After a 4 month stretch........

[ACEA]

.......I've decided never to do it again. I had my hair relaxed by a professional, using the same relaxer I've used for a while now and my hair fell out. The stylist blamed it on my stretch. She litterly pulled out three huge clumps of hair. My hair is already thin as it is. I usually relax somewhere between every 2 to 3 months with no problem. It took all I had not to break out in tears. Note to self, "stretching is not for me." Back to the drawing board. It seems like I can't get this hair loss to stop, no matter what I try. My next step will be to shave my head and go natural. Thanks Ladies, for allowing me to vent.

 

[RegaLady]

Aww it's okay! It sucks to find that what you are doing doesn't help any. But, you will find solutions. My hair is relaxed and thin, and I have balding spots, I may just give this natural thing a try. Best of luck to you!

 

[MissMeWithThatIsh]

I'M SORRY TO HEAR THAT MAMAS.

JUST FOR THE RECORD, I'M ASSUMIGN YOU WERE STRETCHING, DC'ING AND KEEPING YOUR PROTEIN AND MOISTURE BALANCE GOOD RIGHT?

 

[cieramichele]

Everything hapns for a reason.

 

[DDTexlaxed]

Aw heck naw! Sista was looking for a 911 beat down! That ***** did not treat your hair with TLC Of course she would blame the stretch and not herself. Sorry this happened to you.

 

[Dogmd]

:

I was just thinking about trying to stretch to 4 months today..(I am at 12 weeks currently) thanks for your post. You are definately right .... stretching is not right for everyone. I think I may add one week at a time to try to get to 4 months hmm.. not sure now. Why did your stylist think your breakage was from the stretching if you don't mind me asking? Was it difficult for her to apply the relaxer or did the relaxer burn your scalp?

 

[Tiffanyantt]

Sorry that you had to experience that. I had the same experience. Three months is the max for me.

 

[TLC1020]

If you meant never stretching again, I feel what you are saying . I usually stretch 3 months and I have problems everytime. I do protective styles, deep condition, moisturize and have problems. The most I will stretch is 8-9 weeks and that's not even stretching so be it. We live and we learn and now we know what not to do.

 

[prospurr4]

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this problem. I hope your hair recovers soon. Long stretches are not for everybody...me included! The longest I've ever stretched was 14 weeks (3-1/2 months), and I will never do that again. My ideal time to relax is every 8-10 weeks.

 

[Pamsc]

Im sorry this happened to you. Actually, that is why I decided to go natural. My relaxed hair was see through and only thickened up when it was time to relax. Well, back in Aug '07, I decided to try a lye relaxer after strectching for 14-16weeks.....my hair was like It was dry, thinned out, and one area was just gone. ( That's what I got for jumping on one of the many bandwagons out there) Finally, I decided after a few months w/o relaxing to cut it off and go natural. I b/c'd in November and will NEVER go back to relaxing. My hair is healthier than it's ever been.
Okay, so back to you( I got a little carried away). Basically, if you want to transition to natural you can rest assured that you will have the info from this site you need to be successful. Sorry I wasn't more help erplexed But I know others will have advice on helping you stay relaxed and acheive healthy hair.

 

[girlyprincess23]

that's what happened to me but to a lesser extent the left side of my head thinned a LOT though!!! yeah just remember everything's not for everybody people will tell you you didn't do something right but chances are it's just not for you...i've come to terms with the fact that one side and the ends will be thinner than the other until it grows out...what can you do?

 

[Traycee]

Sorry .....So Sorry.....I can't stretch either....Same thing happened to me before.....I don't stretch.....Will not stretch.....I relax every 6, 8 , 10 weeks depending on how much new growth....

Everything is not for everybody...

 

[ACEA]

I appreciate all your responses and support.

I'M SORRY TO HEAR THAT MAMAS.

JUST FOR THE RECORD, I'M ASSUMIGN YOU WERE STRETCHING, DC'ING AND KEEPING YOUR PROTEIN AND MOISTURE BALANCE GOOD RIGHT?

I did a protein and moisture treatment about half-way through (at 2 months) and another one about 2 weeks prior to the relaxer. As far as DC'ING, I suppose I could have done a little more. Perhaps what I did wasn't adequate.

