Most naturals have SHRINKAGE, sometimes itโs mild and sometimes itโs intense. And while shrinkage serves many positive purposes, sometimes we just want to show off our length without applying heat. Here are four techniques I use to show off a little more length, without having to apply heat to my hair:
Double Braids
On days when Iโm lazy busy and also wish to stretch my hair, I do two jumbo braids on previously moisturized hair. The braided pigtails help to stretch my hair overnight adding a little more length, with very little effort. It is also a quick way to keep my hair contained while I sleep, which minimizes tangles.
Bantu Knots
Another quick way I stretch my hair without heat is with bantu knots. I do 2โ4 jumbo bantu knots and let them set overnight. In the morning, I have stretched hair with very loose waves. Iโve also found that the โjumbo bantu knotโ method adds extra volume to the hair. So, when Iโm looking for both extra volume and length, I opt for this method. Again, this is usually done on hair that was previously moisturized a day or two before. Re-wetting or re-moisturizing the hair increases shrinkage. You might want to forgo re-wetting or re-moisturizing immediately before doing this will help to minimize shrinkage.
Banding
Using small hair ties, I band my hair to stretch and increase length. This method usually takes the longest but is also a fairly quick way to increase length without heat. This can be done on dry, moisturized hair. Or, you can try it on freshly washed hair.
Braidout vs. Twistout
One of favorite styles is the braidout. Not only do the results usually turn out better, braidouts also add extra length that twistouts donโt. My typical braidouts are usually done using 8โ12 braids using a moisturizer and a shea butter-based sealant. So, if youโre looking for a style that shows off your length, try doing a braidout instead of a twistout.
How do you stretch your hair without heat? Have you ever tried any of these techniques?
I was very much taken aback by your opening line to this article.
โMost naturals suffer from a well-known condition called SHRINKAGEโ
Sufferโฆ? well-known conditionโฆ? SHRINKAGE?
What a horrid way to describe the beautiful ability of our hair to rebound upwards into tight coils when touched with water. Youโve made the uniqueness of our hair sound like a DISEASE.
Hey, donโt get the author wrong! Shrinkage is what makes our hair able to do a million wonderful, unique things! But you have to admit: Shrinkage can be immensely inconvenient at times. Most naturals have issues learning how to work with shrinkage, and I think this articleโs really helpful about that.
โโฆable to do a million wonderful, unique thingsโ and yet it is immensely inconvenient at times? Hmmโฆ I would have to say that the million, wonderful, unique things, makes our hair extremely convenient. I agree that there are naturals who donโt know how to style their bounce & recoil but thereโs no need to see it as an inconvenienceโฆ and this article shows why.
Have to agree with you.
Thanks Sis. I couldnโt let that line slide without saying something.
That line was not meant to be offensive or downgrading in any way. No, I donโt really think shrinkage is a โconditionโ and I donโt think naturals โsufferโ. It was a mere attempt at being sarcastic. Thanks for reading and commenting.
Tori, you may not have meant to be offensive or downgrading but that is exactly how your opening line came across. I didnโt find it sarcastic at all. We have a bad habit of attaching negative words to ourselves and so using derogatory words as a joke, is no joke! We ought to be moving away from such a destructive way of thinking. All said and done, thanks for the tips on stretching out our hair from its unique bounce and recoil embrace.
thumbs up Edens Sahara, thumds up
Tori speaks for a perspective that I understand. Letโs face it when transitioning thereโs a hard learning curve. And it is frustrating. One word was used and you chose to blow up the entire article over one word that was NOT derogatory. A link was also included on the positives of shrinkage. Now if Tori was feeling so negatively about our hair in its natural state I donโt believe sheโd be a natural. She used ONE word you didnโt agree with and you chose to apply that to her thought process. How hypocritical of you. For me being natural is… Read more »
Thats right i love my shrinkage and the way my curls spring up its truly a gorgeous thing to have
90% of the time, I embrace shrinkage and wear wash & gos. Iโm obsessed with my coily texture and donโt often like to change it via stretching. But when I do stretch my hair, I use one of these methods: 1. Low braid bun โ I put my hair in 2 to 8 braids, depending on how much coil texture Iโm willing to lose. If I want to reduce puffy roots, Iโll wrap a hairband around each section of hair before braiding it. Then I pull all the braids back and secure them together with a scrunchy. The next day,… Read more »
African hair threading works too!
Cosign!
I put my hair in twists, pin them around my head like I would if I had straightened my hair and then wrap it. Learned that from Naptural85 ๐
sooo letโs talk about why my hair never comes out looking like her braidout hair whenever i do a braidout.โฆ ๐ itโs not fair
I use to have the same problem until i realised it was because i was not separating right. So in order Fix this i used natural85 s braid out method but with fewer braids.hope i helped ๐
All the methods shown are on dry hair. Will they work just as well on wet hair?
Itโs sad many women donโt elbrace their shrinkage and would rather tussle with their hair rather than letting it be.
Embrace*
You can embrace it and yet still want to stretch it on occasion; this is what this article is about.
Letโs stop being so technical about EVERYTHING. The author is a natural and of course doesnโt have an issue with shrinkage and clearly stated: โwhile shrinkage serves many positive purposes, sometimes we just want to show off our length without applying heatโโฆand then she goes on to show us how to get stretched out hair without damaging itโฆthatโs it. Take the advice or leave it. Read the articles and if they donโt apply to you, then leave it. You donโt have to take issue with everything writtenโฆmy goodness
That braid out is just yummy! lol
i love me some lengthโฆ
i understand shrinkage..but sometimes i just want de length ive worked so hard for..
if u dont like ur hair stretched fine!
but pls dont attack the writer for being honest!
shrinkage โcanโ be a pain sometimes
no
For the women who were offended by Toriโs opening remark, why even bother reading an article on how to stretch your hair if you have such a benevolent, perfect, holistic relationship with shrinkage? Shrnkage CAN cause more tangles than hair that is not shrunken. And just because some women donโt like or donโt have time for the de-tangling that comes post-shrinkage, or just because some women have taken the pains to grow their hair to bra-strap length or beyond and want to show off the fruits of their labor and not have it shrunken at all times that doesnโt mean… Read more »
Iโll be honest here. If there were one thing I could change about my hair, it would be less shrinkage. Of course, I have to deal with it, and I do, but it still hate it.
All in all I suffer from shrinkage. This is what causes tangles and breakage in my hair. So she is also not wrong for saying suffer. If I allowed my hair to shrink as it pleased it would do so to oblivion and never pass a twa. I appreciate her tips and some are a part of my regimen already.
[โฆ] you have the right products to help manage your hair, you are ready to press forward with a natural hair stretching technique. Before initiating the stretching process, start with damp but clean hair. Some natural hair [โฆ]
[โฆ] Click on the link below to see safe methods of stretching hair. http://bglh-marketplace.com/2014/09/4โtechniques-to-quickly-stretch-natural-hair-to-show-off-moreโlโฆ [โฆ]