What is Afro-textured Hair

As a black person with natural hair, I found it fitting to do a write up on the types, care and styles of black people's hair. This hair type is also called afro-textured hair, kinky hair or nappy hair. It's the natural hair type that has not being changed in anyway by chemicals, hot combs or flat irons. It's the hair texture of most populations in Africa or people of African decent. The hair is spring-like helix shape and appears denser than other hair types. Most times is has a matte/dry appearance.

Hair Types

In recent times (1990s) a numerical grading system was created by Celebrity Stylist Andre Walker to identify the 4 most common human hair types;

Type 1A, 1B, 1C - (which is straight fine, medium and coarse)

Type 2A, 2B, 2C - (which is wavy fine, medium and coarse)

Type 3A, 3B, 3C - (which is curly loose, medium and tight)

Type 4A, 4B, 4C - (which is coily soft, tight and extreme)

The afro-textured hair type mostly falls under the Type 4 grading which tends to be the driest of all hair types and most fragile. See a more detailed breakdown below.

Coily Soft

Type 4A refers to the coily soft, wiry, curls. This hair type tends to shrink to approximately 50% of the actual length especially when wet. Requires less moisture than Type 4B/4C.

Coily Tight

Type 4B refers to the super coily curls. This type lacks more moisture than Type 4A. It has a less curly pattern and more of a "Z" pattern. It shrinks to about 50% to 60% than actual length when wet.

Coily Extreme

Type 4C refers to the extremely tight coils. This texture has a coarse feeling and has no curl pattern. It shrinks to about 85% of it's actual length when wet. It's the most delicate hair type.

How to care for Afro-textured Hair

10 things to do in order to maintain a healthy natural mane with ease. Yes, I said with ease as many people with afro-textured hair find it very difficult to maintain due to it's texture. For this reason many tend to use a chemical or flat iron to make their hair more manageable. I have to admit that kinky hair is really harder to handle than other hair types but if you find the right methods, tools and routines then wearing your natural coils can be beautiful and easy breezy.

1. Always keep hair hydrated

This hair type tends to dry out quickly which leads to breakage and damage and therefore requires more moisture than other hair types. Water is your best friend. It is recommended that having a spray bottle filled with water can be useful to dampen your hair during detangling, comb through and styling. This prevents knots and tangles and makes the process easier. Adding a hydrating hair milk or butter to your comb through process is also very useful and helps maintain the moisture.

2. Wash Day Routine

The good thing about this hair type is that it does not require much washing as other hair types. You need to adopt a wash day routine that helps maintain a healthy mane. Washing your hair once a week or every two weeks (which ever suits you best) helps with dryness and frizziness. A sulphate-free shampoo and conditioner is recommended during wash day as the sulphate chemicals tend to dry out natural hair. Using hair washing products that contain more natural ingredients such as avocado, aloe, coconut oil, jojoba, castor oil, shea butter and the like are all great ingredients to look for, for your natural afro-textured hair.

3. Deep Conditioning/Oiling

Apart from moisture our kinky, coily hair needs oil on a regular basis (3 to 4 times weekly). Oils maintains a healthy natural appearance and are very helpful in locking in existing moisture in your hair. Some good examples of oils that are great for natural hair are coconut oil, castor oil, olive oil and avocado oil. Deep conditioning is also important and should be applied every 2 weeks. It is recommended that you add your essential hair oils to your protein base conditioner and do a deep conditioning treatment which aides in a healthier, more manageable hair. Deep conditioning is mostly done during your wash day routine. A monthly scalp cleanse is also a very good routine to adopt as it gets rid of product build up and dirt. This cleanse aides in unblocking hair follicles which improves hair growth.

4. Using the "Right Tools"

Coily, kinky hair is difficult to comb through due to its nature to tangle and form knots. Using a wide tooth comb on dampen hair during detangling is best to prevent breakage. A scalp massager during or after wash day helps rejuvenate the scalp, eases tension and reduces product build up. All of which leads to rapid hair growth. A detangling brush is a must to detangle your wet hair on your wash day, it cuts your finish time by 50%. It is also good to use a hair pick to create volume for your coily afro. Satin ponytails and wide tooth clips are best to use on kinky pin ups and up dos.

Quick tip: your fingers are great for detangling your hair even before using a comb or brush. Always start from the hair ends and then make you way towards the scalp.

5. Trim your ends on a regular

It is necessary to trim your split ends which occur during hair damage. If you do not trim your ends it will only allow for more hair damage to the healthier part of the hair strands. If left unattended it can cause more harm to your overall natural, healthy mane. It is recommended that a 4 to 6 week trimming routine of split ends helps to maintain a healthy head of hair.

6. Eat Healthy/Drink Water Get Sufficient Sleep

Yes, what you eat affects your entire body including your hair. It is always best to have a well balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, proteins and Omega-3 fatty acids such as avocados, fish and walnuts which are all good for your hair. Drinking water is also important to having healthier hair. This next point may sound a bit cliche but it goes together with healthy eating and water drinking, yes sleep. It is also very important to get sufficient sleep (6 - 8 hours) nightly as it helps get rid of toxins and heal tissue. All of the above will benefit your hair and maintain that lustrous look.

7. Wear a Satin Bonnet/Scarf to bed

You should wear a satin bonnet or scarf at bedtime as it helps maintain the existing hair moisture and helps prevent hair breakage and dryness. During sleep friction can occur when contact is made between your hair and other harsh materials which leads to serious hair damage. Satin is more gentle on the hair and when worn during sleep time helps protect your hair especially your edges.

