Hair: What Is "Shrinkage"?

Hairstyles

Here, we tell you all about shrinkage, this well-known hair phenomenon for curly, frizzy, and frizzy hair!

"Shrinkage": This phenomenon giving the impression that the hair does not grow

In hair jargon, some words are much less common than others, and "shrinkage" is undoubtedly one of them. Whether you are concerned by this phenomenon or not, whether you already know its effects, or not, whether you wish to mitigate it or fully assume it, whether you clicked on this article out of curiosity or in full knowledge of the cause, here, you are bound to learn a little something!

In your notes, the time has come for us to reveal to you all behind the name "shrinkage" and what effects this phenomenon has on natural hair.

What is shrinkage?

"Shrinkage" is an English term that can be translated as the word "shrinkage" in French. Specific to curly, frizzy, and frizzy hair, it indicates the tendency of the natural hair to retract on itself in contact with water, like humidity, and makes life hard for all people who dream length! Linked to the very nature of hair for which shrinkage is part of everyday life, this natural phenomenon is explained by the elasticity and shape that characterize it. As their scales generally allow water to penetrate more easily, it is the spring of the loop that is directly impacted: it curls up on itself.

But that's not all, shrinkage also testifies to the good health of the hair. Indeed, hair that shrinks is natural hair and in great shape! Take the test: if your hair is able to stretch and then regain its original shape, know that this would not have been the case if it had been particularly damaged or assaulted by chemical treatments.

Shrinkage: disadvantages and advantages

Despite the fact that it is natural and synonymous with good health, many still consider shrinkage to be a phenomenon to be minimized. While in reality, it does not involve all drawbacks, on the contrary!

Of course, we fully understand how frustrating it can be to have the impression that your hair is not growing, when the inches gained are simply reduced by the shrinkage (some hair retracts until it loses 70% of its original length)… But this natural phenomenon nonetheless proves the incredible versatility of this type of hair, able to go from short to long, a bit like magic! Who has never dreamed of being able to adopt different hairstyles, different lengths from one day to the next, just by moistening the material and without having to give even a single cut of the scissors to their hair?

However, when these length changes are made unintentionally, in inclement weather, or when you get out of the shower, it is more of a problem... Fortunately, here are some tips that will help you stay in control:

What is a big chop and how do you do it?

How to better control shrinkage?

There are two situations in which you may want to have more control over your hair shrinkage and we have separate tips for you for each of these cases:

First situation: you get out of the shower, your hair is still wet/damp, and you want it to maintain maximum length while drying.

Method 1: If you don't want to use heat, you can just do a hairstyle that will prevent your hair from shrinking while drying. Wide plaited braids, flat vanilla, braids ... different options are available to you. One of the most effective for stretching hair? No doubt this hairstyle is known as the "banding method" which actually consists of separating the hair into small sections before wrapping several elastics around each strand, from root to tip. Result: once dry, the hair is stretched. What we recommend is not to over tighten and perform these hairstyles before bed so that your hair has time to dry overnight.
Method 2: If you're in a rush and you don't have time to wait for your hair to dry naturally, then you won't have much choice but to use a heat source. By brushing your hair to stretch your hair, you are sure to reveal the full extent of its length! Be careful, especially do not forget the heat-protective treatment upstream, absolutely essential to preserve the health of your hair.

Second situation: No matter how you dried your hair, you are now outside and do not want to see them shrink, despite the humidity. To avoid this, we recommend that you incorporate ultra-hydrating treatments into your daily hair routine. Indeed, a well-nourished and hydrated hair is a more flexible and malleable hair, and which therefore shrinks less. Using products adapted to your needs is essential!

Finally, know that combining the hairstyle method with that of hydration will allow you to effectively stretch your hair on a daily basis, without damaging it, on the contrary even.