1. Roots and Regrowth:
* Naturally Curly: The hair will grow out of the scalp with a curl pattern already present. You'll see curls or waves forming right from the root area.
* Permed: The roots will be straight. As the hair grows out, there will be a clear line of demarcation between the straight, untreated root and the permed curl.
2. Curl Pattern Consistency:
* Naturally Curly: While there might be slight variations in the tightness and type of curls across the head, the overall curl pattern will be fairly consistent. You will not typically find random straight pieces among the curls without damage.
* Permed: The curl pattern might look overly uniform and artificially even, especially when freshly permed. There might be some inconsistencies or "kinks" where the perming solution was applied.
3. Hair Texture:
* Naturally Curly: Naturally curly hair often has a coarser or drier texture than straight hair. This is because the natural oils produced by the scalp have a harder time traveling down the coiled hair shaft.
* Permed: Permed hair can often feel dry and damaged. The chemicals used in perming can strip the hair of its natural moisture. You may also notice increased frizz, breakage, and split ends.
4. Hair Behavior When Wet:
* Naturally Curly: When wet, naturally curly hair will typically clump together and form defined curls or waves. Even if it appears straight when wet, it will recoil into a curl pattern as it dries.
* Permed: Wet permed hair may look straight or limp, but it will revert to the permed curl pattern as it dries.
5. Strand Shape:
* Naturally Curly: Each hair strand, when examined closely, will have an oval or elliptical shape. The more oval the strand, the curlier the hair.
* Naturally Straight: Hair strand, when examined closely, will have a circular shape.
* Permed: The strand shape can be altered by the perming process, but the original shape may still be subtly visible.
6. Ask the Person:
* If you're not sure, the easiest way to know is to simply ask!
Important Considerations:
* Heat Damage: Excessive heat styling (blow-drying, straightening) can temporarily or permanently alter the natural curl pattern. Hair might appear straighter than it naturally is due to heat damage.
* Hair Products: Certain hair products can enhance or temporarily alter curl patterns. Use caution in determining hair curl based on product alone.
* Transitioning Hair: Someone who has chemically straightened their hair may be in the process of "transitioning" back to their natural curls. In this case, you'll see a mix of straight, chemically treated hair and naturally curly regrowth.
By observing these characteristics, you can usually get a good idea of whether hair is naturally curly or permed.