PROS & CONS ON EXTENDING RELAXERS

[Wolftrap]

I have seen so many posts on the benefits of extending the time in between your relaxer. But I am also running across posts where some say this is not good because it breaks off your hair. (This is in sevral posts in the hair mistakes thread) Now which is true? Is it good to wait or is it damaging to your hair causing hair breakage?

 

[Nyambura]

I think it depends on an individual's hair. Extending my relaxer touchups works brilliantly for me because, unfortunately, I'm not one of those lucky 1"+ a month girls. Since my hair doesn't grow that fast, I'm probably battling with less new growth than the 1" members. In my humble opinion, once you get an 1" you should relax, regardless of when that happens.

 

[karezone]

I don't thinks so, If you can handle an inch of new growth without having any breakage go for it. Right now I am at 8 weeks post relaxer and have 1-1.5" of new growth on my head. I admit it is a struggle to keep the new growth as moisturized as the ends it is worth it. Extending relaxers allows me to prevent damage from overlapping.

 

[Wolftrap]

My hair grows VERY slowly. But I have never in my life taken any type of vitamins and I eat poorly. I a fast food a holic. So this is the first time I am trying vitamins so maybe this will speed up growth.

 

[ChasingBliss]

I benefit from it in that it has given my hairline and nape a rest. Once I saw how pretty it could be without the relaxer, I decided not to relax those areas anymore. I also like to see the accumulation of new growth every 4 months. As long as I keep my demarcation line strong, everything is okay with me. And I feel it gives my scalp a little rest from the chemicals. The only problem I have at times is psychological...looking at the shrinkage makes my hair appear shorter than it is, as if it's not growing. But that's okay because by the time I relax, Im pleasently surprised.

 

[MissJ]

Pro: Your hair doesn't fall out unnecessarily.

 

[Victorian]

My hair also grows pretty slowly. I'm at about 4 months post relaxer, but the way my hair looks now is how some folks' looks after 6-8 weeks. So it isn't like I've got 4 inches of newgrowth to deal with or anything.

I think extending for the sake of avoiding overlapping or overstressing the already-relaxed hair is good. But I do think that you will reach a "threshhold" when it does more harm than good. I think it takes a couple times before you find exactly when is the longest you can go. And that threshhold certainly isn't the same for everyone.

It also depends on what you do to your hair on a daily basis. Like I said, I've been going 4 months and I noticed I'm having a harder time fixing my hair in the morning than I'm used to. I've gone 7 months without relaxing before and I don't remember having to use SO much extra moisturizer, etc. even then. Then it dawned on me that the last time I let my hair go this long, I was still blow-drying. So I was getting my roots at least somewhat straight every weekend, making it a little easier to pull back into a bun or whatever. I refuse to go back to blow drying (as a matter of fact I left my dryer at home so it's not even an option), so I think within the next month or so I might have to consider some different hair styles. I'm supposed to be on the bun challenge, but I may have to stop so I can do braidout-type styles for the sake of the health of my roots. I don't think it will be a good idea to try to force 3 or 4 inches of newgrowth to lay down on a daily basis, at least not when I've got several inches of relaxed hair attached to it--that's a recipe for a breakage disaster!

I'll just have to be extra careful with my ends.

Sorry for all my rambling

...but the point is that you have to find the right balance between protecting your already-relaxed hair (by extending touchups) and your newgrowth (by not waiting TOO long, or by doing hairstyles that are a little easier on your roots)

 

[Nyambura]

Very well put, Black Cardinal! (as usual)

I agree about finding styles that go with our texture, not against it. Have you thought about getting cornrows? Back in the dark ages, lol, when I attended The Farm, I regularly went over to EPA to get my hair braided - and cheap, too! cornrows cost me $20 and long, mid-back length individuals cost $40.

 

[keylargo]

Ladies, you have inspired me to challenge myself to see how long I can go without a touchup. My hair can certainly use a break from my normal 6-8 week touchups. I'm currently at 8 weeks and I'm actually doing pretty well.

So the next question is, when do you know it's time to retouch? Do you wait until you start seeing breakage? Is that wise or should you try to catch it before the breakage starts?

 

[diamondlady]

One of the best pieces of advice that I've received is to treat your hair like it is fine lace. I handle my hair very gently and I have gone as long as 15 weeks between relaxers. If you have two textures of hair and you handle your hair roughly, it's going to break.

I usually get 1/2-inch a month but now I'm finding that I sometimes get 1-inch per month, but not all the time. I don't know exactly what the reason for the accerlation in growth is, could be exercise, surge, vitamins, or a combination of all of them. I experiment too much.

Handle your hair gently at all times and you'll experience less breakage.