My hair was MBL, but now that I'm transitioning, it's APL....

[Caramela]

This shrinkage is something else! It's discouraging me from wanting to go natural. Is my hair destined to look short, even though it's not?? When I'm in the shower, it's beyond BSL/MBL but when it's dry... APL.
On a positive note, it's buttery soft and plush.

 

[Vshanell]

I don't think you should be discouraged at all by shrinkage. It's just something that comes with the natural territory. In time you will probably find yourself loving it or at least accepting it. There are things that you can do (as well as products) to stretch your hair out for a different/longer look. My hair is past wl and it shrinks up to above bsl.......so you're not alone, lol. I don't mind the shrinkage anymore.

 

[Mook's hair]

I am also wondering if the shrinkage of natural hair is going to Annoy me.

I'm still transitioning and I'm realizing more & more that I want long hair that looks long and shrinkage doesn't help with that.

 

[hothair]

I have been thinking this looooaaaaddddsss although i'm mildly texlaxed I still get a LOT of shrinkage- as my hair grows longer I'm wondering if I won't do a naturallady I think when I get to APL I'll have it texlaxed so the curls are a lot more loose so my length shows more...

 

[LynnieB]

awwwww- like poka said, it comes with the natural territory - some have more than others and it can be controlled to a certain extent w/ products or styling technique.

i just find ways to work with mine .

sometimes i do a big poufy blow-out which will give you close to your actual length without the excess heat exposure or flat iron it when i want the actual length without the bulk.

it's something you gotta learn to accept and work with and you can actually make decent friends with shrinkage by having it work for you.

 

[missty1029]

Girl I know how you feel. Im a year into my transistion and I love my new growth but its short!!!!!! Its like my hair has gotten wider not longer in its natural state. I cant offer any advise except knowing that your hair is so versitile it can be different lengths whenever you want!!! I kind of like having people think my hair is shoulder length and then press it and its laying on my back!!! The air of mystery!

 

[naturalmanenyc]

Embrace the shrinkage

I am only 3 months into my transition and even my husband didn't realize how much my hair has grown since December since I do not straighten it often.

It looks like I will hit BSL by the end of summer but you would never know it since I roller set & pin up or do braid outs which make my hair appear much shorter.

http://public.fotki.com/RegsWife/3262008-wash-first-/

I'm 3C and my goal was BSL; however, now that I need to account for shrinkage, I think I will go for MBL which I presume will shrink to APL?

 

[dlewis]

This shrinkage is something else! It's discouraging me from wanting to go natural. Is my hair destined to look short, even though it's not?? When I'm in the shower, it's beyond BSL/MBL but when it's dry... APL.
On a positive note, it's buttery soft and plush.

Girl, I KNOW what you mean. I know what you mean.

 

[1QTPie]

Serious question. What's wrong with shrinkage?

I love my shrinkage. When I want it longer I do a twist out. If I want it longer than that I blow dry it. What the pro'lum is?

 

[_belle]

I would just say look at it as another challenge for yourself. . . BSL/MBL WITH the shrinkage.

 

[Caramela]

Serious question. What's wrong with shrinkage?

I love my shrinkage. When I want it longer I do a twist out. If I want it longer than that I blow dry it. What the pro'lum is?

Chile, the pro'lum is I don't want no APL hair!! LOL I served my APL time and I worked hard to get to MBL. And now it feels in some way like I'm not MBL anymore... unless I'm in the shower!

 

[Caramela]

I would just say look at it as another challenge for yourself. . . BSL/MBL WITH the shrinkage.

Yeah, you're right. I could look at it like that. I'd probably have to be classic length though to compensate for that shrinkage

 

[Eisani]

I understand what you're saying. I'm about 1" from MBL, but the MAJOR shrinkage takes me back to APL, and sometimes even SL depending on the weather!! I'm texlaxed, BTW. My goal is curly BSL unstretched, but w/all this shrinkage, I'd have to be HL just for BSL! I don't want that much hair!!

 

[Cheleigh]

How much shrinkage you have depends on how tight your curls are. As a type 4, I have mad crazy shrinkage. My hair stretched is very close to BSL, but unstretched the back is just touching shoulder. My ultimate goal is between shoulder and armpit unstretched and that may NEVER happen since my hair grows out, then down.

I honestly believe that you have to accept shrinkage as par when you're natural. I don't mind my shrinkage usually--without it, I wouldn't have my beautiful coils. When I want to see something different, I stretch my hair or straighten it.

I know how long my hair is--and I can show the length when I want to. I don't feel like I need to show everyone else all the time how long my hair is, but then again, I love my texture as is, so I wouldn't sacrifice it for straight hair all the time.

 

[morehairplease]

tell me about it. When I went natural the first around, I had a small sized fro w/shrinkage. However, when my hair was flat ironed it was shoulder length.

 

[Southernbella.]

Serious question. What's wrong with shrinkage?

I love my shrinkage. When I want it longer I do a twist out. If I want it longer than that I blow dry it. What the pro'lum is?

Cosign!

I hear you though, Caramela. I was worried about that during my transition. Now that I've big chopped, I can honestly say that I love my shrinkage. To me, shrinkage is my hair's way of telling me that it's healthy. It has its own mind...I just roll with it.

