Do you stretch relaxers to ATTAIN growth, RETAIN growth, or Both?

[brownsugarflyygirl]

I'm natural and its been 4 years since my last relaxer but I am just curious about what goals people hope to achieve from stretching

 

[Poranges]

Well stretching my relaxers 12-16 weeks has made my hair so thick its unbelievable, also I love to see the length of my hair after I relax and all the shrinkage is gone, its amazing!!! Overall its just very healthy for my hair. I went from barely EL to FULL NL over a 4 month stretch.

 

[kandake]

I've been stretching relaxers for 12weeks since last August. I figure the less often I relax, the less often I subject my hair to chemicals. Even though the relaxer is applied to new growth, there's still overlap regardless - whether its by accident or from the runoff when you're rinsing it out.

ETA: I guess I didn't really answer the question. For me its about retention. Your hair is going to grow no matter how often you stretch.

 

[HoneyDew]

Stretching is more so for retaining and subjecting oneself to less chemicals.

Attaining? nah, that's not why.

 

[CAPlush]

I agree with Honeydew. It's to keep general chemical exposure to a minimum. The less often you use chemicals, the less likely you are to damage/overprocess your hair.

 

[LushLox]

It's retention, most definitely. My hair feels more healthy too, more thicker.

 

[prospurr4]

I stretch my relaxers to 13/14 weeks, coupled with texlaxing, so that I can retain the healthiest and thickest length possible.

 

[~NanCeBoTwin~]

I'm stretching for health, thickening and so I my stylist can stop complaining when I come in every 9-10 weeks. She's always said she'd be happy to see me go 14 weeks but would be ecstatic if I went longer....This is my first stretch and it is going quiet well...I can't wait for my next relaxer.

 

[HoneyA]

Stretching has really thickened my hair up. I typically stretch 12-16 weeks but I'm going for 20, possibly 28 this time. I love the surprise length at the end!

 

[audacity.]

none of the above.

i stretch b/c i like to "stretch" my money and i don't need to relax my hair at the first "bump" of new growth

i relax 1-2 times per year.

 

[Toy]

Retention all the way

 

[Ivy Santolina]

I'm stretching to retain length. I agree with the other posters who say they want to minimize their exposure to the chemicals and runoff onto the previously processed hair. I'm currently stretching for 24 weeks. Normally, I stretch for 12 weeks. So far, with every thing I've learned here on LHCF my NG is very manageable. I have minimal breakage. Years ago when I bonelaxed my hair I couldn't go more than 8 weeks.

OT: OP your hair in your siggie is beautiful. I thought you were relaxed. How did you get your hair so straight and silky?

 

[longhairlover]

I stretch for growth, when i'm unemployed and really don't need my hair to be super straight, and when I have nothing better to do (most of the time I have nothing better to do).

My hair grows either way but I think I see more growth when I stretch.

 

[lexielex]

I stretch to retain, I have definately seen a thickness since I started. HTH

 

[MizzCoco]

I re-discovered stretching because my hair is thicker and healthier when I do. I just needed to figure out how to do it without breakage. So i do it to retain my growth.