

Lay a microfiber towel or an old t-shirt on a table.
Bend your hair forward till all your hair is at the front, lift the shirt, wrap it around your mane, and tie it.
Leave it for a few minutes, remove the shirt and let the hair air dry.

Invest in curl-enhancing product

Remember we said the curls in 3a hair are loose and might not last long? If you want well-defined curls that last longer, you should invest in curl-enhancing products. Many of these products are heavyweight, and they weigh down the hair. Yet, some are lightweight such as mousse and serum, so you should go for these products. With these products, you get well-defined curls as well as control frizz.

Final Thought

Now that you know the basics of 3a hair type, you can manage your hair properly. The best way to take care of this hair type is to moisturize and use the right product. The right product for type 3a hair is the one that does not weigh down the hair and keeps it hydrated. So, when you go shopping for your hair care product, you should look for lightweight ones.