If you have a naturally curly mane, you've likely dealt with your hair being straighter in some areas than others. But why is it bone straight on top and curly underneath?
This article will explain why you may be experiencing this puzzling hair texture phenomenon and teach you how to resolve it. Let's get right into it!
Why Is My Hair Curly Underneath but Straight on Top?
Your hair can be curly underneath but straight on top because different parts of your scalp can grow different curl patterns. The top layer also takes more wear than the hair underneath. It may be longer and heavier, and it's more exposed to the sun and heat. It can also dry differently. Most of the time, having two textures like this is normal.
If you have 2A or 2B hair, a flatter crown (i.e., the hair at the very top of your head) can be part of your natural pattern. Those waves often start lower down, so the hair near your scalp may lie flatter than the hair underneath.
For example, if heat isn't applied evenly, the lower layers may keep their natural curls. At the same time, the top layers may become straighter. This uneven heat could lead to different amounts of damage throughout your hair. To make your hair look more consistent, you can use the same hair care routine for all layers. We also recommend using nourishing products like deep conditioners and reducing heat styling.
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So, there are several reasons why your hair may be curly underneath and straight on top, and some of them may be surprising to you. However, genetics and hair damage are the most common explanations. In this section, we will explain some of the most common causes of uneven hair textures.
One cause needs a dermatologist instead of a new product. If the top of your head is getting thinner and your part looks wider, read the dermatologist section further down. And if your curls have faded all over your head, not just on top, our guide to naturally curly hair that won't curl anymore covers that instead.
Key Takeaways
- Genetic Influence & Damage Factors. The difference in hair textures can be attributed to genetics and the shape of the hair follicle. Furthermore, damage can be caused by heat-styling tools, weather, and chemical treatments. Damage from mechanical stress like over-brushing and combing is also a factor.
- Weight and Drying. The top layer is often your longest hair, so its weight can pull the waves straighter. It may also dry first, and it gets touched the most, so it can dry looser than the hair underneath.
- Haircare Practices. Protecting hair, especially the top layer of hair, from damage is crucial. Use hair products that preserve natural oils. Avoid excessive heat and minimize harsh chemicals that can disrupt the natural curl pattern.
- Nighttime Hair Protection. Covering your hair while sleeping helps protect your natural curl pattern. Your hair will be less frizzy, allowing the top and lower layers to stay more uniform.
- Styling Adjustments for Even Textures. Put your gel or mousse on the top layer last, scrunch it in, and clip your roots while your hair dries. Taking some length off the top layer also helps. No product changes the follicle (i.e., the tiny pocket each hair grows out of), so the goal is to help the top layer hold the wave it already has.
- Customized Haircare Routine. Consistent, tailored haircare routines are vital for managing different hair textures. Your routine should include regular trims, conditioner after every shampoo, and as little heat as you can manage.
- When to See a Dermatologist. If the top of your head is getting thinner and your part looks wider, that's a medical question, not a styling one. See a dermatologist.
Genetics Is To Blame
The texture of your hair is ultimately determined by inherited genes. Genes from both parents interact with each other to produce your unique hair texture. So, if you have parents with a mix of curly and straight hair, then it's no surprise that your hair is similar.
Also, if you've done any research on this issue, you may have seen videos and read blogs about multiple textures. Some are born with super tight curls in their crown and wavy hair at the back or waves at the top and kinks on the sides. These variations are natural and normal, but they can make styling difficult.
Your curl is set at the root. Each hair grows out of its own follicle, and curly hair grows from a curved follicle that keeps bending the hair as it grows (Thibaut et al., 2005). The follicles on one head don't all have to match. So the nape of your neck, the sides, and the crown can each grow a slightly different curl.
Genes also explain most of the difference in curl from one person to the next. In a study of 2,332 Australian twins and siblings, genes accounted for about 61% of the differences in how curly the women's hair was (Ho et al., 2016). No product, haircut, or routine can change the shape of your follicles. So if this is why your top layer is straighter, the goal is to style it so it blends in, not to make it grow in curlier.
