4B hair, styled your way.

4B hair holds a shape brilliantly. Start with clean, moisturised hair, work in sections and let each style dry fully:

1. 1
   Twist-out

   On damp, moisturised hair, twist two strands around each other to the ends with a little cream. Once dry, unravel with oiled fingertips and fluff the roots.

2. 2
   Braid-out

   Plait instead of twisting for a more stretched, crimped finish. Chunky plaits give big waves, smaller ones a tighter texture.

3. 3
   Bantu knots

   Twist a section, wind it into a small knot and tuck the end under. Wear the knots, or take them down when dry for a springy knot-out.

4. 4
   Wash and go

   On soaking-wet hair, smooth leave-in and then gel through each section, and leave it alone while it dries. Shrinkage is part of the look.

5. 5
   Puff

   Gather your hair into a soft scrunchie, never a tight elastic. Fluff it out and keep your hairline relaxed, not dragged back.

6. 6
   Two-strand twists

   Twist small sections from root to tip and seal the ends with oil. Low manipulation, easy to moisturise, and tomorrow's twist-out.

7. 7
   Flat twists

   Like cornrows, but with two strands twisted flat to the scalp. Unravel them later for a wavy flat-twist-out.

8. 8
   Cornrows

   Ask for neat, loose rows, and change direction each time so the same areas are not always under strain. A flat base for a wig, too.

9. 9
   Box braids or knotless braids

   Choose an experienced braider and light extensions, because long, heavy braids and beads pull on your roots. The British Association of Dermatologists advises taking braids out within 6 weeks.

10. 10
    Blow-out or silk press

    For an occasional stretched look, use a heat protectant and the lowest heat that works. If you press, the American Academy of Dermatology suggests a ceramic comb or iron no more than once a week.

Want a fuller puff or twist-out? Afro kinky clip-ins blend with natural 4B texture and come out at night.

Keep every style comfortable. Tight ponytails, buns and braids can cause traction alopecia, so leave your edges out where you can and never put up with a sore scalp.

The British Association of Dermatologists suggests washing every 1 to 3 weeks, or whenever you have build-up or an oily scalp. For 4B hair:

1. 1
   Section first

   Split your hair into chunky twists or plaits. Very dry? Coat the lengths in oil or conditioner first.

2. 2
   Cleanse the scalp

   Massage a gentle shampoo into your scalp with your fingertips and rinse without undoing the sections.

3. 3
   Condition and detangle

   Use plenty of rinse-out conditioner, then detangle each section with your fingers and a wide-tooth comb, ends first.

4. 4
   Deep condition

   On most wash days, follow with a deep conditioner (see below).

5. 5
   Leave-in and seal

   Apply your leave-in to damp hair and seal with oil or cream, section by section.

6. 6
   Dry stretched

   Blot with a microfibre towel or cotton T-shirt, then dry in chunky twists or plaits to stretch the hair and cut down on knots.

Skip fine-tooth combs: a wide-tooth comb, or a soft brush with widely spaced, coated bristles, is far kinder.

A texturiser (spelt texturizer in the US) is a mild chemical relaxer, usually left on for less time, to loosen your curl pattern rather than straighten it. Like any relaxer, it breaks and rearranges bonds inside the hair, and the change is permanent.

People choose it for easier detangling, quicker styling and less shrinkage. Weigh up the trade-offs first:

• It is permanent. New growth comes in natural, so keeping the look means touch-ups: on new growth only, never over treated hair, and at least 6 weeks apart, says the British Association of Dermatologists.
• Results are hard to predict, especially if your 4B hair has more than one texture.
• Treated hair is weaker. Relaxed hair has been found to have less cystine, a building block of hair's strongest bonds, consistent with fragile hair.
• It can burn. Scalp burns can cause permanent hair loss, and relaxers can trigger an itchy rash.
• Timing matters. UK dermatologists advise 2 weeks between relaxing and colouring or heat straightening, and relaxers are not compatible with bleached hair.
• Health questions. Relaxers have been linked with a higher risk of central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA), a scarring hair loss seen in Black women. In a US National Institutes of Health study, women who used straighteners or relaxers more than four times a year were more than twice as likely to develop uterine cancer: an estimated 4% by age 70, against 1.6% of women who never used them. That is a link, not proof of cause.

Still keen? See a stylist experienced with relaxers on Afro hair and ask for a strand test on a hidden section first. They should protect your hairline, ears and partings with a barrier such as petroleum jelly, and never leave it on longer than directed.

Curious about a looser texture? Try a kinky curly wig first: no chemicals, no commitment.

Sensitive scalp, a scalp condition or any hair loss? Talk to your GP or a dermatologist before any chemical treatment.