Relaxed ladies...why do you stretch??

[Shell4624]

I am guessing the most obvious... to avoid over processed hair right? But besides that why else? Also what rules or guidelines to you abide by? For example, for you is stretching for 8 weeks better than stretching for 12? If so why?

I am relaxed and had been stylist dependant for many years until I joined in August. My last relaxer was at the beginning of August so right now I am almost 11 weeks post relaxer... Next time I relax, I am giong to do it myself, but I am sitting here thinking, why am I stretching, how long should I stretch and what are the benefits, pros AND cons of stretching.

Please share!! Thanks so much.

 

[MizzBrown]

I thought the same thing. i would relax every 5-7 weeks and saw my stylist every other week w/o fail for nearly 2 yrs til i found this site. Why was i relaxing so much? Because i didnt know all the methods to control new growth and not have my hair looking "nappy" and unkempt. I'm gonna relax at 10 weeks just to see how much longer its gotten and then im gonna stretch again for as long as I can go.

I think its good to keep harsh relaxer chemicals out of ur hair for as long as u possibly can. Plus I'm saving soo much money by doing my hair in between visits.

Before I joined this site, I would throw my hair in a ponytail get frustrated b/c i didnt know how to manage it on my own and would just relax it so i could "control" it at 4-6 weeks post. NOW, people at work think i keep getting my hair done when i havent seen my stylist in nearly 3 months.

 

[Legend]

For a few reasons:

• My hair's health (too many chemical applications wears the hair down)
• To reduce my exposure to toxic chemicals in relaxers
• Because my hair is texturized/texlaxed, I don't have to get as many retouches because the line of demarcation is not as pronounced (less breakage and easier to manage the two textures).

HTH!

 

[pmichael52172]

I don't stretch. I tried it a couple of times but kept getting breakage ... not shedding but breakage. I do, however, touch up my roots and rinse out immediately.

 

[loved]

I stretched for the 1st time for 4 months through Sept. 07.


I will do it again because I liked giving my hair the chemical break and the rest from manipulation since it was cornrowed under the weave. When I had 4 months of NG, there was no question where the NG started and the previously permed hair began, so much less chance for overprocessing. I have a pic. of my NG in my fotki.

My hair felt so thick when I took the last weave out and put conditioner in b4 I washed it, but once that water hit w/ the shampoo and baking soda, my hair had crazy knots and tangles.
I will still try it again, but this time towards the end of the stretch,
I will plait my hair b4 I wash it, &
I will wash in the shower so that it stays in 1 direction.

I will be relaxing in Dec. and again in May 08. I am using May 07 to May 08 as my learning period. Hopefully by January 08, I'll have a good regimen that will bring out healthy hair that I can retain. If I don't have good results w/ my May 08 relaxer, I'm going back to my 6 or 7 weeks between relaxers, cuz I like wearing my hair out and after that much NG I can't. What's the point of having hair if I can never wear it out?

 

[Allandra]

I used to get relaxer touch ups every four months. I no longer stretch for four months in between now. These days, I get relaxer touch ups when needed (which is roughly about every ten weeks or so).

 

[Kawaii1]

I did mini stretchs before I even joined. I would get breakage but I still retained length. Now I know how to do it right and I have way less breakage. My friend who does not visit this board but has had bsl hair as long as I can remember (I've know her almost 10 years) only perms every four months or so. It works.

 

[lollyoo]

personally, less frequent relaxeR means less breakage. In the past I have been APL - had a good stylist that deeps condition and rollerset biweekly and relaxes my hair once in 3 months. I did not moisturise daily or take vitamin.
so i think deep conditioning and relaxer stretching was the key for me then.

 

[Serenity_Peace]

I'm learning so much about relaxer stretching strategies from this board and from reading haircare books and doing research. But the main reasons why I am stretching are:

* My hair has always been very fine/thin. Relaxer stretches have most definitely thickened my hair.

* I want to get my hair used to going without relaxers. Basically I would like to cut down the dependence on chemical treatments and that includes coloring as well.

* At some point, I would like to transition, but not now.

* My hair has seemed to thrive, surprisingly. I do have some breakage/shedding, but I've learned that breakage is inevitable. Shedding is evitable. What you don't want is *excessive* breakage. I just completed Cathy Howse's book and what she said about this made a lot of sense: if you comb your hair and see lots of small broken hairs on your back and through your clothes and in your comb, that's *excessive* and immediate attention is required. But breakage happens even to women of other races and I've seen the short hairs, even on ladies with flowing, gorgeous, shiny locks of other races/ethnicities.