Your Hair Is Damaged
Various conditions and activities cause texture-altering damage to the hair. Review the section below to identify specific causes of hair damage that result in varying textures.
Overuse of Heat Styling Tools
Heat styling tools (e.g., curling iron, flat iron, etc.) are useful for temporarily altering the texture of your hair. They can easily make flat hair voluminous or very curly hair bone straight.
But overusing them damages the hair's protective layers, causing strands to deviate from their natural texture. Furthermore, when the average person uses heat tools, they usually spend more time straightening the top layer of the hair to ensure it looks perfect.
Too much heat breaks down the protein your hair is made of. That can leave a section of your hair permanently straighter than the rest. To check, wash your hair and look at it before you add any product. Heat-damaged hair stays straighter than the hair around it even when it's dripping wet, and it looks the same after every wash. That hair won't spring back, so it has to grow out, or you can trim it off a little at a time.
Weather
Prolonged exposure to extremely hot or cold weather takes a significant toll on the health and integrity of your delicate strands. UV damage from the sun's rays breaks down the protein in your hair and roughs up its outer layer (i.e., the cuticle).
Cold weather can dry out your strands. And since the top layer of the hair is generally more exposed to the elements than the layers underneath, it takes the brunt of weather-related damage.
Overuse of Chemical Treatments
Frequently treating the hair with products such as dyes, bleaches, and color creams inevitably damages its outer layer. Many people run into this problem when they do multiple coloring sessions to touch up the tone of their hair.
During these sessions, the top layer of the hair gets the most attention because it is the most visible. As a result, this layer suffers the most damage, leaving your hair texture uneven.
If you color your hair, the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) suggests stretching out the time between touch-ups. It also suggests having only one chemical service at a time, such as color, a perm, or a relaxer.
Over Brushing or Over Combing
Brushes and combs efficiently detangle hair for effortless styling. But it is easy to get carried away when using these tools.
Some people tend to overmanipulate the outer layer of the hair with a comb or brush several times throughout the day, even after it has been completely detangled.
Over time, this practice can cause extensive damage to the hair cuticles, especially on the top layer of your hair. While brushing won't make your hair straight, it can damage it to the point where your curl pattern no longer looks the same in a certain area.
Leaving Hair Uncovered While Sleeping
Neglecting to protect your hair at night quickly ruins the volume and definition of your curls. When you sleep, your pillow rubs and presses on the hair you're lying on, and a cotton pillowcase roughs it up even more. That's why your hair may be all one texture before you go to bed and flatter on top when you wake up.
To protect your waves overnight, gather your hair into a loose, high ponytail on top of your head (i.e., pineappling). Then sleep on a satin or silk pillowcase or in a bonnet, so your hair slides instead of rubbing.
Uneven Hair Lengths
In some cases, hair can be different lengths on some areas of the head. The longer hair strands are, the heavier they become. It is more difficult for longer strands to retain the naturally curly texture of shorter strands due to the extra weight.
For this reason, those with hair that is longer at the crown often notice a more relaxed texture at the top of their head.
Even when your hair is cut to one length, the top layer is often your longest hair. It has to travel over the curve of your head to reach the same hemline. Every hair hangs from its root, so the longest hair carries the most weight.
Physicists at MIT and in Paris tested this with thin, curved rods built to hang like a single curly hair. As the rods got longer, the curls bunched up near the bottom end, while the top part hung straighter (Miller et al., 2014). This helps explain why long wavy hair can have waves at the ends and very little near the roots. Fine strands also bend more easily, so the weight of water or heavy products can pull them flatter. You may notice this more with loose 2A and 2B waves.
Your Top Layer Dries Differently
Your top layer often dries first, and hair tends to keep the shape it dries in. Water temporarily changes some of the weak bonds that help hold your hair's shape. Those bonds form again as your hair dries, helping set its shape. If your hair looks curlier when it's wet, the pattern you see can loosen as it dries.
The hair underneath is more sheltered and gets touched less, so it may keep its natural wave more easily. The top layer is more exposed to moving air, and it gets handled more when you fix your part or tuck your hair behind your ears. So it may dry looser.