8. Protective Styles

When styling your hair it is suggested that protective styles be used. Protective styles reduces hair breakage, shedding and damage caused by over combing, styling and heating. Protective styles promote hair growth as less hair manipulation occurs while wearing these styles. Some examples of protective styles are (weave extensions, clip-ons, wigs, twist, braiding, african threading and bantu knots). A quick note to remember: protective styles should not be worn for too long to avoid dirt and product build-up. It is also important to oil your scalp frequently and keep hair moisturised during your protective styles.

9. Allow you hair to breathe

After wearing a protective style for a long period of time, it is advisable that you allow your hair to breathe. Do a deep conditioning treatment and scalp cleanse so the hair can feel and look clean and rejuvenated. You should never go back into a long protective style soon after removing one (e.g. weave extension). Allow your natural hair to breathe between protective styles it does your hair good.

10. Use less "Heat"

Avoid using too much heat on your natural hair. Our afro-textured hair type is very fragile and as a result gets damaged easily so for this reason we should use less heat on our hair. When drying your wet hair it is best to allow your hair to air dry than using a hair dryer as the excessive heat can cause serious damage. Also the use of flat irons, curling irons and heat combs should be reduced when styling your hair as the direct heat generated from these devices cause serious breakage and dryness over time, which leads to unhealthy natural looking hair.

Afro-textured Hairstyles

It is written that in the beginning of African civilization hair grooming was used as a form of communication among societies. Afro-textured hairstyles were used to identify persons age, marital status, wealth, religion, geographic origin, social rank to name a few. In many traditional cultures hair grooming of afro-textured hair was a social event where women came together and socialized and strengthen their family relationships. Some of these hairstyles still exist today in certain tribes and have also been filtered down to our now generation. Black hairstyles such as braids, dreadlocks, some types of Afros date back to ancient Egypt. Let's take a closer look below:

The Afro:

The "Afro" is the epitome of blackness. It is worn by picking the hair away from the scalp and forming the hair into a rounded shape, like a big ball. The "Afro" comes in many shapes, sizes, colors and textures. Although types of afros date back to ancient Egypt, in the 1960s & 70s the "Afro" became a symbol of the "Black is Beautiful" movement which came about from the "Black Power Movement". Many people made a statement by wearing an "Afro" in protest to racism, oppression and a lost of cultural black pride. Political activist Angela Davis, Huey P. Newton and Jesse Jackson also popular entertainers like Diana Ross and Pam Grier all wore "Afros" back in the 60s and 70s.

Braids:

This hairstyle is formed by three portions of hair being interlaced or overlapped with each other to display a weaving or zig-zag pattern. Braiding has been traced back to 3500 B.C. in African cultures. It was used for several reasons throughout the African regions as a form of communication to identify tribes, social status and even to map out escape routes for slaves. Braiding takes many forms and patterns. Some examples are cornrows, box braids, fulani braids and Goddess braids.

Dreadlocks:

Dreadlocks are rope like strands of hair formed by twisting, knotting or braiding. This strands once formed remain untouched or tangled causing a matted look. It is written that some of the earliest depictions of dreadlocks (also known as locs or dreads) date back to 1600 BCE. This hairstyle has been found in multiple populations in Europe, The Americas, Asia and Africa. In more recent times deadlocks is a hairstyle that has been adopted by "The Rastafarian Movement" in Jamaica back in 1930. The movement is centered around Halle Selassie who was the Emperor of Ethiopia. Many Jamaican Rastafarian claim that Selassie was the return of Jesus. The dreadlocks are symbolic to the Lion of Judah which was once centered on the Ethiopian flag. It represents a source of strength for Rastafarians. Dreadlocks was once viewed in a negative light as it was associated with groups and gangs who rebelled against the social and political systems (referred to as Babylon). Today dreadlocks have become a popular hairstyle among professional athletes, artists and the every day person.

Bantu Knots:

This hairstyle is separated into sections then twisted and wrapped around the base continuously forming a knot like appearance or bun, it is a protective hairstyle. It is said that the Bantu Knots (also called Zulu Knots) originated centuries ago with the Zulu tribes in Southern & West Africa. This hairstyle is a representation of black pride.

African Hair Threading:

The threading process consists of wrapping sections of hair in black thread for a period of time. This methods strengthens and stretches the hair which leads to hair growth. It is considered a protective style. African hair threading is a method of hair styling that is popular in West Africa to promote hair growth and a natural way to stretching hair without the use of heat.

Bonus Tip:

Do you know your hair Porosity?

Huh? I know you may be wondering, what is that. So, porosity is described as your hair's ability to absorb moisture and products. An easy and fast way to test your hair porosity level is to simply place a strand of your hair in a bowl of water. If the strand sinks to the bottom then you have high porosity which means your hair absorbs moisture quickly which leads to dryness so you should avoid heat styling and harsh chemicals as much as possible in your hair, more moisture is needed in this case. If the strand of hair floats to the surface of the bowl of water then you have low porosity which means your hair does not absorb moisture quickly which results in product build up which can block hair follicles, a scalp cleanse is needed more often. If the strand floats above the bottom but below the surface then you have normal hair porosity.

It is necessary to know your hair porosity as it helps you know what type of conditioners and oils to use as well as how often these products should be used to help you maintain a healthy head of hair.

And here you have it, a little history, type, care and styles of Afro-textured hair. Hope you enjoyed reading and found the information provided useful.

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