Last Updated on: September 28, 2022
When you think of growing afro hair, what is the first thing that comes to mind? To be honest, the first thing that comes to my mind is the good old 1970s when things were simpler and bell-bottoms were a trend. Luckily, most of the forgotten trends are making a comeback, and afro hair is no exception.
Unfortunately…
Growing an afro hairstyle can be quite annoying. Irrespective of what you try, at times, you may feel like the length of your afro is not increasing. And that is because your hair is always dry, which is why you want to learn how to grow an afro fast.
How Long Can It Take Me to Grow an Afro?
Generally, there is no straight answer to this question. If you want to determine how fast it will take to grow your afro, you need to first consider your hair type, the current length of your hair, and how long it takes for your hair to grow.
Afros vary in length and form; plus, the different curl types can have a huge impact on your hair growth rate. So, if you’re an African American, you need over 2 inches long of black hair to create afro hair. The simplest method to determine the amount of time needed for your afro to grow is by comparing it to your hair type.
For example, folks with type 5 hair require about 5 inches of hair to get an afro. On the other hand, if you have type 3 hair, you require 3 inches. You need to understand that these lengths are for individuals who have extended their hair and don’t need to attain these lengths to get the style that you need.
The average hair growth rate for human beings is about half an inch per month.
How To Grow An Afro For Guys
The great news is that growing and maintaining your afro does not have to be frustrating or hard in any way. In fact, it can be very straightforward, leaving you wondering why you were worrying in the first place. So here are a few tips on how to grow out an afro:
1. Keep the Hair Moisturized
Keeping the hair moisturized is important for many hairstyles, but it’s essential for folks with an afro, especially African hair. After all, when the hair dries, it becomes brittle for a black man and starts breaking, which isn’t ideal for anyone learning how to grow an afro fast.
A proper hair care routine like moisturizing your hair does more than prevent it from drying out; it keeps your hair flexible, healthy and looking great.
It can also help you maintain your afro-textured hair. Drinking a lot of water before moisturizing your hair can also prevent your afro from drying out. Drinking about 2 liters of water per day can keep your entire body healthy.
You can also use moisturizing afro butter to keep your hair hydrated. And depending on your hair type and moisture level, you may need to lower the number of times you shampoo your hair. You can mix your moisturizer with essential oils and massage your scalp for better effects.
Massaging your scalp can activate your hair shaft and guarantee a long hair strand. Castor oil can also help improve the effects of a moisturizer and shampoo. Proper hair care can also help clear blocked hair follicles and give you healthy hair.
2. Find Out if a Conditioner Can Work for You
We have different hair types, including curly hair, kinky hair, and wavy hair. Luckily, some of us do great with conditioners, while others don’t. If your hair is always soft, you don’t need to worry about a conditioner.
If your hair always feels dry, then a conditioner has a high likelihood of improving your hair texture.
Fortunately, a conditioner can prevent hair damage while giving you an exceptional afro style.
3. Replace Your Current Hair Tools
As your hair grows into shape, it will start coming together, so how you get rid of the tangles will have a huge impact on the final outcome. After all, a tight-toothed comb can break your hair and disrupt the form of your afro, which is not ideal for anyone trying to grow an afro. Instead, you need to replace it with a wide-toothed comb.
A wide-toothed comb can remove the tangles without damaging your afro in any way.
Other than a wide-toothed comb, your fingers can also come in handy when managing an afro. With your finger, you can do more than just remove the tangles – you can also groom the curls. Your fingers, a wide-tooth comb, and a hair pick can give it a natural look while puffing them out.
4. Wrap Your Hair Every Night Before Going to Sleep
So far, we have covered many things that can damage your afro, and oddly, sleeping is one of them. Laying your head on a pillow can trigger lots of friction, increasing the likelihood of hair breakage and even adding fuzz to your afro.
Therefore, before going to bed, you need to wrap your afro with a scarf or durag. Durags have many advantages, but most importantly, they can protect your hair when sleeping. If you wrap it correctly, you will never have to worry about friction damaging your afro.
