Shrinkage with relaxed hair

FemmeCreole

FemmeCreole

Island Gyal
I seem to be experiencing shrinkage although my hair is relaxed. This is the second time period that I've noticed that since being a relaxed head again.

I've noticed that once I'm about 1 month post relaxer my hair starts looking shorter if I just air dry. Once I flat iron I see the length. Right now I'm on this personal challenge which includes no direct heat so I guess I'll just have to deal with the shrinkage.

Any other relaxed heads out there got that same issue?
 
Girl, yes. It gets depressing to since, I rarely use heat. It is encouraging though when you flat iron or get a touch up and see how long your hair actually is.
 
I've just recently noticed the shrinkage too. I guess that's just something we will have to deal with. At least you'll be pleasantly surprised when you flat iron or get a touch-up.
 
I always figured it was volume from new growth, kind of "lifting" your hair and making it appear shorter.
 
Oh yes. I get this 6-8 week post. Sometimes it scares me, I be thinking im losing hair, but none is falling out. Also my bun gets smaller. Another sure sign, its time to relax. Or I will start breaking and losing hair.
 
mizzdebbi said:
I always figured it was volume from new growth, kind of "lifting" your hair and making it appear shorter.
Click to expand...

I agree.
I notice 'shrinkage' with my relaxed hair as well. And the more new growth I have, the shorter it appears to be :ohwell:. I'm trying to fight the temptation to use a flat iron until March when my next relaxer is due... well, I may flat iron just once until then :giggle:.
 
i have learned to accept it. for me it is almost immediately, since i am textured and not bone straight. sometimes i forget, and start to think i am regressing, and then i remember, :think: "oh wait, its SHRINKAGE!"
 
mizzdebbi said:
I always figured it was volume from new growth, kind of "lifting" your hair and making it appear shorter.
Click to expand...

Yeah I agree. It looks shorter but that's only from the new growth. After the relaxer its good to see the length though. I think thats how some people think their hair has grown an inch and a half in a month.
 
Yes, and I am so glad you brought this up. I recently felt like I felt my hair was breaking because it is so short. Out of desperation and boredom, I flat ironed it, and it's longer than it's ever been! My hair can really deceive. Newgrowth ain't nothing to play with! :wallbash: I was really glad to see I was wrong in my initial assumption. And, I'm glad I'm not alone in the newgrowth shrinkage. It also made my hair appear to be really uneven, when it's only a little uneven. And I can handle that without having to trim. :grin:
 
I'm texlaxed and have lots of shrinkage, and I love it. It gives me the opportunity to wear a short hairdo without cutting my hair. Then, after I touchup, I can wear longer hairstyles. Gotta love the versatility of Black hair!
 
I have a lot of shrinkage, even before the newgrowth starts showing up. When I wash it and it starts to dry even a little, it shrinks quite a bit.
 
I get shrinkage with my relaxed hair too, especially when I have NG. I look around APL when my hair is dry and after I take it out of a bun, but when it's freshly washed, combed, and allowed to dry it looks close to BSL. It's something I've come to accept, though.
 
mizzdebbi said:
I always figured it was volume from new growth, kind of "lifting" your hair and making it appear shorter.
Click to expand...

exactly what i think, when the ng is coming in (and starts curling since my natural hair is a 4a with very tight coils)...my relaxed ends tend to lift and go up, when i relax tho it comes back down:spinning:
 
Me too.. mine curls up something awful.. you would think I was barely shoulder length.. but it's been like that my whole life.. I wouldn't know what to do if my hair was just bone straight even when wet..that would be weird.. (for me personally)
 
well im transitioning so i guess im a bit different but woah the shrinkage lol. i like it though coz when i flat iron every once in a while i (and other people too) am pleasantly surprised at my growth.
 
Bump

I just relaxed my hair last week Thursday and it was really long. Come wash day this past tuesday, and it looked like I've lost inches. I started freaking out, but it makes sense that it's shrinkage. I noticed that when my hair is wet, it has a lot of texture, and when it dries, it's still not bone straight and it makes it look shorter than what it is.
 
I'm so glad I'm not the only one. I'm transitioning now but all my life every time I got a perm, the more NG I had over the weeks the shorter my ponytail would be and I thought it was breakage.

Now it all makes sense. Even now when I'm in the shower detangling my hair is just below shoulder but by the time it's even partially dried it's very much above shoulder length.
 
That's why growing and taking care of your hair can be difficult at times. Protecting your ends, no heat, etc you can feel like your hair isn't growing. Then you relax or flat iron and you feel so rewarded. It's also the reason why many people will be asking "is that real" or "is it all yours".
 
I'm 13 wks post with 4 more weeks to go, and I HAD to straighten it yesyerday:blush: It was so stringy looking and puffy, but that heat knocked it loose:spinning: I hadn't used heat in 32 months, but I'm not sorry.

And yes, it looks MUCH better and thicker:yep:
 
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