Question for those with Relaxed Hair...

[Poohbear]

Ive been trying to extend my relaxer from 4-6 weeks to 2-4 months because I heard it was better for your hair. But I cant take it anymore. Im tired of all this oil in my hair to protect new growth and oil all over my hands afterwards!

Question...who still relaxes their hair every 4-6 weeks? If so, have you experienced any delay in growth? Please comment...

For those who relax for months, what is the benefit of waiting months to relax???

*Please note: Please do not tell me it depends on everyone's hair...just post what you do if u would like to comment

 

[Falon]

I'd like to know too. I usually touch up at 6-7 weeks. I'm at week six now and my new growth is manageable since I changed my routine so I could go another 2 or 3 weeks but I don't know if my mostly 4b hair can go much longer than that.

 

[Chaya]

Question...who still relaxes their hair every 4-6 weeks? If so, have you experienced any delay in growth? Please comment...

I relax every 6-8 weeks. I need to BECAUSE my hair grows fast and I dance alot therefore my head sweats. I have VERY positive results by having SOMEONE else relx my hair that I trust. She can see where the new growth ends and the relaxed hair begins to keep from overlapping. YOU MUST HOWEVER COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR STYLIST!!!!!

She wont think its that important NOT TO OVERLAP if she doesnt think its that important to you. My hair is healthier now that I dont extend my relaxers. I dont have ANY BREAKING, VERY MINIMAL SHEDDING and NO SPLIT ENDS AFTER 3-4 MONTHS!!! AND I wear my hair down EVERYDAY!!

 

[soaries]

Ok, the longest I went was 15 weeks. That didn't work for me, my hair was breaking and I ended up getting it cut. I use to relax every 4 weeks, which didn't work either because my hair wasn't growing. I now relax every 8-10 weeks. This works for me! Instead of going 2-4 months how about 7-9 weeks or 8-10? You should notice some good growth. I am now at 7 weeks and my new growth is pretty thick. I plan on relaxing next week.

 

[Poohbear]

[ QUOTE ]
sonya said:
Ok, the longest I went was 15 weeks. That didn't work for me, my hair was breaking and I ended up getting it cut. I use to relax every 4 weeks, which didn't work either because my hair wasn't growing. I now relax every 8-10 weeks. This works for me! Instead of going 2-4 months how about 7-9 weeks or 8-10? You should notice some good growth. I am now at 7 weeks and my new growth is pretty thick. I plan on relaxing next week.

[/ QUOTE ]

2-4 months is 8-16 weeks. So 7-9wks and 8-10wks fit right in that 2-4 month bracket...well not quite to 4months

 

[cutebajangirl]

I find though that there is a big difference between 2 months and 4 months. I go 8-10 weeks and have no interest in going 12-16 weeks. I find my hair is fuller now than before and when I look at my hair at 6 weeks I ask myself what in the he** was I thinking to relax so soon before. I do a number of things to help me extend. I condition wash and I also rollerset and maintain that set for 1.5 weeks instead of washing again after 3 days like I normally do.HTH

 

[JenJen2721]

I've determined that my best time is 8 weeks or 2 months.

 

[soaries]

Yeah, your right! I can't count!

 

[Angelicus]

I personally wait every 12 weeks. I have found that there is a less likely chance of my stylist overlapping when I do such. I stretch by doing co-washes, or just leaving it alone. I experience breakage after 12 weeks. In addition, since I have been stretching out relaxers, I am learning more about my natural hair

hth.

 

[Poohbear]

Ive been doing 2 months so far but I couldnt take 3 or more. I will try 2 months or 8-10 weeks for relaxers right now

 

[Wildflower]

I used to relax every 5 to 8 weeks and my hair never grew, now that I'm extending my relaxer to 4 to 6 months, I'm retaining length. I relax, wait for 2 months, then do individuals for a month and a half and wear my hair in a bun all the time until I can't take it no more, then I relax again.

 

[Vanessa22]

I used to relax every 6-8 weeks tops. Then I became a member of LHCF and wanted to see if I could reap any benefits from going longer. I have 4a/b hair and I went a total of 6 months without a relaxer(some of Fall and nearly all of Winter). My hair hasn't been in better condition since. Frequent conditioner washes and protein treatments helped dramatically. I payed close attention to my hair, and always wore it in a bun, and minimal use of the comb became essentially important for me.

If you can try to go longer, by all means, do it. It helps!

 

[Vanessa22]

paid...not payed

oops.....

 

[Poohbear]

Wildflower, your hair type looks similar to mine...I liked your hair in your album

 

[Poohbear]

Vanessa22, How long is your hair??????????

 

[greAtness333]

I usually wait 6 wks. and thought that I couldn't wait any longer than that b/c of an excessive amount of breakage, thickness and dryness. However, thanks to LHCF, I do CO washes about every 3 days and moisturize my new growth to keep it softer.

So now I'm going for 2 mnths. I think I can do it b/c it's 1 mnth. post-relaxer and my new growth is very maintainable; whereas before it would be uncontrollable at this point. I believe it'll benefit my growth rate and my hair will less likely be over-processed.

