Hair Maintenance Tips for Men with Coily Hair

Hair Care and Style Tips for Men With Coily Hair

Coily hair can be incredibly dense, yet surprisingly fragile, which makes caring for it a challenge. Fortunately, this hair care and style guide for men with coily hair has everything you need to keep your coily locks under control. 

What is Coily Hair

Coily hair (also known as Type 4 hair, Afro-textured or kinky hair) is a type of super voluminous curly hair that is very dry and spongy in texture. Coily hair strands form very tight, small curls of zig-zags right from the scalp and are prone to major shrinkage. Within the kinky hair type, there are three subcategories based on the size of the hair pattern:

  • Type 4A Coily Hair – Type 4A coily hair is tightly curled hair that may look coarse but is actually very soft and delicate. Type 4A hair type has lots of tight coils and forms an “S” pattern when stretched.


  • 4B Coily Hair –Type 4B coily hair bends into sharp angles like the letter Z. This curl is tighter, less defined, and about the width of a pen. The strands of hair may be anywhere from fine and thin to wiry and coarse depending on the person.


  • 4C Coily Hair – Type 4C hair has the tightest, “coily-est” curl pattern, and because it too can look like cotton, it’s often mistaken for Type 4B. It’s densely packed and can range from soft to very coarse.

What’s the Difference Between Coily Hair and Curly Hair

The difference between coily hair and curly hair is where they fall on the spectrum of hair types. Every hair type is categorized as straight, wavy, curly, or coily. Each hair type is further categorized into sub categories as shown above. The tighter the curls, the higher the number.

Coily hair types are also more “compact” and form tighter curls than curly hair types. The key distinction is that coily hair will curl upon itself whereas curly hair retains its cylinder shape without the additional curl up.  

How to Care for Coily Hair

Though caring for kinky hair can be a challenge, it’s easier than you might think. Practicing healthy hair habits and daily maintenance will help you tame your locks without taming your look. 

Add Moisture

If you have kinky hair, then you should get used to the words “moisturize” and “condition” because you will be doing a lot of both. The great volume that gives your coily hair its classy, care-free look also makes it dry, and prone to breakage. The best way to fight dryness is to hydrate your locks with leave in conditioner and other moisture adding products like: 

  • Natural Oils – For coils that are super dry and feel like they are craving a continuous dose of moisture, a lighter penetrating oil like the Monoi Oil Strengthening Sacred Serum (formulated with olive oil, grapeseed oil, and coconut oil) may be your best bet. You’ll get the hydration minus that extra weight.


  • Moisturizing shampoos – If you have coily hair, then you should be using a moisturizing shampoo to insert much needed moisture into your locks. But stay away from shampoos with sulfates, as they will do the exact opposite of what you need by drawing moisture away from your hair. 


  • Deep Conditioning – Deep conditioning is the time to rejuvenate your hair from manipulation and weather elements. A deep conditioner that is free of non-soluble silicones, non-permeable oils and drying alcohols will allow your hair to absorb more nutrients and decrease the rate of product build-up.

Damage Control

Kinky hair is prone to dryness and breakage because the shape of the coil prevents the natural oils of the scalp from traveling the length of the follicle. Because kinky hair is prone to dryness, it’s also more susceptible to dizziness due to humidity, and damage from the sun. 

Fortunately, there are a number of things you can do to add much needed moisture to your coils, and prevent damage, breakage and dryness. 

  • Never Comb Dry Hair – There are pros and cons to both wet and dry detangling and both techniques are the right answer for different circumstances. That said, unless you have the time to do it right, it’s best to use detanglers, oils and other lubricants to gently undo minor knots and tangles.


  • Fight Frizz – Type 4 coily hair is prone to frizziness. A styling serum helps tame hair and give it shine, while letting it bounce. It also helps keep the hair soft throughout the day and gives it the nutrients it needs to become stronger.


  • Be Gentle – Be gentle with your coils and use products that won’t break or damage your hair. Apply a leave-in conditioning treatment immediately after you step out of the shower. Then loosely run your fingers through your ringlets to prevent tangles. 

How to Style Coily Hair

Need a few ideas for how to style your kinky hair? Here are some looks fashioned by Goodman’s own expert barbers. 

  • Short Kinky Undercut – Grow your hair for fifteen or twenty days. Chop off all the hair at the bottom and keep the hair on the top of the head in a systematic straight cut. Use clippers to chop off the hair at the bottom of the head. To add some style, you can use your creativity and add some undercut designs. Use scissors to cut the hair on the top of the head symmetrically. Use a comb and some hair gel to style your hair. 


  • Tied Back – Grow your hair to a length that can be tied in a rubber band. Use a comb to style all your hair backwards. Take your rubber band and tie all the hair. You can also use some hair gel to make it look neater. 


  • Super Short – Grow your hair for a minimum two to three weeks. Use scissors or a clipper to cut your hair evenly short. Then use a hair gel and a comb to style them backwards.


  • Braided – Grow your hair for at least a month so that it complements the braids. Divide the hair into small patches then after this braid these individual patches. Use a rubber band or a hair bead to lock the braids. Collect all the braids and tie them into another rubber band.


  • Afro – Grow your hair for a month. Use a hair gel or a mousse to add volume and maintain the curls. Use a comb or a hair brush to brush the hair in the outward and upwards direction to add volume.


We hope this care and style guide for men with coily hair was helpful. If you want to outsource the maintenance of your awesome coils to the professionals, drop by Goodman’s Barber Lounge in Chicago’s own River North neighborhood for full straight razor shaves, pedicures, manicures, facials, shoe shines and haircuts. and more.