Your helpful guide to understanding hair wave & curl in custom hair replacement systems

Understanding how to choose and apply the correct level of hair wave or curl in your hair system can make all the difference in achieving a completely undetectable appearance.

Because of the numerous and complex technical variances that go into choosing the appropriate wave and curl, we recommend just choosing your own hairstyle and allowing your hair replacement professional to decide the proper level of wave and/or curl.

Wave/Curl Guide

	A - Afro 1/8 inch rod size is a tight afro with a very small kink or curl. This curl is true to rod size.
	B - Medium Afro 3/16 inch rod size is a slightly looser afro kink-curl. This curl is also true to rod size.
	C - Tight Curl 3/8 inch rod size is curly and will open to 3/4 inch curl, approximately the size of your thumb. This can be wave or curl depending on the way it dries. Wet it and scrunch into a curl or comb flatter into a wave.
	D - Medium Curl 1/2 inch rod size will open to approximately 1 inch curl. Remember, if this is cut shorter then two inches most of the curl is cut out. This can also be wave or curl depending on the direction it dries. Wet it and scrunch into curl or comb flatter into a wave.
	E - Light Wave 3/4 inch rod size will open to approximately 1-1/2 inch wave. This will be a light wave and is the most common wave used for the majority of styles. When this (E wave) is cut two inches or shorter there will only be light movement remaining.
	F - Light Move 1 inch rod size will open to approximately a 2 inch wave, light movement or body will remain. When this is cut 2-1/2 inches or shorter it will appear to be almost straight. Any wave curl less then this (F wave) will not have body.
	G - Light Bend 1-1/2 inch rod size will open to approximately 3 inch wave. This very light bend will defiantly not work well for a brush back style. When it is cut short, it will appear very straight.
	H - Straight Absolutely straight as a pencil. This is not a logical choice for 99% of all men's hair styles because it will stick straight out if it is not long enough to create the weight to make it lay natural.

Other factors that may affect your wave/curl selection

When permed and neutralized, human hair is never true to the rod size. The hair will always open and the finished curl will always be larger then the actual rod size that was permed.

Also, the hair color has a profound, direct influence on how far the wave or curl will open. Darker hair will not open or loosen as much as lighter hair. As a result the finished curl will vary depending on the hair color.

The black family will not open as much as the browns. As for the blonds and reds, we don’t recommend curly hair styles because of degradation to the integrity of the hair during the perming process.

If you must have curl in your red or blond shades, we recommend using synthetic hair.


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