If you embrace your natural texture and have kinky, curly hair, you probably experience curl shrinking. When going from wet to dry, some women have reported experiencing shrinkage of up to eight inches in their hair, though the consequences might not be as obvious on some kinds of natural hair.
Do you want to reduce shrinking as much as you can? For long, robust hair that nevertheless accentuates your natural texture, try these suggestions.
What Is Hair Shrinkage?
Kinky, curly hair experiences shrinkage, or a reduction in length, when it dries out. It is uncommon for healthy type 1 hair and typical for all curls of types 3 and 4, as well as for certain locks of types 2. This variation in length is caused by the weight that wet hair has on the curls, which causes them to expand and fall to their full length. Hair loses inches of length as it dries.
Make sure you know what kind of hair you have so you can choose which shrinkage reduction techniques are most effective for you. The natural curls of types 3c and 4a, 4b, and 4c show more obvious shrinking. Type 2 and type 3a hair waves will appear nearly identical in both wet and dry settings, so you can stop the length loss with the appropriate products and style techniques.
Keep in mind that while curl shrinking might be annoying or upsetting and cannot entirely be eliminated, the healthiest curls are frequently those that return to their original position.
1. Blow It Out
A blow out is your greatest option if you want to really optimize your length. Nonetheless, there are a few actions you should do to achieve the greatest outcomes with the least amount of harm. Before blow drying, the hair should be prepped with a deep conditioner and a heat protectant because too much heat can weaken and damage the hair shaft. Put your comb attachment on your hair dryer after you’ve primed and prepped.
In the end, the comb attachment helps you reduce the amount of time you spend using heat on your hair by working with your curls. Seeking a substitute for a complete blowout? About 80% of your hair should air dry before using a medium heat blow dryer to dry your roots. Your curls will stay intact down the shaft even though this method will give you a little extra length.
2. Embrace Bantu Knots
If you want to put a bit less heat on your hair, bantu knots are the ideal choice for you. They don’t require any specific style abilities and stretch out the hair without the use of heat. Divide your hair into square sections to form bantu knots; the tighter the curl, the smaller the portion. Get rid of any knots you may have and begin to twist! To avoid applying too much pressure on your head, make sure to allow some space between your scalp and the knots. Another fantastic choice for arranging your hair are bantu knots.
3. Rock Your Roller Set
A roller set is a frequent sight in the bathroom of any curly girl. Roller sets are one of the least destructive ways to stretch out curly kinks and so prevent natural hair loss because they are applied to wet hair that may be allowed to air dry. To avoid a tangled mess, make careful to comb out any knots before rolling. This approach, which is also known as the “bunning” method, is used to stretch out curls with relatively little effort. When your curls are no longer damp or just washed, the bunning technique is a fantastic substitute because it can be applied to both wet and dried hair.
4. Banding Together
Another heatless alternative for the curly girl looking for a bit extra length is banding:
- At the root of your hair, divide the damp strands into small portions and fasten each one with a snag-free elastic.
- After choosing a strand, place a second elastic a few inches below the first one.
- Continue in this manner until the ends of the strand you are working on are reached.
- Apply the same technique to each and every strand.
Bear in mind that your curls will appear more stretched out the less spaces there are between the bands. Although banding works well in a heatless setting, use caution when using this technique as it may result in breaking.
5. Put Your Hair in a Bun
Another method to manage your severe black hair shrinking is to put your hair in a high bun while it’s still wet. Keep in mind that it shouldn’t be overly tight to avoid creases. Use bobby pins to neaten up your bun to further minimize shrinkage. For one to two hours, wear your hair in a bun. Although you won’t get all of your hair length back, you will see a notable difference from your efforts.