is it really that uncommon seeing people stretching relaxers?

[PurAngl1]

I def think it is uncommon. Most women I know relax their hair every 6 weeks faithfully and proudly. I was mainly in braids all the time but when I wasn't it was about every 4,5,6 weeks that I relaxed. And when I was really young I remember relaxing my hair 2 weeks apart. I didn't know any better. I was thinking WTF I just relaxed my hair, why did it revert. It was just the NG coming in. Now I know much better and am trying for the first time to stretch for 6 months.

I don't know how I will be able to deal with other people's criticism though. They are already saying my hair looks rough (I am 6 weeks post). I don't want to hear "you need a perm" or "damn your hair is nappy" or "are you going natural?" I am not ready for that cause I have a slick mouth. No one understands either. So I really don't want to have to explain the whole stretching thing. And on top of that I am using no heat. I am really going to hear it.

 

[heyfranz]

I told someone whose entire hairline is missing that i was doing a 12 week stretch and she said "that's impossible. your hair will fall out". I told her it's done all the time, and invited her here, and she said "they're lying", "no one can do that".

 

[SmartyPants]

im wearing a sew in for my ps until my challenge is over. one of my ex coworkers came into the store on friday and i was ringing her up and she goes "are you going natural" and im lookin at her like :-/ y would she ask me that? so then i remember i have about 2 in of ng sittin in the front of my head so i tell her no im stretching my relaxer and shes like "oh...whats that" so i tell her and she goes "well who does that? thats not healthy since you have a relaxer because if u dont put a relaxer right on there when u feel ng it'll all break off and then u wont have any hair at all." yea...ok...(insert exaggerated eyeroll here) have a nice day

In a word YES!

Most folks relax 4-6 weeks like clockwork because that is what we have been trained to do. I have a similar conversation with at least one member of my family once a month!

 

[jaszymeen]

I told someone whose entire hairline is missing that i was doing a 12 week stretch and she said "that's impossible. your hair will fall out". I told her it's done all the time, and invited her here, and she said "they're lying", "no one can do that".

i woulda told her tell that to her missing hair

 

[Aggie]

My stylist actually recommend I stretch my relaxer to 12 weeks all the time if I can. I was very pleased to hear this from her as you would guess but it is pretty uncommon to stretch relaxers here in the Bahamas as well. Many ladies here relax almost the moment their hair starts to get new growth. It's terrible.

 

[Honey01]

Overall, I do think this term and practice is limited to those on hairboards and such.

I never heard of long-terms stretches before the boards/youtube hair videos. Actually, I seem to only recall this being a phenomenon on LHCF in the last couple of years. Usually, if someone was stretching the point was to go natural. I don't recall folks "stretching" just because (I am not talking about overlapping or some other reasons).

 

[Stormy]

When I was relaxed I used to be a 6 week person too, because that's what I grew up thinking you're supposed to do. I "thought" the stylists were the experts and knew what they were talking about until one day I realized that my hair never grew past neck length unless I had a Jerry Curl (then it grew to a healthy shoulder length).

I ran across Barry Fletcher's Why are Black Women Losing Their Hair. That book really opened my eyes and I gradually started stretching. Before I went natural I was stretching for 8-10 weeks with no problems as long as I kept it moisturized, did CWs and wore protective styles during those last two weeks. I was working my way up to 12 weeks.

Also, there were women in my office and friends of mine who only got their hair touched up every 3 months. Now, I think they had type 3 hair, but still...

 

[JayAnn0513]

My BFF's stylist will not relax her before 10 weeks and she usually stretches to 13-14 weeks, and she has a weekly standing appointment. My old stylist usually relaxed me between 6-8 weeks, but she relaxed my aunt with 3a/b hair only 4 times a year and my aunt with 4a/b short hair every 4-5 weeks because she wore a short cut. That was one of the things I liked about her, she paid attention to what your hair needed and treated it accordingly, instead of treating all her clients the same. If she wasn't scissor happy and used way too much heat I might still go to her, lol.

 

[MonPetite]

Yes, yes and...wait...let me think...goodness, gracious, YES!

It's sorrows my heart, actually. I'm trying to encourage the relaxed women in my family to DC regularly, wash regularly and go more than FOUR WEEKS between relaxers. It's an uphill battle, unfortunately.

 

[jaszymeen]

My stylist actually recommend I stretch my relaxer to 12 weeks all the time if I can. I was very pleased to hear this from her as you would guess but it is pretty uncommon to stretch relaxers here in the Bahamas as well. Many ladies here relax almost the moment their hair starts to get new growth. It's terrible.

and then whats even worse is if they are getting growth within that short period the stylist is trimming their growth right off because u HAVE to trim with every relaxer (end sarcasm)

 

[Taina]

The first time i hearded about stretching was when i found this site. For my people (in DR) looks very weird to have all the NG visible. When i was relaxed, i used to do it every 4 to 5 weeks, i really hated to see two differentes textures in my hair, and my hair starts to breach as soon as the NG was 2inchs long

 

[Brownie518]

I don't know anyone who does it. I don't even think I know anyone that knows what stretching is. Ladies at work think I'm insane when I say I'm trying to wait to relax again. Before the Board, I didn't know about stretching, either.

 

[gissellr78]

That's BS. I always stretch before i knew it was stretching...3 months or more....My hair has always been apl or longer..

 

[Embyra]

all i know is its always people with barely no hair on their head with thin lifeless strands that want to question you for stretching ...

 

[NYAmicas]

I've already had to school family and friends on my stretches and will shut them down politely if they tell me I need a relaxer stat. I get so annoyed when they dont even have a wave at their roots going but because it's been 6-8 weeks they feel they need a perm. What are you relaxing when I dont even see any NG?

 

[shandaw]

Yes, its very uncommon I don't know not one woman that stretches her relaxers not one. If I even mentioned it, they would wonder what I was talking about. You only know about stretching once you start researching hair care on the net and find boards like this one. I had never heard of stretching until I decided to take better care of my hair.

Like everyone here, I had more than one stylist tell me my hair would break really bad if I stretch for along period of time.

 

[destine2grow]

I didn't know anything about stretching until I came to the hair forums. I just use to put them off out of pure laziness.

 

[aegis]

it's like people want you to hide the fact that your hair texture is curly. gotta hide nygga naps at all costs :/

 

[Miss Toya]

I think lots of women of color like myself were trained since childhood to relax every 6 weeks for no sound reason and dealing with kinky roots caused anxiety for me previously; I haven't had a relaxer since October 2009 and couldn't be happier; sew-ins and roller sets keep me from feeling overwhelmed and my hair is the thickest and shiniest it's ever been.

 

[TamedTresses]

It's not uncommon for me to see people do it, but I have never been one of them. I will admit to getting relaxers every 4-6 weeks. My hair grows thick and I don't flat iron or blow-dry my roots. I prefer to air dry, but I am utilizing my hooded dryer more now. I don't like using direct heat so I refrain from doing so.

I used to stretch for months when I was younger, but that was just out of sheer laziness. Luckily for me, my hair has remained healthy through my monthly relaxers. I am currently on a 3 month stretch and I am 5 weeks post. I don't really foresee any problems. If it gets to be too much hassle I will get some cornrows and keep it moving.

 

[Oasis]

I stretched my relaxers for months, even years sometimes. I had no clue of the actual concept though. I just did it because I mostly kept my hair in braids and had no need to relax.

 

[sunnieb]

I think it's uncommon to see women stretching relaxers on purpose.

You'll always have ladies who are "forced" to stretch because they don't have the money to go to the salon, their regular stylist is over-booked, etc.

I've been mistaken for being natural several times when I'm late in my stretch!