Please remind me why I'm stretching...

[ShiShiPooPoo]

I am on my 12th week and I sometimes wonder why I am doing this to myself...My hair has about 2 inches of new growth. It is a mess. Very healthy but just a mess. No style. I wear it back in a very stingy ponytail everyday. How am I helping my hair? I planned to relax at the end of July (before school starts back) but I don't know if it's worth it anymore. Then...I'm starting to really see my new growth and how I miss being natural so now I'm thinking of transitioning...I'm so confused. What's the point again? I feel like I've just confused myself by doing this whereas if I just relaxed on my reg. schedule I wouldn't be going through this.

 

[Chromia]

I know how you feel. I'm in week 13. Last night I washed, DC'ed, and rollerset my hair. Everything was ok until it was time to detangle. That was rough.

 

[Serenity_Peace]

I usually relax at 16 weeks and now I have to relax at 10 weeks, which is fine. I began this stretch with a really bad underprocessing relaxer so that makes sense. But then when I start seeing short, broken hairs all over, I feel that I may be doing more harm than good. I had no problems with the 16 week stretch, but I learned that when you have a bad relaxer, it's been to do a corrective and forget stretching.

So I will relax on Thursday night before my Dad gets into town so that I can be purrrty. Hopefully the relaxer will turn out great this time so that I can get back to stretching.

For me, stretching has helped to thicken my hair quite a bit. My hair feels and looks stronger and fuller. So there are definitely benefits. But again, as soon as you begin to experience excessive breakage and shedding...that's when it's not worth it.

 

[Junonia]

I stretch b/c I like to see how much new growth I've retained. I've decided to start stretching for 10 weeks to mimimize breakage.

 

[Eiano]

It's for overlapping reasons, but obviously you will not have that problem if you have 2 inches.
Personally, I think 12 weeks is the ideal time to relax. I plann on 4x a year. I hate not being able to pass a comb through my hair and I think at 3 months, you'll see enough growth to be encouraged to keep up the work.

 

[glamazon386]

The point of stretching is supposed to be to make your hair healthier. If you stretch then you'll have more new growth which should make it easier to see the line of demarcation between the two textures which would allow you to not overlap and over process your hair. No overlapping and over processing it supposed to equal healthier hair in the long run. That's supposed to be the point.

 

[bablou00]

Kudos to you for stretching! It is hard for some to stretch past 4-6wks so your doing great. I understand when you have so much NG and your styles are limited. All I can do is the swope bang look when I rollerset or wear my hair straight because of have 2+inches of NG. If your hair is not breaking and you are not causing more damage then good then I say keep on stretching. My hair has gotten so much stronger and thicker since I have only relaxed 3 times this year. Preventing overlapping and thickening up should be good enough reasons. Happy growing girl

 

[dorko]

im stretching cuz i want my hair to grow out a bit before i get it done again.. my regular stylist tends to make my hair bonestraight whether or not i ask erplexed .. i'm way close to going to the dominicans to get a touch up for half the price

and im at 16-17weeks post
and i'm losing my mind
if it weren't for detanglers.. i dunno what i would do lol

i'm tryna hold out till my bday in sept but these days are getting longer
and im getting bored of not feeling my scalp cuz of all the new growth lolll

 

[AKA-Tude]

It's for overlapping reasons, but obviously you will not have that problem if you have 2 inches.
Personally, I think 12 weeks is the ideal time to relax. I plann on 4x a year. I hate not being able to pass a comb through my hair and I think at 3 months, you'll see enough growth to be encouraged to keep up the work.

I concur!

I've been doing this for the past 6 months & it's a challenge.
I hate seeing the NG all over the place - it's so WIREY!!!

But it has worked wonders for retaining my growth & my hair is finally getting longer!

My misson is to reach APL by the end of the year, so stretching has really been instrumental in this.

HANG IN THERE!!!!

 

[Jas123]

I stretch b/c I like to see how much new growth I've retained. I've decided to start stretching for 10 weeks to mimimize breakage.

Yep..this is me and 10 weeks is the golden touch..nothing more, nothing less

 

[janeemat]

Girl I know it can be frustrating dealing with the tangles, but it is worth it. Your results will be thicker longer healthier hair. Even the edges and kitchen will be longer. 12 wks is a really good stretch, so if you're doing more harm than good at this point, by all means relax. But it does not sound like it. I have had only 2 relaxers this year and it's the best thing that has ever happened to my hair.

 

[ShiShiPooPoo]

Thank you for responding!

I am already beginning to see more length so I think I'll try to stick it out until July. I don't have to work so that helps. I can't wait to see what progress I've made then!
Thanks again!