How do I STRETCH relaxers and do my own hair?

[BeatriceFly]

Im learning that as a relaxed woman, stretching is great for your hair, and if im going to be stretchng i need to be doing my own hair as well

So how do I even go about doing this?
What products do I need to do this?

 

[tniccoleh]

From reading alot of other threads, I believe the main thing you need is a good water based moisturerized to help keep the new growth soft...

 

[loveable37]

I am tryin to strengh to SEPT 14 my birthday currently 12 weeks

 

[ALWAYZL8]

Keep doing your twistouts with a good moisturizer!!

 

[DivaRox]

Are you wearing any braids or anything? That's the only way I've been able to stretch(I've only done it once before-I'm on my second stretch now)

 

[tryingto]

A good moisturizer, and for me I co wash a lot, as I get into 10 weeks or more it keeps my newgrowth soft, I also wear protective styles a lot doing that time, I stretch 14-22 depending on the growth, my hair grows slow, also be gentle with your hair, hth

 

[BeatriceFly]

anyone else?
specific products?

 

[glamazon386]

anyone else?
specific products?

When I was relaxed I stretched for a while. I just wore low manipulation styles.

 

[ALWAYZL8]

WGHO makes my new growth soft and manageable. I use it when rollersetting after it dries. I would also suggest a good detangler.

 

[Maa Maa omo mti]

There is plenty of resources in on this site for you. It seems like your are kind of worrying yourself for nothing. If you relax (I'm assuming your not yet) just do the search on relaxed hair, or texlexed hair. The information some have provided you so far are good.

Keep manipulation to a min., stay away from heat, find a moisturizer, I use S-curl, and condition as much as possible.

You will be ok.

 

[SerenityBreeze]

It's important to keep your hair moisturized while stretching. Weekly deep conditioners can help keep your newgrowth softer and more manageble in addition to helping the over all condition of your hair. My favorite deep conditioner is Aveda Damage Remedy Treatment. While I admit it is pricey, It works very well.

You also want to keep your ends moisturized. I personally like to use Elasta QP Mango butter on my ends every morning. There are some that may find this a bit heavy, but I feel it really gets the job done.

I found that putting more emphasis on the health of my hair with airdrying vs focusing on the straightness/smoothness is obtained from heat has really helped my hair to thrive.

Using Caruso Steam Rollers has worked miracles as a substitution for direct heat. I have also found that the steam set gives a beautiful shine.

For the most part, you want to avoid as much manupliation as possible from combing, brushing, etc. Fingercombing works well.

If you have not mastered air-drying (there is a process to do it. Letting it dry from a dripping wet state, applying moisturizer when 50% dry, sealing with oil when 75% dry) then try rollersetting (there are great posts on how-to on the site) and pin curling at night.

Hope this helps.
Bests

 

[BeatriceFly]

It's important to keep your hair moisturized while stretching. Weekly deep conditioners can help keep your newgrowth softer and more manageble in addition to helping the over all condition of your hair. My favorite deep conditioner is Aveda Damage Remedy Treatment. While I admit it is pricey, It works very well.

You also want to keep your ends moisturized. I personally like to use Elasta QP Mango butter on my ends every morning. There are some that may find this a bit heavy, but I feel it really gets the job done.

I found that putting more emphasis on the health of my hair with airdrying vs focusing on the straightness/smoothness is obtained from heat has really helped my hair to thrive.

Using Caruso Steam Rollers has worked miracles as a substitution for direct heat. I have also found that the steam set gives a beautiful shine.

For the most part, you want to avoid as much manupliation as possible from combing, brushing, etc. Fingercombing works well.

If you have not mastered air-drying (there is a process to do it. Letting it dry from a dripping wet state, applying moisturizer when 50% dry, sealing with oil when 75% dry) then try rollersetting (there are great posts on how-to on the site) and pin curling at night.

Hope this helps.
Bests

helps alot thanks

 

[Energist]

Well I'm going on my 12th week (3 months) and it's not as hellish as I'd expect and I think I owe it all to being here on this board! I usually relax after 8 weeks right away lol.

