Naturals without much shrinkage

[Songbirdb]

I'm really, REALLY thinking about transitioning. Stretching is making me unable to resist the urge of wanting to transition. My only concern is shrinkage. I'm wondering, is there a way to tell if you'll have alot of shrinkage or not? Or is major shrinkage just apart of being natural? I would love to have my natural curls and just wear them out and such and it would be nice for them to be at least APL, but do I have to grow tailbone legnth hair just to get that???? I probably won't be able to tell until I BC tho, right? And what if I want to flat iron? Is the only way to get bone straight by going to the salon???? I'm at a lost right now

 

[Nonie]

The only way to get an idea how your hair will behave is to find someone with hair like yours and hopefully an album and see how much shrinkage they get. But yes, expect shrinkage. That's what curly hair does, unless it's damaged. It doesn't naturally hang straight but behaves like a spring and contracts. Type 3 might hang down when stretched by the weight of water but shrink as it dries. But the only way I know to wear it straight is by getting it pressed/flat-ironed.

 

[tinkat]

For me its part of being natural, especially as a 4a. Once its wet it just shrinks to tiny spirals...regardless of how long it gets, I know that it is going to shrink up about 75 percent of what the length is...The only way you can really see length with some texture is by twisting or braiding it to stretch out your hair. Or you can use heat of course to see the true length completely straight.

 

[JustKiya]

25 inch long curly hair will always LOOK shorter than 25 inch bone straight hair, no matter what hair type you have - from 2c to 4c. How much shorter it will look, you won't know until you start transitioning.

A lot of ladies here flat iron at home for that straight look - you definitely shouldn't HAVE to go to the salon for that...

 

[LongHairDreams]

I say yes. You know that saying: the fastest way to get to a place is a straight line. (something like that). So, if you get somewhere in circles...it will take longer. Therefore curly hair will shrink. Did I say that right?

When I had a lot of new growth while transitioning, my relaxed hair looked shorter. That could be something to look for to determin shrinkage. IMO

 

[brownsugarflyygirl]

I think that your outlook may change as you transition. You may find that you dont need WL hair in order to enjoy your natural shrinkage. For me, I enjoy the SL styles that I can do with my shrinkage and now when I want APL hair...I just straighten it..so it gives me diversity. As you transition your hair, your mind also transitions about what styles you expect from your hair and what lengths make you happy...at least that was my experience. However, shrinkage doesnt have to be negative....for me it just allows me to make drastic changes, no wig or weave involved

I agree with the other ladies as far as discovering your hair type.

 

[cutenappygrl]

All curly/kinky/coily hair has shrinkage. But you have styling options like braid outs, twistouts, rollersets and flat ironing. Once you learn how to work with your texture you can make your shrinkage work for you.

 

[FlowerHair]

Unless your hair is straight, you will have shrinkage.
That's part of the deal
There are plenty of ways to elongate your curls temporarily if that's what you want.

My hair is 3b/c and it shrinks from hip length to waist length. But it varies from day to day...

It makes sense that the curlier your hair is, the more it shrinks
How could we else have the pretty coils and kinks?

 

[Country gal]

I am a 4a/4b and I get a lot of shrinkage. My hair has grown but it is hard to notice when it is not strechted. It looks just bigger.

 

[thefineprint]

definitely. my hair is locked and i STILL have shrinkage

 

[Jihada]

Oh yeah... Expect shrinkage.... I'm a 4a, and there is a LOT of shrinkage. After I wash my hair, my hair looks to be abooooooout two inches long. BUT, once flat ironed.... it's a bout an inch and a half BELOW shoulder-length. YAY!!

 

[silvergirl]

3c here, an i still get a lot of shrinkage, natural is at collarbone length, and straightened is brastrap length

 

[glam-]

As everyone else has said shrinkage is just a part of life- but there are ways to minimize it. Braid outs and rollersets help and when you want to see the true length, just flat iron

 

[Cheleigh]

Nope, not here. I'm a type 4, and I have a lot of shrinkage. I don't mind it whenever I wear my hair up (most of the time). I can minimize shrinkage, but not eliminate it. I'm not length obsessed (showing it) so it's not so bad.

