Relaxed Heads: How many weeks post relaxer are you and when is your next touch up???

[TLC1020]

3 weeks post relaxer.

 

[MzSwift]

December 10th will be 5 months post and I'm not planning to relax then.

My hair is in microtwists/braids so I don't really interact with my new growth much. I'm just gonna refresh these every few weeks until my next relaxer.

I was planning to relax in Jan or Feb at 6 or 7 mths post but we'll see. It's cold out. I might wait until March or April when the weather is turning a bit and I can enjoy the blow out I plan to do w my relaxer a little more.

I'm not planning to wait until my relaxer anniversary in Oct but I'd be lying if I said the thought wasn't tickling the back of my mind. lol That would mean a 15 mth stretch!

I find that stretching too long makes me more likely to miss a section on my strands though and I don't want to do that.

 

[sunnieb]

5 weeks post today. Think I might see if I can go 18 weeks this time. Still deciding. I have some events planned for Spring and I don't want freshly relaxed hair in the pics.

 

[IDareT'sHair]

End of February - First of March? .....

 

[sweetiep]

7 months post and plan to relax in a week or 2. I’m moving next week so may not happen next week.

 

[Plushottie]

20 weeks post and since my edges are so faint I may not relax until April/May when it’s too icky to wear wigs and I go back to phony pony.

 

[BlackRinse]

20 weeks post texturizer but i'm in a sew-in. Going to keep it in for 10 weeks.

 

[alundra]

Fresh relaxer today, 14 December. Last one was in August.

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

Stop trying to influence me y'all

 

[demlew]

1 day post!!! 15-week stretch (not on purpose). Weeks 10-13 were sketchy due to lack of self-care. I'm so glad I switched to Affirm lye a few months ago. I wouldn't have been able to stretch that long with ORS lye.

I think I'll go 15 weeks again now that I'm no longer allergic to JBCO bc it helped alot this past month.

 

[sweetiep]

Finally relaxed at 33 weeks on Christmas Eve.

 

[LushLox]

I'm relaxing on Monday at 26 weeks post, finally.

It's actually been really easy to be honest, although I never truly know how successful it is until I actually relax and see what I've retained.

 

[MzSwift]

Why is it that the scalp always gets the itchies when it's time to relax?

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

Why is it that the scalp always gets the itchies when it's time to relax?

It knows danger cream time is at hand.

 

[IDareT'sHair]

@LushLox
Are you still using K18, Olaplex etc...(Bonding Treatments)?

 

[MzSwift]

OK, just finished relaxing at 24.5 weeks.
Prepped each section drenched in EVOO and applied a bulk moisturizing condish + Amazon Moisture Condish
I only used 6 sections and I think I might stick to doing this.
I used my trusty Motion lye, regular, undiluted
2-3 minutes to slap it on and then used my fingers to squeeze it in and smooth each section for 2-3 minutes total
Rinsed immediately after warming up the faucet water. Almost 10 mins applied
Did a midstep with ORS Replenishing Condish
Neutralized with Motions moisturizing neutralizing poo x 3 (ACV undiluted added before final wash)
DC'd w heat, Amino Acid mix
I don't feel any burns even though I forgot to Vaseline my scalp.

So happy to have some length back. I'm able to knot my hair again when applying products. Makes things so much easier.
I'm currently airdrying. Planning to blow dry and flat iron tomorrow. I haven't flat ironed since 2019 so I'm a little rusty. If I can get good progress pix with just a blow out, I'm gonna skip the flat iron. I hate how silky my hair gets, I can't do anything with it! It doesn't even hold a ponytail.

KEEPING:
6 sections!!
The prepping w EVOO and the two condishes
Mid step w ORS Replenishing condish

Those are the only two things I've added to my process and I loved them. The ORS made my hair feel really soft, even when washing afterwards.
And I usually get some scabs if I don't use Vaseline. I've tried EVOO before but I guess I didn't do it right bc, wow!

