16 weeks or more?

[diamondlady]

Who has gone 16 weeks or more between relaxers? Can you give me some styling tips? How can I make sure I don't experience breakage or shedding?
My sister gets one relaxer each year. Her hair is mid-back and has always been that length since she was a small child. 4a/4b hair type (She's over 30 now). My 15 year old niece gets a relaxer once a year and her hair is at hips (but very thin),she is probably C hair type, her hair has waves in the natural state. But my other 2 sisters and I have to struggle to go 3 months and now I'm trying for 4 months.

 

[douglala]

I have gone a maximum of 30 weeks. I kept my hair from breaking by making sure I kept my new growth soft and moistured. I have type 4b hair and my wonder product was KeraCare Humecto. I would put that in my hair and leave it on for hours. By the time I rinsed it out my new growth nice and soft. The other thing was by the time I had 3+ inches of new growth I stopped trying to run a comb through it when dry. When I comb it is just the previously relaxed hair. If I tried from my thick and bushy roots I would lose to much hair. The only time I combed from the root was when washing or conditioner washing about 2+ times a week.

But from what I have noticed on the board and through friends and family some can go easily go 5+ months without a relaxer and others just cannot. It does more damange than good. Their hair breaks alot. I am not sure if it is because then are not handling the hair correctly or what...

 

[AnjelLuvs]

I have the same problem. I do my braidouts and after I say 3 or 4 weeks I get a lot of breakageand shedding from braiding, so now I am doing the pony tail style.

I can only go a max of say 5-6 weeks without a perm.

What are some things that can be down to widen the time between relaxers.

 

[diamondlady]

AnjelLuvsubabe,

I use to think I could only go 5 or 6 weeks, but now I can easily go 12 weeks. After that it becomes kinda rough. By washing more often and using "Healhier Hair in a Bottle" oil
(Before HHB, I used Wild Growth Oil) and handling my hair differently I can easily go 12 weeks. I was shocked at first, to be able to go so long, but now it's the norm.

 

[AnjelLuvs]

so if I use one of these oils my new growth will come in softer.

My new growth now is softer than usual, I think cause I have been washing every like 3-4 days, and oiling it really good, but I dont know I just like the str8 look sometimes.

I just dont wanna lose hair due to shedding and breakage when I comb it tends to come out alot the further I go without a relaxer.

But I also noticed that the longer I go without one the fuller and healthier the perm looks when I do apply one. My ultimate goal is to go 3 months without a perm

 

[Nyambura]

I concentrate moisture to my roots first, then my ends (this goes for rinse-out conditioners and leave-ins), use oil to seal in the moisture, and wear my hair in a bun. I make sure my hair is at least damp prior to any manipulation.

 

[fine_beauty]

I'm @ 16wks going on to 17wks(back area but 27wks for edges and front). I don't know what my growth rate is like. However, using both Joico K-pak deep penetrating reconstructor(protein conditioner), CON shampoo, Redken's anti-snap leave in conditioner (I currently haven't found a good moisturing conditioner, but experimenting with Nutri-ox conditioner), I'm able to prevent breakage and yes, I can comb my new growth when dry. I wash once a week and leave the hair in a braided ponytail. So far so good. The key is experimentation. Good luck

 

[jrw]

I have gone eight months between relaxers. I just keep my hair well moisturized and conditioned. I deep condition my hair at least once a week and I find protein conditioners when used occasionally help as well.

 

[Tebby1017]

Since I started relaxing my hair again, I get it relaxed 2 or 3 times a year. I went 2 years between a relaxer and didn't cut off the relaxed hair. I wore my hair mainly in a bun and I went to the dominican salon to have the roots blown straight when I wanted to wear it out.

Tebby

 

[nita4]

I love threads like this because they are so helpful for those of us who are trying to extend for longer periods of time.

One of my goals is 16 weeks while eventually working my way up to 6 months.

Right now my goal is 14 weeks. I'm at 9 weeks post relaxer and I find that if I condition wash in the shower with Suave Coconut Conditioner and then followup with Humectress as a leave in - I have less tangles/breakage. I use a wide tooth comb and braid to airdry. I wear sometype of textured style either a braid,twistout or I unbraid and pull up in sometype of bun/french roll. All depending on how I wear my hair I moisturize daily morning/evening with a mixture of world of curls/distilled water/and glycerine (if pulled up) and an oil moisturizer (organic root stimulator olive oil) if in a braid/twistout.

Braid/twistouts I wear for a least two days out, sometimes I comb out and pull up or rinse and start over. I wear a pinned up style from 3 days to a week - taking it down every morning/evening to moisturize/comb. I'm hoping this will get me to my 14 week goal. I add two weeks at a time when trying to extend - that way it doesn't seem so hard.

I do lose hair. Mostly when I handle my hair roughly, use a product that doesn't work well for me, or attempt to shampoo in the sink.

As mentioned above, you have to experiment to find what works for your hair. But it always surprises me to see how long I can go and my growth. Now that I've got use to going 12 weeks - it's easy - time to move on to 14.

Best to you and good luck.

 

[Spagirl]

Thanks for sharing! I'm just nearing 7 wks and I'm thinking about stretching out beyond my every 2 months (about 9wks)to as far as I can go. I just joined the bun challenge so hopefully that will help. Summer braid/twist out didn't go as well as I wanted.

 

[diamondlady]

AnjelLuvsUBabe,

Washing more often, conditioning, using moisturizer and using oils keeps my new growth softer.

I don't comb my hair through when it is dry. (I could be wrong,

but I'm afraid that would make it break at point of new growth and relaxed hair) I finger comb and use a W I D E tooth comb. I easily go 12 weeks, right now I'm at 13weeks.

 

[AnjelLuvs]

that is what I am tryin to do now. I wash about every 3-4 days oil and put in leave in conditioner, then do a deep conditioner(every other week), reconstructor (1x month), and conditioner (every other week besides that of the deep conditioner)

I still get a lil hair in the comb but it less. I have found that I need to wash more often to reduce breakage.

Should I moisturize my scalp also, considering that I am washing it so often and oiling it (well the ends)

I need to find more styles, because I sometimes dont get motivated to do my hair if I know I am goin to be puttin it in the same style.

I currently do braidouts -- very very small roller sets -- and wet ponytails

I wanna try the bantu knots but no one has told me how to do those yet sooo....