4c Natural Hair: How To Care For And Grow It LONG!

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Are you tired of waiting for your 4C hair to grow? Are you ready to unlock the secrets to naturally accelerate its growth? Look no further! In this article, we will show you how to achieve longer, healthier hair.

With proven tips and techniques, you can finally achieve the hair length you desire. Our expert advice will guide you through the process of nurturing your 4C hair and ensuring it grows at an accelerated rate. 

From proper hair care routines to essential products and nourishing treatments, we will provide you with all the tools you need to give your 4C hair the boost it deserves. 

Natural hair typing has become a very common thing in the natural hair care world.

Everyone wants to put their hair into a particular box so they can try to better understand it.  I get that.

Although hair typing between 2 individuals can never fully tell you what will and won’t work for your particular curl pattern it can give us more insight into understanding it better.

Hair typing starts from type 1 which is completely straight to type 4c which is tightly coiled.

Every individual falls into a particular category.

This form of hair typing was first created by Andre Walker who was Oprah Winfrey’s stylist and has since become a wildly recognised way of describing/ categorising natural hair.

 

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4C hair is a unique hair type that is characterised by tight coils and minimal curl definition. It is the most fragile and delicate of all hair types, requiring special care and attention. Understanding the nature of 4C hair is the first step towards unlocking its growth potential.

To fully comprehend the needs of your 4C hair, it’s important to know that the hair follicles are tightly coiled, making it difficult for natural oils to travel down the hair shaft. This leads to dryness and breakage if not properly moisturised and cared for.

 

What Is 4C Hair Typing All About?

4c hair was once known as the hardest to manage type of hair that there was and many people used to shy away from falling into this category, but as time has gone on advantages of having 4c hair have come to light.

Treated in the right way 4c natural hair comes out flourishing! Not only does type 4c hair give you depth of texture it also has the potential to do a range of hairstyles.  You can choose to leave your hair in a shrunken state and the next day stretch it with a twist out to show its length.

Within the category of having type 4 hair it goes as follows:

Type 4a – The strands are very much an S shape

Type 4b – The hair strands will be a mixture of S and Z patterns

Type 4c – With each strand the pattern is much harder to see but the strands will be much closer to a tight S or Z pattern.

 

 

Common Challenges with Growing 4C Hair

Growing 4C hair can be a challenging journey, with many individuals experiencing slow or stagnated growth. There are several factors that contribute to this, including genetics, improper hair care practices, and external environmental factors.

One common challenge with growing 4C hair is the misconception that it doesn’t grow. This belief often leads to neglect and lack of proper care, hindering its growth potential. 

 

A healthy diet plays a crucial role in the growth and overall health of your hair. To accelerate the growth of your 4C hair, ensure that you are consuming a balanced diet rich in essential nutrients.

Protein is the building block of hair, so be sure to include sources such as lean meats, fish, eggs, and legumes in your diet. Additionally, vitamins A, C, and E, as well as biotin and zinc, are vital for promoting hair growth and maintaining healthy hair follicles.

 

The Best Regime For Growing 4c Hair

For anyone who has type 4c natural hair, your secret weapon is always going to be water.

Your hair needs water and lots of it if you want it to grow.

4c hair gets dry very quickly so finding ways to keep your hair moisturised is of the utmost importance.

 

How To Grow 4C Hair

 

Daily Moisturising

As part of a daily routine, you should spritz your hair with water if you can before styling.

Aloe vera juice is great for helping your hair to get moisturised.

You can make up a concoction of water and aloe vera in your spray bottle and use this for your hair each morning.

You can also use a leave-in conditioner at this point too followed by a butter of your choice such as shea butter or mango butter or an oil.

This will help you to seal the moisture into your hair.

This is called the LOC method and basically stands for:

L- Liquid

O – Oil

C-Cream

Some people find that the LCO (Liquid, Cream, Oil, in that order)  works better for them. One thing to particularly notice is that water always comes first no matter if you use the LOC or LCO method.

Remember no product can add moisture to your hair like water can.  The days of using hair grease as a way of moisturising your hair are long gone.

One thing that I must tell you about trying to grow long natural hair is that the less you play about with it the more length you will be able to retain.

 

Related post: Why sweet almond oil could be exactly what you are looking for

 

Weekly Moisturising

Try to keep your hair fresh and not bogged down with too many products.

To achieve this try washing your hair regularly so it remains fresh and moisturised.

 

 

How Often Should You Wash Your Hair?

If you have time the best practice would be to wash your hair at least once every 2 weeks or every 3 weeks if you simply don’t have the time to invest.

If you are going to wash your hair every 3 weeks instead then I would recommend deep conditioning.

Deep conditioning is great for your hair as it refreshes it and gets the moisture to penetrate deep into the hair shaft in a way that a regular conditioner would not be able to do.

If you are not sure about the difference between regular conditioner and deep conditioner then this might help you throw some light on it.

