17 week stretcher, couldn't take it, had to bust out the heat

[Butterfly08]

I am at 17.5 weeks and I finally hit a wall. During my last cowash I detangled in the shower while my hair was sopping wet and covered in conditioner. Gobs of hair came out and it was a CHORE. I thought this would be the best way to detangle, but maybe I need to air dry first. Anyway, after weeks of cowashing and wet bunning my hair has a lot of texture and the strands seem to be wrapping around each other. I broke down and busted out the heat. I blew out my roots AND flat ironed them. Then I put in bantu knots, and the next morning smoothed it back into a bun. My hair is much sleeker and flatter and I feel like I can make it the 2.5 weeks until I relax.

Typically I avoid heat except for when I go to the salon, but I see now that at week 17 I will either have to get cornrows or straighten my hair. It's waaaaay more manageable, but I hope it doesn't cause too much damage. erplexed

 

[TheseStankyLegs]

Are you transitioning to natural?

 

[SlantedEyezMiss2003]

Girl I feel you, I'm only 6 weeks post, but I'm very double underprocess from two failed relaxers, and I have tons of new growth, I was doing the whole bunning thing 24/7, no combing, and I cause serious damage to my nape and lots of shedded hair, so hopefully I can hold out until may or june but it's looking like I will have to do my next touch up in april or early may.....but I feel you though.......

 

[Crackers Phinn]

Sometimes ya just gotta do whatch gotta do!

 

[Chameleonchick]

17 weeks is really good for not using heat. Especially if you used it semi often (maybe I don't know if you did or not). So thats good, but like Jcoily said sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do.

 

[krikit96]

Sometimes, I go 14 weeks without a touchup, but I DEFINATELY have to use heat. Otherwise, I braid it up and I throw on a wig for the week, because my hair after 16 weeks is CRUCIAL!!!! I am scared to do the wet bun thing, I would think my hair would dry up and break off... More power to ya!

 

[BGT]

If you're not transitioning, why not relax?

 

[Luscious Locks]

If you're not transitioning, why not relax?

yeah, if the point of stretching is to prevent breakage and you are having "gobs" of breakage then you should just relax. I think anything over 10 weeks is great and once breakage sets in and hair does not cooperate then you should relax to avoid a set back. IMHO.

 

[Serenity_Peace]

I am at 17.5 weeks and I finally hit a wall. During my last cowash I detangled in the shower while my hair was sopping wet and covered in conditioner. Gobs of hair came out and it was a CHORE. I thought this would be the best way to detangle, but maybe I need to air dry first. Anyway, after weeks of cowashing and wet bunning my hair has a lot of texture and the strands seem to be wrapping around each other. I broke down and busted out the heat. I blew out my roots AND flat ironed them. Then I put in bantu knots, and the next morning smoothed it back into a bun. My hair is much sleeker and flatter and I feel like I can make it the 2.5 weeks until I relax.

Typically I avoid heat except for when I go to the salon, but I see now that at week 17 I will either have to get cornrows or straighten my hair. It's waaaaay more manageable, but I hope it doesn't cause too much damage. erplexed

I feel your pain at 16 weeks post. I have a hot date this weekend, so I'll use some heat as a reward to myself for staying away from heat for so long. Don't really know how I'm going to make it to 20 weeks, but I think it's worth the effort and discipline. Keeping that demarcation line moisturized is key for me. Alternating protein and moisture makes it happen. Believe it or not, you have been an inspiration to me. Hang in there!!!

 

[Butterfly08]

Are you transitioning to natural?

No..............see below.....

Sometimes ya just gotta do whatch gotta do!

If you're not transitioning, why not relax?

My stylist moved 3 hours away. I tried going to a local one a year ago and she chopped my hair up. So yes I travel 3 hours to see my stylist. She is worth it. I am taking dd and I need a morning appt so we are not coming back too late. She was all booked until last Saturday in March. I had actually planned to relax THIS weekend but no dice.

I'm not losing gobs of hair to breakage - I think it's shed hair that I haven't been regularly combing out. The hairs were all long. I just hadn't experienced so many tangles with wet, conditioner soaked hair before. I think I may need to detangle my air dried hair for the next 2 weeks. If that doesn't work, I'm just gonna keep straightening.

