"Hair type 4 is unique and special." No, we don't mean that to somehow console ourselves when our hair annoys us. It's the truth! Have you ever wondered why your hair is the way it is? Why does it grow upwards and shrink when wet?
If you think about it, in Europe you can see that hair is mostly straight or wavy and the way other cultures' hair behaves is very different from ours.
The first thing to know is that the texture of 4c hair is not a flaw and suits our needs and geographical origin.
Temperature and protection history
Although there are no specific details as to why most Africans have type 4 hair, the general consensus is that it serves as protection from heat. The regions in Africa where 4c hair is common have one thing in common: the heat! The density of Type 4 hair and its proximity to the scalp serve as a kind of hat against the heat. If your scalp has ever been exposed to intense heat, you would agree that having the sun burn our heads like this is almost unbearable. The airiness of our hair also serves to regulate body temperature.
Yes, there are hotter regions outside of Africa, like Cyprus or California, where people don't have curled hair. According to Clarence: It is important to remember that Africa is the foundation of civilization and that before global expansion, which saw many people emigrate from the continent, everyone had hair like that. At least that's what Clarence R. Robbins believes in his book: Chemical, Weird and Physical Behavior of Human Hair. Over time, the skin and hair of immigrants have adapted to the regions they immigrated to.
Why is it shrinking?
Other hair types appear to lengthen when wet, but type 4 hair shrinks. As you've probably heard before, shrinkage is a sign of healthy hair. Because it means that the hair is elastic and strong enough to stretch and shrink without breaking. It is also a sign that the hair is retaining moisture. The ability of hair to shrink in intense heat as sweat production increased allowed the scalp to be protected.
If the hair was straight, the hair would have stuck to the skin and exposed the scalp, which would not have been pleasant for the first inhabitants of Africa.
Why does it grow upwards?
Natural hair is like a ribbon, no matter how hard you stretch it, it will contract again. Straight hair hangs, but the more curls, bends, and spirals the hair has, the shorter it looks and the more prone it is to curl and defy gravity.
Why does it look dry and dull?
Our scalp produces sebum, our natural oil, which flows down the hair shaft. However, with every bend, twist, and curl of Type 4 hair, it encounters a certain amount of resistance that forces the process to slow down. This makes our hair appear dull and dull. By moisturizing and oiling we can add some shine and softness to our hair.