Ask Belle: Shrinkage!

 Hi Belle

 I'm going natural for the first time in a really long time and im pretty familiar with the routine of how to take care of my hair but I'm having problems with styling it because my hair shrinks like crazy  especially when i wet it . and i don't want to blow dry it it all the time because of heat damage  i was wondering how do i keep it stretched and looking good and healthy without the blow dryer and also when i do twist they shrink dramatically and doesn't look right when styling it.

Shrinkage unfortunately for some is just one of those things for us naturals especially those of us with exceptionally kinky hair. My first instinct is to tell you to embrace what your hair want to do naturally as someone who has spent lots of time fighting a loosing battle against shrinkage!

However I know many of you find it hard to deal with lack of length and the tangles that can occur, there are   quite a few heat-less options for you to try.

Stretched Twistouts

Twistouts are a great way to stretch out your hair and add curl definition, some find that their twist shrink up when they dry a way of combating this is to bobby pin them.

1. detangle hair freshly washed wet/damp hair 
2. two strand twist as usual
3. take one twist at a time and stretch the twist around your head securing with a bobby pin at the end
4. repeat and leave to air dry (over night is best)
5. the nest day you will have stretched out twists 
6. remember climate will cause shrinkage.

Pineappling & Banding

Pineappling is place your hair in 1-8 hair bands to elongate the root of your hair this can be done on wet or dry hair and helps to keep styles such as the curly fro for longer.

banding is similar and can also be done on wet or dry hair using hair bands along the length of your hair.

check out YouTube for the many tutorials on the above methods and more

xoxo

Belle