Naturals without much shrinkage

[discodumpling]

I'm not sure about my percentage of shrinkage..I only know that it DOES shrink and I LIKE IT! The length of my hair is a delicious little secret that I don't care to share with everybody.

I like seeing peoples eyes widen in confusion when I show up to the office with tiny plaits one day, my BAA the next and finsih off the week in a librarian bun

Ideally we should work WITH & not against our shrinkage. Nappy hair continues to amaze me with what it do

ETA: My current avatar is my hair stretched dry in a bun. When wet it doesn't shrink too much from there.

 

[Southernbella.]

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.

Took the words outta my mouth, except for the SL part.

 

[Nice & Wavy]

It shrinks....yep, all the time!

 

[SEMO]

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.

I agree. That's what happened to me. After being natural my goal length is shorter than when I was relaxed. Shoulder length unstretched is enough hair for me.

 

[BelindaLuz]

I had more shrinkage before I coconut/limed my hair.

 

[cocoberry10]

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.

Thanks for starting this thread. Brownsugar, you've had some great progress!

 

[naturalmanenyc]

Yep, shrinkage is part of the deal. Embrace it

You do not have to go to a salon to get straight hair. A rollerset (and maybe blowing out the roots) could do the trick.

I am not fully natural (a bit past APL when straight) but my wash & go style is about shoulder length. I can get straight hair with a good leave-in and rollers. I don't like super straight hair so the curly roots don't bother me.

http://public.fotki.com/RegsWife/first-attempt-at-a-/

 

[LadyKaypnyc]

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 have 4a hair that is nearly armpit length when stretch, but shrinkage reduces it to my ear, maybe my collarbone

You can stretch your hair by banding it or plaiting it at night on wet hair.

Yes, you can use a flat iron to straighten your hair:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=BowhcHGoh5w

 

[LadyKaypnyc]

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.

Totally off topic...GIRL I LOVE ME SOME HARRY POTTER!

 

[ChocolateCutee]

everyones already given you really good answers

Personally, shrinkage didn't bother me until I started seeing people post about not liking it. I was like, huh? what's the big deal? If I want bigger hair then I blow it out or something I don't think it's that serious.

Another thing, I have 4b hair but it doesn't shrink as much as I've seen 4a shrink. I think because the strands are less coily it doesn't shrink up. Either way shrinkage doesn't bother me.

 

[LadyEuphoria007]

I agree with the other ladies. Althougth I've only been transitioning for about 4 months I finally decided to cut a little patch test. The relaxed hair weighed my natural hair down and it appeared longer...but I realized today that I can expect about 50% shrinkage...It's amazing b/c now I'm cool with that. I actually wanna take these braids out and and do a BC.
Go figure .

Good luck on whatever you decide...but you may find that you are okay with shrinkage after all.

HHG

 

[Suerte]

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

That sounds like a limerick waiting to happen, LOL.

 

[cmw45]

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. My never dreamed of a big culrly fro. I love my natural hair...and I also agree about the length. APL or BSL natural hair is a LOT of hair. A LOT of hair.

 

[~~HoneyComb~~]

everyones already given you really good answers

Personally, shrinkage didn't bother me until I started seeing people post about not liking it. I was like, huh? what's the big deal? If I want bigger hair then I blow it out or something I don't think it's that serious.

Another thing, I have 4b hair but it doesn't shrink as much as I've seen 4a shrink. I think because the strands are less coily it doesn't shrink up. Either way shrinkage doesn't bother me.

Yes 4a does shrink more than 4b. Me and my youngest daughter have 4a hair and no matter how long it gets, it will shrink right to the shoulders when wet, (mind you her hair almost reaches her behind when straight), my oldest daughter who is 4b can where her natural hair and actually show a lot more length when washed. Shrinkage in some form comes with the territory, and it doesn't bother me at all.

 

[oooop2]

I get TONS..I am grazing APL stretched. NL unstretched.

 

[BostonMaria]

You actually might have an advantage knowing that your hair is going to shrink up and you won't be shocked when it happens. I thought that my natural hair would be long by now, but even though I'm APL it still shrinks close to my shoulders (not SL just yet), but at this point in my life I know that its part of the package.

BUT on a brighter note.. when I straighten my hair once every 2 months I'm always pleasantly surprised at how much its grown. I enjoy my long hair when its straight and when I get tired of it I can make it curly again.

