If you can stretch for so long, why stretch?

[Ladybelle]

I'm curious, I've seen some awesome stretching stories - some people stretch for upwards of 10 months.

My question is:

If you can stretch for that long,why not just be natural? Can someone help me understand why only relax once or twice a year? Aren't you almost natural anyway? And, if you can effectively stretch that long, can't you just be natural with the same ease???

I don't understand and I'm trying to. I'm currently in the midst of a long stretch. I transitioned for a year, went natural for one year, got a perm this past August and found out I was pregnant in September and don't plan to relax until after baby is born. And, I'm thinking If I can maintain this stretch, why not go back to being natural?

Thanks for your input!

 

[*CherryPie*]

beats me.

You make a lot of sense to me. I see so many people stretching "til the cows come home", with no problems, and loads of new growth.

I was gonna start stretching, but I said I may as well go natural. I hope I can do this as well as the long term stretchers.erplexed

 

[janeemat]

If you can stretch for that long,why not just be natural?

My sentiments exactly. I just came off a 5 month stretch and it really was a horrible journey. I spent hours detangling after washing trying to be real careful not to pull all my hair out. I tried all sorts of products to make it easy but it was never easy. I did my relaxer the past Sat and I really don't see much difference than when I stretch 3 months. I'm not doing it again. From now on I will stick to 12-14 weeks. It's just not worth the hassle.

 

[*CherryPie*]

It's just love to see them do it. It's hard work.

 

[ceebee3]

I don't/didn't really stretch for long. I think most people do it to avoid using chemicals so often but to still maintain a relaxed look.

I told myself I will be stretching until next year but I think I just didn't want to use the word "transition". Something about it bothers me.

 

[goodmorningruby]

I voted other. I have fine strands. Stretching, at least for me, makes the hair appear thicker and relaxing a very few amount of times during the year keeps the hair from being exposed excessively to the relaxer chemicals. i.e. it's healthier, at least in my experience. Think about it like this... Everytime you get a touch-up, that relaxer touches the rest of the hair regardless of direct application or not, because you have to rinse it out, and the less frequent my hair is exposed to the relaxer, the more health/thickness/length,etc. I feel it retains. If I got my hair touched up once every 3 months (4 touch ups), instead of every 6 (2 touch ups), then my hair has had relaxer contact twice the times then if I didn't. Why don't I just go natural? Well, I'm texlaxed and I still have a lot of texture, but I like that relaxing helps me achieve the styles I want, it's simple.


and I'm not even going to lie...there is a certain sense of accomplishment that comes from stretching for long periods of time if it's smooth sailing. Shoot, it can even be fun. But I'm crazy

 

[LadyRaider]

I guess longterm stretching might work if you have really long hair.

I'm seven months post now and half my hair is basically half relaxed and half is natural. I don't see what good going 12 months at my length would be just to relax again.

 

[Aggie]

I am 10 months and 2 days post today and I am stretching this long with an end goal in mind and it is not to go natural but to texlax my hair.

I hate the bone straight relaxed hair from using no-lye relaxers on my head. They are brittle and dull looking and the simpler thing for me to do is get rid of it altogether eventually.

I think texlaxed is a better option for me at this time in my life. By the way, I am attempting a 20 month stretch this time around and when it is completed, I will be texlaxing approximately every 16-18 weeks.

I was going to take it to 20 weeks but I think that's a bit too long, I'll see what my texlaxed hair can handle when I cross that bridge.

 

[Barbie83]

I stretch to limit the number of times my hair is exposed to chemicals, but I still love being relaxed. When I finally do end a stretch, there's less chance of overlap because the new growth is longer. And because it's been left alone to grow, it's stronger as well.

 

[Tamrin]

As mentioned before it is in order to reduce the exposure to chemicals, the general health of my hair. I stretch from 6 months up to 8 months sometimes. There is nothing wrong with that for example look at the general thickness of the hair of stretchers and non stretchers you will see a big difference. Stretchers have thicker hair.

