Maintaining loose 4b hair

**vivireborn@gmail.com** · 07-13-2010, 11:28 PM

I have 4b hair that looks really thick but breaks easily. So far, I have about 14 months of growth. Since I stopped wearing braids/twist a lot, I thought it only seemed reasonable that I pick my hair everyday. There was always hair on the comb, but I never thought it was enough to complain about. But it seems like the longer my hair gets, the more breaks. What alternative is there to picking my hair daily? I've been twisting my hair at night and that seems to reduce breakage, but that's a tedious thing to do every night. And as far as finger combing goes, I think this seems reasonable cuz at least I'd be able to wet my hair daily... but what if I want to wear an afro one day? It seems like the hair would just break off then.

**maybejd** · 07-13-2010, 11:37 PM

When I wear a "wash and go," I shingle with a gel (I like KCCC because it's heavy and gives my hair some weight) and just remoisturize the next day. That way I was only running a tool through my hair once a week. If you have really fine, fragile hair like me, combing/picking everyday is a no-no that's going to leave you with lots of short flyaways.

Moreover, when I shingle my hair doesn't really tangle up too much because the gel keeps the coils fairly stiff, so I don't have to do anything but plop a scarf on at night. In the morning, I will have the helmet fro, but it's nothing a few squirts with a moisturizer (AVG or lately I've taken to the Spiral Spritz), then some shaking can't fix.

**GalaxyGirl2012** · 07-14-2010, 12:47 AM

Originally Posted by vivireborn@gmail.com

What alternative is there to picking my hair daily? .

uuuh... not picking your hair daily? you might be at the stage where you need to incorporate more protective styles in your hair kit.

many of us find that once we reach a certain length, doing too many out styles leads to more breakage.

**Padme32** · 07-14-2010, 12:51 AM

I only comb/detangle my hair on an as needed basis. I either co-wash or re-wet my hair and add moisturizer and oil to seal daily. You really don't need to be picking anything, just use your fingers.

**Maat** · 07-14-2010, 01:46 AM

u have to give your hair low manipulation....picking it, is whats breaking your hair off. yes, u might as well finger comb every day. u mentioned something about an afro...if u don't pick or comb your hair every day..then u can wear that afro. honestly I don't recommend combing at all unless u detangle. u can't expect your hair to thrive if u keep abusing it

**Napia Mia** · 07-14-2010, 02:46 AM

Not many of us 4Bers can get away with manipulating our hair every day and retaining length. Especially when we get to a certain length. Mine was the seven or eight inch mark. The only way I eventually doubled that length was to wear protective styles the majority of the time.

That means you've got to give up one for the other. Either you enjoy your loose hair and not worry about retaining length. OR you go the protective route, wear loose hair sometimes, and retain more hair.

For folks with our texture who love to wear their hair out, I know that's not what they really want to hear. But that's just the way it is.

Sowee...

**LBellatrix** · 07-14-2010, 03:19 AM

Originally Posted by Napia Mia

Not many of us 4Bers can get away with manipulating our hair every day and retaining length. Especially when we get to a certain length. Mine was the seven or eight inch mark. The only way I eventually doubled that length was to wear protective styles the majority of the time.

That means you've got to give up one for the other. Either you enjoy your loose hair and not worry about retaining length. OR you go the protective route, wear loose hair sometimes, and retain more hair.

For folks with our texture who love to wear their hair out, I know that's not what they really want to hear. But that's just the way it is.

Sowee...

I offer my current TWA as proof.

I hated how twists looked on me, so I kept my hair in "out" styles, but that meant I twisted or plaited almost every night for the better part of two years. It actually did allow me to see more length than ever before...except in this one patch, which was home to my most super fragile 4c strands, and which ended up breaking off to the point where it was a good 2-3" shorter than the hair around it. Hence the BC.

Also I freely admit that one of the big reasons why I've kept it short for these last four months is because after two years of messing with my hair every night, I need a break!

Lesson learned though: If I decide to grow out my hair again, I'm going to let it get to about 6" and then I'm going to learn to love twists...

**Whitley Gilbert** · 07-14-2010, 11:59 PM

How about just wearing your shrunken fro? I never pick my hair out. Just co-wash and go. I finger comb and style and get no breakage.

**pelogrueso** · 07-15-2010, 12:23 AM

Originally Posted by Napia Mia

Not many of us 4Bers can get away with manipulating our hair every day and retaining length. Especially when we get to a certain length. Mine was the seven or eight inch mark. The only way I eventually doubled that length was to wear protective styles the majority of the time.

That means you've got to give up one for the other. Either you enjoy your loose hair and not worry about retaining length. OR you go the protective route, wear loose hair sometimes, and retain more hair.

For folks with our texture who love to wear their hair out, I know that's not what they really want to hear. But that's just the way it is.

Sowee...

Originally Posted by GalaxyGirl2010

uuuh... not picking your hair daily? you might be at the stage where you need to incorporate more protective styles in your hair kit.

many of us find that once we reach a certain length, doing too many out styles leads to more breakage.

^^ This has been my experience as well. I learned the hard way, that I retain more length when I'm in protective styles. For me, it's small twists. I re-do them every 3 weeks or so and in between I wash and condition with the twists in at least once a week. I save the loose styles for special occasions.

**MissQueenie** · 07-15-2010, 12:32 AM

Originally Posted by GalaxyGirl2010

uuuh... not picking your hair daily? you might be at the stage where you need to incorporate more protective styles in your hair kit.

^THIS. Its a straight haired thought that you have to comb your hair every day. Our hair needs protectrion from weapons of mass destruction(dry combing, brushing, heat, etc.) and protective styling can help you.