 

[ACEA]

:

I was just thinking about trying to stretch to 4 months today..(I am at 12 weeks currently) thanks for your post. You are definately right .... stretching is not right for everyone. I think I may add one week at a time to try to get to 4 months hmm.. not sure now. Why did your stylist think your breakage was from the stretching if you don't mind me asking? Was it difficult for her to apply the relaxer or did the relaxer burn your scalp?

This was her reasoning. She said, "that hair normally sheds about 100 strands a day. The Combing process aids in this process." I responded, " are you suggesting I don't comb my hair?" She replied, "no, just that if you can't get comb down into the newgrowth and root, the hair is not properly shed. Now that the curls have lossened up, the hairs that should have been released over time gets shed all at once." I thought to myself, that's interesting. In other words, 120 days (4 months) X 100 hairs = 3 huge clumps of my already thin hair.

 

[tocktick]

i'm so sorry to hear about your hair . good luck on your transition to natural though. i know your hair will make a turn around with some tlc and patience .

 

[SimpleKomplexity]

.......I've decided never to do it again. I had my hair relaxed by a professional, using the same relaxer I've used for a while now and my hair fell out. The stylist blamed it on my stretch. She litterly pulled out three huge clumps of hair. My hair is already thin as it is. I usually relax somewhere between every 2 to 3 months with no problem. It took all I had not to break out in tears. Note to self, "stretching is not for me." Back to the drawing board. It seems like I can't get this hair loss to stop, no matter what I try. My next step will be to shave my head and go natural. Thanks Ladies, for allowing me to vent.

I haven't met a stylist yet who didn't believe that stretching relaxers made your hair fall out. Maybe that wasn't the case, Maybe she didn't show your hair the tlc that it needed! Who knows, just be careful next time!! Don't worry! It'll get better!!

 

[Everything Zen]

I haven't met a stylist yet who didn't believe that stretching relaxers made your hair fall out. Maybe that wasn't the case, Maybe she didn't show your hair the tlc that it needed! Who knows, just be careful next time!! Don't worry! It'll get better!!

FYI- Deneen in Chicago doesn't care about stretching. I just went to her last week after a 13.5 week stretch.

 

[Aggie]

When I started relaxing my hair, I used to relax it every 6-8 weeks with no real hair growth and after I got older, I started stretching longer and longer. I noticed that my hair got thicker and thicker the longer I stretched. so I kept doing it. But then again, I did a lot of protective styling and at the time I did not even know that's what it was called, that there was even a name for it. I did not learn what this was until I joined the hair boards in October 2007.

This time I'm stretching for 32 months. I will not be relaxing until July 2008 hopefully. I am wearing more protective styling again this time. I am aiming at full, thick and healthy MBL by December 2009. I will trim off all old thin ends until I accomplish the thickness I want - similar to Lavendar's hopefully. I do have fine hair strands so I may not get my hair as thick but I know for sure it will be really darn close.

 

[sharentu]

((((hugs)))) sorry you went thru this. right now i am transitioning and it will be a year at the end of may. i dont know if i will ever go back to chemicals. but i will say that just because a person is a professional doesnt mean they will treat your hair right. i have done 3 and 4 month stretches before and my beautician (who is also my cousin) never had any problems with perming my hair. so please dont get discouraged just baby your hair and stay focused your hair will grow back sis.

 

[Dayjoy]

I realize that stretching is not for everyone, and relaxers too, for that matter. But maybe I'm slow. If stretching makes your hair fall out (as opposed to breaking off), how? Naturals would all have bald spots. Our scalps shed an average amount of hair each day, but whether your strands are relaxed, touched up or not, the bulb sheds when it's time. The same amount of time goes by if you touch up or not-hence the same amount of hair. If it all comes out at once it is still the same, normal amount of hair you would have lost anyway. It sounds like an excuse or ploy to get you in more often to me.

 

[shunta]

I realize that stretching is not for everyone, and relaxers too, for that matter. But maybe I'm slow. If stretching makes your hair fall out (as opposed to breaking off), how? Naturals would all have bald spots. Our scalps shed an average amount of hair each day, but whether your strands are relaxed, touched up or not, the bulb sheds when it's time. The same amount of time goes by if you touch up or not-hence the same amount of hair. If it all comes out at once it is still the same, normal amount of hair you would have lost anyway. It sounds like an excuse or ploy to get you in more often to me.

