LOIS Hair Classification System



Trying to figure out what hair type your kurls are? It can be so confusing right? I learned about another way to classify them or at least a different way to describe them. I find that I can't describe what my hair is like best with Andre Walker's system (3C, 4A, 4B etc.). I like the LOIS Classification System way better. I was on Tyte Curl's website and found this article.

So per Tyte Curl:

Hair Types

Our friends at OurHair.net have devised a simple system to define hair types and to encourage healthy hair as well as a healthy mindset. Their system is called LOIS, which takes away the need for a strict hierarchical hair system that separates good hair from bad hair.

Before you begin, please keep in mind that a healthy, undamaged, virgin hair strand, meaning one that is not processed, relaxed or colored, is needed. Examine Your Hair Strand: Select a single strand of the most common type of hair on your head. Aim for 70%, so if you have different textures, use the most common texture on your head. The hair should be freshly washed without products applied to it and rinsed in cold water. Or, gently rinse a single hair with a little dish detergent and rinse in cold water. Allow the hair to dry on a bit of paper towel so that you can look at the pattern without touching it.

Find Your Pattern:

L - If the hair has all bends, right angles and folds with little to no curve then you are daughter L.

O - If the strand is rolled up into the shape of one or several zeros like a spiral, then you are daughter O.

I - If the hair lies mostly flat with no distinctive curve or bend you are daughter I.

S - If the strand looks like a wavy line with hills and valleys then you are daughter S.

You may have a combination of the LOIS letters, possibly with one dominant. If you cannot see one letter over the others, then combine the letters. Example: LO or IL or OS..
Click Here to read the rest of the article

So according to this system, my kinky-kurls can be identified as OS with medium sized strands and is a spongy texture (Read the rest of the article to id your strand size and texture). What's yours????

*****EDIT 2-12-09: After further investigation of my strands, I see that 95% of my hair is koily in different concentrations so I have mostly O strands. While I do have some S areas, the majority of my hair is O. So I'm daughter O.****

Comments

Faith Li said…
I prefer this system more than the 1-4 system because under the other system I was confused. I really hope someone can come up with a description of hair products that work with this system.