First Time Stretching!!! NEED YALL HELP!

[TinkaBella]

Hello LHCF!

I need yall help, this is my first time stretching and I usually get a perm every four weeks. Every four weeks isn't working and I know I can go longer because I can still lay down my edges. I just have a few questions I would like to ask and any advice is good advice and will be taken into consideration.

1. How long do you recommend I wait, does it depend on new growth length?
2. Should I wash my hair more often since I'm stretching?
3. What kind of products will help with my stretching?
4. What are signs I should look for when my hair is telling me I need to get a perm?
5. What are some protective styles i can wear with neck length hair and does wrapping count as a protective style?
6. What will help best with detangling?
7. Should I get my ends trimmed when its time for me to get the perm?
8. How do you prepoo and cowash, does this help?
9. Does stretching really help?
10. What else do you recommend I should do?

I would like to thank you yall in advance for answering my questions and your suggestions!

 

[MiWay]

See my answers below:

Hello LHCF!

I need yall help, this is my first time stretching and I usually get a perm every four weeks. Every four weeks isn't working and I know I can go longer because I can still lay down my edges. I just have a few questions I would like to ask and any advice is good advice and will be taken into consideration.

1. How long do you recommend I wait, does it depend on new growth length? Since you are used to relaxing every 4 weeks, I think you may want to take it slowly and stretch to 6 weeks. Then you can try 8 weeks, and so on; you are going to have to learn how to handle the NG at 6 weeks before you can handle it at 8 weeks, 10 weeks, etc.
2. Should I wash my hair more often since I'm stretching? I washed my hair less often, but co-washed more often, so I didn't manipulate the NG too much and cause breakage at the line of demarcation. Everyone's hair is different, so you will have to pay close attention to what your hair wants/needs.
3. What kind of products will help with my stretching? I didn't really change my products, but I had to keep my hair moisturized. I did more co-washes. Conditioner was definitely my friend.
4. What are signs I should look for when my hair is telling me I need to get a perm? You can stretch until you go natural, so I don't know if/how your hair would tell you. I stretched for 6 months, and I'm sure my hair was screaming for some creamy crack, but I just kept it moving until I couldn't take it anymore (i.e. my hair got ridiculously unruly).
5. What are some protective styles i can wear with neck length hair and does wrapping count as a protective style? A twistout or braidout might work. I also wore weaves to get me thru, when I knew I would succumb to relaxing too soon. Maybe curlformers or flexirods.
6. What will help best with detangling? My Jilbere Shower Comb and only combing my hair while wet, really helped. Get a good leave-in and/or detangler. I think washing and conditioning in sections helps a lot too.
7. Should I get my ends trimmed when its time for me to get the perm? I'm not a fan of too many trims, so I only trim when I feel like my ends look bad. Stretching shouldn't affect your ends that much. Just keep babying them and they should be fine.
8. How do you prepoo and cowash, does this help? Co-washing kept my hair moisturized and helped minimalize breakage.
9. Does stretching really help? I'm on the fence with this one. My hair didn't seem any thicker, and I don't believe it grew any longer/faster than it would've if I stretched 2 months, 4 months, or 6 months. I guess it seemed like a lot of growth because I relaxed less often.
10. What else do you recommend I should do? Pay attention to your hair and what it needs. I don't recommend going back to relaxing every 4 weeks, but stretching is not for everyone. Stick with whatever you and your hair are comfortable with because if your hair is not happy, it will rebel!

I would like to thank you yall in advance for answering my questions and your suggestions!

 

[Lady Esquire]

1. How long do you recommend I wait, does it depend on new growth length? It depends on how long you can go. Check out Sylver2's fotki. She is the master at stretching. Her scarf method is so effective.
2. Should I wash my hair more often since I'm stretching? How often are you washing now? Once or twice a week is good for a newbie. Then you can guage from there.
3. What kind of products will help with my stretching? Girl so many. Read SistaSlick's articles...go to her fotki...she has great info for newbies. We have a support thread for relaxer stretchers.
4. What are signs I should look for when my hair is telling me I need to get a perm? If you can no longer maintain the two different textures (new growth and relaxed hair).
5. What are some protective styles i can wear with neck length hair and does wrapping count as a protective style? When I was NL, I washed twice a week, wrapped wet, airdried or sat under hooded dryer on medium, then curled with Caruso Steam Rollers (steam is healthy for the hair and can be used daily w/o damage).
6. What will help best with detangling? Parting the hair in small sections and dealing with each section separately. Putting conditioner or oil on dry hair before detangling. Combing gently with wide-tooth comb, from ends to roots, and not from root to ends.
7. Should I get my ends trimmed when its time for me to get the perm? Trim it when the ends are damaged or split.
8. How do you prepoo and cowash, does this help? I prepoo on dry hair, with heat is best. Or I prepoo the night before, overnight with a plastic cap. I cowash using a fave condish, put plastic cap on, bathe my body in the shower, then rinse. Sometimes I sit under the dryer.
9. Does stretching really help? Yep. It helps overlapping and overprocessing. It thickens the hair. It helps to recover from damage.
10. What else do you recommend I should do? Read the older threads. Use the search function. Theres TONS of info on this board. Go to the 'favorite threads' thread, to get you started.

