In truth, “long” hair has nothing to do with luck. There’s no myth or magic to long, healthy hair. The reality is that our hair is a reflection of several things: our ethnic and racial heritage; our overall health; even our lifestyles, and preferences.
While we may not have control over some of these factors, there are others that we can manage to achieve healthy hair growth. Another key fact to note, especially with type 4 hair, is that to grow your hair, your focus should not be on “hair growth” but on “length retention”.
In this blog post, we’ll be exploring the science behind hair health and growth and laying down precise steps to grow out your type 4 hair.
How Does Hair Growth Work?
Hair growth works via a growth cycle which is divided into four stages. Each strand of hair on your head could be undergoing any one of these stages at any point in time.
The entire cycle is just like your human lifespan which starts with birth and ends with death. Similarly, your every hair strand begins with growth and ends with shedding.
If you have type 4 hair—characterized by tighter curls, kinks, and coils—understanding these stages will help you manage and care for your hair type better. Below is a brief overview of each stage.
The Four Stages of Hair Growth.
Stage 1: Anagen Phase (Growth Phase).
Duration: 3 to 7 years
The anagen phase is the active growth stage where your hair follicles are rapidly producing new cells, resulting in hair growth. At any time, about 90% of the strands on your head are in the anagen phase.
Stage 2: Catagen Phase (Transition Phase).
Duration: 1 to 2 weeks
Immediately after the anagen phase, the catagen phase is a short transitional period in which your hair growth slows down and hair follicles begin to shrink. This stage also serves as a preparatory period for shedding.
Stage 3: Telogen Phase (Resting Phase).
Duration: 3 to 4 months
In the telogen phase, your hair is in a resting state. What happens in each strand is that the old hair remains in the follicle while new hair begins to grow beneath it. Typically, about 10-15% of the strands on your head are in the telogen phase.
Stage 4: Exogen Phase (Shedding Phase).
Duration: The End of the Telogen Phase
The exogen phase is a tail-end extension of the telogen phase where the old hair finally sheds, allowing the new hair to fully emerge. Don’t let the word “shedding” scare you. It’s a natural part of your hair growth cycle and can occur daily.
Type 4 Hair through the Four Stages of Growth.
Now, if you’ve ever thought that fros don’t grow, the truth is that they do. Your type 4 hair, in fact, does go through the four stages of growth. According to hair experts at the Belgravia Center, the hair growth of tighter hair textures like yours hovers somewhere around .3 inches per month.
Here are a few insights into how type 4 hair manifests in each growth stage:
1. The Anagen Phase in Type 4 Hair:
For type 4 hair, this phase is crucial as it determines the length and health of your hair. With proper care, your type 4 hair will appear dense, full, and flourishing during the growth phase.
Proper care during this phase, including regular moisturizing and gentle handling, is essential to prevent breakage and promote maximum hair growth. This will keep your hair healthy, your curls or coils soft and shiny, and your curl or coil pattern fully intact.
2. The Catagen Phase in Type 4 Hair:
The changes during the catagen phase for type 4 hair are subtle. Your hair might not show significant differences, but internally, the follicle is changing. You must keep being gentle with your hair to avoid breakage during this phase.
3. The Telogen Phase in Type 4 Hair:
Type 4 hair during the telogen phase may feel slightly more brittle and less bouncy. As this is typically only about 10% of the hair on your head, the changes won’t be so noticeable that they’d give you cause to worry.
And, indeed, you’d have nothing to worry about because the telogen phase is simply the beginning of new, healthy growth.
4. The Exogen Phase in Type 4 Hair:
Finally, the shedding phase for any strands simply involves the old strand detaching from your scalp while the new hair grows in its place. Once again, this type of shedding is very normal. You just have to ensure proper hydration, gentle detangling, and minimal manipulation to effectively manage this phase.
9 Key Tips for Type 4 Hair Length Retention.
Now that we understand how hair growth works, here are 9 changes you can make to ensure that your hair is growing healthily and that you are retaining that length as it grows. Remember, there’s no overnight magic formula for instant hair growth. But if you follow these steps diligently, you can stimulate and retain beautiful, healthy growth.
1. Eat a nutrient and vitamin-rich diet: Foods with nutrients such as omega-3 and DHA, zinc, iron, biotin (vitamin B7), and vitamins C, D, and E are excellent for hair growth.
Your body also needs a lot of energy to make your hair grow, so ensure that you are eating enough calories to enable this. Always eat a well-balanced diet with adequate protein intake as this is also key for optimal hair growth
2. Keep heat usage at a minimum: Frequent heat from blow dryers, curling irons, and straighteners can damage your hair, cause breakage, and cut down on your growth progress. While avoiding heat styling altogether may not be practicable, consider reducing how frequently you utilize these tools. Also, always allow your hair to air dry for as long as possible before blow-drying it.
3. Trim your hair regularly: Regular trims support healthy hair growth. This is because you get rid of any split ends, thus preventing them from splitting farther up your strands and damaging your hair.
4. Massage your scalp: Besides giving your scalp some TLC, gently massaging your scalp with your fingertips or a scalp massage device also promotes healthier, longer hair. Do this for a few minutes each day with a scalp oil or hair growth serum for best results.
5. Optimize your sleep: Ensure that you get enough sleep every night. This enables your body’s production of melatonin, a hormone that plays a role in regulating hair growth. Furthermore, use a silk or satin scarf or bonnet and silk pillowcases to protect your hair while you sleep.
6. Check your medication: Beware of medication that may inhibit hair growth or induce hair loss. Always discuss the side effects of any medication you are to take with your health practitioner.
7. Use hair masks and hot oil treatments: Hair masks infuse your curls and coils with moisture, leaving them soft and healthy. Hot oil treatments will further help to seal in that moisture, enhance shine, and improve your scalp health.
8. Other tips to incorporate:
- Tailor your care routine and products to your hair type, texture, density, and of course, budget.
- Comb gently with a wide-tooth comb when detangling.
- Wear protective styles like braids and twists.
- Avoid treating your hair with harsh chemicals such as dyes and straightening products.
- Carry out activities to relieve stress like yoga and massages.
- Avoid smoking.
