Real reason you stretch your relaxer

[MissNadia]

1. Healthier Hair
2. Saves money
3. Because I self relax, and I am lazy about doing it.

 

[SmilingElephant]

I like to stretch my relaxers bc i like to see the length i've retained after stretching....i once tried going for 14 weeks and ended up having to relax at 12 weeks because the ng was unbearable for me

Now i'm like 10 or 11 weeks post and i'm already getting tangles and having styling issues.....even trying to blowdry my roots straight right now is impossible...i tried last nite

I also do it bc it has helped thicken up my hair...i went from being a 4-8 weeker to a 10-12 weeker.

 

[blackmaven]

I want to make sure my hair is not being overprocessed,saves money and hair seems healthy

 

[The Princess]

Hair health. For me stretching promotes longer, thicker hair.

ITA^^^ Even my hairdresser agree, she feels thats why my hair is thick cause I stretch my relaxers.

Also to see if I can do it, personal challenge. Im stretching for 15 weeks, 9 down.

I also like playing with my NG.

 

[Toy]

I stretch my relaxers for health reasons and not to ovelap the process.

 

[Imani]

I love the way my hair feels and looks once I am several weeks post. it is fuller and fluffier looking and feels more like real hair. when my hair is freshly relaxed it feels dead and looks flat and thin.

I am 12 weeks post right now and playing w the idea of transitioning. but i dont know bc I only would want to wear it straight. we will see...

 

[Tamrin]

Healthier thicker hair. Tuesday will be 14 weeks for me.

 

[Traycee]

For me personally.....Being colored and relaxed....Relaxing only 2-3 times a year keeps my hair healthy ...Less chemicals = Healthier Hair...

 

[Nya33]

For thicker healthier hair.

 

[Junonia]

I stretch because I like to see my how much growth I've retained.

 

[tenderheaded]

I'm currently 31 weeks post, and I've finally found the tool to help me manage my new growth - Hair One Olive Oil CC. I use this as a deep con with heat and there's been no looking back. If I can comb my hair after washing and not lose a bunch of hair I'm a happy camper. I may start relaxing once a year instead of every 6 months.
My hair is noticeably thicker now!!!

 

[Lady Esquire]

*Healthier, thicker hair.
*Personal challenge to see how far I can stretch.
*Track techniques & products managing both textures w/the least amount of breakage.
*I love NEW GROWTH!
*My edges and scalp thank me for stretching.

 

[~NanCeBoTwin~]

Originally I stretched just to see if I could do it, since my stylist hated doing my relaxers as often as I wanted her to; but now I stretch for health reasons reasons. My hair responded very well to my first stretch.

 

[SouthernStunner]

At first it was because others were doing it then it turned into I am learning all these techniques and I wanted to master them and learn more about my hair and its textures and the relaxer would not allow that.

Now, after stretching for a year and then relaxing I notice that my hair is healthier and thicker. Last but not least stretching has become a habbit. I am actually doing another one year stretch right now (4 weeks post).

 

[briana87]

for me personally, the weather has been a major factor. we've been getting nonstop rain for the past month and a half. everytime i think the rain has stopped it starts right back up. i would hate to relax my hair and then have it ruined by a spontaneous thunderstorm. talk about making a sista mad!

 

[Kellum]

I stretch for many reasons:

• I was influenced by others. When first joining; I noticed how thick and healthy those who stretched hair looked.
• Prevent me over processing from overlapping
• I want to keep my hair thick and healthy
• I used to relax every 6 weeks, before knowing any better, and now that I stretch to at least 12 my hair thanks me for it.
• It has caused me to learn how to manage and take care of my new growth and keep it healthy and breakage free.

 

[chrisanddonniesmommy]

I am primarily stretching because of hair health. I've felt more connected with other stretchers on this site and others. Also, my wallet gets a major break since I only relax 4x a year now at a salon and do maintenance at home.

 

[BoaterGirlKim]

For me, the true question is what is the real reason I WASN'T stretching my relaxers. Until recently, I touched up every 3 to 4 weeks. A big part of the reason is that I didn't know how to care for my new growth safely. I had a bad experience as a young teenager, combing through 2 textures and ending up with my sides and back looking like I had just gotten them shaved.

