Have you ever wanted to show off your long, curly hair only to watch them shrink up to half its length? When you are standing under the shower head, you feel your hair reach all the way down your back, but as soon as you let your curls dry, you look in the mirror and see that they have shrunk all the way above your shoulders!
Nearly everyone with curly hair has experienced something similar to the above scenarios because of hair shrinkage. But what is hair shrinkage, and what can you do to reduce it, and thereby stretch your curls? Read this article to find out!
What Is Hair Shrinkage?
Let’s demonstrate this together. Take a piece of your curly hair and stretch it out as far as it can go. Then, let go, and watch it spring back. That is hair shrinkage.
You may notice hair shrinkage the most as your hair dries. This is because when our hair is saturated by water, the water weighs it down, thereby stretching the hair out.
As it dries and the water dissipates, the hair becomes lighter and is able to shrink or spring back up.
There are different hair textures ranging from 1A to 4C. Every one of these textures experiences at least some shrinkage as it dries, but as we get farther towards the 4C side of the scale, the hair experiences more and more shrinkage.
Is Shrinkage a Bad Thing?
No. Shrinkage in itself is not a bad thing and is actually very normal. In fact, having moisturized hair that shrinks into tight ringlets can actually be a sign that your hair is happy and healthy!
That being said, hair shrinkage can be bothersome if you are wanting to stretch your curls and show off their length. That’s why I have included some great tips for reducing shrinkage in this article.
How Can I Reduce Shrinkage and Stretch My Curls?
Here are the 10 tips for reducing shrinkage and stretching your curls:
- Style Your Hair When it’s Wet
- Apply Product with a Denman Brush
- Use Heavier Curl Creams
- Use Sufficient Styling Products
- Use Anti-humidity Products
- Deep Condition Regularly
- Twist-Out Method
- Bantu-Knot Method
- Get Regular Trims
- Protect Your Hair While Sleeping
After reading this article, you will have a much better understanding of how to reduce shrinkage and stretch your curls.
Of course, the exact methods you use will depend on the exact texture of your hair. It’s important to experiment with different techniques to see which ones work best for you.
1. Style Your Hair When it’s Wet
By applying products when your hair is soaking wet, you are sealing more moisture into the hair and thereby preventing it from shrinking up as much as it would if you applied your products to damp or semi-wet hair. Wet hair is the perfect canvas to start with if you want to achieve longer curls with less shrinkage.
If your hair isn’t dripping water as you’re applying your products, it is probably not wet enough to achieve stretched-out curls.
2. Apply Product with a Denman Brush
The Denman Brush is a favorite among those with curly hair. Its bristles, all lined up in tidy rows, are great for detangling curls, and styling them.
Before you apply your product, divide your wet hair into sections. When you apply your leave-in conditioner and styling products, make sure to use a Denman Brush to thoroughly comb the product through each section of your hair. It is key that these sections are small so that you are able to saturate each hair strand with the product.
Also, by brushing the hair in a downward motion, you will be stretching the curls and creating more length.
3. Use Heavier Curl Creams
The type of product you use is just as important as the way you apply it. If you want to reduce shrinkage and stretch out your curls, usually heavier leave-in conditioners and curl creams are best.
Those with oils in them, such as avocado oil or shea butter, are also great for adding a bit of extra weight and moisture to your curls.
It’s also good to keep in mind that there are products out there specifically designed for stretching curly hair.
Make sure to look at the ingredients and reviews of each product to see if it would be right for you.
4. Use Sufficient Styling Product
One of the keys to stretching your curls is using enough product. As stated above, you want to saturate every strand of hair with product.
So, rather than just scrunching some product into your curls, you would do best to section out your hair and apply the product to each section using ideally a Denman Brush.
Of course, you want to find a leave-in conditioner and curl cream that are right for your hair. You don’t want your hair to look flat and greasy, so it is best to start with a bit less product, and apply more the next time if needed.
5. Use Anti-humidity Products
Every curly girl knows that humidity can make her hair shrink up and poof out. Personally, I love this because I have fine curls that get weighed down easily, so my hair springs up in humidity.
However, if you are wanting to stretch your curls and avoid shrinkage, humidity can be your worst enemy.
