When you cut your hair, your
It is all about perception when it comes to a haircut and our curls. While stress, medications, chemicals or hormones may alter your curls, a haircut will not.
A good deep conditioner can make curls curlier, softer, and shinier. It can also help to repair damage caused by heat styling and dyed hair. Treat your hair to an intensively hydrating conditioning treatment once or twice a month to quench its thirst and give it bounce and elasticity.
For some people if their hair is cut shorter than 8 inches or so, it will not look wavy. For others, their hair gets curlier the shorter it gets! It really just depends on your curl pattern.
"When you don't cut naturally curly hair, the ends become weak and don't hold their natural shape properly. So, by cutting off the dead ends, you bring life back into your curls," says Bivona.
Hormonal changes are the most common reason your hair won't curl anymore. These changes can be caused by pregnancy, menopause, and birth control pills. If your hair becomes less curly over time, consider changing how you take care of your locks. If you need help solving your problem, consult a licensed professional.
Improper Care/Techniques
Using the wrong techniques on your naturally curly hair can make the curls lose their shape over time. Many common hair care habits like brushing and towel drying are detrimental to curls. Over time using these techniques, they damage the cuticle and the curl pattern suffers.
It is best to cut curly hair in its natural and dry state. Cut curly hair after it has been washed, dried and detangled. Cut curly hair down the middle for an even and balanced haircut.
Our experts agree that most curl types should be cut on an angle. For tight curls, uneven layering works best. Make certain your cut doesn't flatten your crown. To avoid a flat top, try a short layer under a longer layer to pump up the volume.
Excessive tangles can also occur when curls aren't regularly trimmed, which can cause damage. You'll also find that your curls are much easier to style and detangle when they're regularly and freshly trimmed. After your curls have been trimmed, you'll also find your curls look thicker, fuller and healthier.
Curly hair almost universally tends to behave better if it's allowed to grow longer. That's because longer hair weighs down the curls resulting in less "pouf." But curly hair can actually look amazing short, provided you get the right cut.
Curly hair expands outward making it bottom heavy and flat on top, creating what's known as “pyramid head”. In order to achieve a more balanced and flattering hairstyle, layers are added in an attempt to eliminate this undesirable triangle shape.
Choose Layers When Cutting Curly Hair
With layers in particular, you're making sure your hair doesn't have too much heft at the bottom, all in one place. Curly hair is naturally full, and layers help break up that fullness to give your hair shape.
When you cut or trim your curly hair, you're cutting away damaged ends. Your ends are the oldest part of your hair, and they've probably been through a lot. Split, dry and damaged ends can affect your curl formation and make it harder to last until wash day.
Hormonal changes like pregnancy, puberty or menopause can cause your curl pattern to change drastically. The shape of your hair follicles defines your curl pattern and texture, so when your body goes through a major hormonal overhaul, it can also change the shape of your follicles, thus changing your curl pattern.
Your Hormones are changing
Hormones – and their effect on our bodies – extends to every part of us, including our hair. Hormonal changes that take place during pregnancy, puberty and menopause can alter your curl pattern dramatically. Your hair follicles' shape is what determines your curl pattern and texture.
Your Hair is in Need of Bond-Strengthening Treatments
That loss of curl you're seeing could be down to broken bonds within the hair shaft. These play a big role in the shape and structure of hair strands, but when locks are over processed, bonds can change due to chemical damage.
Curls tend to be naturally dry, even when you take care of them. Due to their spiraled shape, it's harder for the natural oils produced from your scalp to travel down and coat the strands, which is why they can get so frizzy.
Basically, if you don't have a trim, your split ends will run riot and likely split further up the shaft eventually snapping and making your hair short, which stops it from growing long. This way, your hair can continue to grow healthily from your roots, but the ends won't fray and snap shorter.
Loose and classic curls can lather up two to four times a week. Coily curl types can co-wash weekly, and deep cleanse with shampoo once a month. Tight curls fall somewhere in between - shampoo or co-wash every few days to a week. A good rule of thumb: If your curls feel dry, try washing less frequently.
"As it air dries, your natural texture will start to appear. If it's more of a long S-shape, then your hair is wavy. If you're seeing spirals or ringlets, then your hair is curly."