4C hair, understood.

4C hair is the tightest coil pattern in the hair typing system. The coils are so small and closely packed that you often cannot see a clear pattern unless you look up close. Strands can be fine, medium or coarse, and as 4C hair dries it can shrink to a fraction of its stretched length.

The 1A to 4C chart was popularised by stylist Andre Walker in the 1990s, and his original Type 4 stopped at 4B. 4C came later, from the natural hair community, to name the tightest coils. The labels describe curl pattern and nothing else: not how healthy your hair is, how fast it grows or whether it is "good" hair. Every texture is beautiful, and most heads have a mix, such as 4B at the crown and 4C at the nape.

What 4C hair needs most is moisture and gentle handling. As the British Association of Dermatologists explains, your scalp's natural oil cannot travel easily along tightly curled strands, so Afro-textured hair dries out and breaks more easily. It also knots and tangles more often than straighter hair, so rough combing snaps strands.

4B and 4C are close cousins, and plenty of people have both. Where they differ:

• Pattern. 4B hair bends in sharp, Z-shaped angles. 4C coils are tighter, with less visible definition.
• Shrinkage. Both shrink a lot, and 4C usually shrinks the most.
• Definition. Twist-outs and braid-outs work on both, but 4C often needs more stretching and product to hold a pattern.
• Care. Almost identical: steady moisture, gentle detangling and low-manipulation styles.

If your routine keeps your hair soft and your ends intact, the exact label matters less. For 4B styles, deep conditioning and texturisers, read our 4B hair guide.

You do not need a shelf full of products. A small kit covers most routines:

• A gentle shampoo for your scalp, plus a co-wash (cleansing conditioner) between washes if you like.
• A rinse-out conditioner with plenty of slip, and a deep conditioner or mask for wash day.
• A water-based leave-in conditioner, the backbone of your moisture routine.
• An oil or butter to seal, and a cream, gel or custard if you want definition.
• A heat protectant, only if you use heat.
• Tools: a wide-tooth comb or a soft brush with widely spaced bristles and coated tips, a spray bottle, a microfibre towel or cotton T-shirt, and a satin or silk bonnet or scarf.

Sulphate-free shampoos are often recommended for 4C hair, but the evidence is thin: a 2015 review in the International Journal of Trichology found no published analyses of how well they clean or how gentle they are. Go by feel. If a shampoo leaves your hair squeaky and tangled, try a milder one.

Be wary of big promises: no leave-in or styling cream makes hair grow faster. A good one reduces breakage, so you keep more of what grows.

4C hair holds almost any style. The kindest keep your ends tucked away and your hands out of your hair, and switching styles regularly stops the same spots taking the strain.

• Wash and go. Rake leave-in and gel through soaking-wet hair in small sections, then let it dry untouched. Expect shrinkage and enjoy the definition.
• Twist-out. Two-strand twist damp, moisturised hair, let it dry completely, then unravel with oiled fingertips and fluff the roots.
• Braid-out. The same with plaits, for a more stretched, crimped finish.
• Bantu knots. Twist small sections and wind each into a knot. Wear them as they are, or unravel them when dry.
• Puff. Gather your hair with a soft scrunchie, not a tight elastic, and do not drag your edges back.
• Finger coils. Coil small, product-coated sections around your finger. Lovely on short hair and a TWA (teeny weeny afro).
• Twists and cornrows. Low manipulation and easy to moisturise. Keep them loose at the hairline.
• Box or knotless braids. Choose an experienced braider and light extensions, and speak up if anything hurts.
• African threading. Wrap sections in thread to stretch your hair without heat, then wear it or take it down for a stretched afro.
• An occasional silk press. Use a heat protectant and the lowest heat that works. The American Academy of Dermatology suggests pressing with a ceramic comb or iron no more than once a week.

Done gently, braids and twists protect your hair. The British Association of Dermatologists advises taking braids out within 6 weeks, leaving your edges out and treating a sore scalp as a sign they are too tight.

A wig can give your own hair a rest from daily styling. The British Association of Dermatologists notes that wigs can be protective, because your hair is tucked away underneath, usually in cornrows or twists, safe from daily manipulation. Look after that hair:

• Keep the base loose. Cornrow or flat twist without tension. If it hurts, it is too tight.
• Keep it clean and moisturised, and give it regular breaks.
• Wear a satin wig cap. Satin causes less friction and soaks up less moisture than cotton or nylon.
• Skip glue on your hairline. Glues and gels can irritate your scalp and worsen traction alopecia. Glueless wigs hold with an adjustable band and combs instead.
• Give your edges a break. A headband wig sits behind your hairline with no lace or glue. Keep the band comfortable, not tight.
• Take it off at night, then moisturise, retwist and wrap as usual.

Leaving some hair out? Heat-styling leave-out to match a wig can cause long-term damage if you overdo it, so choose a texture your hair already matches: afro kinky blends with natural 4C coils, and kinky straight looks like 4C hair after a blow-out. New to wigs? Start with how to put on a wig.