How long until my hair starts laying down?

I have extremely curly fine hair. It's like African American hair only lays in more defined tight ringlets and is less frizzy. I have been growing it out for 5 years and my hairdresser keeps promising me "once it gets long enough, the curls will loosen up and it wont be so tight around your face." Well when it's straight it reaches the middle of my back but when it's curly, it sits above my shoulders in a big wad of curly hair. How do I weigh it down?