It's a common misconception that 4C hair doesn't grow, or can't get long. This is a myth! Because 4C hair experiences so much shrinkage, it can feel like your hair is growing very slowly or not at all. However, if you take care of your hair, you will notice growth when you stretch out your hair.
How long can 4C hair grow? Your hair grows at roughly ½ inch per month which means that the typical head of hair will grow six inches per year. 4C hair is made of tight coils which makes it more prone to dryness and shrinkage.
It is quite common for most naturals with 4c hair to experience extreme shrinkage—70% or more—which makes it appear much shorter than it actually is. When 4c hair is in its natural state, freshly washed, mostly dry and without product, a defined curl is usually not evident.
Asian hair shows the fastest growth rate in comparison to the other two hair types. African hair has the lowest growth rate.
Caucasians have the highest hair density among the ethnicities studied. Black people have the lowest. Asian people have hair density that falls somewhere in between.
Scientifically, black hair is the slowest growing hair type due to its elliptical shape and only grows about one third of an inch per month. Alongside slow growth, you'll likely also encounter issues such as breakage, thinning and shedding whilst trying to grow your afro hair; typically, this is due to dehydration.
4c hair is the queen of thick, bold afros. From afar, 4c hair looks like a thick fro, but if you look closely, you'll notice very tight, small springs or coils on each strand. Coils are pretty different from curls.
Type 4C hair can range from fine to thin to soft to coarse. In addition, this hair type shrinks more than 75 percent. So, if you have 3 inches of hair it may look like you have only 1 inch or less if the hair is not stretched. And, it is the most fragile out of all the 4 hair types.
As you probably already know, 4C hair types experience shrinkage the most because the curls are tighter than the other curl patterns. And this can make it difficult to detangle, manage, and style. In fact, shrinkage can be downright discouraging when you want to do hairstyles like a low bun or twist-out.
It's a common misconception that 4C hair doesn't grow, or can't get long. This is a myth! Because 4C hair experiences so much shrinkage, it can feel like your hair is growing very slowly or not at all. However, if you take care of your hair, you will notice growth when you stretch out your hair.
Water is a key ingredient that supports vitamins, which contribute to your hair growth. Believe it or not, but water makes up almost 25% of the weight of a single strand of hair. Drinking at least two liters of water a day will help the strength of your hair, increasing growth.
How Often To Trim Natural 4c Hair? The tricky question is how often should you trim your natural hair. Most stylists recommend that you trim your hair every 3-4 months if your hair is healthy. Sometimes, healthy hair won't need a trim for up to 8 months.
You shouldnt be CONSTANTLY doing it simply because beside breakage you could cause your curl pattern to loosen if it becomes so used to it. Your hair is naturally curly, it naturally has curly curves and bends that it wants to follow on its own. When you tamper with its natural form too much it will change and break.
Hair grows at about the rate of six inches per year, fact. Yet, so often we are left questioning why can we not see our hair growth and wondering if Afro hair only grows to a particular length.
Lavender oil helps improve blood circulation to your scalp, leading to better hair growth. As 4C hair is porous, a massage with lavender oil (properly diluted in a carrier oil) will help you retain moisture in your hair.
WASH 4C HAIR WITH CARE
It's important to keep your scalp clean and healthy, but don't wash your hair with shampoo too often. It is perfectly fine to leave 2 to 4 weeks between every cleanse. Don't use a shampoo that contains sulfates and alternate between washing your hair with a conditioner and a sulfate-free shampoo.
4C hair craves moisture, but don't expect to achieve maximum moisture retention overnight. Moisture is a journey. You have to be consistent to achieve moisturized hair so I deep condition every week. Avoid drying products such as hard gels and daily styling.
If you're looking for least damaging hair extensions, tape-in hair extensions, clip-in hair extensions, and invisible wire extensions are your best bet.
Thick (Coarse)
Thick or coarse hair texture is the strongest hair texture and typically feels coarse or thick to the touch. Coarse hair contains all three hair layers – the cortex, cuticle and medulla.
Out of all the hair types, types 4A, 4B and 4C are the curliest. They tend to form a compacted Z pattern, plus they have a high density that requires creams, gels and custards to hold their shape and reduce volume. Plus, due to the lack of cuticle layers, coily hair also requires extra moisture.
There are two reasons why we believe African hair texture is genetic. Firstly, the texture is universal in Africans, while nearly absent from other ethnic groups. Secondly, it is consistently passed down to the children in each new generation.
Age: Hair grows fastest between the ages of 15 and 30, before slowing down. Some follicles stop working altogether as people get older. This is why some people get thinner hair or go bald.
So, why is Afro-textured hair so fragile? With its tight curls and twists, is more prone to breakage for several reasons. Its shape increases tangling and makes combing harder. The shape also creates internal stresses when the hair is unbent, untwisted or stretched that lead to fracturing.
African hair grew at a much slower rate than caucasian hair (mean +/- SD 256 +/- 44 vs. 396 +/- 55 microm day(-1)), and telogen counts were frequently higher in African hair (mean +/- SD 18 +/- 9% vs.