I have maybe used heat 3 to 5 times over the 17 weeks, and only one time did I take a flat iron all the way through my hair. It was mainly just to blow out the roots after a wet set. So I'm a little scarey about adding the heat now, but it's the only way I can make it t'il my next relaxer. erplexed

 

[Butterfly08]

I feel your pain at 16 weeks post. I have a hot date this weekend, so I'll use some heat as a reward to myself for staying away from heat for so long. Don't really know how I'm going to make it to 20 weeks, but I think it's worth the effort and discipline. Keeping that demarcation line moisturized is key for me. Alternating protein and moisture makes it happen. Believe it or not, you have been an inspiration to me. Hang in there!!!

Thank you! I love stretching, I really do. My hair has thickened up amazingly, even with the relaxer and bleach. I can't wait for another couple years of stretching when all my overprocessed ends are cut off and I have thick, highlighted hair. But week 17 and on is getting challenging!!!!

 

[Serenity_Peace]

Thank you! I love stretching, I really do. My hair has thickened up amazingly, even with the relaxer and bleach. I can't wait for another couple years of stretching when all my overprocessed ends are cut off and I have thick, highlighted hair. But week 17 and on is getting challenging!!!!

Hang in there! I cannot do this without you, so you just gon' have to stick it out, lovely lady! :blowkiss:

 

[BeautifulFlower]

I wish I can make it that far. You're doing well. And I have had to bust out the heat to tame my hair a time or two. I can go up to 10 week without heat. After, its either relax or straighten. I often relax now. I get more shedding and more breakage. Its not worth it. But I understand you gotta wait for your stylist to do her thing so keep up the good work until then.

 

[Butterfly08]

Thanks ladies. It was smooth sailing until this past week, I promise. Luckily I stocked up on a FHI dryer and flat iron at the end of 2008 when I decided to reduce my relaxers to 3x per year in 2009. I guess I already knew that I might have to bring out the heating implements towards the end of my stretches.

 

[ellebelle88]

I'm not sure whether to detangle when I'm airdried or when wet. So please share you experience next time. I hate detangling when wet because I see a lot of hair in the comb, but when I'm dry it's like I can actually HEAR my hair just a popping a way. Even when I moisturize like crazy.

 

[Liege4421]

My stylist moved 3 hours away. I tried going to a local one a year ago and she chopped my hair up. So yes I travel 3 hours to see my stylist.


I feel you on that...I travel 4 hours to Germany for my hair...otherwise I fly to the UK

 

[HoneyDew]

My stuff would need more than some heat at 17 weeks.

 

[SelfStyled]

I don't see anything wrong with a little heat to stretch out your relaxer.

 

[hillytmj]

yeah, if the point of stretching is to prevent breakage and you are having "gobs" of breakage then you should just relax. I think anything over 10 weeks is great and once breakage sets in and hair does not cooperate then you should relax to avoid a set back. IMHO.

I agree. Don't lose anymore hair!

 

[Butterfly08]

I'm not sure whether to detangle when I'm airdried or when wet. So please share you experience next time. I hate detangling when wet because I see a lot of hair in the comb, but when I'm dry it's like I can actually HEAR my hair just a popping a way. Even when I moisturize like crazy.

I really think dry detangling works better for me. I just have to take my time, use small sections and a wide tooth comb. I learned my lesson, no more wet detangling after week 15. After the heat, my hair is a-ok!

I feel you on that...I travel 4 hours to Germany for my hair...otherwise I fly to the UK

Whoo girl, you take the cake!

My stuff would need more than some heat at 17 weeks.

LOL!

I agree. Don't lose anymore hair!

The heat really tamed it. I think all of the hair coming out was shed hairs, not breakage because they were all long and I really hadn't thoroughly detangled in over a week. But I'm done with wet detangling after 15 weeks or so. I'll airdry first.

If I can help it though, I won't stretch longer than 17 weeks in the future.

 

[nycutiepie]

Try doing a prepoo with a moisturizing conditioner + oil mixture and then detangling BEFORE you wash. This is what I do and I have no problem. I went 17+ weeks my last stretch and could have gone longer. Just trying to help.