Instead of having a bald cut like everyone else, some men prefer keeping their 4c hair long. Does this come easy though?
Keeping long healthy hair, as we all know, is not a walk in the park.
This is why in this article we are focusing on helpful tips to help you dear men grow long healthy 4C hair.
Did you know that without putting any extra effort, at a minimum hair grows ½ an inch per month? Sadly, hair growth is usually negated by hair damage and constant breakage. Some extra care may be essential for your hair to grow and reach your desired length.
First things first, check out this very comprehensive article on 4C hair where we talk about 4C Hair structure, how to know if you have 4C hair and other must knows.
Without further ado, here are 12 tips on taking care of 4C hair for Men
1. Establish a hair care routine.
Start by establishing a simple hair care routine that you can stick by and not get overwhelmed.
It can be as simple as washing the hair weekly, deep conditioning once a month, doing a hot oil treatment every two weeks and trimming every 4-6 months.
To come up with an effective routine, start by understanding your hair. Is your hair high porosity, medium or low porosity? Does your hair love oils or creams?
Once you establish a hair care routine, be consistent. This will go a long way in boosting hair growth.
2. Moisturise Frequently
4c hair love moisture, unfortunately it also loses the moisture very fast due to the coily nature of the strands. The tight Z pattern of the strands makes it difficult for moisturizing, natural oils to travel to the furthest point along the strand.
Dry hair is brittle and prone to breakage. Hydrated hair is pliable, can be managed with little to no breakage.
Regularly moisturise your hair at a minimum 3 times a week or whenever you feel the hair is dry. You can use plain water, apply a moisturizer or a leave-in conditioner.
3. Avoid washing hair on a daily basis
You may think that you are doing justice to your 4c hair by shampooing it regularly but this is not always the case.
A lot of washing strips off sebum, the scalp’s natural oil, from the hair and leaves it extra dry. In this article we have talked in detail how often to wash 4C hair. Check it out.
In summary, shampoo 1-2 times a month but use the no-poo method/co-wash to wash your hair on the days you are not shampooing. Too much product in the hair without cleaning can be damaging.
4. Increase amount of water intake
Water is an essential when trying to boost hair growth. The recommended daily water intake should be 13 glasses for men. This will help hydrate the strands from within.
If you are well hydrated, it will reflect both at your skin and hair. So, don’t forget you bottle of water.
5. Trim split ends
Split ends develop when the ends of your hair become dry, brittle and damaged.
If left unattended, split ends can be damage to your hair as they tend to travel up the strand. Trim your ends after every 4-6 months to keep your strands healthy and strong.
6. Apply oils
When speaking of hair growth, we cannot underestimate the power of oils. Nutrients provided by oils boost hair growth. Commonly used oils for hair growth include coconut oil, olive oil and castor oil.
Essential oils not only impart a good smell to your strands, they also promote hair growth.
In a study, taking a daily dose of 400 milligrams pumpkin seed oil in form of a capsule resulted in an increase in hair growth in men. After 24 weeks of usage men who took pumpkin seed oil experienced 40 percent increase in the total hair count. [1]
7. Avoid products with harsh chemicals
Anytime you are buying a product for your hair, remember to check the ingredients list. Buy products that are free of sulfates, SLS, alcohol, mineral and petroleum. These chemicals rip off the natural oils on your hair and scalp leaving your strands feeling dry and brittle.
Use products containing organic ingredients as they are less likely to leave your hair feeling dry.
Once you’ve tried and seen that a certain product works for you, stick with it and your hair will certainly glow and grow.
8. Have a healthy diet
Poor dietary habits may lead to impaired hair growth and increased hair shedding. Since hair growth is a relatively low priority as compared with other body functions, hair growth decreases or even stops when the body is under stress of a restrictive diet.
A balanced diet supplies beneficial nutrients to your hair follicles. Adequate protein intake is essential for optimal hair growth.
Also rapidly losing weight or decreasing your protein intake causes Telogen effluvium, a common cause of widespread hair loss.
9. Consider regular scalp massages
Massaging your scalp 10-15 minutes once a week to boost hair growth. Massaging improves circulation of blood within the scalp. This helps to deliver nutrients the hair follicles need thus your hair grows.
Also, scalp massages help promote relaxation and relieves stress. Stress is one of the causes for hair loss once it is reduced then heathy hair grows.
10. Take of vitamin supplements
Just like any other body part, hair needs adequate supply of nutrients. The key nutrients that are necessary for hair growth include:
- Vitamins A, B, C, D and E
- Biotin
- Zinc
- Iron
- Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids
Another study showed that boosting zinc levels in the body by taking supplements can reduce zinc deficiency related hair loss. [2]
Insufficient amount of biotin in the body can cause hair loss. Foods which contain biotin include: meat, fish, whole grain, sea foods and green leafy vegetables.
While the research showing the efficacy of biotin is limited, a review of 18 reported cases that showed clinical improvements in both nail and hair health after biotin supplementation. [3]
Remember to always consult your doctor before taking supplements because they may interfere with medication or cause undesirable effects.
11. Limit exposure to heat
Excessive exposure to heat by overusing hot styling tools such as hair dryer, curling rods and straightener is bad for your hair.
Dry heat from the hot styling tools weakens the hair shaft and as a result your hair will feel dry and be prone to breakage.
12. Limit the use of color
Rocking in a dyed hair may seem cool but it is not healthy for your hair if you use it frequently.
Permanent hair dyes contain chemicals such as ammonia and peroxide. Peroxide strips away the color of the hair. Constantly exposing the hair to such chemicals causes loss of natural hair luster, breakage and eventually hair loss.
Before you go, check out what fellow men with 4C hair have to say:
Yes, lets not forget men! Look how gorgeous his hair looks!
And then this!
Some more 4C hair men inspiration…
Finally, I hope you found this article useful. If you did, show some love by sharing this with anyone who might benefit from it.
