Tight curls, puffed mane- 4C hair really looks cool and can rock many traditional and contemporary hairstyles. But wouldn’t it be cooler to have them flowing till your waist? If you have long held the desire to grow your 4C hair to your waist, then rejoice because your wish is going to come true.
Growing any type of hair to a certain length is a long process and requires you to be patient and consistent in your caretaking. If you are ready to follow the rules of growing your hair, then be with us as we share with you some proven secrets about how to grow 4C hair to waist length.
How Long It Takes for 4C Hair to Grow Waist Length?
The time taken to grow 4C hair to waist length depends on your hair care regimen, diet, and genetics. Out of these, genetics is something that is out of your control. But the remaining two can be controlled and tweaked to work in your favor and give you those desired long tresses.
If you take care of the two controllable factors, how long does it take for 4C hair to grow to your waist? There can’t be a one-size-fits-all answer for this because genetics might change and regulate the speed of hair growth in different individuals. But generally speaking, 4C hair grows about half an inch per month, which means 6 inches per year. According to this calculation, it will take around 2-4 years for your 4C hair to achieve waist length.
2-4 years may seem like a long time, but if you are patient enough and really want to see yourself wearing waist-long 4C hair, then you have to invest this much time in taking care of your hair.
To help you make the growing journey exciting and know that you are achieving results, measure your hair’s length every month using a measuring tape. Record the progress and share it with other 4C hair owners to inspire them too.
How to Grow 4C Hair to Waist Length
The following tips are proven to help 4C hair grow to waist length. If you have been trying to increase the length of your hair with no success in the past, you should try these tips. There’s no way you will face a dead end with these as they are tried and tested and have shown positive results on many 4C hair women.
So are you ready? Here are 11 tips for how to grow 4C hair to waist length.
1. Do the Loc Method
Any hair care routine starts with moisturization. This list of how to grow 4C hair to waist length is no different. Dry hair means easily breakable hair, which means difficulty in growing it to the desired length. Moisturization for 4C hair is even more important than other types of hair because its tight curl pattern makes it difficult for it to stay hydrated. The cuticles have no space to move the hydration from its natural oil to the rest of the hair properly.
You need to moisturize your hair regularly without feeling lazy about it because this is the thing that will give you the strength and nourishment that your hair needs to grow at the right speed. The best way to provide hydration to your hair is via the LOC method. This method uses three products to provide deep nourishment to your hair. L means liquid, which means water. O means oil. C means cream. It is simply applying these three in this order to your hair.
It is important to follow the right sequence of applying the products for the best results.
- Start by applying water to your strands. Section your hair and apply water using a spray bottle or by simply wetting your palms.
- To lock in this moisture, apply oil on the damp hair. Lightweight oils such as jojoba, argan, marula, etc., are great for 4C hair as they penetrate the tightly placed cuticles better. For best results, warm the oil so it can penetrate more. Lightly massage your scalp for increased absorption.
- The last part of the method is cream, which seals the dual moisturization of liquid and oil. Apply it in the right quantities – not too much or too little- to ensure every part gets enough of the moisture-sealing cream.
2. Be a Gentlewoman with Your 4C Hair
4C hair is known to be easily breakable owing to dryness. Add to it rough handling of the hair, and you make it susceptible to more breakage and weakness. So you must remind yourself that your hair cannot handle strong pulling, combining, styling, etc. The caring rules for other types of hair don’t apply to 4C hair because of its super brittle nature.
It needs to be handled with gentle care. Like, instead of a comb, it is advisable to detangle your hair using your fingers; we have covered this in more detail later in the list. When detangling your hair with a comb, always use a wide-toothed comb for your 4C hair, as it smoothens the strands without pulling at them like a small-toothed comb does.
Likewise, when using styling tools to create different hairstyles for your hair, use them gently and don’t overdo them. Too much exposure to heat-style tools can make your hair break off and get weaker.
3. Follow the Correct Hair Wash Routine
The washing routine, like other care tips, is different for 4C hair from other types of hair. Following it correctly will help you keep your hair clean and expedite its growth. Also, you must ensure you don’t wash your 4C hair too often or too little. You must find the right frequency of washing your 4C hair to ensure optimal moisture retention and health.
Here is a step-by-step process of how to wash your 4C hair.
- Pre-shampooing – This is an essential first step that you mustn’t skip in your 4C hair wash routine. The idea behind prepping your hair before washing is to make your hair extra hydrated so shampooing doesn’t dry your hair out. Doing this simple step will make you see the difference instantly. In pre-shampooing, you have to apply an oil. You can choose any lightweight oil for this. Detangle your hair using your fingers to let the oil move deeper. Leave for 30 minutes to 1 hour. For better results, tie your hair or cover it with a bonnet to let the oil seep more into the hair. You can also sleep with the oiled hair the night before.
- Wash with a Sulfate-free shampoo –Sulfate is a notorious chemical often used in hair care products. Other hair types can handle the side effects of this chemical, but a tender type like 4C cannot. This chemical creates a layer on the strands and roots, which stops other hydrating and hair care products from penetrating it.
- Choose a clarifying shampoo –Clarifying shampoo is best for 4C as it cleanses the heavy chemicals and product build-up, which is an issue for 4C hair.