OK on to the pix:

Prepped


Applied and smoothed-


Results

 

[LushLox]

@LushLox
Are you still using K18, Olaplex etc...(Bonding Treatments)?

I haven't used K18 since my last full treatment a couple of months ago. I will use it again as a maintenance treatment once I have relaxed.

And I've not used Olaplex for ages, not sure why. I think I'm okay with K18 for now.

 

[IDareT'sHair]

I haven't used K18 since my last full treatment a couple of months ago. I will use it again as a maintenance treatment once I have relaxed.

And I've not used Olaplex for ages, not sure why. I think I'm okay with K18 for now.

@LushLox
I Relaxed at the end of November - and used K18 on Wash Day
Also, still using Olaplex 0 & 3

 

[sunnieb]

@MzSwift looking gorgeous as usual! So thick! I may have forgotten the Vaseline on my scalp a time or two. I definitely didn't do it on purpose, but I never burned.

I'm 8 weeks post today. Relaxing in 8 - 10 weeks.

 

[TLC1020]

I'll be 11 weeks post this week and I'm relaxing one day this week as well.

 

[LushLox]

I relaxed yesterday. The problem with processing hair at 6 months though is it's quite challenging to relax it like I normally would at 16 weeks and therefore it's not quite as straight as I usually get it. I'm not mad at it though, I'm happy with the additional texture and I thinking of reducing my relaxing time going forward anyway.

I took off about 2 inches, hair needed it. My hair was comfortably at MBL but the trim brought me back to BSL.

I think that I will only stretch for 16 weeks this time.

 

[MzSwift]

I relaxed yesterday. The problem with processing hair at 6 months though is it's quite challenging to relax it like I normally would at 16 weeks and therefore it's not quite as straight as I usually get it. I'm not mad at it though, I'm happy with the additional texture and I thinking of reducing my relaxing time going forward anyway.

I took off about 2 inches, hair needed it. My hair was comfortably at MBL but the trim brought me back to BSL.

I think that I will only stretch for 16 weeks this time.

Yes! I was also contemplating relaxing every 4 months, taking me to 3 relaxers yearly instead of two. I feel like I'm less likely to miss spots and have gaps on my strands by relaxing more frequently. When I look back in my hair journal, my hair looked better when I relaxed every 4 months.

 

[sunnieb]

@LushLox I've never done a 6 month stretch, but agree with you. Ithink I inadvertently (illness, no time) stretched to almost 20 weeks one time. Even with pre-parting, it was a challenge to get through all of that. I also had some under-processed areas. I didn't want to increase the processing time to get it straighter.

Like @MzSwift I've been looking back through my hair journey to see what I was doing. The sweet spot for me is 16-18 weeks. My hair was past BSL and I didn't lose thickness.

 

[sunnieb]

11 weeks post today. Trying for 18 weeks this time, but I'll relax at my usual 16 if my hair tells me to.

 

[sunnieb]

12 weeks down. 6 more to go.

 

[MzSwift]

5 weeks post, tomorrow. And as usual, I only have maybe a mm of new growth. lol
Planning to relax at the end of April. HYH, C&Ging until then.

 

[IDareT'sHair]

Will be relaxing the end of February, 1st of March. Probably more like the end of February tho'

 

[sunnieb]

14 weeks post today. My hair is holding up. Think I'll be able to make it to 18 weeks at this rate.

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

I might consider either doing my hair every 6 months or straightening it more frequently. The new growth is new growth-ing. Or I might do cornrows. They're kinda boring, but I need a break from doing the mini/micro braids. I might pick them back up in the Summer.

 

[MzSwift]

I might consider either doing my hair every 6 months or straightening it more frequently. The new growth is new growth-ing. Or I might do cornrows. They're kinda boring, but I need a break from doing the mini/micro braids. I might pick them back up in the Summer.

What a GREAT problem to have!