 

[TheNewFine]

Yep...think of curling ribbon. It's impossible to curl something and not have it shorter than when it's not curled. Tight coils or wavy...it will still be lots shorter. But it is part of the beauty in my opinion! I love the variety and would encourage you to try it!

 

[Tenacious]

idk, i dont have much shrinkage. It never surprises me how long my hair because I can almost estimate it by the length unstretched. Its like right above APL unstretched, but when straightened, its like 1.5-2" below APL.

 

[Napp]

it comes with the territory. i just prefer shrinkage when hair is longer. when its short i feel like i need all the length i can get!

 

[Fine 4s]

idk, i dont have much shrinkage. It never surprises me how long my hair because I can almost estimate it by the length unstretched. Its like right above APL unstretched, but when straightened, its like 1.5-2" below APL.

Same here. I envy women with much shrinkage because it is such a pleasant surprise to see the length once stretched.

In any case, it will be very hard to tell how much shrinkage you will have until you are fully natural.

You absolutely do NOT have to go to a salon to straighten your hair. Just practice until you get it as straight as you want. Depending on your hair texture, you might not need much heat.

 

[EMJazzy]

Shrinkage is definitely a part of the natural package. I can get my hair to hang a little bit (bottom of neck, nearly touching shoulders) when I use the yogurt/sour cream/conditioner mix but when it wears off my hair shrinks to the top of my neck...stretched I am 2 inches from APL. erplexed

 

[Cichelle]

I have major shrinkage. If I stretch my longest layer, it is almost at hip length. But unstretched, my hair will look like bsl or mbl, depending on the weather, how long it's been since my last wash, what comb I used and other crazy factors.

That's the way it is with curly hair. It shrinks. How much it shrinks depends. But it shrinks.

 

[anon123]

I was just thinking the other day. the problem is we are so used to thinking about "length" and being along the vertical plane. But for natural hair and its shrinkage, it's not as though it's hair you don't see. It's just hair you see more on the horizontal plane. So instead of being concerned that it doesn't look as long because it's not as many inches vertically, compare straight hair to puff hair and puffy has way more. Straight hair be like 1/4" thick on someone's scalp. My afro can stand up a good 5" when I want, 20x as much Now which hair looks like it's more. Just have to change your viewpoint.

Oh, but about the question, yep, it's just part of the deal.

 

[FlowerHair]

I was just thinking the other day. the problem is we are so used to thinking about "length" and being along the vertical plane. But for natural hair and its shrinkage, it's not as though it's hair you don't see. It's just hair you see more on the horizontal plane. So instead of being concerned that it doesn't look as long because it's not as many inches vertically, compare straight hair to puff hair and puffy has way more. Straight hair be like 1/4" thick on someone's scalp. My afro can stand up a good 5" when I want, 20x as much Now which hair looks like it's more. Just have to change your viewpoint.

Oh, but about the question, yep, it's just part of the deal.

Exactly, people will not think you're bald just because your hair has shrinkage, it's just wider and bigger

 

[glamazon386]

If you are in the Type 4 range, more than likely you will have a lot of shrinkage. At least 50%. It's just the nature of our hair. Type 2's and 3's might have less but there still will be shrinkage. There's really no way around it.

 

[ajargon02]

Shrinkage and I have a love/love a little less relationship. I have a million textures in my hair too! Some areas are springy curls, others waves, others have like no definition at all, while some is tight nappy(which I like the best b/c it's so versitile) but you can manipulate what your hair looks like with technique and product, hence my avatar photo. N-E-WAY Most days I am lovin the shrinkage,b/c my hair loves being moist from the steam or water. You just get used to it as a part of the territory. My hair is several lengths, but the back is about armpit,bangs are chin length, and sides are collarbone maybe a bit longer. I wear my hair 50% shrunk most of the time. I wear it totally shrunk (which makes it look like about 4 inches around, and it's really cool when you pull a piece out and marvel at the length) in the summer. I often " whole head baggie" which my hair loves,which promotes the shrinkage. This is the thing, no matter what you do to try to guess your type/shrinkage level, until you have some natural hair, cut the relaxed ends, and get through the "scab" hair, you won't know what your hair will do. Color can change your hair/influence your texture as well. Henna does in some but not all. It's really a suprise till you go for it!! So whatever you do, good luck to you. I would just be open for your hair to do/be anything. If you aren't open to that, you might wanna wait and think a little longer before cutting and going natural

 

[Fine 4s]

3c here, an i still get a lot of shrinkage, natural is at collarbone length, and straightened is brastrap length

I just left your fotki and I can't understand why for the life of me you had a perm (actually I do understand but still...) and never mind WHY you longest hair you've had was SL!!! But now, you are on your way!

