need tips for streching out my relaxer!

[levette]

My last relaxer was March 2, however, it didn't take that well. I am tempted to relax again within the next week or so. I have a substanstial amount of newgrowth and my hair is shedding. What can I use on my hair to tame the newgrowth and to hopefully stretch out my relaxer at least to 8-10 weeks.

hair pics

 

[UmSumayyah]

Try the coconut milk/lime juice recipe, or the plain milk recipe. (see the "straighten hair the natural way" thread.)
Apply coconut oil to new growth when wet.
Also, one of our members reported a mild relaxing effect from avocado butter, I think, applied to dry hair.
HTH.
You could always just go into cornrows for a few weeks as well.

 

[Aisha]

I am currently wearing braids but what I have done to stretch(longest I normally go is 12-14 weeks) is one, rollerset with perm rods or rag rollers, this camaflouges my new growth and gets me another two weeks or hot oil treatment w/castor oil...the oil makes my new growth soft and pliable enough to press with a flat iron...I have 4a/b texture hair..hth..

 

[Tracy]

My best bet for extending is VERY frequent deep conditioning (3 times a week) and airdrying my hair in one braid. Then I wear it in a bun. It's the only way I extend my realxers when I have to. Otherwise, I get a RACK of breakage.

 

[levette]

@tracy

for me- i believing conditioning my hair 3 times a week would cause a lot of shedding. my hair is so fragile after i wash out and i tend to lose hair after handling it from a fresh shampoo. i am a true 4a/b type .

 

[LiqueXX]

I would recommend doing braid outs. I am a 4a/b in my 7th week and this is what I am doing. I love it because it's easy and it is hard to tell I have alot of new growth.

What I do is wash my hair 2 or 3 times a week, afterwards I oil and french braid my hair in two or three rows (from hairline to nap). The next day I simply undo the braids and style with my fingers.

 

[kitcat]

I ALSO HAVE 4A/B HAIR AND FOR THE FIRST TIME I WAS ALBE TO GO PAST 6 WEEKS W/O A RELAXER. I ACTUALLY MADE IT TO 16 WEEKS! I CONDITION WASHED WITH A LIGHT CONDITIONER(GIOVANNI SMOOTH AS SILK) AND USED AUBREY ORGANICS GPB CONDITONER, RINSE, THEN PUT GENEROUS AMOUNTS OF GIOVANNI DIRECT LEAVE IN CONDITIONER(GREAT DETANGLE). I WAS DOING ROLLERSETS BUT I STARTED TO HAVE SO MUCH KINK THAT I HAD TO DO BRAIDOUTS TO DISGUISE IT LIKE LIQUEXX DID. TO KEEP IT XTRA MOISTURIZED I RUB "SOME OF MARGUERITE'S MAGIC" BY CAROL'S DAUGHTER IN MY HAIR AND AROUND MY NAPPY HAIR LINE TO MAKE IT LAY FLAT DAILY. (THE CONDITIONERS ARE SOLD AT THE VITAMIN SHOPPE OR A NATURAL FOODS STORE.--KITCAT

 

[sexycaramel03]

I am 15 weeks post relaxer and some things that have helped me to make it this far w/out minimal breakage are:

Braids...I got individuals at my 8th week post relaxer mark. I kept them in for 4 weeks which put me at 12 weeks post relaxer.

Before and after the braids I tamed my new growth by doing:

--- bi-weekly washings (one shampoo, the other conditioner wash)

--- Putting hair in bun after washing and not messing with it, except to freshen it up every couple of days

--- Sta-Sof-Fro

--- Phony Pony

Just basically wearing it in low maintenance styles so I won't have to deal with my hair everyday. Now I have a ceramic flat iron so that's helped me out too.

 

[fine_beauty]

[ QUOTE ]
levette said:
@tracy

for me- i believing conditioning my hair 3 times a week would cause a lot of shedding. my hair is so fragile after i wash out and i tend to lose hair after handling it from a fresh shampoo. i am a true 4a/b type .

[/ QUOTE ]
I shed a lot too but less manipulation with the 2ice a week washing and heavy duty protein treatment once a week helps strengthen my hair.
It's less of an S.O.S now

 

[brwnskingirl]

Your best bet...throw some cornrow braids in there. these will last at least four weeks. I got a relaxer on feb 13th and mine didnt take either. I was tempted so I put braids in. I havent had a relaxer since then.
Another thing that I do...I twist my hair and let it air dry and then finger it out. this still doesnt beat the braids though. I usually dont like to see my hair when I need a relaxer so I just put it up in braids. I have another two to three wks to go and then I will get a nice fresh relaxer.

 

[Lee]

Conditoner washes and or rinse every three days with a moistuzing conditioner. I'm in my 10th week of relaxer and my hair is doing fine.

 

[Patrice]

I would definitly try cornrows to kill a week or so, I was at my 10th week in March and the cornrows helped me wait another two weeks while I used Surge revitalizer 14 spray, hope that helped and good luck

 

[levette]

I would do the cornrolls, however, due to my job- i don't think it would be appropriate not until school finishes. Plus my husband dislikes braids. But this summer when school is out, I plan to get some braids or go back to my phonytail. I know this may sound like selling out, but my principal is lily white and notices everything. I remember when I wore a phonytail to work. He looked at me strange and said, "your hair sure looks different today." - in other words- ghettofabulous (I live in the deep south- white ignorance tends to run rampant down here). I may try to do the conditioner washes 2x a week to see if it will extend my relaxer.