I'm learning to wash/deep condition my hair every 3 days since I workout 5 days a week and also stretching. My ends have thrived and my hair has gotten thicker and longer. I simply can't wait to reveal my hair for the Christmas holidays at the complete of my stretch.

SP

 

[luvinwife]

I usually get relaxers every 14-16weeks. I stretch bc it just makes sense to me. I dont like the overlapping of chemicals and my new growth is not so unmanageable that I really need to relax that often. I also love waiting so that when I finally get it done I see that it has really grown and my husband always compliments me and cant keep his hands out of it. If I relaxed more often, I probably wouldn't get that reaction from him bc he'd be used to it

 

[Glitter]

Well, I'm a broke college student so I also stretch relaxers to save money. The salon I go to charges $130 for a touch up. I cannot afford to shell out that money all the time so I try to go 12-14 weeks. Not only does my hair avoid getting overproccessed but my wallet stays a little fatter too.

 

[LunadeMiel]

Well, I'm a broke college student so I also stretch relaxers to save money. The salon I go to charges $130 for a touch up. I cannot afford to shell out that money all the time so I try to go 12-14 weeks. Not only does my hair avoid getting overproccessed but my wallet stays a little fatter too.

... that is so high. Where I go charges $35.00. Right now I am transitioning but when I relaxed I would strech because I hated the way my hair felt when I got a touchup. It would be really flat and limp and dull.

 

[Missi]

ONE main reasons I stretch (12 weeks):

• it allows me to maintain or build healthier hair over a long period of time in between 'damaging' relaxers

TA: the way you take care of your hair in between relaxers determines the outcome of your hair after a relaxer: IMO, relaxers can further damage damaged hair: so its extremely important to have your hair healthy when getting chemical treatments: so keeping a healthy scalp and hair really makes a different in the quality of your hair after a relaxer: benifits include keeping the hair's thickness: lenght: shine: etc

 

[Misseyl]

I stretch because it helps me retain length. I usually stretch 16 weeks.. Right now, I'm in braids and haven't had a touchup since Feb.

 

[back2relaxed]

I stretch to 8 weeks, now. I used to get a relaxer every 4-5 weeks. I didn't know any better. I was always told that b/c my hair was soo coarse and thick I had to relax that often b/c there was new growth there. After being natural for about 9 months I learned that I didn't have "bad" hair and that I could take care of my new growth. Because of that I think my hair is even thicker and healthier. I think not relaxing as often keeps the chemicals to a minimum. I tried to go to 9 weeks, but the shedding and breakage are not worth it. 8 weeks it is for me!

 

[candiel]

I'm transitioning now, but when I relaxed I stretched so that my hair could gain its thickness that it once had and to stop my hair from shedding so much. I stretched for 3-4 months at a time and the change in my hair was remarkable!

 

[seymone]

I stretch because I am so tired of chemicals but I do not want to be natural again right now. Currently I am at 4 months, I plan to continue for 2 more months. I successfully stretch by wearing my hair in braids

 

[Eisani]

I stretch then texlax and have been for years w/o knowing what it was because:
1) It helps maintain thickness and health
2) I really don't need to texlax very often. I do it based on my edges/nape, they'll let me know when it's time to tame! Even when I was fully relaxed, the stylist I had would only relax my hair every 8-10 weeks, or as needed. The longest stretches I've done have been 6 months but I'm going back to about 15-18 weeks.

 

[gabulldawg]

I also believe that stretching relaxers makes sense. It gives your hair a break and allows for you to accumulate some new growth to relax! I remember I used to get relaxers probably about every 6 weeks. I would schedule them in advance. That makes no sense! Who knows how much new growth you will have 6 weeks from now, or if you even will have any at all? Stretching also allows for a more dramatic end result from the relaxer. It lets me really see my progress from the few months before.

 

[NYLegalNewbie]

Well, when you learn more about relaxers and the process of relaxing hair, stretching just makes sense.

Improper application and overprocessing are the main sources of damage from a relaxer. If you relax too often, you're in danger of doing both.

Why?

Unless you're a hair growing super star (and unfortunately most of us aren't), you're only going to have between 0.5 and 0.75, on average, of new growth. With such a small amount of hair, it's easy to overlap (i.e. improper application) and get relaxer onto previously relaxed hair (i.e. overprocessing). And don't forget that when you wash the hair, even though water helps to bring down the pH, the rest of your hair is exposed to the chemicals.