 

[Fine 4s]

If you are in the Type 4 range, more than likely you will have a lot of shrinkage. At least 50%. It's just the nature of our hair. Type 2's and 3's might have less but there still will be shrinkage. There's really no way around it.

I'm not sure I agree with this. I have type 4 for sure but I don't have as much shrinkage as some folks on here have. I have kinks that stretch but not a lot of 'give'. If I stretch my twists I don't have that 'wow' factor.
But let me also admit that I am growing out my heat damaged ends. Hmmm...that might be why. However, even the areas that are not damaged (you can clearly see the difference in texture) I def. doing have a 50% 'boing.'

On that note, I need to shut up until all my strands are completely heat damage free in order to have an educated response!

sawy..

 

[Fine 4s]

Hmm...I'm starting to think that shrinkage has less to do with hair type but more so with how curly the strands are. A friend of mine has small spirals with non-kinky hair strands vs. me with kinky hair strands (cotton, fine hair texture). She can always beat me in length.

Have ya'll ever seen spiral's fotki ( I believe she's the one that used the Volcanic mask from Blended Beauty)? She has crazy shrinkage but her hair ain't no type 4 either.

IDK...trying to figure this one out.

 

[zzirvingj]

I think that your outlook may change as you transition. You may find that you dont need WL hair in order to enjoy your natural shrinkage. For me, I enjoy the SL styles that I can do with my shrinkage and now when I want APL hair...I just straighten it..so it gives me diversity. As you transition your hair, your mind also transitions about what styles you expect from your hair and what lengths make you happy...at least that was my experience. However, shrinkage doesnt have to be negative....for me it just allows me to make drastic changes, no wig or weave involved

I agree with the other ladies as far as discovering your hair type.

ITA with the bolded! I am excited about spring not being far away and the fact that when it comes, as a natural I can wear my hair in a wash-n-go for a shoulder-length style...or I can press it out and have midback-length straight hair! I looove versatility, and for me, shrinkage gives me just that!

 

[LynnieB]

I'm really, REALLY thinking about transitioning. Stretching is making me unable to resist the urge of wanting to transition. My only concern is shrinkage. I'm wondering, is there a way to tell if you'll have alot of shrinkage or not? Or is major shrinkage just apart of being natural? I would love to have my natural curls and just wear them out and such and it would be nice for them to be at least APL, but do I have to grow tailbone legnth hair just to get that???? I probably won't be able to tell until I BC tho, right? And what if I want to flat iron? Is the only way to get bone straight by going to the salon???? I'm at a lost right now

i agree with just about all the ladies here. Shrinkage comes with the natural territory and you can kindof sorta get an idea of just how much shrinkage when you've been stretching your relaxers for a minute. It's not quite exact because the relaxed hair will always always always weigh down your new growth. Shrinkage really shows itself out after you've bc'd.

i have about 50% shrinkage and probably always will no matter how long and heavy my hair gets. Right now, in unstretched styles it's top of shoulder length but straightened it's bra strap. Even if i dry it in a stretched-out style like twists or braids, it's just a little below shoulder length.

my best-est advice when going natural is to prepare yourself for it, know it's an unavoidable part of having natural hair, learn how to accept it and work with it because no matter how much you try to avoid shrinkage, it will always be a factor especially if you're routinely doing styles best suited for straight hair.

shrinkage will quickly become your #1 most hated enemy and you'll find yourself either burning the life out of your hair (a.k.a. training your hair) or window shopping for a box of relaxer.

Good luck on what ever you decide to do Songbirdb and try to stretch your relaxer as long as possible to get a good idea of what you'll be dealing with.

 

[jamiss]

I don't mind shrinkage at all. I know my hair is growing well. I'll just stretch a little piece of hair in the front every now and then, to see my progress, then let it snap back.