Is there anyone that can NOT stretch?

[fattyfatfat]

I hope this isnt a repeat topic but...

Is there anyone that can not stretch? I can not stretch my relaxers at all. After 2 or 3 weeks my hair is crying for a touch up. It looks so bad after a while. Ive been trying to stretch but...I just cant do it. Anyone else?

 

[dreysonsmommy2011]

Are you relaxing your hair every 3 weeks ? How far are you trying to stretch too? Start with a small stretch first and then ease your way into long stretches

 

[Much2much41]

I don't think I can go more than 7 weeks. My hair just won't tolerate it. I can't keep enough moisture in it to prevent breakage

 

[caribeandiva]

the longest i can go is 8 weeks. i can't go any longer cause my scalp starts itching badly and i shed a lot more hair.

 

[victorious]

danithefatty,

How much growth are you getting at 2-3 weeks? Are you sure your hair isn't underprocessed?

--------

the longest i can go is 8 weeks. i can't go any longer cause my scalp starts itching badly and i shed a lot more hair.

8 weeks for me too. I relax at least an inch of new growth bi-monthly. I don't get the itchies, but my hair sheds more or breaks at the demarcation line when I tried stretching.

I tried wearing weaves at 6-8 weeks post. But my hair is too fine, and I got breakage. Maybe I needed a heavier moisturizer for my hair. I don't know. But I don't want to risk breakage again.

 

[jadestar]

I choose not to stretch. I relax about every 5 or 6 weeks.

 

[vaqtea]

I cant stretch and I dont!

Stretching is not for everyone!

Listen to your hair it knows what it likes

 

[ariesluv]

2 to 3 weeks !

WHAT ?

 

[simcha]

I relax every 7 weeks (in the summer it's more like 6 weeks)...any longer than that my scalp itches and I get more breakage (demarcation line) and shedding...

 

[miracle]

I can only stretch to 8-10 weeks. My hair starts to break & shed terribly if I wait longer than 10 weeks.

I can't imagine relaxing every two weeks, though. My hair would run away from my scalp out of sheer fright.

 

[HighlyFavored1]

I hope this isnt a repeat topic but...

Is there anyone that can not stretch? I can not stretch my relaxers at all. After 2 or 3 weeks my hair is crying for a touch up. It looks so bad after a while. Ive been trying to stretch but...I just cant do it. Anyone else?

Maybe some of the ladies here with similar experiences can help...What are the signs that your hair is crying for a touchup? Is it suddenly very dry, is your growth very fast and unmanegable, is it tangling or breaking or shedding?

 

[karezone]

12 weeks is my maximum, and that is with very little combing. My scalp does not see a comb past 10 weeks.

 

[Mizani_Mrs]

So is your hair growing this fast, or is your hair reverting? If you are using a no lye relaxer then there is a good chance that your hair is reverting. Well in any case...To help deal with newgrowth while stretching...i HUGELY suggest blowing out your roots so that they aren't hard to deal with. If you hold them taught and blow them out then they'll be soft and somewhat straight and very easy to comb thru. I wouldnt be able to (nor be interested in) stretch if i didnt do this...

 

[fattyfatfat]

Maybe some of the ladies here with similar experiences can help...What are the signs that your hair is crying for a touchup? Is it suddenly very dry, is your growth very fast and unmanegable, is it tangling or breaking or shedding?

After about 2 or 3 weeks of getting a relaxer, I have less than an inch of new growth but....my hair just gets so puffy and dry! I cant stretch because my hair looks a mess. Ill wash and moisturize to keep it down but, my hair hates me. I know some people who can go for months but, not me. Im keep trying to stretch, but sometimes breakage and shedding occurs .

 

[beyondcute]

Dani I dont relax at all but it will be a miracle if your hair actually thrives with you relaxing it this much. You need to atleast find a way to go the 8 weeks the relaxer manufacturers suggest. Or maybe try switching your relaxer...

 

[fattyfatfat]

Dani I dont relax at all but it will be a miracle if your hair actually thrives with you relaxing it this much. You need to atleast find a way to go the 8 weeks the relaxer manufacturers suggest. Or maybe try switching your relaxer...

Im going to try and stretch for at least 4 weeks. Ill also try switching my relaxer. but since ive started relaxing (even every 2 or 3 weeks) I havent had much breakage or shedding.

