Curls always shrinking to the same spot?

[MagusBride]

I have 3c hair, my daughter has 3b hair, and we have the same problem - our hair always seems to "shrink up" to about the same spot (collarbone) no matter how long our hair gets.

When my hair was APL, it always shrank to collarbone level as it dried. Now I'm at BSL and it still shrinks to collarbone level when dry. I don't understand how or why that happens? It seems like the hair should hang at least a few inches longer when dry.

My daughter's hair is nearly waist-length when wet, but shrinks up to shoulder length when dry. So she has even more pronounced shrinkage than I do.

I've tried different things for both of us - different oils (coconut, castor, olive, amla, etc.), different weights of creams and gels, and so far none of them have been able to significantly reduce shrinkage.

I've even tried different methods of air-drying the hair - braids, twists, buns, banding, even tried wave formers. Even though the curl pattern is loosened from drying in those patterns, my hair still would not fall past collarbone length when dry. The only thing that seems to work for me is a flat iron, but I don't want to use heat tools.

Do you know of anything for type-3 hair that can reduce shrinkage enough to be worth using? Like 50% less shrinkage, at least?

[Mariekeeee14]

My hair is medium thickness and medium density. My pattern is 2c/3a and very prone to stretching. Are you adversed to dry brushing? I brush my hair out when it’s completely dry, oil it and braid it for the night. Then I sleep on it and it’s stretched without being too poofy (like in my avatar). This is of course not a solution when you want to preserve your curl pattern. I cannot pineapple, my scalp starts to hurt when my hair is upwards for more than half a minute, so I don’t bother with my curls.

[lapushka]

Please don't view shrinkage as something bad. In fact, the more it shrinks, the healthier it is. Truly! So be glad for it. I know you can feel like it's just not growing, but hey... that's natural hair for you.

[Hairkay]

I have 3c hair, my daughter has 3b hair, and we have the same problem - our hair always seems to "shrink up" to about the same spot (collarbone) no matter how long our hair gets.

When my hair was APL, it always shrank to collarbone level as it dried. Now I'm at BSL and it still shrinks to collarbone level when dry. I don't understand how or why that happens? It seems like the hair should hang at least a few inches longer when dry.

My daughter's hair is nearly waist-length when wet, but shrinks up to shoulder length when dry. So she has even more pronounced shrinkage than I do.

I've tried different things for both of us - different oils (coconut, castor, olive, amla, etc.), different weights of creams and gels, and so far none of them have been able to significantly reduce shrinkage.

I've even tried different methods of air-drying the hair - braids, twists, buns, banding, even tried wave formers. Even though the curl pattern is loosened from drying in those patterns, my hair still would not fall past collarbone length when dry. The only thing that seems to work for me is a flat iron, but I don't want to use heat tools.

Do you know of anything for type-3 hair that can reduce shrinkage enough to be worth using? Like 50% less shrinkage, at least?

That's normal for tightly curled hair. The same thing happens in my family where most are type 3 and or type 4 hair. If you want a little more stretch without straightening you can do braidouts does work temporarily for some if the atmosphere isn't too humid and it doesn't rain. That's why I don't spend too much effort doing such things. Keeping hair in plaits/braids makes it look longer than having it out. I've found it takes waist length or longer for the weight of the hair to drop a little more visual length. To look midback length it needs to be hip- thigh length. The great thing about shrinkage is that you can play around with hairstyles that look different lengths without resorting to hair cuts.

[ExpectoPatronum]

2c/3a here and my hair loves to shrink! I found altering how I style it helps loosen my pattern if I want more length - like letting it dry partway before adding gel and taking the time to really stretch out the curls.

Braids are also a good way of stretching out curl.

[lapushka]

2c/3a here and my hair loves to shrink! I found altering how I style it helps loosen my pattern if I want more length - like letting it dry partway before adding gel and taking the time to really stretch out the curls.

Braids are also a good way of stretching out curl.

Excellent advice. Maybe try some twist-outs on the hair. It will probably dry in a looser pattern and make it all-round more even.

[MagusBride]

Dry brushing or adding gel to partially dried hair are things I have not tried yet, so I will give these a go - thank you!

[blackgothicdoll]

I use braid outs. You have to make sure it fully dries. I stretch my braid outs by braiding in two braids overnight. It helps a lot.

[AmaryllisRed]

My daughter has this issue. She gets sad because she wants long hair and it's waist when wet but shrinks up to collarbone. Honestly her hair has looked the same length for three years. Braids or even a ponytail will lengthen it but the texture looks uneven. So we just go with her natural, shrinky curls for now. I told her when she's older she can blow-dry or whatever (she's only 5). For her to have curls that look waist-length it will probably have to be classic when wet.