Ok, Imma have to give on up

[KhandiB]

Either Im stretching or Im doing Minimum heat..

I cant do both for 6 more weeks

I mean Maybe I didnt put enough stuff in my hair last night or whatever, but my pony looked dry today ...

So What do you think Stretch or Minimum Heat (rollerset attempts)

 

[NYRICAN1]

I was using the cpr treatment on the website for 30 days and it works wonders and in between treatments I did cowashes and now I am on my 11th week postrelaxer and Sunday will be the 12th week. So touchup time

 

[dicapr]

I voted for stretching with minimum heat. I have been trying to stretch with no heat and my hair has become a chore and I am loosing too much hair and seeing breakage. It seems if I use some heat on my hair, rollar set or flat iron once a week , my hair stays moisturized for days and I have less breakage and tangles. My hair also looks better. I like stretching but I need heat. I think the indirect heat of a rollar set won't affect retention of length.

 

[amy1234]

I would choose minimum heat. Stretching would involve too much work for me dealing with the two textures and plus at touch-up time, you might underprocess because of all the new growth.

 

[crlsweetie912]

I voted both. I have done this twice in my hair journey and I am def. seeing results. Phony ponies and phony buns made the diff. for me. I also do rollersets with the mesh rollers and they get your newgrowth very straight. I would say start slowly and gradually go up to stretching with no direct heat!

 

[HoneyDew]

I couldn't stretch w/o some heat. Not happening. I would be manipulatinf my hair way to much.

Well, I think I could if i just wore my hair up everyday. I would also have to shampoo/condition every other day or more.

I could let it airdry with a creamy leave-in moisturizer like Profectiv Root Health and then just wear it up.

But, my hair is not long enough yet for that. But, KhandiB, you do have enough length to make it work though.

 

[KhandiB]

I voted both. I have done this twice in my hair journey and I am def. seeing results. Phony ponies and phony buns made the diff. for me. I also do rollersets with the mesh rollers and they get your new growth very straight. I would say start slowly and gradually go up to stretching with no direct heat!

My NG has a mind of its own… It never does what is asked of it

I would choose minimum heat. Stretching would involve too much work for me dealing with the two textures and plus at touch-up time, you might underprocess because of all the new growth.

That’s kinda of what Im thinking…

Im in such confusement

I voted for stretching with minimum heat. I have been trying to stretch with no heat and my hair has become a chore and I am loosing too much hair and seeing breakage. It seems if I use some heat on my hair, rollar set or flat iron once a week , my hair stays moisturized for days and I have less breakage and tangles. My hair also looks better. I like stretching but I need heat. I think the indirect heat of a rollar set won't affect retention of length.

If I knew how to do a bun, Id feel better about no heat, kinda, im just the kinda girl that loves her hair straight ..

I was using the cpr treatment on the website for 30 days and it works wonders and in between treatments I did cowashes and now I am on my 11th week postrelaxer and Sunday will be the 12th week. So touchup time

Did you wash?? And what did you use for your co-washes?

 

[crlsweetie912]

I don't do co-washes. I just go ahead and wash every two or three days. Then I roll back up. It's really just easier to wash than fool with the co-wash. Girl, get yourself one of the ready made buns or ponies and all you have to do is ponytail it up!

 

[KhandiB]

Hmmm.. Maybe I should experiment with some styles, I dont know if I have enough stuff though..

Imma try 2nite

I couldn't stretch w/o some heat. Not happening. I would be manipulatinf my hair way to much.

Well, I think I could if i just wore my hair up everyday. I would also have to shampoo/condition every other day or more.

I could let it airdry with a creamy leave-in moisturizer like Profectiv Root Health and then just wear it up.

But, my hair is not long enough yet for that. But, KhandiB, you do have enough length to make it work though.

 

[Zahrah]

I voted low heat. With rollersetting & a mild relaxer, my roots are sometimes still wavy so I use a flat iron on my roots only.

 

[KhandiB]

Yeah , uh, see I CANNOT do mild

I voted low heat. With rollersetting & a mild relaxer, my roots are sometimes still wavy so I use a flat iron on my roots only.

 

[brownsugarflyygirl]

So Im transitioning...so technically I am 1 year into a stretch and currently not using heat....

I think that you just have to rotate the styles you wear....the straight sleek styles after you get a touch up...braids, buns, twistouts, and curlier styles when its getting a little thick in there...I also airdry in 4 more ponytails to stretch out my naps...it works well for me

Also....using products that naturals use to manage their hair would be good because you are dealing with the same type of texture... HTH

 

[Aquamarie]

I voted for stretching with low heat. If you have a good heat protectant maybe it would help to just press your roots under a low heat, and leaving your ends alone or using a rollerset to curl them. HTH
I'm trying to be strong as well. I really want to put some heat on my hair because I have so much NG, and I'm not complaing, but I'll feelin a little rough and I'm not used to looking like this erplexed .

 

[Aquamarie]

Yeah , uh, see I CANNOT do mild

Girl I can't do mild either. I tried that with my last relaxer. So I'm stretching, using no heat, and my hair is UNDERPROCESSEDerplexed . Man I feel like I'm looking so rough, no wonder why I don't have a man . Just kidding.

 

[simplycee]

I recently revised my regimen to include touch ups at 10-12 weeks. I put myself on the NO BUN challenge and have been wearing rollersets and rollerwraps for the past to weeks. I'm using minimum heat with my soft bonnet ion dryer. Works so far.