 

[Ladybelle]

As mentioned before it is in order to reduce the exposure to chemicals, the general health of my hair. I stretch from 6 months up to 8 months sometimes. There is nothing wrong with that for example look at the general thickness of the hair of stretchers and non stretchers you will see a big difference. Stretchers have thicker hair.

@ the bolded-I never paid attention, but now that you mention it - , I think you are right. I love thick,full hair so maybe stretching is the remedy for me. Minimal exposure to chemicals....

 

[Ladybelle]

I don't/didn't really stretch for long. I think most people do it to avoid using chemicals so often but to still maintain a relaxed look.

I told myself I will be stretching until next year but I think I just didn't want to use the word "transition". Something about it bothers me.

so are you moving over to natural hair or are sure you will relax again?

 

[destine2grow]

I am stretching for healthy hair and also to find out what my hair type and texture is. I am growing my hair out of a short cut and I am having a battle deciding if I want to go natural. I have not seen my natural hair since I was 7 or 8. o would really like to expierence having natural hair again.

 

[JMH1908]

ITA...with stretching for the health of my hair. Being texlaxed, the new growth blends in so much better than being bone straight. It makes my hair stronger, thicker and fuller as it grows out. It just looks so much healthier..it also helps me retain a tighter curl when I decide to do my wash-n-go because I will have more reversion when I want it, so stretching works for me.

 

[Ladybelle]

I'm hoping some more of the "professional" stretchers with wl or bsl hair will come in and give their two cents about it.

I personally just want healthy, thick & long hair and am trying to figure out which route will be the most effective for me.

I really appreaciate all the responses, the consensus seems to be the same- stretching equals thicker & stronger hair. Who can argue with that?

 

[taz007]

I wish that I could stretch. I relax every 6-8 weeks (closer to 6). I do notice that those that stretch do have thicker hair.

Subscribing ....

 

[30something]

For some its like a diet...
Some are only doing it to reach a goal and then intend on stopping and starting different regimen close to it.

 

[goodmorningruby]

I stretch to limit the number of times my hair is exposed to chemicals, but I still love being relaxed. When I finally do end a stretch, there's less chance of overlap because the new growth is longer. And because it's been left alone to grow, it's stronger as well.

I'm glad you mentioned this, I forgot to. As a complete DIYer (that includes relaxing), this is also important to me and another reason why I stretch.

 

[Highly Favored8]

I do it to prevent over processing. When I did my stretch for 6 months my hair just went haywired-. I will not be doing that for a long time. So, now I just touch up every 12-16 weeks. It depends on the person. How they take of their hair in the process of stretching. I also stretch for the over all health of my hair. I only touch up my hair 4 times a year.

 

[Bachelorette]

Hm

Let's see.

-because they DONT want to be natural.
-trying to change from straight relaxers to texlaxing
-decrease overlapping
-growing out overprocessed hair from prior relaxers.
-dont wanna relax very often
-cos they feel like it.

 

[Bachelorette]

I wish that I could stretch. I relax every 6-8 weeks (closer to 6). I do notice that those that stretch do have thicker hair.

Subscribing ....

Hey Taz

why cant you stretch?

 

[Junebug D]

Also: can't afford not to. When I was a kid, I got a perm once a year if I was "lucky".

Personally, I don't want to go to the shop all that often but I still want to be relaxed for now. And if it's better for my hair & scalp, that's a great bonus.

 

[melissa-bee]

I am going natural.

 

[ceebee3]

so are you moving over to natural hair or are sure you will relax again?

I won't be relaxing again.

 

[Diva_Esq]

I'm curious, I've seen some awesome stretching stories - some people stretch for upwards of 10 months.

My question is:

If you can stretch for that long,why not just be natural? Can someone help me understand why only relax once or twice a year? Aren't you almost natural anyway? And, if you can effectively stretch that long, can't you just be natural with the same ease???