- Condition – Never leave the shower without applying a conditioner. A conditioner adds moisture to your hair and locks it in after shampooing rips it. After washing your hair, apply a conditioner to each strand and leave it for some minutes. Loosely tie your hair or wear a shower cap to allow the conditioner to seep into the hair better in a short time. Rinse off with water.
- Co-wash-Experts suggest washing your 4C hair only once or twice a month. This is to protect the fragile hair and not make it too dry. This frequency is too low, and your hair is going to get dirty in between washes. For that, there is co-washing. In this, you only wash your hair using a conditioner. A conditioner adds moisture to your hair and also cleanses it of product buildup, excess oil, and dirt. You can co-wash as many times as you want between shampoo washes.
4. Eat Food Not Junk
You might like indulging in french fries and pizzas every now and then, but you have to learn to push the plate filled with junk food away to enjoy the healthy growth of your hair. Junk food has zero nutrients, and it also causes health problems like indigestion.
What you need to start eating is real food like vegetables, legumes, dairy products, etc. to get all the nutrition your hair needs to become strong and in the pink of health. The best nutrients for hair growth are zinc, vitamins A, E, and C, iron, folic acid, protein, etc. Foods rich in these nutrients are eggs, spinach, berries, avocados, nuts, seeds, beans, meat, etc.
You also would want to reduce the number of eating outs you do because no matter how healthy you are eating, outside food is not prepared with top quality ingredients and under hygienic conditions. So it’s best to eat home-cooked food as much as you can.
5. Use Your Fingers as a Comb
We keep repeating how fragile 4C hair is. This quality is what compels you to think twice before using any product or doing any method. When it comes to detangling your 4C hair, your fingers are the best comb. Before shampooing and after shampooing are the best times to detangle your hair.
Always finger detangle on damp hair. Create sections and start detangling each one slowly and gently. Start from the ends and move towards the roots. When you come across a knot, slowly and gently pull it apart. Finger detangling takes longer, but it is safer than detangling using a comb, as you will experience less breakage.
6. Don’t Cry Over Split Ends, Trim Them
Trimming and growing hair don’t seem to go along well, do they? But this tip will ensure your journey of how to grow 4C hair to waist length is successful. No, contrary to belief, trimming will not shorten the length of your hair. It will instead ensure your hair stays healthy and continues to grow to waist length. Trimming helps to remove split ends, which hamper the growth of your hair by breaking them. Instead of leaving your split ends and worrying about it, trim it without any misgivings about your hair losing its length.
7. Use Protective Styles But not Continually
Leaving your hair in protective styles like braids and twists may make you feel you are allowing your hair to grow perfectly. But keeping your hair in protective styles for months leads it to become dry and easily breakable. Because you leave your hair unattended for a long period, it does not receive any moisture and hence can become brittle and undernourished.
You can wear a protective style with constant breaks in between to moisturize and cleanse your hair. The ideal time to wear protective styles is 4-8 weeks. After that, remove the protective style, wash and hydrate the hair, and leave it for some time without putting it back into a style to allow it time to breathe.
8. Do Therapy for Your Head
We mean massage! Head or scalp massaging increases blood circulation in the area. This increased blood flow allows the hair follicles to produce more hair. You can do scalp massages before hair washing or once a week before going to bed. Using warm oils to massage the scalp is highly beneficial in increasing hair growth.
Start by slowly moving your hands in circular motions over your scalp, at the back, and sides under the nape. Deciate at least 10 minutes for a head massage.
9. Choose Your Products Carefully
Don’t apply any product that is good for your hair. Every hair type is different, and not all good products are made to suit all of them. Try a product and see how it works for your hair, and then include it in your hair care routine. Products with sulfate in them may benefit other hair types but are a strict no-no for 4C hair. So always be very careful when choosing products for your delicate hair. Observe the response your hair gives to a product before determining whether they are for your hair or not.
10. Say Yes to Home Treatments
DIY treatments are greatly beneficial for giving a boost of health to your growing 4C hair. There are a number of proven home treatments that you can do without needing any special equipment or costly professional help. Rice water rinse, onion juice, rosemary water, etc., are some of the best home treatments for how to grow 4C hair to waist length.
You can also make hair masks at home using everyday ingredients like eggs, honey, avocado, etc. Apply the mask and leave it overnight for rejuvenated and hydrated hair.
You can also use aloe vera juice as a natural conditioner by having an aloe vera plant at home if none of the market conditioners suit your hair or are out of your budget.
11. Go Easy with Heat Appliances
Straightening and taming your 4C hair is easier with heat appliances. However, you have to keep their usage to a minimum because they can strip your hair of its natural oils. Since they use heat as a medium to straighten and style your hair, they evaporate the oils present in your hair and also damage the protein structure, making it drier and weaker. So, do use heat-based style tools, but keep them for special occasions.
Final Words
These proven tips on how to grow 4C hair to waist length will show results if followed diligently and patiently. But the story doesn’t end here. You have to take care to maintain the length of the hair. If you don’t, your hair will become brittle and break off easily. You surely don’t want your hard work to pay off this way.
The key is to keep them healthy and retain their length for as long as you want.