Its almost like having short and long hair minus the weaves and wigs LOL I think its cool that I can have a cute short hairdo and long hair whenever I feel like it.

My daughter's hair is past her waist and it shrinks up to MBL when dry so I'm thinking that in order to have APL curly hair I'll have to keep growing for at least another year. Or two. Hopefully not three!

 

[SexyCap]

My shrinkage is definitely at least 70-75%. I BC in June and it still feels soooo short but it's finally starting to look a lil longer. Hopefully by December I'll be showing more length.

"D"

 

[Qetesh]

yes there will be some serious shrinkage, unless your hair is mostly 3b or above your looking at at least a 60% shrinkage rate IMHO....


my hair was waistlength straight but natural it was barely shoulderlength...
i honestly cant even imagine my hair DRY and still armpit length when natural... it jus tangles on itself too much so i would probably have to be hiplength straight which is insane to me.

i actually like my natural hair to be just above my shoulders so i am going to just keep my hair at about midback-brastrap length when i get there again.

 

[lollyoo]

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!

just what she said, I am 4a with 60-70% shrinkage. With 6-7 inches of natural hair at moment, shrinkage is a bit of an issue for me. But I know once I can do a proper ponytail, I really wont mind the shrinkage. I also like the idea of having shoulder length curly hair today and straight MBL or WL tommorrow.
With curly hair expect some degree of shrinkage

 

[lollyoo]

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.

I have to agree with you, I have type 4a with the craziest spirals ever, real tight wraps around itself till the tips, and get more shrinkage than most type 4b i think around 70% if air dry completely.

 

[Kneechay]

Believe it girl, shrinkage will be there no matter what. The goal is to embrace it and work with it so it'll work for you. Twistouts can be fun and works with shrinkage. I'm grazing APL straightened, but I'm neck length out the shower and beyond. It allows for my hair to stay off my shoulders. It's versatility.

 

[sunbubbles]

Accept it girrllly!! LOL my shrinkage is outta this WORLD, but the sooner you stop fighting it all the time, the more enjoyable your journey will be

 

[Bigghair]

I have plenty of shrinkage. Banding your hair at night can help you show some of your length.

 

[MizzBrit]

everyones already given you really good answers

Personally, shrinkage didn't bother me until I started seeing people post about not liking it. I was like, huh? what's the big deal? If I want bigger hair then I blow it out or something I don't think it's that serious.

Another thing, I have 4b hair but it doesn't shrink as much as I've seen 4a shrink. I think because the strands are less coily it doesn't shrink up. Either way shrinkage doesn't bother me.

IA.im a 4b..while although i can have shrinkage..i always keep my hair stretched up at all times..so i barely get to see my shrinkage..if i ever let my hair shrink up 100%, id be asking for tangle and knot trouble

 

[Lucia]

I have major shrinkage I'm guessing about 50-60%, it's APL the longest part when dry, but wet it's much closer to stretched/straightened length WSL. I think if I want BSL natural I'll have to get to HPL to TBL straight.
I don't think shrinkage is exclusive to type 4's only I know 2's and 3's who have major shrinkage but they also have big thick puffy hair so maybe that's where the length goes. It depends on each individual person were all diff. even if someone esle has the same hair-type it's still not the same.

 

[Bene]

I don't really get any significant shrinkage. At its most extreme, I'll lose maybe 2 inches maximum, I've compared my curls to my straightened hair. I notice that as it gets longer, the length kind of weighs it down somewhat.

 

[Live4Me]

I got my last relaxer in FEB 09 and now my natural hair is like 4-5" long (slow grower) but it shrinks down to 1.5". I definitely have mostly 4a hair. I have the world's smallest curls. If you take a pen apart and see a little metal spring, that's what most of my curls look like. I have 3c all around the edges and that shrinks too. I don't like shrinkage just yet (hair is too short), but I am at peace with it.

 

[AllieCat0817]

Shrinkage is why I went back to relaxing....but my hair is short.

It is true that the longer it gets, the length will weight it down and it won't shrink as much. I know I will return to natural one day.

 

[PhonyBaloney500]

Yes it's the nature of it. A curl is shorter than a straight piece...

There are ways to stretch though. I dry my hair in a bun or clipped to the top of my head and that makes it longer. But I actually like it shorter too.

 

[glamazon386]

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..

Uhh yeah... Your heat damaged ends are definitely effecting your shrinkage. They also could be weighing your hair down like relaxed ends do. A lot of people's hair shrinks more once they get rid of straight ends.