There is so much you can do to stretch your hair out. I think once you get rid of the longer relaxed ends, your mindset about that may start to change.

 

[Cichelle]

My hair shrinks in a MAJOR way. So I know what you're talking about. I can stretch my hair to nearly hip length. But it often shrinks above bsl! It's just one of those things I've learned to accept, though I occasionally go through short phases where it annoys me.

I say, embrace the shrinkage.

 

[LunadeMiel]

Serious question. What's wrong with shrinkage?

I love my shrinkage. When I want it longer I do a twist out. If I want it longer than that I blow dry it. What the pro'lum is?

I love my shrinkage too. I did a rollerset on my hair last night and I washed it out because it just felt out seeing my hair all streched out..erplexed. I love playing around with my hair and watching it strech out and recoil...

 

[Divine Inspiration]

I agree with the ladies who said it comes with the territory. I too have been in awe of my shrinkage, but I have been working with it instead of against it. When I want length, I flat iron, but I can honestly say that my shrunken hair is growing on me because it allows me to do some different things style wise and, I know this sounds counterintuitive on LHCF, but I actually want shorter hair some days.

I think it's an acquired taste.

 

[Rapunzel*]

I AGREE WITH THE POSTER ABOVE ME. SHORT HAIR CAN BE SEXY

 

[tthreat08]

Chile, the pro'lum is I don't want no APL hair!! LOL I served my APL time and I worked hard to get to MBL. And now it feels in some way like I'm not MBL anymore... unless I'm in the shower!

That's funny! I feel you. When I do braid outs, I'm shoulder length.....so I know what you mean. I haven't figured out how to prevent it either. So, it is what it is.

 

[tthreat08]

Cosign!

I hear you though, Caramela. I was worried about that during my transition. Now that I've big chopped, I can honestly say that I love my shrinkage. To me, shrinkage is my hair's way of telling me that it's healthy. It has its own mind...I just roll with it.

There is so much you can do to stretch your hair out. I think once you get rid of the longer relaxed ends, your mindset about that may start to change.

You are TOO cute Lauren! I LOVE your fro!

 

[anon123]

How much shrinkage you have depends on how tight your curls are. As a type 4, I have mad crazy shrinkage. My hair stretched is very close to BSL, but unstretched the back is just touching shoulder. My ultimate goal is between shoulder and armpit unstretched and that may NEVER happen since my hair grows out, then down.

I honestly believe that you have to accept shrinkage as par when you're natural. I don't mind my shrinkage usually--without it, I wouldn't have my beautiful coils. When I want to see something different, I stretch my hair or straighten it.

I know how long my hair is--and I can show the length when I want to. I don't feel like I need to show everyone else all the time how long my hair is, but then again, I love my texture as is, so I wouldn't sacrifice it for straight hair all the time.

ITA. You can't have coilyness w/o shrinkage. They are one and the same. As you cut the relaxed ends off, it will only shrink more so I hope you can learn to like it. It looks smaller in one dimension (lengthwise), but bigger in another (height/volume), so it's not like a lose/lose situation or anything.

I don't think my shrunken hair will ever touch my shoulders, maybe if I were waist length it might begin to. So if less shrinkage is what you want, compared to me and a lot of us, that's what you have!

 

[danigurl18]

I completely understand! I was at shoulder length and now my hair is an 1.5 inches below my neck!! The joys of transitioning!!

 

[Sunshine0801]

You gotta learn to love the shrinkage. If you think about it, it's a very beautiful feature of natural hair. You can change the length of your hair with a few sprays of water. Tired of wearing your hair down your back? Wet it and let shrinkage do its magic. Want a longer look? Stretch it (rollerset, flat iron, braidout...). The possibilities are endless.

 

[laketta]

Shrinkage is something isn't it? Mine shrinks to less than half its length if I do not twist it. If I twist it it barely grazes my shoulders but if I stretch it, its at the bottom of my brastrap.

 

[Faith]

Welcome to our world...lol.

Girl, my hair is around APL stretched but when it's all natural it's a little past my jaw line. See below (this was about 4 months ago). It's the nature of the beast. It is a nice suprise though when you flatiron. You can also do styles that show the length...i.e. twists.

 

[Mahalialee4]

Welcome to our world...lol.

Girl, my hair is around APL stretched but when it's all natural it's a little past my jaw line. See below (this was about 4 months ago). It's the nature of the beast. It is a nice suprise though when you flatiron. You can also do styles that show the length...i.e. twists.

Are you planning to stay natural?

 

[Isis]

That's funny! I feel you. When I do braid outs, I'm shoulder length.....so I know what you mean. I haven't figured out how to prevent it either. So, it is what it is.

OT: I love your new bangs!! You and your hair look beautiful in this siggy pic.

 

[Faith]

Are you planning to stay natural?

HEY YOU Long time no talk. How are you?
Yes, I plan on staying natural. I kept pics of my relaxed hair during the "wth" moments so I can refer back to it when I need a reminder. I found a great way to stretch without having to blowdry or flatiron all the time so I'm excited about that. What's up with your hair?