When referring to curly hair, shrinkage is the difference in length of your hair when it falls naturally (dry hair) and the length when it is extended. Wavy hair shrinks around 2 to 4 inches, medium curly hair around 5 to 8 inches, and extremely tight curls can shrink around 9 to 12 inches, sometimes more. It varies from mane to mane, but two things remain the same for every curly head--your hair will be healthier, and your life will be easier if you can learn to embrace your hair shrinkage and choose a style that works with it, not against it.
