My Hair Type - 4A

Type 4: Kinky hair

If your hair falls into the Type 4 category, then it is kinky, or very tightly curled. Generally, Type 4 hair is very wiry, very tightly coiled and very, very fragile. Like Type 3 hair, Type 4 hair appears to be coarse, but it is actually quite fine, with lots and lots of this strands densely packed together. Healthy Type 4 hair won't shine, but it will have sheen. It will be soft to the touch and will pass the strand test with ease. It will feel more silky than it will look shiny. Oprah, Whoopi Goldberg and the actress Angela Bassett are all Type 4s.Type 4 hairs looks tough and durable, but looks can be deceiving. If you have Type 4 hair, you already know that it is the most fragile hair around. Why? Type 4 hair has fewer cuticle layers than any other hair type, which means that it has less natural protection from the damage you inflict by combing, brushing, curling, blow-drying and straightening it. The more cuticle layers in a single strand of hair, the more protection it has from damage. Each time you damage your hair – fire up the curling iron, fry it with chemicals – you break down a cuticle layer, robbing your hair of much-needed moisture. I cannot emphasize this enough. It's like taking a wire and bending it again and again. Eventually, it's going to snap and break.Many women with Type 4 hair rely on chemical relaxers to make hair easier to control. In its natural states, sometimes Type 4 hair doesn't grow very long because every time you comb it, it breaks. (Of course, if you have dreadlocks and never comb them or keep them braided, your hair can and does grow quite long.)There are two subtypes of Type 4 hair: Type 4A, tightly coiled hair that, when stretched, has an "S" pattern, much like curly hair; and Type 4B, which has a "Z" pattern, less of a defined curl pattern (instead of curling or coiling, the hair bends in sharp angles like the letter "Z"). Type 4A tends to have more moisture than Type 4B, which will have a wiry texture. But what if your hair has been chemically straightened? How can you tell which subtype you belong to if your hair is relaxed? You'll need at least one inch of new growth to tell. Pull at the roots. If you can see a definite curl pattern, then it's an A, if not, then it's a B.

Addendum:
NaturallyCurly.com type 4 readers have found the above description limiting, and somewhat misleading. We offer the following addendum:Type 4 hair can range from fine/thin to wiry/coarse strand texture. Generally, this hair is densely packed to give the appearance of very thick but fragile hair. 4a hair has a clearly visible curl and wave pattern that ranges from pen size curls to pen spring size coils. 4b hair has a tighter wave pattern and kinks of various size. This texture does not exhibit the shine or silkiness of looser type curls, but instead has sheen, and a soft, almost cotton-like feel. As with other types of curly hair, showing the true length can be an extra challenge, as the hair may grow "up" or "out" before starting to hang down. In its unlocked/unbraided state, type 4 hair is known to shrink up to 75% of the actual hair length. With the proper care and technique, type 4 hair is indeed resilient, manageable, durable, growable and easy to control.

What to try: For Type 4ab, creams and butters work best.

Try Hot Buttered Curls for 4a hair or Curlaccino for 4b hair. Other choices:
Blended Beauty Happy Nappy StylesCurl Junkie Guava Curl CremeMixed Chicks Leave-in ConditionerLong Lovely Locks Coco LightMiss Jessie's ButtercremeMyHoneyChild Type 4 Hair CreamMy HoneyChild Natural Hair CremeKinky-Curly Curling CustardGreenridge Herbals Jojoba Shea Hair ButterJane Carter Solution Twist & LockKynk Hair HoneyNaani's Naturals Curly CustardOyin Handmade Whipped Pudding

Tips: This hair type needs extra moisture and tender care to prevent breakage. Let the hair air dry and do not brush or comb. To refresh bed head or fight fuzzy hair line, use a moisturizing hairdress like Miss Jessie's Curly Buttercreme or Oyin Handmade Burnt Sugar Pomade.

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RIGHT NOW, I'M THINKING MY HAIR IS TYPE BUT UNTIL IT'S ALL THE WAY OUT I CAN'T TELL. I'LL POST SOME PICTURES OF FOKI PICS I'VE SEEN THAT I THINK I'LL BE SIMILAR TOO. THE ANTICIPATION IS KILLING ME!