6 Ways to Reduce Shrinkage on 4C Hair
Shrinkage on 4C hair is inevitable but you may be wondering about some ways to reduce it.
As you probably already know, 4C hair types experience shrinkage the most because the curls are tighter than the other curl patterns.
And this can make it difficult to detangle, manage, and style. In fact, shrinkage can be downright discouraging when you want to do hairstyles like a low bun or twist-out.
Plus, you may be anxious to show off your true length to let people see just how hard you’ve been working to grow your hair out.
Contrary to popular thought, shrinkage is a sign of healthy curls. It means your strands are strong and not limp, dull, or stringy.
However, you may still want to do some things to reduce the shrinkage and make your hair more manageable during the week.
In this post, you’ll find 5 ways to reduce shrinkage on 4C hair. Want less shrinkage and more length? Keep reading.
1. Keep it Sectioned and Twisted While Washing
The easiest way to solve shrinkage is to not allow your hair to shrink on wash day. Keep your hair organized in several twists when you wash it.
Only take out a twist when it’s time to apply shampoo, conditioner, or for rinsing. You can use your Snappee hair ties for this job.
Even after the shower, only take one twist out at a time to style your mane. You’ll find your hair is less likely to shrink if you keep it in elongated twists while it’s wet or damp.
2. Stretch It
Stretching your natural hair is one of the best ways to get rid of shrinkage. Good stretching techniques are also protective.
These hairstyles include twists, braids, low bun, banding, and the African Threading Method.
As you know, 4C curls become tangled easily and the tiny coils cling to each other to form knots.
It’s a good idea to stretch your hair because it will make it more manageable and lead to less breakage.
Again Snappee hair ties can help you organize and stretch your hair while avoiding breakage.
Of course, there may be days when you want to rock a wash and go. If you want to do a wash and go while avoiding shrinkage, try my signature "wash and dry" method.
To do the wash and dry, use a SwirlyCurly blow dryer to dry your hair right after your shower. Gently stretch your hair while drying. The key here is to lightly stretch your hair without destroying your curl pattern.
Use our Mango Moringa Moisture Max Styling Cream and Gel for the best wash and dry results.
3. Condition with Coconut Milk
Using coconut milk during the conditioning phase on wash day will help to reduce shrinkage on your final outcome.
Coconut milk has a rich fatty acid content and it packs on five grams of protein per cup.
The result is stronger, smoother, and softer strands. Plus, the water inside coconut milk is hydrating and contains several minerals.
If you’re accustomed to applying coconut oil to your hair, you may want to switch to using coconut milk.
It contains protein, water, and fat—everything you need to create healthy strands.
Coconut milk has molecules that are small enough to penetrate the hair shaft.
That means the coconut water, protein, and fat can enter through the cuticle and feed the shaft hydration and nutrients.
You’ll probably find that your curls are not as tight after using the milk and that your shrinkage has been reduced.
Use coconut milk alone as your conditioner or mix it into a small amount of deep conditioner.
Fresh coconut milk goes rancid quickly, so it can’t be used for a leave-in conditioner. Rinse the coconut milk out after 20 minutes to 1 hour.
Using canned coconut milk is easiest, and it will last for several wash sessions if you divide it into small plastic zipper bags and freeze.
4. Apply Aloe Vera Gel Before Styling
Aloe vera is loaded with hydration, enzymes, and amino acids for hair. These are the building blocks for healthy, strong hair. The gel has smoothing properties and will help to reduce shrinkage when you apply it before using your styling products.
Have you noticed that your hair has more length when it’s wet or hydrated? Aloe vera is one of the only substances on the planet that you could use instead of water.
In fact, some haircare brands opt to include aloe instead of water, resulting in a high-performance product. The hydration from aloe penetrates the hair shaft like water can, and then it feeds the hair nutrients too.
Aloe vera won’t straighten 4C hair, but it will help to smooth and elongate the curl, giving you more manageability.
5. Do Monthly Henna Treatments
Henna doesn’t have to be reserved for coloring gray hairs. It’s an amazing conditioner that will bind to the keratin in your hair and strengthen the strands.
This unique hair dye helps to reduce shrinkage by adding weight to each hair strand at the curve. It will make your hair smoother, softer, and stronger.
Henna deposits along the shaft are permanent, but it will take several treatments over the course of a few months to see a difference in shrinkage.
6. Use Anti-Frizz Products
Anti-frizz styling products will help to smooth and elongate your curls. Creams and gels are useful for reducing both frizz and shrinkage while you’re doing twist-outs, braid-outs, and even wash and gos.
Look for products that state “anti-frizz” on the front label. We formulated our anti-frizz products with the intention of smoothing the curl and reducing shrinkage.
Ready to Reduce your Shrinkage?
Keep in mind that if you’re aiming to reduce shrinkage, you might see some disruption in the curl pattern. Reducing shrinkage on the regular basis may even permanently break the curl pattern.
Treatments like henna may change your curl type, resulting in curls that are not as tight as they once were. It could also result in having two or more different curl patterns on your head, as some curls elongate, and others stay tight.
This can be a problem if your goal is to have defined curls. Using our Mango Moringa Moisture Max system will enhance curl definition, even while you stretch your hair.
Reducing shrinkage will ultimately make your hair much more manageable, healthy, and less prone to breakage.
If you're truly looking to reduce shrinkage while keeping your curl definition, you need to check out my Natural Hair Masterclass.
Inside the class, I show you everything needed to get more moisture and achieve defined curls while reducing shrinkage on your 4C hair, and all other types of curls.