Beauty
Including how to deal with breakage.
Ive hunted for tips and tricks, but keeping breakage at bay takes work.
Its myths like those that have left me and others with 4C hair stumped.
Why does it seem like my hair just refuses to grow past a certain length?
Thats because of the tight curl pattern,cosmetic chemist Tonya Laneexplains to Bustle.
Once those who have 4C hair master moisture retention, they will see more length retention.
Ready to get growing?
Lane explains that hair is lipophilic, meaning it prefers oils to the water.
Translation: Dousing your curls with water can be pretty traumatic.
I suggest incorporating pre-pooing with a penetrating oil likecoconutorbabassuinto your regimen, Lane says.
This can be applied to dry hair for an hour or 30 minutes prior to shampooing.
If you have high porosity hair or you struggle with moisture retention, pre-pooing isextremelyimportant.
see to it you dont skip it.
Porosity is also a factor to consider when moisturizing your hair.
Its a good idea to use styling products with water-based formulas, then an oil to seal in hydration.
The cuticle structure of high porosity hair is open and rough, soretainingmoisture is tricky.
After the pre-poo, use agentle and moisturizingshampoo to avoid drying out your strands.
Again, follow with styling products that are water-based and seal them with an oil.
Using heated styling tools can damage the new growth and make your curl pattern inconsistent, Shelley explains.
If you must use heat, I get it.
Just verify that you use a heat protectant to create a barrier between your coils and a hot tool.
Just verify that you dont keep your braids or twists in for too long.
I suggest keeping them in for two months or less, says Gilmore.
Never exceed two months.
4C curls are often so tight that each coilbends and twistsonto other strands, causing more friction and fragility.
Nubia suggests getting a trim or cut every 6 months to keep ends healthy andprevent fairy knots.
Be Patient
Remember thatallhair grows.
The difference is the growth may appear slower on hair that is more textured, Shelley says.
But rest assured, your hairisgrowing.
This article was originally published onFeb.
