Is Thin 4C Hair A Problem For You?

There is a lot of information about 4C hair out there on the internet, but there is very little on thin 4C hair. This could be because of the assumption that 4C hair is thick, which is sadly not true.

The other reason could be because many hair influencers talk about thin 4c hair and focus more on management.

In this article, we will be talking about thin 4C hair, how to care for it and how to style it.

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Signs That You Have Thin 4C hair

So let’s start right from the basics by defining what thin 4C hair is. Thin 4C hair is simply sparse hair, meaning there is a lot of space in between the hair strands. Scientifically, the hair count is lower than the average 2200 strands per square inch.

Well, I don’t expect you to go counting each strand of your hair (that would be insane), so here’s how you can tell that your hair count is low:

When you can easily see through to your scalp without parting your hair
When you hold your hair in a ponytail, and it looks flatter, and the ponytail is thin
You struggle a lot to achieve voluminous hair

What Are Some Of The Causes Of Thin Hair?

Thin hair can be a result of stress which causes hair loss or irregular hair growth. It can also be caused by some health conditions such as Alopecia and Lupus.

Some people may experience thin hair after taking certain medications, during or after pregnancy, or as they age. The latter is often due to hormonal changes within the body.

We also need to realise that thin hair does not always have a cause. It can simply be genetics related. So if your hair has been thin for as long as you can remember, then there is a high likelihood that it’s your genetics at play.

If you have thin 4c hair there is nothing that you can do to make it thicker. The best thing is to love your hair for what it is and quickly realise the hairstyles that will best suit you. This same principle goes no matter what type of natural hair you have.

How To Style Thin 4C Hair

Thin 4C hair struggles a lot to hold up some hairstyles. On the flip side, though, it is easy to style and manage. It’s often soft and tangles less than dense 4C hair. Here are a few tips on how to care for your thin 4C hair and to give it the appearance of more volume if you wish.

Use Marley hair to add volume to your styles. Marley’s hair is a perfect choice as it effortlessly blends with textured hair.

For fuller twists-outs, you want to embrace the technique of lift and fluff. You want to lift and fluff right from your roots for more volume using a hair pick.

To achieve thicker and more defined twists out, make your twists bigger. The bigger the twists, the thicker your twists out will look.

Stretching your hair before styling also helps create volume, especially for hairstyles such as puffs.

Wear your twists and braids in smaller sizes to fill up space in your head, and wear your curls tighter to create a fuller hair look.

Tips To Maintain Your Thin 4C Hair

Avoid breakage. This means that you should avoid any product, hairstyle, or routine that causes your hair to break. Things like not sleeping with a satin bonnet, not moisturising enough, braiding too tight, wearing hairstyles that cause tension to your scalp, and sleeping in curlformers. The more your hair breaks, especially when it breaks at the scalp, the thinner your hair becomes.

Moisturise your hair as often as possible, even if it means every day. You can moisturise with water, a leave-in conditioner, aloe vera water, or any other DIY mixture that works well on your hair. Moisture encourages your hair to grow, including the tiny broken hairs that make your mane look thinner.

Wash and go hairstyles can be a great option. The benefit of wash and go’s is that your hair gets moisturised every day encouraging it to grow healthy and strong.

Try the inversion method once a month but do this with caution. If you are pregnant, have fainting spells, or other health complications, DO NOT TRY THIS. Watch this video to learn more about the inversion method. Inversion can help a great deal with hair growth.

Ayurveda products can also help to grow thin 4C hair. They stimulate new hair growth, exfoliate the scalp, make hair strong to prevent breakage, and make hair hold hairstyles better.

Massage your scalp often with scalp oil. This helps stimulate new growth, which is what you want to achieve.

How To Care For Thin 4C Hair

Lightweight products are always best, because thin hair is already light, using heavier products will weigh it down, making it look thinner, flatter and less voluminous. Oils such as jojoba oil, argan oil, sweet almond, and coconut oil work best on thin 4C hair.

It’s always best to shampoo your hair immediately you notice any product build-up. One, because the build-up will quickly weigh down your hair, and two, because any dirt and build-up on the scalp are easily noticeable because your hair is thin.

Maintain the health of your hair to keep it strong. This means having a routine that includes protein treatments, deep conditioning, hair masking, trimming, and wearing less strenuous protective styles.

Final Thoughts On Thin 4C Hair

For most women, thin hair is a reality they will have to accept. Having thin hair is not necessarily a bad thing, in the same way, having type 3 or 4 hair is not a problem. If on the other hand, you have a condition that is making your hair thin that is something that you may want to look into.

If not then it’s perfectly acceptable to be happy with the head of hair that you have and if you want to you can find alternative ways to make your hair look more full when the need arises.

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