growinghealthyhair
Well-Known Member
TraciChanel
What type are you?
I was actually thinking about cowashing more often or like you are saying wetting my hair daily. My hair wet is so much more manageable.
Is 4b hair DESIGNED to be SHORT?
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TraciChanel
What type are you?
I was actually thinking about cowashing more often or like you are saying wetting my hair daily. My hair wet is so much more manageable.
TraciChanel
Well-Known Member
I'm a 4b. Until I started wetting it everyday, I used to HATE doing my hair 
Now, I look forward to it! It's soooo much more manageable when I wet it daily. Try dc'ing with Queen Helene Super Cholesterol. Makes my hair so nice and manageable.
Now, I look forward to it! It's soooo much more manageable when I wet it daily. Try dc'ing with Queen Helene Super Cholesterol. Makes my hair so nice and manageable.growinghealthyhair
Well-Known Member
I'm a 4b. Until I started wetting it everyday, I used to HATE doing my hair
Thanks so much. How do you wear your hair out when it was short?
I was wondering if wearing my Afro out would be better than wearing wigs (cornrows/twists is how my hair is underneath)...
TraciChanel
Well-Known Member
I actually didn't wear my hair out, only because I didn't know how to style it. So I was in weaves pretty much all of the time. I liked that my hair was really thick, but I was wanting the length too. If I knew then what I know now, I would change so much. I definitely would have worn my twa. I think that if you co-wash every day, your hair will grow out whether you wear a wig or if you wear it out. It's your personal choice. Check out mahoganycurls on YT. She had a twa and styled it really nice using the curly girl method. Now, her hair is really long. I will post the video if I can find it quickly.
ETA: here's the video. HTH!
http://youtu.be/_U9uAwXz1CY
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growinghealthyhair
Well-Known Member
TraciChanel
My issue with styling my own hair is its so uneven every where. It just doesn't look right. My nape up to the top of my ears is less than an inch like I had a short hair cut :-(
I don't understand how it gets so short. I never see any excessive shedding or breakage. It's just like it won't grow.
[ATTAC]
Nonie help please :-(
My issue with styling my own hair is its so uneven every where. It just doesn't look right. My nape up to the top of my ears is less than an inch like I had a short hair cut :-(
I don't understand how it gets so short. I never see any excessive shedding or breakage. It's just like it won't grow.
[ATTAC]
Nonie help please :-(
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TraciChanel
Well-Known Member
I'm no expert, but I would bet your hair is too dry. Why not trim your ends a bit to keep them healthy and also that way you may feel more comfortable wearing your hair out. Otherwise, just cowash daily, m&s, and hide your hair under your wig until its at a length you feel comfortable wearing. I'm sure some other ladies will chime in here too
Osha
Member
No, I'm a bit ignorant about types. From what I understand, 2 is wavy, 3 is curly and 4 is kinky. Based on that, I'm a 3. I'm guessing maybe a B or C or a bit of both.
virtuenow
Well-Known Member
growinghealthyhair I struggled for years w/getting retention. Here's my hair story, check it out http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=675865. As far as your hair, if it's not thriving w/those products, then they are not the right products for your hair. My guess is that your hair doesn't like glycerin. My hair hates Greg Juice and Qhemets b/c of the glycerin. It took me years to get on the right track. One thing that held me back was hiding my hair for too long. If you click on the link, you'll see I was suffocating my scalp w/wigs...Anyhoo, I believe you have to wear your hair to learn it. I'm not saying a hair hiatus here or there is wrong, but prolonged hiding is a way to never get used to your hair, how it reacts to everyday wear, etc. I agree w/getting your hair wet. The LCO moisture method is really good for keeping the right balance of moisture. Your Burdock Root butter, by the way, is a sealant-- so using it daily could be blocking out moisture. Have you tried doing regular protein or reconstructor treatments yet? They helped turn my hair around.
DirectorChic
New Member
All I can say is that 4b hair grows. What may work for a 3c may not work for 4a, what may work for 4a may not work for 4b. As said earlier, do what works for your hair. Doing what a 3c does will give your regimen the appearance of not working sometimes and therefore 4b seem to be "designed" a certain way. So you have to find what works on 4b hair and keep that regimen. As it gets longer, you may have to find unique ways to keep it from being damaged from styling and such.
genesislocks
Well-Known Member
By that logic, the native people in thailand, aztecs, incans, indonesians (and people of other warm regions) would also have coily type 4 hair. But they do not.
We are literally the only race on the planet with type 4 texture. I think there is more to our hair than meets the eye. Although what that certain "something" may be, is largely up for debate.
Anyway I don't think our hair is necessarily meant to be short. I think over-styling our hair to reflect societies standards of "professional/neat" hair just makes it more challenging. If we left our hair alone, it can and will grow to major lengths
One thing I want to note is: from my experience type 4s with DENSE hair tend to achieve incredible lengths more quickly than their lower density counterparts. So...my guess is maybe hair growth is less about texture and more about density. Just my 2 cents.
sparkle25
Well-Known Member
Every locked person I know has super long hair. My uncle has had locks for like 3 years and his hair is at bra strap length ( for lack of a better term because he is a male lol). Imagine how long it would be if it was straight.