Anyways, I've found that keeping my scalp moisturized as well as ends moisturized and protected have been very helpful. Rollersetting has been very good for my ends as well and then I flat iron (with a ceramic) after I take the rollerset out! I slightly touch the roots with the flat iron, not too much because I don't want to mess with the newgrowth too much! Anyways that's what I've been doing

Also, as for my edges, I will either wear my bun with my hair split down the middle to cover my new growth around the edges, 2 pigtails, or wear a silk scarf. They have the fancy ones now, where you can wear your hear in a very nice updo, while covering the newgrowth. Here is an example of a girl on Ebay whose scarves I love This style is very trendy and great to do while stretching!

 

[morehairplease]

Well I'm going on my 12th week (3 months) and it's not as hellish as I'd expect and I think I owe it all to being here on this board! I usually relax after 8 weeks right away lol.

Anyways, I've found that keeping my scalp moisturized as well as ends moisturized and protected have been very helpful. Rollersetting has been very good for my ends as well and then I flat iron (with a ceramic) after I take the rollerset out! I slightly touch the roots with the flat iron, not too much because I don't want to mess with the newgrowth too much! Anyways that's what I've been doing

Also, as for my edges, I will either wear my bun with my hair split down the middle to cover my new growth around the edges, 2 pigtails, or wear a silk scarf. They have the fancy ones now, where you can wear your hear in a very nice updo, while covering the newgrowth. Here is an example of a girl on Ebay whose scarves I love This style is very trendy and great to do while stretching!

Energist those scarves are so cute! do you mind sharing the ebay seller's info with me?

thanks in advance,
tishee

 

[Energist]

Yes, her name is Mixbaby on Ebay. Just go to community and type in that username and her store will pop up. I haven't bought any of her scarves yet (I'm being cheap and thinking of making my own ), but I think she has a great idea with the creative patterns along with comfortable elastics in the back.

 

[asubeauty]

I'm doing the scarves, too!!! I just bun or rollerset.

 

[morehairplease]

Yes, her name is Mixbaby on Ebay. Just go to community and type in that username and her store will pop up. I haven't bought any of her scarves yet (I'm being cheap and thinking of making my own ), but I think she has a great idea with the creative patterns along with comfortable elastics in the back.

thanks so much Energist! Off to place an order.

 

[Lady Esquire]

prepooing - w/a variation of oil, condish, honey, coconut milk. sometimes i sit under a dryer for about 10-20 mins. if not, then i lounge around for about 40 mins to an hour.

weekly deep conditioning - with a moisture-based condish, sit under dryer for 30 mins to penetrate hair shaft

co-wash- during the mid-week to hydrate hair and soften new growth

henna - helps condition, fortify strands and loosen curl pattern

baggy - the entire head with a shower cap to bed, helps keep new growth soft.

moisturize - keep hair moisturized and sealed w/an oil

rollerset - to straighten new growth

 

[pinkcar2222]

I wanted to get more info on this as well. I am also learning how to take care of and achieve healthy hair. I wear my hair in falls or wigs at this point and am trying to stretch. But for the life of me I don't know how to do rollersets or braids. I tried both and since my hair is short ( at ear length ) it just didn't and doesn't work. Also even though my hair is relaxed .. it doesn't have that silky look to it... it looks like i have a straight hair but it's still looks afro like and has that relaxer brownish color to it. How do i get that silky look that u all have but not use heat and can't do the rollersets?

I am a lost cause huh ......

 

[Galleta]

bump for more replies

 

[SleekandBouncy]

- A good detangling shampoo. Use this after the heavy growth kicks in.
- A slip providing conditioner - MINIMIZING TANGLES IS IMPERATIVE
- A water based/creamy moisturizer - Don't over apply. The tendancy with lots of new growht is to use heavy or excessive amounts of product.
- A softening oil - When I stretched I got the best results when I used Kemi Oyl (sweet smelling) or Wild growth oil (it stinks, but gives shiny super soft hair). I would apply a little bit of the oil to my new growth and it softened and straightened my hair really well. I've heard Amla oil gives similar results.
- A wide tooth comb
- Magnetic rollers - If you plan to wear your hair straight then rollersets give the best/longest results, IME. Flat ironing only resulted in my hair reverting shortly after also I didn't like the direct heat.
- The last time I stretched I finally gave up wearing my hair in any wash n set or straight style. The straight styles put too much stress on my strands and the wash n' set caused major tangles. I did either protective styles or twist outs which allow the hair to dry in a more organized pattern then just a scrunch n' go style.

