One of the woes about natural hair is its tendency to shrink up. For most of us, there is an ambition to achieve a thick, healthy head of hair and obtain a length that doesn’t appear to be stuck at our necks indefinitely. The truth is, like hair in any other state, natural hair also records growth and has the ability to retain that length. It is difficult however to determine the true length of natural hair due to its propensity to shrink. The level of shrinkage is dependent on the natural curl pattern and texture of your hair. Most afro-textured hair has a very tight curl pattern which is not naturally elongated. This makes it very difficult to determine the hair’s true length. For looser curl patterns it is easier to see the length for not as much shrinkage is experienced.

When water is added to natural hair, it activates the natural curl pattern even more, resulting in more noticeable shrinkage. Although it is difficult to avoid shrinkage, there are ways in which one can reduce it and achieve more elongation, making your actual length more evident. There are techniques that can be applied to accomplish this feat; some are safer and healthier for your hair than others. The fact is that we do not have to remain stuck with hair that looks shorter than it actually is all the time. The following 6 tips will help you obtain more stretch and avoid that much detested feature of natural hair shrinkage.

1. Twist & Plaits – Hair that is shrunken either in its dry state or when it is wet will require some form of stretching to achieve more elongation. Plaits and twists are a great option to achieve this. Both styling techniques involve pulling the hair and setting it by interlocking sections of hair.

The interlocking process places tension on the hair and reshapes it in that stretched manner. Plaits result in more stretch as it is usually tighter which further helps to smooth out the natural curl pattern, making it more elongated. Allow your desired setting style should remain in place long enough to achieve a noticeable stretch.

2. Heatless Setting Tools – Shrinkage can be alleviated using a variety of setting tools. Rolling your hair on setting tools that have a barrel shape is an excellent way of getting stretched hair. The pulling that occurs while rolling using setting tools and allowing them to remain for a period of time will result in more visible length. Some people may not be aware that some of these tools can provide the same results as heated hair curlers can.

Some of the more common heatless curlers are magnetic rollers, flexi rods and perm rods. The bigger the tool, the longer your hair will appear. Smaller rollers will provide stretch but the tight curls that will result from them will still cause the hair to appear shrunken.

3. Blow Drying – Although not the healthiest option for your hair, blow drying is a guaranteed and almost immediate solution to the ongoing issue of shrinkage. The hair is made up of several bonds, one of which is the hydrogen bond. Hydrogen bonds give the hair the ability to stretch and then return to its normal state. These bonds are very weak and can be temporarily broken or changed when heat or water is applied to the hair. The heat from blow drying causes the bonds to break thus causing the hair to straighten and stretch.

Heat and natural hair are not a recommended fit; however, if proper precaution is taken, you may be able to minimize the potentially damaging effects that blow drying can have on your hair. One very important precaution is that of using a heat protectant at all times before applying heat. It acts as a barrier between your hair and the heat, making it less likely to cause damage. Placing the blow dryer on the coolest setting is another way to minimize the possibilities of heat damage.

Blow drying is a sure way to elongate hair that suffers from shrinkage. Though effective, it is wise to limit the frequency with which this method is used. The easiest option is not always the best.

4. Banding – Banding is a technique which involves dividing the hair into small sections and securing each section of hair with hair ties, rubber bands, or any other elastic-type hair tool. The bands are placed at different points along the length of hair, being careful to stretch out the hair before securing it with the tie. Keeping the hair in a stretched position while placing the hair ties along the entire length ensures that the hair is allowed to set in that position.

The closer together the hair bands, the more stretched the hair will be. If banding is done on wet hair you need to ensure that the hair is completely dry before removing the bands, to ensure optimal results. If it is done on dry hair, allow it to remain a few hours to ensure the hair gets enough time to become stretched. Precaution should be taken not to pull the individual ponytails too tight as this can place tension on your hair and scalp and potentially lead to hair loss. Banding is an easy and effective method of alleviating shrinkage and can yield great results if done correctly.

5. Flat Ironing – This, while the most effective method of combating shrinkage, is the most potentially damaging. With this method heat is directly applied to the actual hair using a flat iron, curling iron, pressing comb or other heated styling tools. The result of using this method is amazing, resulting in smooth, silky, stretched out hair that mimics hair that has a relaxer or a perm.

Although the use of curling irons is undeniably effective in combating shrinkage, it is wise to minimize or totally avoid its use as the outcome may be devastating. If you wish to retain your natural curl pattern this may not be the option for you as extended use can cause portions of or your entire hair to remain loosened.

As with blow drying, flat ironing temporarily breaks the bonds of the hair causing it to get straight. Continued use of direct heat can result in the bonds permanently breaking and you may find that your straightened hair may not revert. If you must use these tools, exercise similar caution and use a heat protectant and slide the iron over your hair only once, preferably on the lowest setting.

Some say that the InStyler rotating iron produces less heat than the traditional flat iron because the InStyler has a brushing mechanism and a heated rotating barrel that straightens curls and/or polishes simultaneously. The continuous buffing effect of the rotating iron produces results without the need for excessive heat.

Shrinkage is not always a bad thing but in instances where desired hairstyles are best achieved on stretched hair. Hair is also less likely to become tangled and easier to detangle when it is not shrunken. Experiment with the options presented and determine the ones that works best for you.

Candie's Natural Hairnamix was birthed a few months after Jamaican native Rossette "Candie" Allen began her natural hair journey in May 2010. She gears this column toward naturals, transitioning naturals, aspiring naturals and the naturally curious, sharing experiences, expertise and experiments while celebrating emancipation from chemical slavery.