So, when you stretch, you have more hair to work with, hence, decreasing your chances of overlapping and overprocessing. Additionally, the rest of your hair isn't exposed to chemicals as often

 

[PinkPeony]

I'm currently 21 weeks post and I love stretching because I just don't have the nerve right now to relax.
Do I just go natural or do I relax straight or keep texlaxing?
Stretching keeps my mind off these things.

Besides it is great for my hair to be away from the chemicals and I get to know my natural hair better in the process

 

[Jetblackhair]

I'm currently 21 weeks post and I love stretching because I just don't have the nerve right now to relax.
Do I just go natural or do I relax straight or keep texlaxing?
Stretching keeps my mind off these things.

Besides it is great for my hair to be away from the chemicals and I get to know my natural hair better in the process

OT: Ella, your hair looks great in your avatar, nice and full

 

[Isis]

When I stretch:

I love how much thicker, longer and healthier my hair is, and not just in appearance.

Relaxing/texlaxing (since I do it in sections), is an all day event for me and I like doing it less often. I do make it a "special event" though and reward myself when done.

It makes it so much easier to avoid overlapping.


Now that I know how to keep my new growth flat and smooth while stretching, it makes it so much easier. When I finally do it, either after 13 weeks or 24 weeks, I'm not relaxing because my hair looks like a hot mess but because shedding has started, meaning it's time.

 

[BambiEyes]

I love stretching! I'm starting to learn more and more about my hair stretching. I also tried texlaxing and my hair actually loves it. It's even a little thicker

 

[Tamrin]

Im stretching because I want healthier hair and I don't want to be bothered with my hair rght now. Im working out a lot now and dealing with it is a hassel. Its in twists and Wednesday will be 21 weeks. I think Im going to go till December. I have 2 days to make up my mind.

 

[MizzBrown]

Well, I'm a broke college student so I also stretch relaxers to save money. The salon I go to charges $130 for a touch up. I cannot afford to shell out that money all the time so I try to go 12-14 weeks. Not only does my hair avoid getting overproccessed but my wallet stays a little fatter too.

Just a little bit but I wanted to know where in the world do you live that someone would have the nerve to charge you $130? What all does that include? A back massage, eyebrow wax, champagne while youre under the dryer? I'm just baffled right now about that. I get charged $45 and my stylist can give you either weave or micros down to your a$$ for $130 Is it a white or black salon? $130 is someones student loan payment. What relaxer does she use? It should be laced w/ diamonds at the price....ok back to normal posting...

 

[shynessqueen]

I stretch because I don't like relaxing my hair, it takes to long. ( but I will take two days to braid my hair) I stretch for 6 months to a year.

 

[cocoaluv]

Just a little bit but I wanted to know where in the world do you live that someone would have the nerve to charge you $130? What all does that include? A back massage, eyebrow wax, champagne while youre under the dryer? I'm just baffled right now about that. I get charged $45 and my stylist can give you either weave or micros down to your a$$ for $130 Is it a white or black salon? $130 is someones student loan payment. What relaxer does she use? It should be laced w/ diamonds at the price....ok back to normal posting...

This is exactly what I was thinking! The most I EVER paid for a touchup was 45 dollars.

 

[NYAmicas]

Just a little bit but I wanted to know where in the world do you live that someone would have the nerve to charge you $130? What all does that include? A back massage, eyebrow wax, champagne while youre under the dryer? I'm just baffled right now about that. I get charged $45 and my stylist can give you either weave or micros down to your a$$ for $130 Is it a white or black salon? $130 is someones student loan payment. What relaxer does she use? It should be laced w/ diamonds at the price....ok back to normal posting...

I stretch so I can avoid overlapping and overprocessing which is likely to happen since I do my own hair now. Most people I know slapping on a relaxer everytime they get a smidgen of a crinkle, have very thin, short, and damaged hair. I'm not going back to that club. I mean, I know new grownth, they have a slight wave and its WW3 for them.

Also after months of dealing with the new grownth and finally relaxing it feels like an accomplishment for me and I love to see the difference in length.

 

[PinkPeony]

OT: Ella, your hair looks great in your avatar, nice and full

Thank you,your hair looks wonderful in your siggy
We seem to have a similar hair type too