4B Hair Type: How To Take Care Of And Style It

 ​Not all curly hair is the same. There are multiple curly hair types ranging from 2C (light curls) to 4C (tightly coiled hair). So, join us on a journey to discover everything about the 4B hair type. To give you a bit of backstory – Andre Walker invented the hair typing system, a blessing for African women! When you know your exact natural hair type, you can buy hair products, use hair styling techniques, and have a specific maintenance routine accordingly. So often, all African hair types are clubbed into one category, which is an atrocity. Discover all there is to know about 4B hair – its curl definition, hairstyles that best suit this hair type, and maintenance tips. But before that, let’s start with the basics. Scroll down to know what exactly is type 4 hair.

What Is 4B Hair Type?
4B hair is a coily hair type, categorized between 4A and 4C hair types. The coils of 4B hair are sharply angled in Z-shaped curls and are loosely defined when compared to 4A hair. Therefore, they appear more zig-zagged and fluffy than curled. And, while both 4B and 4C types are tightly coiled, 4B’s curl pattern can be identified to an extent whereas 4C shows no definite hair pattern.

With 4B type, you can either have fine, wiry textured hair or rough, coarse textured hair. Since the sharp Z-shaped pattern of this hair type acts as a major obstacle for the natural oils from the scalp to travel down the length of the hair, the best way to take care of it is to treat it with coconut or castor oil before washing it to retain some moisture,

Another interesting feature of the 4B afro hair type is that it is prone to hair shrinkage. This means that it coils up quite tightly and makes your hair look significantly shorter than it actually is. But, proper care and hair maintenance can help you deal with this problem. Keep reading to know more.

How To Take Care Of 4B Hair?
4B hair, with its delicate texture, a propensity to drying out, and tendency to shrinkage, requires some very special tender loving care to maintain its health. So here’s what you need to do:

• Moisturization is key: As we all know very well by now, 4B hair has a strong tendency of drying out because of its tightly coiled texture. So, the primary focus of your hair care routine has to be on restoring and retaining moisture in your hair. Now, washing your hair will definitely add moisture to it. But, you need to go the extra mile to really hydrate your hair and prevent damage and breakage. There are a few different things that you can try out here:
  • Treat your hair to a hot oil massage with coconut oil, castor oil or almond oil at least once a week to deeply nourish it from within. Just leave the oil in for a couple of hours before washing it off.
  • Condition your hair every time you wash it and go for a deep conditioner at least twice a month to add and retain moisture in your hair.
  • Pamper your hair with a leave-in conditioner after stepping out of the shower and keep applying it every morning to give your hair that extra boost of moisture.
• Wash your hair in sections: This little tip may sound a bit strange to some of you, but it really makes life a lot easier for anyone with 4B hair. Wash your hair in sections to prevent it from getting tangled up and breaking. This also helps in stretching out your hair and retaining its length. You could section your hair in chunky braids or twists or even with the help of sectioning clips.
• Detangle with fingers: There’s nothing worse than struggling painfully with a comb/brush to detangle your hair only to see it come away with a clump of your hair. Since 4B hair type is quite delicate in nature, the best way to detangle it is with your fingers or a wide toothed comb right after you have washed it as your hair is more pliable when damp.
• Stretch out your hair: Perm rods, twist outs, and bantu knots work well to stretch out 4B coil hair and make it look as long as it really is. It also prevents your hair from getting too tangled up and breaking. You can stretch out your hair when it’s damp right after you’ve washed it or spritz some water on it to dampen it.
• Protective styles are the way to go: When you have 4B hair, the less you touch or try to comb it, the better. That way you don’t risk tangling or breaking it. The best way to follow this low manipulation approach to maintaining your 4B hair is by doing it up in a protective style. Styles like box braids, bantuknots, twists, and updos protect your hair from damage and breakage while giving you the choice of styling your hair in funky and colorful styles and extensions.
• Get yourself some beauty sleep: Your hair care routine for your 4B hair does not end when you are asleep. My only advice here would be to switch out your cotton pillowcase as it dries out your hair like nobody’s business. Go for a satin/silk case instead. Also, tie your hair in a pineapple and tie it in a silk/satin bonnet before going to sleep.

With the 4B hair type containing a Z-shaped coiled pattern, the natural oils from the scalp do not trickle down the strands, thus causing dryness. Hence, people with this hair type should focus on keeping their locks moisturized as much as possible through hot oil massages with castor or coconut oil and conditioners. Wash your hair in sections to avoid tangles, and go for low-manipulation hairstyles like twists, Bantu knots, and updos to prevent damaging your hair. Do not use any heat styling tools and instead go for hair-stretching techniques like perm rods and twist-outs.