I don't understand and I'm trying to. I'm currently in the midst of a long stretch. I transitioned for a year, went natural for one year, got a perm this past August and found out I was pregnant in September and don't plan to relax until after baby is born. And, I'm thinking If I can maintain this stretch, why not go back to being natural?

Thanks for your input!

That's exactly what my mind told me after I stretched 11 months and went back to relaxing. I'm just going to be natural...don't need a relaxer, but I was sacrificing my personal hair growth, retention & health, as well as scalp health, for convenience.

 

[ChristmasCarol]

I would only texlax a few times/year before I found LHCF because I like big hair. That is exactly the question I began to ask myself after I discovered this board: "If I can stretch for so long, why stretch?" The logical answer was to go natural.

 

[so1913]

I'm curious, I've seen some awesome stretching stories - some people stretch for upwards of 10 months.

My question is:

If you can stretch for that long,why not just be natural? Can someone help me understand why only relax once or twice a year? Aren't you almost natural anyway? And, if you can effectively stretch that long, can't you just be natural with the same ease???

I don't understand and I'm trying to. I'm currently in the midst of a long stretch. I transitioned for a year, went natural for one year, got a perm this past August and found out I was pregnant in September and don't plan to relax until after baby is born. And, I'm thinking If I can maintain this stretch, why not go back to being natural?

Thanks for your input!

This was actually my story of "going natural". I had my last relaxer experience in December 2002 after moving back home from graduating college. It was the hairdresser my Mom went to...well she was in a HORRIBLE mood that day and took it out on my hair. Fortunately, my hair didn't suffer damage, but I was paranoid to just let anyone relax my hair. I hadn't purposely planned to "stretch" but I was waiting until I came across a hairdresser I thought I could trust to relax my hair. 3 months went by and still didn't find anyone, figured going an additional month wouldn't make much of a difference....6 months...then 9 months. I was at 12 months and with a friend and said "Ok, I NEED to hurry up and find a hairdresser to relax my hair, it's been a whole year!!!" She looked at me and was like "you've already gone a year...why even bother?" and it was that point it hit me that I didn't "need" it as I was wearing my hair in straight styles anyway the whole time. However, once I made the decision to "go natural" I no longer opted for straight styling, but if I had wanted to continue to wear my hair straight,I knew I could without the chemicals.

 

[sylver2]

I'm curious, I've seen some awesome stretching stories - some people stretch for upwards of 10 months.

My question is:

If you can stretch for that long,why not just be natural? Can someone help me understand why only relax once or twice a year? Aren't you almost natural anyway? And, if you can effectively stretch that long, can't you just be natural with the same ease???

I don't understand and I'm trying to. I'm currently in the midst of a long stretch. I transitioned for a year, went natural for one year, got a perm this past August and found out I was pregnant in September and don't plan to relax until after baby is born. And, I'm thinking If I can maintain this stretch, why not go back to being natural?

Thanks for your input!

i don't want to be natural and that is nowhere even close to why i started stretching.
my 1st stretch was when i joined this board. prior to that i was relaxing every 4-6 weeks.
my hair broke off for the 3rd time real bad, was dry, stayed the same length.
i refused to cut it off and start over again like i did once before. I went into nurture mode with my hair. do or die decision..no more chemicals for as long as i can go while nurturing. The result was a wow! for me. streching made my hair stronger, saw more length. it allowed me to try many different methods that proved positive for my hair. i found my regimen and prooducts while stretching.
my hair right now is the longest, strongest its ever been in my entire life and only after i started stretching. so its a no brainer for me. and it gets easier everytime. im 6 months post right now and no trouble.

 

[Barbie83]

Very good thread, OP! You asked a qood question.

 

[Ladybelle]

I would only texlax a few times/year before I found LHCF because I like big hair. That is exactly the question I began to ask myself after I discovered this board: "If I can stretch for so long, why stretch?" The logical answer was to go natural.

I think you said this, but are you natural? And, it seems you went natural after you came to the conclusion that if you could stretch for a long time, you could just stay natural?

thanks in advance for the clarification.