 

[Tee]

What relaxer are you using?? 2 - 3 seems like it should be to harsh on your hair. I would suggest trying to take it a few weeks further every time you relax. Slowly increase until you get to a spot that is good for you and your hair.

Also, try not to manipulate your new growth to much. How fast is your hair growing?

I am not a major stretcher myself. I take it slowly and gradually increase. My first stretch (this is a stretch for me now) was 9 or 10 weeks. This time I am working on 10-12 weeks. I don't ever plan to go anymore than 12-14 weeks.

 

[fattyfatfat]

What relaxer are you using?? 2 - 3 seems like it should be to harsh on your hair. I would suggest trying to take it a few weeks further every time you relax. Slowly increase until you get to a spot that is good for you and your hair.

Also, try not to manipulate your new growth to much. How fast is your hair growing?

I am not a major stretcher myself. I take it slowly and gradually increase. My first stretch (this is a stretch for me now) was 9 or 10 weeks. This time I am working on 10-12 weeks. I don't ever plan to go anymore than 12-14 weeks.

Since im trying a new method (no grease or oil...just washing once a week), my hair is at least 3/4 of an inch in some places. I want to get braids in so I can stay out of my hair but my edges and weaves do not get along . I think I relax a lot because my hair gets really puffy after a while. Ill just try to moisturize it more. Ill see if I can wait until October to relax again. Fingers crossed!

 

[Tee]

Since im trying a new method (no grease or oil...just washing once a week), my hair is at least 3/4 of an inch in some places. I want to get braids in so I can stay out of my hair but my edges and weaves do not get along . I think I relax a lot because my hair gets really puffy after a while. Ill just try to moisturize it more. Ill see if I can wait until October to relax again. Fingers crossed!

I think you can do it. Let me know how long you make it. Moisturizing is key for me too. I think I am at 8 weeks now. Before my LHCF days I would be beating the door down to the beauty shop. The surge is really helping my edges come back so I dont want to relax until i get a little more hair on the sides. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

 

[fattyfatfat]

I think you can do it. Let me know how long you make it. Moisturizing is key for me too. I think I am at 8 weeks now. Before my LHCF days I would be beating the door down to the beauty shop. The surge is really helping my edges come back so I dont want to relax until i get a little more hair on the sides. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Really? Surge and my hair didnt get along. I think my hair has its own agenda. I havent been putting anything in it and it his growing so much faster than ever before. Ill let you know how long I can wait until I relax again.

 

[peacelove]

Stretching has never worked for me, overall. My last stylist had a problem with me going over 8 weeks. She started relaxing me more... My new stylist says that eventually she will probably do 3 months with me. But right now I am growing out my front and I have breakage. So that will NOT work. 7 weeks the most. We will see later down the line.

 

[Crackers Phinn]

After about 2 or 3 weeks of getting a relaxer, I have less than an inch of new growth but....my hair just gets so puffy and dry! I cant stretch because my hair looks a mess. Ill wash and moisturize to keep it down but, my hair hates me. I know some people who can go for months but, not me. Im keep trying to stretch, but sometimes breakage and shedding occurs .

What is your regimen? How many products are you using and do you clarify? How often are you using heat?

If you keep relaxing 1-2 times a month, you're going to be bald. There has to be something, likely buildup/overlapping or something that is causing your breakage that can be changed.

 

[kammie]

I hope this isnt a repeat topic but...

Is there anyone that can not stretch? I can not stretch my relaxers at all. After 2 or 3 weeks my hair is crying for a touch up. It looks so bad after a while. Ive been trying to stretch but...I just cant do it. Anyone else?

I used to believe this too; I relaxed every 3-4 weeks because of uncontrollable new growth. I once relaxed at 2 weeks because I was going out of town and didn't think I could handle it.

It is not your relaxer--something is wrong with your regimen. How often do you wash, condition, and moisturize, and what are you using to do these things? How are you styling your hair every day? Do you wear a satin scarf to bed or sleep with a satin pillowcase?

I had to ask myself these questions after a quarter of my hair fell out and I found the boards. What worked for me is a modified Cathy Howse method--washing or co-washing at least every 3 days, using more water-based moisturizers with oil-based to seal, eliminating daily heat, getting a 5 dollar pillowcase from Sally's for when my scarf came off night.