Lastly, everyone has their cut off point. Not everyone can/should stretch 6 months, for some it might be 4 months or 3. If you get to a point where you've tried everything recommended, but the breakage or shedding results in more hair loss then you're gaining it then becomes counterproductive and is best to stretch for a shorter period.

 

[Christa438]

Thanks for posting this thread Ebony! I had wanted some stretching help too but I had gotten loads of information just from reading various threads. I think there are support thread had some helpful links too. But I found that many I visited talked about which perms are being used. I, like you, wanted to know more about good regimens and products for relaxers/texlaxers who stretch.

Ebony, I can tell you that I co-wash daily with moisturizing conditioners and I use protein once a week. The co-washes are helping me to control my new growth and my hair. My protective styles are wigs and half-wigs which i love and think are very convenient and not too much hassle. After I CW, I put on my leave-in, then I detangle my hair. I must detangle daily or every other day for things to go smoothly. Personally, I don't think Im losing hair besides what is naturally shed, if I don't detangle like that I will start losing hair from knots and tangles. After the CW + leave-in + detangling, I apply BB oil moisturizer and then I seal with oil. I do this every day. I use mainly MNT products also. Im now at 6 weeks post going for 6 more weeks. So far every thing is going great and my hair length is SL, but I've been warned to start watching for trouble around the 8-10 week mark. Hopefully I'll get past the 8-10 week post stage with things continuing to go smoothly.

Hopefully more of the veteran stretchers will come in here with regimens and products!

Edit: I just did a search and found this thread "Relaxer Stretchers Support Thread" I think it will be helpful too.

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=118195&highlight=stretching

 

[locabouthair]

- A good detangling shampoo. Use this after the heavy growth kicks in.
- A slip providing conditioner - MINIMIZING TANGLES IS IMPERATIVE
- A water based/creamy moisturizer - Don't over apply. The tendancy with lots of new growht is to use heavy or excessive amounts of product.
- A softening oil - When I stretched I got the best results when I used Kemi Oyl (sweet smelling) or Wild growth oil (it stinks, but gives shiny super soft hair). I would apply a little bit of the oil to my new growth and it softened and straightened my hair really well. I've heard Amla oil gives similar results.
- A wide tooth comb
- Magnetic rollers - If you plan to wear your hair straight then rollersets give the best/longest results, IME. Flat ironing only resulted in my hair reverting shortly after also I didn't like the direct heat.
- The last time I stretched I finally gave up wearing my hair in any wash n set or straight style. The straight styles put too much stress on my strands and the wash n' set caused major tangles. I did either protective styles or twist outs which allow the hair to dry in a more organized pattern then just a scrunch n' go style.

Lastly, everyone has their cut off point. Not everyone can/should stretch 6 months, for some it might be 4 months or 3. If you get to a point where you've tried everything recommended, but the breakage or shedding results in more hair loss then you're gaining it then becomes counterproductive and is best to stretch for a shorter period.

to the bolded: CON Shampoo is great for reducing tangles and Motions Moisture Plus Conditioner is GREAT for tangles also. Both of these gives mad slip and youre hands will glide through your hair.

I agree with everything else she said.

And s curl moisturizer works great on softening the new growth.

 

[pinkcar2222]

I have the S curl and am using that for my new growth and i also use WGO and/or CASTOR OIL for my new growth. I co-wash my hair every few days and poo and condish once a week alternating from protein - moisture. I tried the baggy method and liked it at first have backed down on that a bit. I can't do the rollerset, i've tried doing it a few times but my hair is just too short and it didin't hold well on the rollers. My hair always has a poofy look to it. I want the silky relaxed look but i can never achieve it.... maybe i need to use heat. If someone wants to take a look at my broke down fotki and offer suggestions i would appreciate it. I'm really struggling w/ my hair.

http://public.fotki.com/pinkcar2222/the-awful-beginning/
( the pics aren't that good )

 

[pinkcar2222]

just bumpin for replys