 

How To Wash 4C Hair

As 4c hair tends to get dry and tangled very easily it’s better to wash your hair in sections.

Washing in sections not only makes your hair easier to manage but it also allows you to control the amount of tangling that can happen during the washing process.

Start by sectioning your hair into 4 or 6 sections, whichever feels more manageable.

Once sectioned decide if you want to pre-poo or not.

Pre-poo simply means adding some type of treatment to your hair before you wash it (pre-shampoo).  You can use your regular conditioner or do a hot oil treatment.

After you pre-poo, begin to wash your hair each section at a time.

You can either wash with shampoo or conditioner.  Just bear in mind washing with shampoo can cause a certain level of dryness so I would advise you only use the shampoo once in a while if you don’t have a lot of product build-up.

Keep your hair in its sections throughout washing then add your leave-in conditioner followed by your choice of oil or/ and butter.

Style as desired.

 

Best Shampoos For Natural Hair

 

 

Best Conditioners For Natural Hair

 

 

 

 

Secret Tips For Growing Your 4C Hair

Ok so there aren’t really any “secret” tips, these are just some tips that I have picked up along the way and that have helped me and many others to grow our natural hair long.

 

1. Moisturise Daily

Keep your hair moisturised as much as possible.  When your hair is dry and dull it will cause your hair to break and snap much more easily.

Keeping it moisturised allows the hair to have much more elasticity, therefore, reducing breakage.

 

2. Wash Your Hair Often

I’m not saying you have to go as far as daily washing but if you can aim for washing your hair once every 2 weeks or at least every 3 weeks.

Building up the habit of doing this will make it much easier for you in the end as it’s harder to break a habit.

Helpful post: How often should you wash natural hair

 

3. Opt For Co-Washing

If your scalp is in fairly good condition then opt for co-washing rather than washing with shampoo.

Co-washing keeps your hair moisturised whereas shampooing your hair too often can leave it feeling dry. You will then need to find extra ways to add the moisture back into your hair again.

 

 

4. Deep Condition

Deep conditioning is the extra step that you have to take if you want your hair to be long and healthy. 

It will keep your hair feeling vibrant so try to deep condition every 2 weeks or at least once a month when you have more time.

 

5. Finger Detangle

Finger detangling or finger combing for me has been the one thing that helped my hair to see so much more growth.

When you finger detangle you can feel if a strand of hair is about to snap and avoid it.

It takes time to learn how to finger detangle but the more you do it the more you will get used to doing it.

 

6. Trim

Trimming your hair might seem to be counterproductive at first but the benefits of trimming really are great.

When you trim off your split ends you encourage your hair to grow much more healthily.

Split ends tend to travel up the hair shaft.  You might think that by not trimming it you are holding on to length but in fact, the reverse is true because the split ends will travel and cause more damage and breakage to your hair strands.

If you are going to trim your hair make sure you do it with professional scissors like these ones otherwise you will cause more damage than good.

 

7.  Head Massages

You may not have come across this tip before but head massages are wonderful for keeping the circulation going through your scalp.

Blood flow to your scalp helps your hair to grow.

When I had my TWA (teeny weeny afro) I used to get my husband to do these all the time for me.   They really are the best thing ever!

If you don’t have anyone to do it for you can just do it yourself.

 

8. Use Sulfate-Free Shampoo

Using a sulfate-free shampoo is to your benefit because they don’t contain any harsh chemicals that can strip your hair and make it feel dry.

Try to use as many natural products in your hair as possible.  They are less likely to make your hair feel dry, brittle and look frizzy.

 

9. Protective Styling

Doing a protective hairstyle can help you to maintain some of your natural hair growth.

You can try braids with extensions or just have your own hair in a protective hairstyle.

Bear in mind that even though your hair is in a protective style you still need to keep it moisturised if you don’t want to experience breakage.

 

Related post: 6 Reasons your natural hair is not growing

In addition to a healthy hair care routine, incorporating DIY hair masks and treatments can significantly boost the growth of your 4C hair. These natural remedies provide the necessary nutrients and moisture needed for optimal hair growth.

One effective DIY hair mask for faster hair growth is a mixture of avocado, banana, and olive oil. Mash half an avocado and banana together, then add a tablespoon of olive oil. Apply the mixture to your hair, focusing on the roots and ends. Leave it on for 30 minutes before rinsing thoroughly.

 

Final Thoughts On 4C Natural Hair

Growing 4C hair requires patience, dedication, and a holistic approach. By understanding your hair type, establishing a healthy hair care routine, and incorporating nourishing practices, you can accelerate the growth of your 4C hair. 

4c natural hair grows just as well as all other hair types.

If you want to see a curly pattern you can try a braid out or a twist out.

These hairstyles will allow you to keep your hair out and stretched so that you don’t experience too many tangles.

Give it a go and let me know how you get on!

 

 

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What to do if you start getting bumps from tight braids

How to look after natural hair in the winter months