I think I saw the biggest change with my new growth when I started using a water-based moisturizer at night--I had never done this before. I put it on and roll it, wrap it, or ponytail it up, put my scarf on and go to bed. I still moisturize in the morning, but lately all I have needed is serum.

My solutions may not work for you, but you do need to find out what you are doing wrong. Since I've changed my regimen, I don't even see new growth until week 5 or 6. I KNOW my hair isn't growing any slower--it's all in the hair care.

I hope this helps.

 

[DDTexlaxed]

My hair was unstretchable at 3 weeks when I was doing the stinky challenge- sulfur8/glover's mane mix/Surge/MTG- And I was getting 2" per month. This growth was new to me and I was under the old mindset to relax every 4 weeks. What I think was the problem was my relaxer. It is the same I use to texlax and it does not get my hair strait. Perhaps u need to change the brand you use and also use a glycerin based moisturizer like S curl. If U airdry, why not try some 2 strand twists or braid outs? This is advice that I got from some ladies on the board. I hope it helps you, too. If all else fails, u can always get some braids for a few weeks and add some more growth, right.

 

[fattyfatfat]

Thanks for all the replys and suggestions ladies!

The relaxer I use is optimum. Probably not the best but its one of the better ones that walmart has. My college is in a small white town so...no BSS's are here .

before I relaxed my hair would come out all the time. lots of shedding and breakage. since I relaxed in late june, it doesnt break or shed as much. Since June Ive had 3 relaxers (one didnt take too good because I did it myself and it was my first time).

I have stopped using grease and oil because my scalp never absorbed it. No matter how I rubbed it in or how little I used, I could put it in on a Monday and by Saturday my hair would be so oily! Since I stopped using grease and oil, my hair as really been growing a lot better. I wash everyweek with aphogee and moisterize it with humectress to make up for the lack of oil/grease.

I was thinking about getting braids, extensions or a sew-in, but my hair hates those too! Especially with my edges. They are just starting to grow in well.

My hair needs therapy.

 

[shunta]

Yep, I will have to agree with most of the ladies here. 8-9 weeks and thats it for me. I wish I could go longer but my hair says hell no!

 

[MizaniMami]

Im going to try and stretch for at least 4 weeks. Ill also try switching my relaxer. but since ive started relaxing (even every 2 or 3 weeks) I havent had much breakage or shedding.

I see that you were natural for a while? Why don't you apply some of your natural techniques that you used to use on your hair to tame your hair. Obviously you are not getting that much growth to relax, it sounds like you are underprocessed/texlaxed.

Next time leave the relaxer in longer.

 

[fattyfatfat]

I see that you were natural for a while? Why don't you apply some of your natural techniques that you used to use on your hair to tame your hair. Obviously you are not getting that much growth to relax, it sounds like you are underprocessed/texlaxed.

Next time leave the relaxer in longer.

yes! i will do that. i think ill get a good sew in for a while. that should work out (hopefully).

 

[Tee]

Really? Surge and my hair didnt get along. I think my hair has its own agenda. I havent been putting anything in it and it his growing so much faster than ever before. Ill let you know how long I can wait until I relax again.

I only use it on the edges that seem to be a little thin. I will not put it all over my hair because of the horror stories I have heard on here. It's doing good and filling in my edges. I just have to put moisture on them after the surge.

 

[simcha]

I used to use Humectress to moisturize but realized it was actually making my hair dry. I think it's the mineral oil in it. My hair doesn't do well with mineral oil, grease, lanolin etc...

I used L'Oreal's Natures Therapy Mega Moisture Conditioner for a couple of years with occasional deep protein treatments and noticed after a while that my hair had gotten too soft.

About eight months ago I jumped on the Mane n' Tail bandwagon and my hair loves it! I use the moisturing conditioner (the original one makes my hair feel a little dry) for twenty minutes with heat, rinse it out and put glycerin on my wet hair before I roller set it under a dryer. My breakage/shedding is practically nil, except when it is close to touch-up time (6-7 weeks) and my hair feels great.

I wash my hair twice a week...after three or four days my hair begins to feel a little dry. (water is the best moisturizer)

So you might try eliminating the Humectress? I've used Aphogee but it too made my hair dry and it seemed I had to re-wash my hair with something else after using it...

Hope that helps...