Thats what Im thinking, too. OP, Im sorry this happened, but I really dont understand how stretching could make your fall out?? Im really confused. Somebody needs to break it down to me cuz Im totally lost as to how stretching can make your hair fall out.

 

[RubyWoo]

I realize that stretching is not for everyone, and relaxers too, for that matter. But maybe I'm slow. If stretching makes your hair fall out (as opposed to breaking off), how? Naturals would all have bald spots. Our scalps shed an average amount of hair each day, but whether your strands are relaxed, touched up or not, the bulb sheds when it's time. The same amount of time goes by if you touch up or not-hence the same amount of hair. If it all comes out at once it is still the same, normal amount of hair you would have lost anyway.

Girl, I was thinking the exact same thing. Huge c/s!

 

[janeemat]

I'm so sorry to hear that. The results of stretching is usually thicker, longer and healthier hair. Good Luck!

 

[gymfreak336]

Thats what Im thinking, too. OP, Im sorry this happened, but I really dont understand how stretching could make your fall out?? Im really confused. Somebody needs to break it down to me cuz Im totally lost as to how stretching can make your hair fall out.

Shoot me that memo when you get it

 

[shocol]

.......I've decided never to do it again. I had my hair relaxed by a professional, using the same relaxer I've used for a while now and my hair fell out. The stylist blamed it on my stretch. She litterly pulled out three huge clumps of hair. My hair is already thin as it is. I usually relax somewhere between every 2 to 3 months with no problem. It took all I had not to break out in tears. Note to self, "stretching is not for me." Back to the drawing board. It seems like I can't get this hair loss to stop, no matter what I try. My next step will be to shave my head and go natural. Thanks Ladies, for allowing me to vent.

Was this before or after she relaxed your hair?

 

[shocol]

This was her reasoning. She said, "that hair normally sheds about 100 strands a day. The Combing process aids in this process." I responded, " are you suggesting I don't comb my hair?" She replied, "no, just that if you can't get comb down into the newgrowth and root, the hair is not properly shed. Now that the curls have lossened up, the hairs that should have been released over time gets shed all at once." I thought to myself, that's interesting. In other words, 120 days (4 months) X 100 hairs = 3 huge clumps of my already thin hair.

When I was transistioning, the 4 month mark was when I started really having problems with my shed hair and tangling. The thing is, my tangling and matting were very visible, no mistaking it for anything else. So, how did she not see yours and still went ahead and applied a relaxer?

 

[smoothie696]

If you take extra care of your hair, you should not have any problems with stretching. Back in 2005 I developed alopecia areata and cut off my hair numerous times due to frustration. Now that I finally got a hold on my hair I have completly changed how I deal with it. I get my hair permed once every 6 months and have never had a problem. I find that it helps with not overlapping and making me more attentive to my hair. If you condition and keep your hair mositurized you shouldnt have a problem. I did notice that people tend to try and over perm the hair when they see that you have alot of new growth.

 

[Dayjoy]

If you take extra care of your hair, you should not have any problems with stretching. Back in 2005 I developed alopecia areata and cut off my hair numerous times due to frustration. Now that I finally got a hold on my hair I have completly changed how I deal with it. I get my hair permed once every 6 months and have never had a problem. I find that it helps with not overlapping and making me more attentive to my hair. If you condition and keep your hair mositurized you shouldnt have a problem. I did notice that people tend to try and over perm the hair when they see that you have alot of new growth.

The bolded could be why hair falls out post relaxer--the stylist may have over processed trying to make a point. I wonder if self relaxers have this same problem?

 

[skyborn09]

I agree stretching was not for me either I lost so much hair both times that I stretched. Some were for 12 weeks and then I had one 15 week stretch and after that I had enugh. I now stretch for 8-10 weeks.

 

[♦K.O♦]

I relax, on average, every 3.5 to 4 months and I have never lost any hair.

Is it possible that while stretching, you didnt comb/brush out all of the shed hair, and that the hair "loss" you saw was actually shed hair from the 4 month stretch?