Curly Hair and Kids 101

Do you have a curly head kiddo? Are you at a loss with your child's hair after naptime or in the mornings? Whether you have curly hair yourself or like me have pin straight hair and dealing with kiddos with curly hair, it doesn’t have to be overwhelming!

There are many different hair category types. Knowing your own hair type as well as your child’s will help you properly manage each hair type.

Here is a comprehensive list of all of the different hair types:

1a = Straight (Fine/Thin) – very soft, shiny, can be hard to hold a curl, hard to damage, hair tends to be oily 
1b = Straight (Medium) – Has lots of body such as more volume and fuller 
1c = Straight (Coarse) – Tends to be hard to curl, bone straight 
2a = Wavy (Fine/Thin) – Can accomplish various styles and has definite “S” pattern 
2b = Wavy (Medium) – A bit resistant to styling, hair tends to get frizzy 
2c = Wavy (Coarse) – Hair has thicker waves, resistant to styling, hair tends to get frizzy as well 
3a = Curly (Loose Curls) – Thick and full with lots of body, definite “S” pattern, hair tends to get frizzy, can have a combination texture 
3b = Curly (Tight Curls) – Medium amount of curl, can have a combination texture 
3c = Curly (Corkscrews) – Tight curls in corkscrews, curls can be either kinky or very tight, has lots of strands densely packed together  
4a = Kinky (Soft) – Tightly coiled, very fragile, has a more defined curl pattern 
4b = Kinky (Wiry) – Tightly coiled, very fragile, less defined curly pattern, has more of a “Z” shaped pattern 
4c = Kinky (Zingy) – Curls are so tightly kinked 

The curlier your hair is or the higher number and letter combination the more care you will need and more importantly the moisturizing you will require.

Moisturizing is the number one key to managing curly hair! After moisturizing there are a number of other tips to make life with curly hair easier. Here are some tried and true hints for making life with curly hair not so overwhelming. First hint is not to wash too often. This can often be tricky with young kids. We often want to bathe and wash their hair daily but less is more, especially for curly hair kids.

Second tip is to detangle with care. Detangling doesn’t have to be a nightmare! Make sure to brush hair while wet. I have started brushing my girls hair in the shower and it has made a huge difference. Make sure to use a lot of conditioner and don’t forget to use a conditioning leave in spray. T is for Tame Taming Mist is a great option!

Thirdly, Avoid using alcohol based products. Alcohol can be very drying to all hair types, even more so for curly hair that tends to be dryer in general.

Our fourth tip for parents of curly hair kiddos, is to use protective hair styles. These hair styles range from buns to braids. The importance of these styles is to maintain moisture as well as limit knots. My daughter has very long hair, after every shower I braid her hair. It doesn't have to be fancy, just a basic braid at the base of her head makes mornings so much easier and keeps her hair healthier.

Curly hair and kids can be a stressful combination, but if you get to know and understand your child's hair type and follow these helpful hints curly hair doesn't have to be a nightmare.