Why Does Natural Hair Shrink?

Afro-textured hair is a natural hair type notoriously known for its shrinkage. Afro-textured hair, also known as kinky hair, is a type of hair that is typically found in people of African descent. It’s characterized by its tightly coiled or curly texture. Each strand of this hair type grows in a repeating pattern of small, tight kinks/coils. Afro-textured hair seems denser than other hair types (straight, wavy, and curly) because of its many kinks; this makes it difficult for many people with the hair type to maintain it. One of the most common problems that people with afro-textured hair experience is shrinkage.

Shrinkage is what happens when Afro-textured hair reverts into very tight coils. This usually happens when it’s wet or even when you’re sweating. This is because when the strands are wet, they become saturated with water and swell up. When they swell up, they actually become longer; however, when the water evaporates, the hair will revert to very tight curls, which may be hard to comb through. Additionally, when shrinkage happens, afro-textured hair will look shorter and less voluminous.

Is Shrinkage Bad?

Shrinkage is actually a sign of healthy hair. Shrinkage is a natural property of Afro-textured hair; hair that doesn’t shrink may have lost its natural definition due to heat damage or processes like chemical straightening (relaxing).

While shrinkage in and of itself isn’t bad, afro-textured hair can prove difficult to deal with when it’s in a shrunken state. Once the moisture that has caused the shrinkage evaporates, the hair tends to become hard to comb. To deal with this, apply a product that offers slip to detangle the hair. You can choose from our hydrating glycerin-infused Tsavorite Spritz Moisturizer Hair Spray, or our best-selling guaranteed detangling formula; the 2in1 Sapphire Deep Conditioner and Leave-In Treatment. Products like these hydrate and add slip to the hair, making it easier to untangle and comb through.

How Can You Combat Shrinkage?

Shrinkage is a natural part of having afro-textured hair. Because afro-textured hair naturally craves moisture, there’s a good chance that it’ll shrink every time you moisturize it. The only thing you can do to completely avoid shrinkage is to protect your hair from moisture, including the humidity in the air and perspiration from your body. As you can see, it’s really hard to avoid shrinkage.

What you can do, however, is reduce its effects. Physical stretching techniques like braiding or twisting the hair after it has shrunk can be very helpful in navigating the issue. Plait your hair into simple braids, twists, cornrows, Bantu knots or even try techniques like African threading or banding. These styles also double as protective styles, preserving your ends from breaking when they shrink.

Keep your hair in a protective style in as much as possible if you’re looking to stretch your hair back and minimize the physical effects of shrinkage. If your hair has shrunk, have it in a protective style like simple braids or twists overnight or for a couple of days, and it’ll stretch back to normal. Thereafter, you can take out the style and rock your now voluminous hair.

As a way to get faster results, people usually opt for techniques like blow drying to get the stretching job done faster. While heat is okay to use on afro-textured hair, it’s only okay to an extent. For starters, heat can be pretty drying to afro-textured hair, causing it to become more susceptible to breakage. You’ll notice that the more you blow dry your hair, the more it breaks.

To prevent this, make sure you apply a heat protectant prior to blow drying. Try to use low heat as well. And finally, limit heat styling to as few times as possible, and instead opt for techniques like protective styles to stretch back the hair instead.