How to Grow 4B Hair (9 Easy Ways)

Following a well-adapted hair care routine is all you need to grow 4B hair. In this article we will explore some of the best tips on how to take care of 4B hair in order to grow it long and healthy.

Key takeaways:

“Focus on retaining length more than anything” Ajia La’Niece
“I cut my dead ends every 6 months and I wash and deep condition my hair every week.” Farliennn X
Using the right products makes all the difference in handling the challenging dry nature of 4B hair.

With that summary out of the way,

Here are 9 tips on How to Grow 4B hair

Table of Contents

1. Moisturize properly

To manage dryness, incorporate moisturizing products. The kinkiness of the 4B hair type allows it to handle moisturizing products fairly well without being overwhelmed.

Because of the Z curls with sharp curves that are common with 4B hair type, it takes longer for moisturizing products and natural oils to trickle down the hair strands to the scalp.

Moisturizing alone is not enough, it’s important to seal in the moisture by incorporating hydrating oils that prevent moisture from escaping.

Some good hydrating oils to consider include argan oil and olive oil. Such oil also provides smoothness and shine to hair and reduces frizz.

2. Focus on length retention

Hair grows, but unfortunately most of it is lost through breakage from poor hair care practices.

If you want to grow your 4B hair, focus on length retention. You can do this by being gentle with your hair and wearing protective styles.

Protective hairstyles ensure that hair is safely tucked in place preventing the hair from losing moisture to the environment. They also work to reduce manipulation which causes breakage.

Here is what Ajia has to say about protective styling 4B hair:

Some good options for protective styles include box braids, buns, and Bantu knots.

To define your curls, you may want to go for twist-outs or an updo that shows your curl pattern off. Just remember to adequately moisturize your hair before and during the stay of the hairstyle.

3. Deep condition and mask

Think of hair masks as a quick and easy conditioning treatment for hair to add much-needed nutrients.

Seeing that 4B hair is mostly deficient in moisture, hydrating hair masks are essential to combat dryness.

You can make your own deep conditioning hair mask using readily available ingredients or get a good quality deep conditioner from your local store if you do not have the time to make one.

See how Farliennn X grow her 4B hair, deep conditioning is key in her routine.

5. Pre-poo your hair

A pre-poo routine is beneficial for the 4B hair as it moisturizes the hair and provides a barrier that prevents the hair from excessive drying caused by the shampoo striping down the hair’s oils.

With 4B hair, the pre-poo routine should focus on moisture-laden products.

A good choice would be hydrating oils such as coconut, avocado, and argan oil.

Alternatively, you could use Aloe-Vera which works great to increase moisture as well as soothe scalp issues.

To pre-poo, section your hair into about 4 to 6 parts and apply the pre-poo.
Then with a wide-toothed comb or your finger, slowly detangle making sure to be gentle to your hair.
Leave the pre-poo on for about 25 minutes or longer for the product to set in. Proceed to wash your hair.

6. Cleanse properly

To manage build up and possible scalp infections, you need to properly cleanse your hair.

When it comes to shampoo, a hydrating shampoo is a must to preserve moisture.

Once in a while when you feel you have build-up, use a clarifying shampoo to break down the accumulated oils and dead skin.

A good shampooing frequency to consider is once every two weeks, but you can totally change this to what works for you. In between the washes, a conditioner can be used to co-wash.

This reduces the amount of dryness that comes as a result of cleaning hair. This routine ensures hair remains both clean and moisturized.

6. Use the right products

Using the right hair products makes all the difference in handling the challenging dry nature of 4B hair.

A good rule of thumb is to incorporate moisturizing products into your hair routine. For instance, when cleaning, opt either for a hydrating shampoo or a co-wash.

Make sure to watch out for drying alcohols in cleaning hair products as those further increase dryness.

You also want to incorporate hydrating deep conditioning treatments that provide your hair with much-needed moisture. After cleaning conditioning and moisturizing, incorporate a hydrating oil to seal in the moisture.

When it comes to styling, the 4B hair type thrives where mousse, curling crèmes, and natural styling gels are included.

Mousse works to provide some curl definition for hair while the curling creams hold the curls in place.

7. Protect it when sleeping

Protecting hair when sleeping does more than reduce damage caused by friction on sleeping surfaces.

It also works to retain moisture that would otherwise transfer from the hair and scalp to the pillows or bed sheets.

To protect hair, consider investing in a silk or satin bonnet that reduces the amount of moisture lost as you sleep. Alternatively, you might opt for silk or satin bed sheets and pillowcases.

8. Minimize exposure to heat

Exposure to heat arising from styling tools such as hair dryers, curlers, and straighteners is harmful to hair.

Heat causes damage to hair by destroying the outermost layer of the hair strand. This causes moisture to easily escape into the atmosphere causing dryness. [1]

Use heatless styling methods such as air drying and if you mush use heat incorporate a heat-protecting product and consider switching to products such as an ionic dryer that uses low heat amounts to achieve the desired results.

9. Use color with caution

Using color is a great way to get creative with your hairstyle. However, color can cause some damage to your hair including dryness.

With color treatments, the coloring dye penetrates the outer cuticle of the hair strand giving the hair its color.

This unfortunately makes it difficult for moisture, oils, and sebum to move down the length of the strand to the scalp through the cuticle.

As a result, the hair becomes dry. This is especially worse for 4B hair which is already prone to dryness.

To combat this form of dryness, you want to use products specifically made for colored hair as they address the concerns arising from using color which include dryness.

Additionally, you want to include as many moisturizing products as possible in your hair routine. Finally, it is advisable to stay away from damaging and drying hair practices such as using excessive heat.

Final thoughts;

4B hair falls under the type 4 hair category, right between 4C hair and 4A Hair. What distinguishes 4B from the other hair types is its curl pattern which is best described as Z-type.

Some of the most enviable features of the 4B hair type are its volume and its unique curl pattern and definition. To take good care and grow 4B hair you need to :