with two different texs u must handle your hair with kiddie gloves. You must do protein treatments to strenghten and no contact styles to avoid excessive breakage. I went 8 months with no relaxer and I experience very little breakage. When it was time for touch up I had to cut only 1/2 inch. You must be gentle with your ends, lots of members use vaseline on their ends, you can also use butters (avocado, mango, shea) and when you do notice extreme breakage opt for an extreme protein treatment like Aphogee to slow it down. If you use Aphogee read the instructions and follow to a T! Good luck!