NATURALS or TRANSITIONERS!! Help with back curl...

[TemiLnd]

Calling all naturals, transitioners or anyone that remembers being natural.
I am transitioning (almost a year) and though I said I was going to BC this month, I chicken out and rebraided my hair.
My question: My natural texture is def 4a/b but when you look at the point of demarcation, the coils of the natural hair curls back on itself. So I have about 5” of natural hair in some areas and 4” of relaxed hair. The last 1”of the natural hair curls back up. How do I deal with this? This is my main fear with my BC.

 

[msa]

Ummm I don't think I'm understanding your question. Your hair is curly, it curls at the ends, that's how curly hair acts.

What exactly are you scared of here?

 

[Mook's hair]

Yeah, I'm not sure that I clearly understand either. But it sounds like your scared of shrinkage. Natural hair especially of the 4a/b variety Is always going to curl back on itself. Even texlaxed hair does this. The only real way I know of to avoid this is to straighten it with heat or with a relaxer. You could try adding some baking soda to your conditioner and leaving it on for a while, that usually helps elongate the hair without chemicals but Shrinkage is just unavoidable.

 

[TemiLnd]

Let me see if i can explain better.

My normal 4a strand curls downwards (normal), then the last 1" curls back up on itself (not normal). So like a U shape, then the relaxed end hangs down.

I am a bit worried about shrinkage. From I can see during my transition, 3" shrinks down to look like 1", but ive always known this bout my hair when was natural as a teen.

 

[msa]

Well, whatever your hair does is "normal". If it curls back up, then that's just what it does. I've never had relaxed hair, but my hair curls back on itself at the ends (like in your picture), always has. My ends kind of stick up/out when I wear a shrunken fro. Also, your hair will look different once the relaxed ends are gone.

And shrinkage is a part of having curly hair. 7in's of hair shrinks down to 3 or 4 on my head. Certain parts of my hair shrink more than others so I look like I have a mullet. From what I've seen, until you get to WL stretched your hair unstretched will still appear "short". That's just curly hair for you.

 

[TemiLnd]

Thank you - ill just have to see what happens when i BC.