Embracing Shrinkage....?

LadyKaypnyc

LadyKaypnyc

New Member
When I first went natural, I was constantly thinking of ways to reduce shrinkage...but now, I don't mind it.

As far as I'm concerned, the shrinkage is here to stay, so now I embrace it and work with it:grin:

Am I the only way that feels this way?
 
I can't say I've gotten to the point of embracing it, but I definitely work with it..... I think as my hair gets longer, I'll embrace it more.
 
Nope. I like my shrinkage. I'd destroy my hair if I tried to fight it all the time.

It adds to the "awe" factor I get whenever I decide to do a blow out/flat iron.
 
I still get very frustrated with my shrinkage. My hair is right above my bra-strap when straightened and just below my face once it shrinks.
 
You know, I have never minded shrinkage. Neither loved nor hated it. It's just what my hair does. *shrug* I would rock a wash and go with 3" hair any day if it didn't cause knots (you can see me cheesing in my fotki when i did until i found out the problems). I think this is also why I was not obsessed with length (until now) and never thought or cared about long hair. It always looked roughly the same to me, as long as it was long enough to put in a afro puff, I was cool. Shoot, even if I grow "long" hair now, no one will know but you guys who see a pic of me pulling it down.

Shrinkage is our hair. It's the same thing as afro hair, the very same thing. You can't have an afro without shrinkage. The kinks and bends are what make an afro and also what make it appear shorter (vertically) than it is. So I guess since I love afro textured hair, I love shrinkage.
 
mwedzi said:
You know, I have never minded shrinkage. Neither loved nor hated it. It's just what my hair does. *shrug* I would rock a wash and go with 3" hair any day if it didn't cause knots (you can see me cheesing in my fotki when i did until i found out the problems). I think this is also why I was not obsessed with length (until now) and never thought or cared about long hair. It always looked roughly the same to me, as long as it was long enough to put in a afro puff, I was cool. Shoot, even if I grow "long" hair now, no one will know but you guys who see a pic of me pulling it down.

Shrinkage is our hair. It's the same thing as afro hair, the very same thing. You can't have an afro without shrinkage. The kinks and bends are what make an afro and also what make it appear shorter (vertically) than it is. So I guess since I love afro textured hair, I love shrinkage.
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ITA w/ you...the longer my hair gets, the more I love my shrinkage b/c it still enables me to achieve styles that I couldn't have w/ straight hair.
 
When I first BC'ed I loved shrinkage because for the first couple of months even though it grew you couldn't really tell so my main concern could be focused on overall moisture rather than keeping the ends from brushing my collar.
 
I actually look forward to shrinkage when i'm doing a protective style.

like right now, i did a set of med. twists on damp hair, they were below my shoulders 3 days ago, now after 3 days and 2 head rinses most reach the bottom of my neck. :grin:

the ultimate in moisture retention and protective styling and they look great!!

of course there are times when i want length and there's several options available to remedy that but i actually prefer some sort of shrunk-iness to my hair.
 
I can understand where you are coming from. When I first decided to wear my natural hair without extensions (I had braids in my hair all the time), I hated the fact that my twists were long one day and then shorter the next. I would look in the mirror pulling and tugging, banding, redoing twists etc:ohwell: As time went on and I learned more about my hair/appreciate my hair, I reached the point where shrinkage did not bother me... i.e. it does every now and then but for the most part I'm good.
 
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I have a love/hate relationship with my shrinkage. But overall, I love how unique our hair is in its natural state. Its great for protective styling.
 
I don't have a problem with my shrinkage.

There are some days I want a blow out that is fierce, and some days I want to rock my twa.

Shrinkage works for me!
 
Poobity said:
Nope. I like my shrinkage. I'd destroy my hair if I tried to fight it all the time.

It adds to the "awe" factor I get whenever I decide to do a blow out/flat iron.
Click to expand...

This is also my thinking! I don't care about shrinkage.. when I get to the point of longer hair... I will just either flat iron once in awhile for a change or stretch one twist down for people to see that my hair is long. Of course I haven't gotten to that point yet... as I am only a TWA! I just recently big chopped:yawn:
 
i embraced shrinkage when i had a twa; shrunken fros were :love: for showing my texture. these days it's just not the business to have 5.5-6inches of hair but not be able to show the length because my hair wants to shrink to about 2" :perplexed. longer hair affords me more styling options.

i stretch my hair out using bands when it's loose and i've blown it out twice. shrunken fros are for lounging around at home now; the last time i wore it out like that was in december.
 
In the beginning I loved my shrinkage. At the present moment, I want to slap it in the face! Just recently, I've wanted to show more length and it ain't shrinkage is not letting it.

Lately, I've been wearing stretching my hair with braids. It still shrinks, just not as much.
 
I have a twa 2 inches, but for those with longer hair have you tried the yum carmel method for relaxing the curls. You use a mixture of molases, honey, banana (I use the baby food kind) and vinager. It leaves your hair soft and shiney. I tried it when I was transitioning and it worked wonders. I can not remember the other persont hat tried it with natural hair. It made her hair look like she had a texturizer. Try searching and also try the receipe board if your interested.

Just athought for those frustrated with shrinkage and didn't want to use heat.

PS I love my hair and I except my shrinkage:grin:
 
mwedzi said:
Shrinkage is our hair. It's the same thing as afro hair, the very same thing. You can't have an afro without shrinkage. The kinks and bends are what make an afro and also what make it appear shorter (vertically) than it is. So I guess since I love afro textured hair, I love shrinkage.
Click to expand...

Yup. If it wasn't for shrinkage I wouldn't be able to wear twists and braids with no product. My hair holds styles incredibly well.

Lys
 
Since i've been natural, i've been wondering about shrinkage. I look at tons of fotki's...and see all the shrinkage. Beautiful shrinkage.

Its something that comes with being natural, so im going to embrace my shrinkage. :bighug: Shoot, I have shrinkage now.

Plus, I would love to see the look on folks faces when I straighten my hair when it gets shoulder length!! :grin:
 
mwedzi said:
You know, I have never minded shrinkage. Neither loved nor hated it. It's just what my hair does. *shrug* I would rock a wash and go with 3" hair any day if it didn't cause knots (you can see me cheesing in my fotki when i did until i found out the problems). I think this is also why I was not obsessed with length (until now) and never thought or cared about long hair. It always looked roughly the same to me, as long as it was long enough to put in a afro puff, I was cool. Shoot, even if I grow "long" hair now, no one will know but you guys who see a pic of me pulling it down.

Shrinkage is our hair. It's the same thing as afro hair, the very same thing. You can't have an afro without shrinkage. The kinks and bends are what make an afro and also what make it appear shorter (vertically) than it is. So I guess since I love afro textured hair, I love shrinkage.
Click to expand...


ITA. :yep: I never really made a conscious decision to like it or not. That could be because for wash and goes my shrinkage is only 80%....After a Cap n' Go night....60-70%.

But...with Gel? 95% :nono: My mom asks if I've cut my hair again.:lachen:

That's when I tell myself...fahgetaboutit!
 
I'm sporting a TWA, and I know it comes with the territory of being a natural. So I'm gonna embrace it for all its worth. I don't mind it at all.:grin:
 
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