If drying is the cause, it's one of the easiest things to test and change. We cover the steps in the styling section below.
When to See a Dermatologist
See a dermatologist if the hair on top is getting straighter and thinner at the same time, especially if your part looks wider or you can see more of your scalp. Those can be early signs of female pattern hair loss, in which the follicles on top slowly shrink and grow finer hairs (Ramos and Miot, 2015).
The AAD says most causes of thinning hair can be stopped or treated, and the sooner you see a dermatologist, the better your results. If your texture changed suddenly, also tell your doctor about any new medicines you've started.
How to Tell Which Cause Is Yours
One wash day can give you useful clues. Look at your hair before you add any product, and pay close attention to the first inch of hair near your scalp. Then match what you see to a row in the table below.
Your wash-day texture check
Wash and condition your hair, skip styling products, and let it dry without touching it. Then compare the top, sides, back, and nape of your head while your hair is soaking wet and again once it’s dry.
| What it usually means | What you see | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| Your hair type | The top grows straighter right from your scalp, wet and dry, and it has always looked this way. | This is normal. Style the top layer last and take some weight off it so it blends in. |
| Heat or sun damage | The first inch near your scalp has a wave, but the hair farther out on top stays straight, even when it’s soaking wet. | Turn your heat tools down, use them less often, and trim the straight hair off a little at a time. |
| Weight | The top layer waves near the ends but hangs straight near the roots, and it’s longer than the hair underneath. | Take some length off the top layer, and clip your roots while your hair dries. |
| How your hair dries | The top layer has a clear wave when it’s wet but dries straighter than the hair underneath. | Style your hair soaking wet, plop or clip the top, and keep your hands off until it’s dry. |
| Product buildup | The top layer feels coated or heavy and looks flat even right after a wash. | Wash once with a clarifying shampoo, then use conditioner. |
| Thinning | The top is getting straighter and thinner at the same time, and your part looks wider. | See a dermatologist. This is a medical question, not a styling one. |
You never need to pull, stretch, or cut a hair for this check. If more than one row fits, start with the one that’s easiest to change: how your hair dries.
How to Even Out Your Hair Textures
If you've been struggling with multiple hair textures, don't worry. There are practical solutions you can implement to take control of your hair's texture. Read on!
Go Shorter at the Crown
If the hair at the top of your head is not completely straight but seems to fall flat, a haircut may be all you need. Look for a stylist who cuts wavy or curly hair dry, such as a Deva cut, so they can see where each wave falls before they cut.
Trimming a couple of inches off of your straightest, flattest hair section will reduce its weight. With less weight pulling on it, that hair can spring back into the wave it already has.
If you're hesitant about cutting your hair due to fear of losing length, you can gradually trim an inch or two off your ends every few months.
Over time, the top of your head may look closer to the layers underneath. However, if your follicles are the reason, a haircut won't make the top layer grow in curlier. Plus, you will eliminate split ends that inhibit curl retention.
If you're not sure whether to ask for layers, our guide to curly hair layers vs. no layers walks you through the choice.
Try Curl Friendly Styles
Styles such as roller sets, braid-outs, and twist-outs are excellent options for people dealing with multiple hair textures. These styles force the hair into a uniform texture, eliminating stubborn straight areas on the top of the head.
Moreover, the versatility of these styles is limitless, allowing you to adjust the length and tightness of your curls as you please. You can also experiment with curl-friendly styles on wet or dry hair for different looks.
Style Your Top Layer Last
However you style your hair, give the top layer a little extra help. These steps come from our wavy hair routine, and each one helps the top layer hold its wave:
- Style your hair while it's soaking wet, before the top layer starts to dry.
- Put your mousse or gel on the hair underneath first and the top layer last. Smooth it on with flat palms, then scrunch upward.
- Plop your hair in a cotton T-shirt to soak up extra water without stretching your waves.
- Slide small clips into your roots along your part while your hair dries, so the top lifts off your scalp instead of lying flat.
- If you use a diffuser, diffuse the top of your head first, on low heat and low speed.
