cutebajangirl said:The hair I use is a corse Yaki with minimal shine and I just flat iron the front part I have left out 1x week.
dreemssold said:I am a 4b, and I have found that there are two opposites which enable me to stretch past the normal 8 weeks I could usually go. I have decided that 12 weeks is the best point for me...maximum benefits, minimal breakage. Either I have to have my roots blown out after a rollerset and, aside from moisturizing, pretty much leave my hair alone until my next set (this means weeks of no washing) or condition wash my hair every day or every other day and put it in a bun/ponytail/2 buns/2 ponytails to airdry and leave it alone. The less manipulation, the better. The former option means that my hair will look nice, but be filthy, the latter means it will be clean, I will likely yield more growth, but it will look a mess. I switch back and forth between them, depending on how I feel. The results have been worth it, though, my hair is noticeably thicker just from stretching an extra 4-6 weeks. HTH .
HairQueen said:Hi dreemsold, I am 4a/4b and am currently at 7 weeks, this is the first time I have ever tried to stretch and to be honest it is driving me crazy!! At only 7 weeks my hair looks a TOTAL mess, I was thinking that maybe I will try what you said and blow dry my roots. I just wanted to ask you two things though:
1) How do u blowdry your roots only (without drying out/damaging the rest of your hair? Do you use a comb attachment with the blowdryer or a round brush to do it? I am just a bit worried because I quit blowdrying my hair 6 months ago and do not want to ruin my hair again but am willing to try if it is the roots only.
2) When you leave your hair alone with weeks of no washing does it not get dry? I have found that my hair needs MOISTURE and have found that 2x per week washing is what my hair needs so i am worried that if I leave it alone it will get dry.
Thanks in advance
dreemssold said:Hi Hairqueen, when I have my roots blown out, I am going to a Dominican salon and getting a rollerset and letting them blow my roots straight. They use a brush after they take out the rollers. I don't know how to do this myself, but I know that webby has good instructions in her album. I do think it is somewhat damaging, but considering that this is the only form of direct heat that my hair ever gets (no irons, etc) and that I don't get it very often at all, I just look at it as a little treat. However, if you found the blowdrying to be damaging enough that you needed to give it up, I probably wouldn't go back. I look at it this way, though. Let's say, until week 7 or 8, you can make it through by just conditioner washing 2 or 3 times a week, but your goal is to stretch to let's say, week 12. At weeks 8 and 10, you get a blow-out. That's only two blow-outs per 3 months, and that's only the roots, and by not washing that last month, you have just stretched an extra month. I don't think it's murder on your hair, especially if you don't get any other direct heat. I don't think this plan is for everyone, but it has worked for me. I usually try to get only one at the end, though, and that is also because I was sick of the stylist ripping through my hair because it wasn't straight at relaxer time.
My hair doesn't really get dry when I don't wash it. Dirty, itchy, and even funky, lol, but not dry. I still apply a water based moisturizer every day. I am actually in the midst of the process right now. I am a little over 11 weeks post-relaxer, and I had my hair set about a week and a half ago. I hope my Phyto comes today, so I can get it relaxed, but if not, I won't be washing it until whenever it gets here. It doesn't feel/look dry at all. HTH .
HairQueen said:Hi again thanks for that answer it was very helpful. Which water based moisturiser do u use?
You say your hair doesn't get dry when you don't wash it, so how often do you normally wash it (when you're not trying to stretch your relaxer i.e. weeks 1-8)?
I hope you don't mind all these questions but as we are both same hair type I am just trying to find out so I don't give up on this relaxer stretch, I would LOVE to get to 12 weeks for the first time ever and need all the help and advice I can get cos right now I feel like I can't cope!!
RabiaElaine said:Hi Hairqueen,
I'm a course 4a/b, probaby more b. My coils are very tight but they are circular. I tried stretching last year by co-washing and airdrying in a ponytail. This method works for a lot of ladies here...but it does not work for me. Even with me being very genty I still lose more hair than I gain with this method. I've decided the best way for me is by doing what Dreemssold does by going to a dominican salon. It is very surprising what they can make our hair look like even when it desperately needs a relaxer. I will only have the blowdry the roots though, it gets pretty straight. I am currently 5 weeks post, and I usually relax at 6, but I am not going to. I am going to go to the dominican salon once a week to wash my hair. My hair like yours craves water, so when it's close to wash time, but not a whole week, I put my hair up in a protective style so that I'm not touching it all day. I am going to try to go to at least 8 weeks, for me this mean over 1 inch of new growth. But I am taking this thing week by week, when I feel like I'm losing to much hair...I'll relax it. If I can make it past 8 weeks I will try good luck.
lisatamika said:I'm 4a/b and I relax about every 15 - 18 weeks. Before now, I did a lot of conditioner washes and just wore my hair in a wet bun while I was stretching to keep my new growth extra moist and soft to make it easy to deal with. I recently tried Kitchen_tician's blow drying technique and it worked WONDERS for me.
I washed and deep conditioned my hair and air dired with my leave-in and oil until my hair was about 95% dry. Then I took each small section and blew it dry with a round brush and high heat. I let it dry to 95% so I wouldn't have to run the brush through each section more than once before it was completely dry. My hair came out looking like I had flat ironed. While it's blow dried straight, I try not to use any water based products, mostly just a little oil on the ends at night. The smooth my edges in the wet bun, I use Worlds of Curls spray with either some kind of grease on my edges and my ends or Profectiv Healthy Ends creme.
Now, I think I gonna try the blow dry on Sundays, wear my hair straight until Wednesday and conditioner wash and bun from then until Sunday and see how that works.
HTH
I love your latest hair pic Lala - very beautiful!!lala said:I'm 4a and the longest that I can stretch w/o severe shedding is 13 wks. I have to shampoo condition more (2x/wk.) to keep the shedding down and I keep my hair moisturized.....As long as I comb/brush my new growth daily, I'm ok.....
Isis said:I love your latest hair pic Lala - very beautiful!!
As I think I mentioned in this thread, I too prefer not to go over 13 weeks although I'm 15 weeks + already (I've been too busy). I agree that moisture is the key.