 

[prospurr4]

1. How long do you recommend I wait, does it depend on new growth length? Since this is your first time, I recommend that you extend it a week at a time, until you feel you have stretched long enough.
2. Should I wash my hair more often since I'm stretching? I now stretch for 13 weeks, and I don't change anything. I wash weekly.
3. What kind of products will help with my stretching? I use the same products thoughout, whether I just got a fresh touchup or I'm 12 weeks post relaxer.
4. What are signs I should look for when my hair is telling me I need to get a perm? If your hair is getting too difficult for you to manage, ie excessive tangling/breakage or you are tired of the poofy roots, then I suggest you do the touchup.
5. What are some protective styles i can wear with neck length hair and does wrapping count as a protective style? I grew my hair from neck length to APL by wearing spiral sets constantly; I would redo the set once a week on washday. At your current length, wrapping may count as a protective style because your hair is protected from rubbing along your shoulders/clothing, which can cause breakage. I never wrap my hair because (for me) it's too much manipulation.
6. What will help best with detangling? While my hair is still dry, I always detangle my hair with my fingers first, from tip to root, then saturate my hair with conditioner, then detangle with my fingers again. I find that after I rinse out the conditioner, I can then easily detangle with my Jilbere de Paris shower comb.
7. Should I get my ends trimmed when its time for me to get the perm? I trim only as needed.
8. How do you prepoo and cowash, does this help? I never prepoo, and my weekly wash is basically a cowash.
9. Does stretching really help? OMG, yes! My hair is so much thicker since I've began stretching.
10. What else do you recommend I should do? Before getting the touchup, be sure to saturate your previously-relaxed ends with oil or conditioner to prevent overprocessing as the relaxer creme is rinsed out.

 

[TinkaBella]

Thank you ladies for your advice! This has helped me A LOT!!

 

[vestaluv1]

I'm going to tell you what I do/did that worked. I actually stretched for 10 months so maybe some of this will help.

1. How long do you recommend I wait, does it depend on new growth length? Stretching requires you paying special attention to your hair so if you think you can go for 8 weeks, I would try this. You will know if this is not working for you if your hair starts to break / shed excessively and at this point you can either opt to stop the stretch or do a treatment and take it from there. If 8 weeks goes well for your, then next time you can try 10 weeks, etc.
2. Should I wash my hair more often since I'm stretching? Personally, when I stretched, I did not wash my hair more often and kept it to once or twice a week. Just don't be rough with your hair when shampooing. I literally only rub shampoos/conditioners into the scalp and stretch it gently through the hair and don't really handle the hair that much.
3. What kind of products will help with my stretching? I kept harsh and drying chemicals in shampoos / conditioners to a minimum and used Aubrey Organics and Ayurvedic products for the most part. Also, I deep conditioned after every wash (which was twice a week usually), alterating between moisturising and protein conditioners. Keep your moisturing up.
4. What are signs I should look for when my hair is telling me I need to get a perm? I don't think any of us NEED a perm, but I know what you're saying. I stopped my transition when I could no longer handle the two textures without spending a whole day on my hair and I was tired of the excessive tangling.
5. What are some protective styles i can wear with neck length hair and does wrapping count as a protective style? Wigs, weaves, cornrows, braid extensions, twist outs, braid outs, and yes, I think wrapping would count.
6. What will help best with detangling? I found Aussie Miracle Leave in Conditioner (Jojoba Oil) was truly a miracle for detangling my hair. Even at its most unruly.
7. Should I get my ends trimmed when its time for me to get the perm? Not unless you really need to. Only if you have a lot of split/damaged ends. Otherwise, I suggest just dusting.
8. How do you prepoo and cowash, does this help? I do a hot oil or unheated oil massage before I go to bed, baggy and wrap my hair up. I use Vatika Oil, Brahmi Amla Oil or Bhringraj Oil. In the morning, I usually use my Ayurvedic powders to wash my hair with, then use conditioner and deep conditioner. If I'm cowashing only, I simply use it like shampoo. Leave the first load in for a few minutes to detangle my hair with a Jilbere comb, then use a second load of conditioner and rinse out.
9. Does stretching really help? I think it helped me alot. My hair became thicker and I retained more length that I have in my whole entire life.
10. What else do you recommend I should do? Especially, when you have a lot of new growth, gently finger detangle first, then use a shower comb on damp / wet hair. I actually only used a comb once every couple of weeks to minimise manipulation, but this does not work for everyone. Keep your hair wrapped/plaited at night, moisturise every day and seal with an oil of your choice. I like Vatika Oil, but you can use Coconut Oil, Almond Oil, Avocado Oil, Carrot Oil, Olive Oil, etc. Pay attention to the ends and demarcation line. Personally, I would keep direct heat down to a minimum also.