KINKS NATURE
Most people in our black community has the kinky hair. It is the type 4 hair and the most difficult to manage because of its tight texture and its thirst for constant moisture. But that doesn’t make our hair ugly. We only need to understand it better, so that we can contend with its tendency to tangle and knot itself up.
TYPES OF HAIR
We have unique classes of hair with their density, porosity, and length..
Your hair type is different from another person’s hair texture but it is beautiful.
There are 4 characteristics of hair. Type 1 is straight hair with no form of waves . Type 2 is wavy hair with less defined curls and curved as in an ‘s” shape. Type 3 is curly hair with defined spiral coils. Type 4 is kinky hair. It’s the tightest of all curls.
CAUSE OF HAIR TANGLING
The kinky hair has the natural presence of unpredictable bends along the fiber that make it vulnerable to manipulation breakage. Due to the uniqueness of the type 4 hair texture, there is friction between the hair fibers. This friction usually causes a lot of tangling and tugging, which produces intense pain when we are combing our kinky tresses.
THE GAME CHANGER
The most wonderful characteristics of the black hair is the presence of protein in our hair shaft. It is an advantage because protein is the backbone of hair.
This is also good news, because the slightest change in the hair protein structure and components of our hair can significantly alter the hair’s appearance, texture, behaviour, and other mechanical properties.
It simply means that we can influence the behaviour of the coily hair. We can transform it from being knotty, and tangly, to being soft and malleable through the introduction of water-based hair products.
These soothing hair foods break the strong bond of the kinks. They reduce the friction between the hair fibers. The water-based hair moisturizers supply the hair fibers with the extra external moisture they need. This automatically takes away the frizziness that is associated with the type 4 hair.
DON’T GIVE UP ON YOUR HAIR
Hair frizziness, tangling, knotting, and breakage can be discouraging factors in the natural hair journey. But they can be eliminated through moisturization. The intense pain we experience when we are combing our kinky coily hair, due to lack of water or moisture can sometimes be unbearable. Many Naturalistas are reverting to permed hair, because of this same reason. Water-based products can resolve that problem We can remain Naturalistas through an informed knowledge and proper care of our tresses.
Type 4 hair is manageable, for it can hold water or moisture. Our ability to transform our hair’s texture from cranky kinky to baby softy is simply magical. It is achieved through the application of the right type of hair moisture that suits our hair type.
SHOW SOME LOVE TO YOUR HAIR
Our hair deserves some tender loving care! This TLC comes through moisturization. The moisturization of our hair plays a vital role in the reduction and possible eradication of hair combing-pain. The growth and retention of maximum long hair length comes also as a result of well-moisturized tresses that we retain over time. So go ahead and show some love to yourself, oh I mean to your hair.
I care about your hair,
With love,
Vivian Akpalaba,