Durags can help protect your hair while it’s still short, but you will have to switch to a scarf once it grows.
There are a number of protective styles that you can use, like braids to keep your long hair safe before wrapping it with a scarf. The best materials for scarves are either satin or silk.
Fun Fact: Know how to put on a durag to maximize the benefits this hair accessory could give to your natural black hair!
5. Get a Haircut First
It’s always a good idea to have a consistent hair length beforehand. Remember: you’re aiming at a certain length. But your initial hairstyle can have a huge impact on the outcome of your afro. a leveled short hair can work perfectly with both caucasian hair and African American hair.
Therefore, for guys, you have to start with a short length to get an incredible final form. And once grown, you can adjust its shape to your desired form and size.
An even haircut of about 2 inches can guarantee you an exceptional afro, but you can still go a bit higher.
A haircut at this stage can help remove fragile spots and clear all the split ends that will break and affect your length.
Once the afro has grown, you can opt for doing an additional trim or occasional maintenance. If you’re impatient, you can just let it grow and get regular trims that can prevent split ends and facilitate hair growth.
Fun Fact: If you are the DIY type, then make sure you know how to sharpen trimmer blades either by sandpaper or stone! You don’t like bruising yourself or damaging your trimmer blades, right?
6. Dry Your Hair Naturally
Talking of devices that can cause damage and make your afro brittle, a hairdryer is one of them. Blasting high heat to a growing afro is like creating some brittle locks, which no one needs. Therefore, you should dry your hair naturally to prevent damage whenever possible.
Using a hairdryer once in a while is not bad, but you should apply some heat protectant spray before using it.
You should also use the lowest possible setting when using a hairdryer. But I would never recommend using a hairdryer every time since its effects will build up with time.
7. Only Use a Satin or Silk Hairband
Natural hair, particularly an afro works perfectly with satin or silk; you can also apply some coconut oil or shea butter to create curly hair. These materials are gentle and can get the job done without causing any long-lasting potential damage.
With these materials, you won’t have to deal with hair breakages as your hair increases in length. Satin pillowcases can also prevent hair damage when sleeping.
If you plan on having an afro that can be tied to your face, you can work with silk and satin hairbands.
8. Never Dye Your Hair
Hair dyes are cool, but I would never advise anyone learning how to grow an afro to dye their hair. Therefore, you can avoid them for about a year as your afro shapes up.
Other than adding more work to your afro, bleaching & dyeing cause hair damage by making them brittle.
Dyes can cause split ends which are harmful to your hair. So you should stick to your natural hair until your afro shapes up.
9. Consult Your Barber
Generally, hair care is always a priority, particularly when you have an afro, so you should consult an expert when in doubt. You have to consider many factors when creating an afro, and the chances are that you can forget some of them.
Luckily, your barber knows everything to do with hair care and is always ready to help you out.
They can also help keep your hair healthy by trimming all the split ends. Barbers can be the best source of info for men learning how to grow out an afro.
Fun Fact: Barbers don’t only trim your hair but also provide advice on the types of hair that might suit you. If you like trying out a 360 wave instead, then inquire about how to get deeper waves. Your barber will be more than glad to assist you! 👍
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Keep and Maintain an Afro?
Yes, it could be. Maintaining an afro can be quite difficult, especially for men. With proper care and a little patience, you can grow your afro with little to no worries. But make sure you wash your hair with shampoo at least once per week.
How Long Does It Take to Grow an Afro?
Scalp hair takes about 12 months to grow by about 6 inches. This means that if you’re looking for fluffy, huge afros, you’ll have to wait for about a year.
Can You Turn Straight Hair Into an Afro?
Yes, it may seem difficult, but you can turn straight hair into an afro hairstyle by either braiding or getting a perm. You can also do it by simply braiding your straight hair at home. The braiding method can give you crimped wavy patterns while perms create a tightly curled afro.
Conclusion
If you want to grow an afro, you need to keep your head moisturized. After all, dry hair is not healthy, and it can break; if you’re not careful, you may suffer hair loss. But with proper care and a reliable afro hair product, you can have a beautiful thick afro hairstyle in no time.