 

[*ElleB]

I voted both. I have done a 7 month stretch with minimum heat.

BUNS, MOISTURE MOISTURE MOISTURE and MANGO BUTTER!

 

[senimoni]

I'm confused.....either you are stretching OR mininum heat?? I'd think if you stretch you might need some heat.

 

[KhandiB]

Im stretching AND doing Minimum heat..
Im asking which I should stick with cuz I cant do both..

I'm confused.....either you are stretching OR mininum heat?? I'd think if you stretch you might need some heat.

 

[senimoni]

Oh...well if you get 8-10 weeks...thats enough stretch to me. So I'd drop that iso the heat.

 

[LovelyLionessa]

I voted low heat. With rollersetting & a mild relaxer, my roots are sometimes still wavy so I use a flat iron on my roots only.

This is the same boat I'm in right now.

I voted for low heat.

 

[Synthia]

I think you should stick with the minimum heat and let the stretching go.

Relaxers are not a vicious as they used to be and you can protect old hair from overlap...and proteins can repair chemically damaged hair, etc.

Even if you use a heat protectant, you just can't completely stave off heat damage.

With regular relaxers, you could have smooth styles all that time: that means less tugging, manipulation, and perhaps no heat at all.

 

[KhandiB]

Oh I know, Im more just testing myself cuz I have failed all stretch attempts I have ever tried

I think you should stick with the minimum heat and let the stretching go.

Relaxers are not a vicious as they used to be and you can protect old hair from overlap...and proteins can repair chemically damaged hair, etc.

Even if you use a heat protectant, you just can't completely stave off heat damage.

With regular relaxers, you could have smooth styles all that time: that means less tugging, manipulation, and perhaps no heat at all.

 

[HighlyFavored1]

Stretching for me = about 9 weeks. I can't do the whole 4-6 months. I would suggest that you do frequent cowashes + minimum to no heat in the beginning when you don't have much new growth. And then weekly to twice weekly washes + rollersets once your hair becomes more difficult to handle.

 

[KhandiB]

Sounds like a good plan of action..

Stretching for me = about 9 weeks. I can't do the whole 4-6 months. I would suggest that you do frequent cowashes + minimum to no heat in the beginning when you don't have much new growth. And then weekly to twice weekly washes + rollersets once your hair becomes more difficult to handle.

 

[grow]

what about wrapping and scarf-ing it to get the ng flat?

i'm trying to strectch, too, so i'm new at it, but i did manage to go 10-11 weeks trying these things....

it takes time to work up to stretching, as i understand it...but you can get your hair straight without heat, which i think is gonna keep your hair healthier in the long run.

i hope you find what works and keep us posted.

 

[*KP*]

When I'm doing long stretches and my roots become too much to take, I do a super DC on my new growth. On dry hair, I apply my DC with a relaxer brush to my roots...just like a relaxer and cover it with saran wrap then a scarf and go to bed. I was and condition as normal in the morning and I have super soft roots.

I tend to do flexirod sets to disguise the roots and avoid using heat when I'm more than 8 weeks into a stretch.

ETA - if you MUST stick to only one, I'd stick to stretching and lightly flat iron the roots. If you are using way too much heat, you may as well just relax.

 

[Blairx0]

You know i am just going to come in here and say rollersetting, but rollersetting may be a good way to have the best of both worlds

 

[rawsilk]

I am an avowed roller-setting advocate. If new growth is an issue, use oils and leave-in lotions before setting lotion (e.g., Lottabody or Dryfast - my fav) to tame it. Also, make sure that you are using the sturdy mesh plastic rollers with grips -- the kind that keep NG taunt. (The smooth Magnetic rollers -- the kind that have a few round holes in them -- only work on straight hair -- whether it's relaxed or naturally straight. If you are trying to stretch and you use Magnetic rollers, you will hate rollersetting because "poof" is guaranteed, you will need to flat iron or, worse, round-brush/blowdry your roots and totally defeat the purpose of stretching and minimizing heat in the first place. That or you can sit under the dryer an additional 2 hours with saranwrap etc. -- I don't have the patience and never like the result.)) Also, Phytocyene serum seems to be making my NG come in smoother. Drinking a lot of water makes hair silkier and protein treatments, from my experience, make it "behave" better. I rollerset weekly, use a Denman brush to smooth back, apply oils, etc., put on a scarf (overnight or before shower) and my hairline/roots know exactly what to do -- ZERO poof. I may stop texlaxing altogether. Granted, my current challenge is to regain the fullness/thickness that years of weaving took out of my hair but I was thinking this the other day: if I had been doing what I am doing now when my hair was thick, I probably could have gone a whole year without getting touch-ups, or even transitioned and stayed completely natural and never picked up the flat iron. My hair is every texture imaginable - ranging from 3(b) (crown) to 4(b) (nape).

 

[halfindian]

Comb your hair in the shower.
Detangle in sections in the shower.
Detangle in sections braid it and let it air dry.
Use plenty of conditioner with slip to get comb through hair on wash days.
You do not ever want to manipulate when dry. Your new growth will then be tangled on each other unless your method to air dry involves stretching the new growth.
Avoid heat or don't stretch.
Remember the hair you heat up will form part of your length as more growth comes in.