Anti-humidity products are usually labeled as such and can come in the form of sprays, creams, or gels. You may need to experiment a bit to see which one is best for you.
6. Deep Condition Regularly
Honestly, everyone should be treating their hair regularly with a deep conditioner, but it is especially important if you have curly hair, and even more important if you want to avoid excess shrinkage.
By keeping your hair moisturized, you are helping to minimize frizz and maximize curl definition. It is very difficult to stretch out dry, brittle curls, so by keeping them moisturized, you are providing a great starting template for your style. Deep condition your curls weekly for the best results!
7. Twist-Out Method
Styling your hair using a Twist-Out method can be a very effective way to stretch tight curls (Type 4A-4C).
Here is a step-by-step guide for using the Twist-Out method:
- Make sure your hair is soaking wet. Use a spray bottle to rewet your hair if needed.
- Divide your hair into three or four sections.
- Start at one of your large sections. Using a comb, make a smaller section.
- Apply your leave-in conditioner and stylers to the small section and brush them through with your Denman Brush.
- Divide your small section in half.
- Twist each half in the opposite direction and then put one half over the other.
- Repeat step 6 until you have created a twist all the way to the ends of your hair.
- Keep creating twists throughout your whole head, moving from section to section.
- When your hair has completely dried, unwind each section. Apply hair oil on your hands to help avoid creating frizz.
- Separate the twists and use your fingers to help form them into the ringlets or the style that you desire.
8. Bantu-Knot Method
The Bantu Knot method is similar to the Twist-Out method, but it usually creates bigger curls. It is also an effective way to stretch tight curls (Type 4A-4C). Here is a step-by-step guide for using the Bantu Knot method:
- Make sure your hair is soaking wet. Use a spray bottle to rewet your hair if needed.
- Divide your hair into six to twelve sections, depending on the thickness of your hair and the desired style.
- Apply your leave-in conditioner and stylers to the first section and brush them through with your Denman Brush.
- Twist the section of hair so it looks like a large tube or coil.
- After the section is twisted, twist it around itself, starting at the base, to create a Bantu Knot. (It will look like a small hair bun.)
- You can secure your Bantu Knot in place by using a hair pin or a soft/satin hair band. Avoid using rubber bands, as they can cause hair breakage.
- Keep creating Bantu Knots throughout your whole head, moving from section to section.
- When your hair has completely dried, unwind each section. Apply hair oil on your hands to help avoid creating frizz.
- Separate the Bantu Knots and use your fingers to help form them into the ringlets or the style that you desire.
9. Get Regular Trims
You’re probably thinking, “I am trying to lengthen my hair! Why would I want to cut it!”
Ok, before you throw your phone, tablet, or laptop out the window, hear me out.
If your ends are dry, brittle, and split, you aren’t doing yourself any favors, and you won’t be able to achieve the style you want.
As we discussed earlier, one of the keys for reducing shrinkage and stretching your curls is making sure your hair has plenty of moisture.
Those damaged ends can’t really absorb the moisture you’re giving them. Plus, they only add frizz. If you are trying to achieve gorgeous, defined curls, those dead ends have to go.
10. Protect Your Hair While Sleeping
Protecting your hair while you sleep is an important part of caring for curls, especially if you want them to be smooth, defined, and frizz-free.
If you want to make sure that your curls don’t shrink up while you sleep, you can put them in a loose, protective style such as a bun, braids, or a few Bantu Knots. Using a silk/satin pillowcase and/or a silk/satin bonnet reduces friction and prevents loss of moisture.
Remember, spraying water on your hair in the morning will cause it to spring up and shrink a bit. So if you want to avoid this, try refreshing your curls with a light cream or spray styler that doesn’t contain a lot of water.
In Summary
If you want to reduce your hair shrinkage and stretch your curls, you are only a few steps away! Most of all, remember that all hair textures are beautiful, so embrace your curls and show them some loving care.
Key Things to Know:
- Keep your hair moisturized by doing weekly moisture treatments.
- Always start styling with soaking wet hair.
- Use heavier products that contain oils, and apply enough product to completely saturate the hair.
- Style your hair using a Twist-Out or Bantu Knot method to elongate your curls.
- Get regular trims and protect your hair while sleeping to minimize frizz and damage.