 

[Isis]

I used to do it every 8 weeks religiously for many years. It worked well - my hair problems back then were due to other things, not relaxing. Since coming to LHCF, I wait and relax every 13 weeks, at the most. A day or two longer and my hair starts breaking. The waiting helps me see my new growth more easily so I won't overlap.

 

[Bobbie]

I used to relax every 4-6 weeks and my hair never got pass my shoulders.

Last summer I went without a relaxer for 6 months and I was a few inches shy of bra-strap.

I had no idea getting relaxers so close to each other was the reason why my hair wasn't gaining any length all these years.
I haven't had a relaxer in 5 months and I can see length now.

Tip: when spacing relaxers, like a transitioner, you must detangle only in the shower in the water stream with conditioner.... it really saves alot of hair. Forget about combing when it's dry.
Also, getting a good comb is key. Many people here use Denman brushes, K-cutter combs, Jilbere shower combs and other good detanglers.

Type: If there is one --- 4a/4b with some 3b/3c in scattered places.

 

[alliyah4eva203]

if i go for longer than 8 weeks i have way to much breaksge. so i usually get braids or cornrows so i can go for longer(less manipulation).
i don't know why but i'm only 5 weeks post touch up and my new growth is crazy. i'm having to get the braids done today. i've never had this much growth this early on. i'm guessing it's the carrot juice.

 

[UmSumayyah]

I too switch to cornrows around the 8 week mark. Usually I do them myself and just do three. I only keep them in for a week and then take them down, hot oil, shampoo, deep condition, put in a leave in and then rebraid. I had my mom to do smaller ones for me so I'm keeping these in for 2 weeks.
That way I am manipulating 1x a week or 2 weeks instead of 2-3 times a week.
I go about 12 weeks between relaxers. I do them myself and waiting that long, I can really see/feel the line of demarcation between the two textures.

Also, you save money over the course of the year by extending the time.

 

[pooh123]

For the past three years I get my hair relaxed after 8-10 weeks. I use to relax every 4 weeks religiously but I found over time that it was too often for my hair. Plus I have a very sensitive scalp and I dread retouches. My hair is in a lot better condition now that I extend the retouches. I've tried extending it out to 12 weeks but the newgrowth gets way out of control.
Hope this helps!
pooh123

 

[cutelillady02]

When I relax every 6 weeks, I don't experience any delay in growth. I just prefer to wait sometimes because after the 8th week my new growth really starts to come in the longest I ever waited was 3 months. Now, I'm trying to go to 5 months currently at 7.5 weeks

 

[Honi]

Ditto to what Bobbie and Anky stated. I have 4a/4b hair and I’m approaching 5 months post touchup. Frequent condition washes is the only way to manage my new growth IMO. No amount of oil or moisturizer in a jar is gonna cut it.

I found that even spraying with my water, conditioner, oil concoction doesn't work because it's only hitting the surface. Water from the shower must hit my head at this point to saturate it all with moisture (water). Don't even think about trying to comb it dry. It will break. I only comb my hair under the shower stream rinsing out detangling shampoo's and conditioners.

I just leave it alone and try to manipulate it less.

 

[flyjump00]

10 weeks exactly for me. I have tried longer but just CAN NOT do it!

 

[SilkyandSmooth]

I've gone as long as 12 weeks between touch ups, and that's only because I had braids in for about 3 of those weeks. I normally touch up every 10 weeks, but since my hair has grown so much during the past 6 1/2 weeks I will be going in at 8 weeks.

 

[atlien]

Girl I am with you all the oil and more oil all in your face toooo hot for all that. I have to get a relaxer every 6weeks my new growth is so coarse and tightly coiled that I can not wait any longer because to me I see more breakage then anything when I try to extend. My natural hair texture and my relaxed hair is two different to try to make them live together to long like oil and water they don't mix

.

 

[lonei]

I relax every 8 weeks, my hair grows quickly, any longer than that leads to breakage, I used to go 16 weeks at a time, but my 4a/b hair couldnt cope.

 

[MAHOGNEY329]

Honestly, I think that you guys are some true soliders. My hair becomes unmanageable and begins to shedd uncontrollably at week 4. I have on my hard up times waited to week 6, by that point I look like Buckwheat's sister. I get my relaxer done faithly at every 4 weeks. My hair is very full and very very healthy. I think if I had held out after 6 weeks I would be bald headed. Honestly I dont believe it is bad to get relaxers done more often

 

[Donda]

For me it depends on my hair growth, when I get an inch of new growth I will relax. In the summer an inch means every 6 weeks, in the winter that may be every 8 weeks. I've learned if I wait any longer then 8 weeks I will lose what length I had due to shedding.....................so far out of 7 1/2 inchs of growth in a year I have keep 5 3/4. (I trim 1/4 - 1/2 inch as needed).

 

[LABETT]

I went 16 weeks to relax the last time I probably will go back to relaxing at 13 weeks.
I will never relax a 6 weeks again hair thins out too much.