The other reason, when I examine myself introspectively, is the "standard" of aesthetic that says bone straight hair is a hallmark of beauty, and that I needed to erase the least little sign of a nap at my edges and roots quickly. I have worn my natural hair in the past (early 90s a la Kid N' Play high top fade - with a little 'fro-bang for femininity LOL). Also, back then I wasn't mature enough to appreciate the different way in which men approached me, with more respect - "oh, an afrocentric sistah" rather than that "hey baby" crap.

OK, that's my psychoanalytical answer to the question LOL. Thanks to LHCF, I'm learning to safely manage textures and am doing my first mini-stretch. I LOVE my roots! - and I'm not just talking hair

 

[Raine054]

I stretch for health, growth, and length retention.

Coincidentally, I was stretching even before LHCF. I found by trial and error that my hair grew best when I relaxed only 4 times per year.

On the other hand, I know some people who relax every 6 weeks and still have healthy hair. Other factors likes how the relaxer is applied and the strength of the relaxer are other important factors that contribute to the overall quality of the relaxer process.

 

[Anna9764]

I stretch for health, growth, and length retention.

Coincidentally, I was stretching even before LHCF. I found by trial and error that my hair grew best when I relaxed only 4 times per year.

On the other hand, I know some people who relax every 6 weeks and still have healthy hair. Other factors likes how the relaxer is applied and the strength of the relaxer are other important factors that contribute to the overall quality of the relaxer process.

I too stretched when I was younger out of laziness and realized the length and over all health of my hair by doing so. It also seemed the relaxer took beautifully becasue of it. And I too was not aware of stretching...LOL

 

[polished07]

I stretch for overall health I didn't think to do long stretchs until I started on the hair boards I never had the guts to do it until now.

 

[shamarie]

None of the answers apply to me....I do it because I only start seeing NG at 8 weeks and then I have to be careful not to overlap.

 

[AnitaTheLengths]

For hair health definitely. My hair is fine and due to overprocessing and relaxing every few weeks for no good reason it looked very thin, was brittle and broke off easily. Thanks to the online communities it's making a come back.

 

[Lanea87]

For healthier hair. My hair is already fine, I dont need to add any thinness to it.

 

[briana87]

Another reason for me is that it keeps me from overlapping the relaxer on my previously relaxed hair. I've been relaxing my own hair for about two years and I always seem to overlap it because the new growth wasn't long enough. I think that if I let it grow a couple of inches (but not to the point where it's outta control) I can retain more length. My biggest worry is underprocesing. Lately when I relax my hair is not really bone straight. But I'm afraid to leave it on for too long. My old hair dresser (who I dropped like hotcakes two years ago) used to have my scalp on fire! She would tell me that it needs to stay on longer so that it can straighten. I know they say pain is beauty or beauty is pain (I forget which one!) but GOOD GRIEF!!

 

[Ms_Twana]

I was a stretcher before LHCF when I was broke. So one of my reasons was because of money. Since LHCF my reason is because other stretchers influenced me of the health benefits of stretching.

 

[sunnieb]

I began stretching for the health of my hair.

I am a former "relaxer every 4 weeks" person. I always had hair on my head, so I didn't see a problem. Of course, joining the hair boards changed how I viewed getting relaxed so often. Now that I can get my hair to look good way beyond 4 weeks post, I will never get relaxed that often again. I'm currently on week 6 of my first attempt at a 12 week stretch.

My motivation to keep stretching is when I compared my pics from my relaxer last month after an 8 week stretch. My hair wasn't limp as usual after a fresh relaxer. It was full of body from root to tip. I couldn't believe it was my hair!

 

[bbdgirl]

I started stretching for health and b/c others influenced me. After learning the concept of stretching after coming to this board. I started stretching and after two years of 4-5 month stretches my hair is considerably thicker and longer and I think stronger. I also started texlaxing and I think that has helped my hair retain some strength as well.

A poster made an excellent point regarding learning that NG is not the enemy. I agree wholeheartedly b/c I used to relax every 7 weeks. Now I am at 21 weeks and loving my NG, every inch of it. And don't really know when I will relax again.

 

[Adaoba2012]

I did it for overall hair health, so my hair could be thicker and also to see how long I can go and how much length I retained

 

[Chasity]

For longer, stronger, thicker hair!!!!