Prettymetty
Natural/4b/medium-coarse
4b seems to grow the slowest, break the fastest and tangle the easiest so yes. I think our hair is meant to be short. Thanks to the forums and techniques like banding, blowouts, bkt we are able to achieve lengths that seemed impossible. Heat is the best thing that happened to my 4bc hair other than conditioner.
faithVA
Well-Known Member
What do you think the percentage is? Out of 1000 4Bs, what percentage or how many (IRL) do you think have long hair? I'm just curious.
Prettymetty
Natural/4b/medium-coarse
Natural 4bs with long hair? There arent very many and those people are the exception, not the rule. I have only seen a few people with hair like mine and its called 4c. The reality is that a lot of 4a ladies claim 4b and it gets confusing. Sera and mzwedi have hair like mine and its long... other than them idk
I think a lot of it has to do with having thicker strands and also longer anagen growth phases.
faithVA
Well-Known Member
Ogoma, I don't think any of us are saying that there aren't any 4Bs with long hair or that a 4B can't grow long hair. But I don't think it can be disputed that it is uncommon. What do I mean by uncommon? I believe that most people can't name 20 4Bs they know IRL, that have hair longer than APL. If a person can count them then I would say it's not common. If it were common, there would be too many to list. Every thread I've seen on the subject, the people can list maybe 5 and they have to go back over their entire life.
I have no problem stating that is is uncommon for 4Bs to have long hair. That is just my opinion.
I have no problem stating that is is uncommon for 4Bs to have long hair. That is just my opinion.
Are we only looking at the youtube natural hair community?
My grandmother was a 4b natural with long hair. My hair is 4a/b and I am only BSL, but the plan is to get to WHip. I never met my paternal grandmother, but I have heard it repeated she had really long hair. I don't know what her curl pattern is but we are Nigerian so it wouldn't be a stretch to assume she was 4a/b/c.
I guess I agree with the person that stated it is not the hair type, it is the look we hope to achieve that is different. The styles my grandmother and great grandmother were rocking is not the styles we are necessarily rocking to go to work.
How does anyone know whether the 4B they see on the street has long hair or not?
faithVA
Well-Known Member
I am counting every person I have every seen from my youth until now, so that is about 40 years. I am looking at all of the heads I have seen in the numerous beauty salons. I looking at the heads in the churches, work, etc. Just looking at my entire life.
I still think it is very uncommon. I think people can name a few, but in every day life, it just isn't that many, whether it is 4a, 4b, 4c.
mzteaze
Pilates and Yoga Kinda Gal
There was an older thread about hair styles of old. I personally think it's a tad harder for younger ones with 4b hair mainly due to the current techniques and/or peer pressure for chemical services/textures and styling (i.e long luxurious smooth hair).
Many of the older hairstyles didn't call for any special hair products or TLC outside regularly washing, styling then leaving it alone until the next time. Our hair responds to those methods.
Many of the older hairstyles didn't call for any special hair products or TLC outside regularly washing, styling then leaving it alone until the next time. Our hair responds to those methods.
Prettymetty
Natural/4b/medium-coarse
What kind of styles did they wear? Were they protective styles? Please share the secrets lol. For some reason our grandmas had really long healthy hair. What on earth were they doing back then?! It may have something to do with their diet and activity level back then. Now the only thing on our body that gets exercise is our texting thumb
natural2008
Well-Known Member
^^^^They used hair grease and water girl yelp 
But, is that because 4b is meant to be short or because a lot of women were/are not natural, do not know how to manage or maintain relaxed or natural hair, and keep trying to style their hair in a way that is not compatible with their hair texture. The men in my family have better hair than the women
.What kind of styles did they wear? Were they protective styles? Please share the secrets lol. For some reason our grandmas had really long healthy hair. What on earth were they doing back then?! It may have something to do with their diet and activity level back then. Now the only thing on our body that gets exercise is our texting thumb
Mainly braided styles that a lot of people do not appreciate now or would not consider professional. We are in a different environment.
faithVA
Well-Known Member
But, is that because 4b is meant to be short or because a lot of women were/are not natural, do not know how to manage or maintain relaxed or natural hair, and keep trying to style their hair in a way that is not compatible with their hair texture. The men in my family have better hair than the women
I don't know whether it is meant to be short or not. That was someone else's phrasing. That is why I said it isn't common for it to be long.
Someone else above did mention locs.
coolsista-paris
Well-Known Member
my aunt always had long hair ( i did too in the past as a kid). we had in commin: hair was always in braids ( without extensions).
i have 3 aunts with 4b that passes bsl , longesr is wl.
one is relaxed, one is natural and one with a jerry curl ( is that the name)? curly.
Mane Event
Well-Known Member
This! All of the 4bs I know with long hair have SUPER thick strands that survive can manipulation better than most
Mane Event
Well-Known Member
^^also agree with the growth phase. I dont think ive met a long-haired 4b without long, thick hair everywhere....eyelashes, eyebrows, etc
Its almost like you can look at someone's face and conclude he/she can grow/maintain longer hair.
I may be reaching but just my observations!
Its almost like you can look at someone's face and conclude he/she can grow/maintain longer hair.
I may be reaching but just my observations!
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I agree!
Not to mention the ones who have grown their hair past APL, tried really hard to get it that long (PSing, cowashing, sealing, moisturizing, etc) and it took really long (2 years +)
I do think shrinkage does play mind tricks on us, particularly in regards to 4b hair. So while a head of hair make look neck or SL length, stretched it may be bsl or wl.