- Keep your hands off until your hair is completely dry, then scrunch out the crunch (i.e., the stiff coating your gel leaves behind).
Implement a Healthy Hair Care Routine
Implementing a healthy hair care routine will revive your curls in no time. To maintain healthy, evenly textured hair, you should consistently cleanse, condition, moisturize, and trim your hair.
Depending on the texture of your hair, the frequency at which you complete these healthy hair care steps will vary. However, finding the schedule and routine that works best for your hair will make all the difference in its texture.
Note: If you believe that the straight portion of your hair may be covered in build-up, start with a clarifying shampoo session. Follow it with conditioner, since the AAD recommends conditioner after every shampoo. To check whether one of your products has heavy ingredients that build up, paste its ingredient list into our Label Key.
Here are some other options to try if the above remedies don't work:
- Relax hair. Chemical relaxers break the bonds that give your hair its shape (i.e., the disulfide bonds), making your strands straight within minutes. These products are best for those with coarse, kinky hair. Although relaxers effectively change the texture of the hair, they have to be repeated to maintain the new pattern. Furthermore, these products can be damaging, so you should always use them in moderation. On wavy or loosely curly hair, a relaxer is a big, permanent change for a mismatch between two layers. So think it through first. If you go ahead, see a licensed stylist and ask for a strand test. Protect your scalp with a base, and only relax new growth at each touch-up (i.e., the hair that has grown in since your last relaxer). Our relaxer guide covers each step. Researchers are still studying whether relaxers and other chemical hair straighteners are linked to cancer. A large NIH study found an association between frequent hair-straightener use and a higher rate of uterine cancer, but it couldn't show that the products caused the cancer (Chang et al., 2022). However, a 2025 review of eight studies focused on Black women in the US concluded that the overall evidence didn't support a link between relaxer use and breast, ovarian, or uterine cancer (Hernandez et al., 2025).
- Perm hair. Perms do the exact opposite of relaxers. They break down and rebuild the structure of the hair to create curls. If you've had it with your straight hair at the top, you can perm that section to add curls to match the bottom layer of your hair. You should only use perms occasionally to avoid totally destroying your hair texture. Perming the top layer adds a chemical service to the hair that has usually taken the most heat and sun already, so ask your stylist for a strand test first. If you also color your hair, the AAD suggests having only one service at a time. If you want both, perm first and wait two weeks before you color.
- Straighten hair. Heat styling can even out hair textures when used in moderation. Heat styling tools such as blow dryers and flat irons are perfect for straightening coily, curly strands. And curling wands can give your curls a bit more oomph. Just be sure to use the tools on the lowest heat setting needed to achieve your desired look. Additionally, you should use them no more than once per week to avoid damaging your hair.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is it called when your hair is curly underneath but straight on top?
There's no official name for it. Most people call it mixed texture or multiple textures, which means different parts of your head grow different curl patterns. It's very common.
What haircut should I get if my hair is curly underneath but straight on top?
Ask for some length off the top layer, so less weight pulls on it, and look for a stylist who cuts wavy or curly hair dry. Long layers can take weight off the top, but too many layers on fine hair can leave your ends looking thin. A shorter cut, like a graduated bob, also puts less weight on the top layer.
Is Irish hair straight on top and curly underneath?
There's no such thing as an Irish hair type. Straight hair on top with waves or curls underneath shows up in people of every background, and your curl comes from the genes you inherit from both parents.
Will the top of my hair ever match the hair underneath?
It depends on the cause. If heat, sun, weight, or the way you dry your hair is the reason, the top layer can wave again. That happens once the damaged hair grows out, you take some weight off, and you change how you dry it. If the follicles on top grow straighter hair, the top won't change, but you can style it to blend in.
Related Articles
- How To Keep Hair From Sticking up on Top of Head
- How To Keep Natural Hair Straight in Humid Weather
- How To Fix Hair Webbing
- Why Is My Hair Matting Underneath
To sum things up, having inconsistent hair textures is a very common problem for wavy and curly hair. But it can be resolved through one or more of the methods mentioned in this article. We hope this article provided you with the answers you needed, and we wish you the best with your hair!
