As a multicultural hairstylist, I of course get to service many types of
textures. I often get asked: is 4C the hardest hair type? This question is usually posed by someone boasting how “good” their hair is or someone lamenting how “bad” their hair type is. I have no opinion on hair types because I think I have seen it all. Unlike people, most hairstylists think more on how long the job will be and how it will turn out!
For the question: is 4C the hardest hair type, I have found many people with type 4C hair, have no idea
how to care for their hair. These are some of the things I found out they do that makes it hard:
- Use body wash, soaps for bathing, detergent soap to wash their hair
- Vaseline for hair oil
- Never comb their hair out for weeks
- When they comb their hair, they rip and tear their hair the whole process.
- Can go for years without cutting the ends of their hair
- Vegetables and greens are absent from diet
- They have very low iron
- Wear wigs and braid extensions so they escape having to do the hair
- Will take off the extensions and put them back in the same day for years
I am not suggesting that other
hair types do not mess up. I am saying most people with 4C hair think they have an especially harder time. This is not true. Hairstylists see people with straight hair that hate combing or brushing too! To make your type 4C hair more manageable, you would have to do the following:
- Use moisturizing shampoos and conditioners whether in liquid or bars for cleaning the hair
- Proper hair oils e.g. jojoba, avocado, castor oil for sealing and smoothing the hair shaft
- Comb out the hair from the roots at least once a week
- Always undo the hair from the end up to the roots
- Trim the uneven ends of the hair every few months
- Include green, leafy vegetables in meals
- Check if iron level is low if the hair is breaking often and not growing
- Take a break from wearing wigs and extensions for at least a month or two each year
- Waiting a week or a few days between extensions to give the hair a rest.
Type 4C hair comes in many categories. This means that what works for one type, will not necessarily work for another. If the hair is super curly, it sucks more moisture. When it gets the moisture, it softens. However, if you are not eating right and not combing it for weeks, then it will stick together and become harder to comb out. Therefore, is 4C the hardest hair type? All hair will become hard if it is not given proper care.
By Paula Barker, Silkie Locks Hair Design
Call (613) 789-2179 For An Appointment If You Are In The Ottawa, Ontario Area.
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