If you’ve got curly hair, the reality is that it is oftentimes a struggle to find products that fit your hair’s needs. For years, haircare has been strongly catered for those with the straight hair type. But, as we have come to realize that the “one-size-fits-all” ideology doesn’t work for everyone, the beauty and wellness industry have made big efforts to become as diverse as people (and their hair) actually are.
More options, including hair growth products and tools, have become available to specifically help grow curly hair fast. However, with so much information at our disposal, and at the same time not really knowing what works and what doesn’t, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. That’s why we’ve compiled some ways for you to help your beautiful spirals grow long and grow fast. Read on to learn more!
Curly hair vs. straight hair - does it matter for growing hair fast?
While we know that curly hair and straight hair are DEFINITELY not the same, it's also important to appreciate that there are multiple curl types.
Currently there is very limited research data studying curly hair originating from different ancestries. The majority of studies that have been conducted on curl hair fiber originating from African ancestry- as the benchmark for curly hair.
However, even on the surface level, it’s obvious that what you might call “kinky/ coily” hair may be quite different from “wavy” or “curly” hair for someone else, so it’s extremely important to consider different curl types originating from different ancestries and backgrounds. This can also help us understand what type our hair falls under so we can make the right choices to help our curly hair grow fast and grow strong.
The difference between curly hair patterns is actually because of the hair follicle itself and how hair grows out of them. Cortical cells, which are situated in the hair follicle, are responsible for determining the shape of the curly hair fiber. So knowing your hair type is essential for growing curly hair fast. Curly hair is broadly categorized from Type 2 to Type 4, with sub categories existing among each type, which are listed below:
Type 2: Wavy
- 2A: these are categorized as more of soft, loose waves.
- 2B: these curly hair fibers turn near the crown compared to 2A types.
- 2C: these strands are more defined waves than the other types 2’s
Type 3: Curly
- 3A: these are soft loose curls categorized as spiraling hair i.e “not wavy”
- 3B: these are springy hair with more defined curls
- 3C: these are tightly packed springs starting from the root
Type 4: Coily
- 4A: these are “S” shaped, tight coils
- 4B: zig-zag shaped coils
- 4C: very tightly packed coils/ tightest of all of them, and shrink most
Growing curly hair fast - Protein Vs Moisture
Since curly hair is generally known to be dry, the obvious thing to do to help curly hair grow fast, would be to give it as much moisture as possible right? Wrong.
While it is necessary to provide curly hair with regular moisturizing treatments to ensure you’re maintaining your curls’ health and elasticity, it’s highly important not to overdo it! Yes, even moisture has a limit, and if you cross it, you’re overloading your hair with moisture. As we’ve discussed in other blogs, too much of a good thing can be bad. Too much moisture can turn your hair limp and loose, with a loss in structure, which is vital for keeping your curls growing fast.
The way curly hair fibers behave has to do with a protein called keratin, which contributes to the structure of the hair strand, after it grows out of the hair follicle beyond the scalp. So while curly hair already contains proteins, having a well-balanced diet will help ensure that your hair grows fast and healthily, and most importantly, retains its structure, which is usually affected due to heat or chemical damage.
But, most curly haired individuals may be unaware that they may be actually overloading their hair with protein, hindering fast hair growth and leading it to become brittle and dry. So in order to ensure that your curly hair grows fast and strong, it is important to make sure that you’re keeping your hair’s moisture and protein requirements in harmony. This works well by following hair care regimens to target one curly hair requirement at a time:
Deep Conditioning for Moisture
When selecting what deep conditioner to use, the kind of ingredients you prefer based on your curly hair type mostly doesn’t matter too much. However, you do want to focus on deep conditioners that are creamier or denser in texture, as well as infused in some type of oil. This ensures your locks are being provided with their regular intake of moisture, allowing for faster curly hair growth!
Protein Treatments
If your curls feel limp and lost in the structure department, it’s time to dose them with some protein, using protein-containing products. This can be in the form of pre-wash protein masks, or post-wash leave-ins. Staying consistent with such treatments will have your curly hair growing out fast in no time.
As with anything in life, balance is key! Start your curly hair’s growth journey on the right “curl” by balancing protein and moisture! While we’ve discussed the multitude of factors that come into play when trying to grow out curly hair fast, it is equally important that healthy and fast hair growth be tackled at the level of the hair follicle. This is where Revela comes in! By combining biotechnology and science, we discovered a new ingredient, ProCelinyl, that has already made waves by helping thousands of women tackle hair loss. ProCelinyl directly targets your hair follicles to improve the appearance of thicker, fuller hair, with results in as little as 6-8 weeks. Talk about fast hair growth!
