Relaxer Stretch

How far are you stretching your relaxers?

  • 7 weeks and under

    Votes: 51 4.5%

  • 8-9 weeks

    Votes: 212 18.9%

  • 10-11 weeks

    Votes: 174 15.5%

  • 12-14 weeks

    Votes: 350 31.2%

  • 15-17 weeks

    Votes: 104 9.3%

  • 18 weeks and over

    Votes: 231 20.6%
  • Total voters
    1,122
My longest ever was I think 5 months, but I wore braids for the last two months. I can only go 10 weeks, after that I need a weave, cornrows, or just wear a wig
 
I haven't relaxed since March. Still not sure if I am going natural or not. So far, so good. The one good thing about not relaxing is that my hair doesn't get stringy anymore.

But this far out without a relaxer is WORK on wash day.
 
I did a touchup (Phytorelaxer Index II) on Saturday (after a 16 week stretch) and it came out like a professional did it. Love the results.. I also cut/even up my hair and give myself a bang and now my hair is slamming. I've since learned that you hair will look like crap if it isn't given any direction. Now when the wind blows, my hair falls into place... Love my cut..
 
I'm 16 weeks post this Thursday. I've decided to give in and get a bottle of Cowboy magic detangler just for the sake of not pulling out my hair when I detangle. Although my ng is pretty soft now b/c it stays moisturized, it's still getting rough in there.
 
I am about 15-16 weeks post. But I keep my hair braided in cornrows and hidden under a wig. I wash and deep condition once a week. And every two weeks after it has dried I take down and rebraid each cornrow. If it wasn't for that I would be bald as heck. I can't stretch for a long time. Oh no m'am!
 
natalied said:
I'm curious to see how far everyone is stretching their relaxers. I'm at week 9 and am stretching for the first time without braids. So far so good. Only thing is I can't keep my hands out of my new growth:D

Also, please share the one thing you do or product you use that assists in the stretching.

Thanks in advance.
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I am 10 weeks...I am going 2 more weeks and thats it. Last time i went 14 weeks but i was going to the salon weekly...i need to manage this hair at home
 
i usually stretch my relaxers for at least 10weeks . up until 14 weeks max. i once stretched for 6 months. i wore wigs and weaves but i wasnt DC my hair properly and a lot of my hair was shedding when i did get a perm:blush: .
 
Im gonna go 24 weeks....im currently about 6 weeks post....stretching is fairly easy for me because my NG is not kinky....i DC alot during long stretches.....and i use a scarf to flatten my NG after applying a good leave-in and my hair is fine for 24 weeks, last time i went 14 so 10 more won't hurt! And the upside is LOOOONGER hair when im done in june.
 
I am currenly 22 weeks post. This is tough. I am still trying to deal with the tangling : terrible. I may up my washes to three a week instead of two. The easiest time for me to manage my hair is when it is wet.
 
I am at 10 weeks right now...prior to finding this site, I just kept my hair in a ponytail and wasn't moisturizing like I should (not at all). However, since I found this site, I'm paying more attention to my hair, moisturizing more and I'm wearing a braid out style that my kids and husband absolutely
L-O-V-E!!!!!

I'm striving for a 20+ week stretch....PRAY FOR A SISTA!!! Dont want to get a relaxer until sometime around Easter or so. We'll see what happens!
 
The longest I have stretched is 8 weeks. I am now 4 weeks post relaxer and with my new tapered haircut, it looks like I need one now!!!
 
I'm going into month #2. I'll be stretching until May, when I go home again. I've transitioned before, so I think I'll be okay!
 
I normally stretch for about 12 weeks. I am 11 weeks post. My mom will relax me next weekend! i will then go another 12 weeks, and get it done the second week in april for my anniversary, and then again, in July where i present at a conference. Then my next relaxer would be in october....NOW I WONDER if I could stretch it out furhter LOL...aside from a few tangles, i have had no problems ;)
 
I wish I could stretch past 10 weeks. Anything after 10 weeks and my hair starts to act a fool. It tangles, it sheds, it gets really out of hand. If anyone has any suggestions for stretching past 10 weeks, I'm all ears.
 
Quest4healthyhair said:
I wish I could stretch past 10 weeks. Anything after 10 weeks and my hair starts to act a fool. It tangles, it sheds, it gets really out of hand. If anyone has any suggestions for stretching past 10 weeks, I'm all ears.
Click to expand...

Make sure your protein and moisture are in balance. The first two times I stretched i shed like crazy. I attribute this to my protein/moisture balance being out of wack! I fixed that around this time, and i have gotten very little shedding!
 
Quest4healthyhair said:
I wish I could stretch past 10 weeks. Anything after 10 weeks and my hair starts to act a fool. It tangles, it sheds, it gets really out of hand. If anyone has any suggestions for stretching past 10 weeks, I'm all ears.
Click to expand...

Just do it!

That's how i got past it. I just told myself, DO NOT MAKE THAT RELAXER APPOINTMENT.

AND, if a product aint working, move on to the next. I'm so quick to blame my thick hair as the culprit when all i need is to use a different product.

Noticed i was shedding hair WAY too much. Stopped using that product and started doing a seperate protein & moisture condish to balance it out.

Some say trying new products every 5 mins is bad but had i not found a couple things, i wouldve been got a relaxer...one wash at a time!
 
i will have stretched for 13 weeks come wednesday.. and so far, i've learned that your regimen definitely must change when you have so much new growth. things you do when you are like 1-4 weeks post is definitely different when you are like 12 weeks post. also, i find that less manipulation is best (for me atleast). i actually think that i should wash less when i am this far into a stretch. also, when i am far into a stretch, i try not to experiment.. definitely not the time.. okay, i'm done.. just sharing what i've learned.
 
I used to be a 5 weeker, every 5 weeks I was relaxing like clockwork because my stylist said it was ok :rolleyes:. Well right now I'm at 9 weeks (for the 1st time) and I'm about to relax at the end of the week. I want to become a 12 weeker eventually though, but that won't start until after June. So for the next few months I'll be 9 weeks, 8 weeks, 8 weeks and then I'll start being a 12 weeker after that. By then, I'll know a lot more about my hair (I've learned so much in the past months since I joined...Thank you LHCF!!!) and will be able to take care of it better.
 
Last time I stretched 13 weeks and it was really hard. Right now I'm 7 weeks post but yesterday I got the Brazilian Keratin Treatment. My hair is so well conditioned and my new growth is amazing. I can't explain it other than I have more body, swing, shine and my NG is no problem. We will see what happens. I really think I can stretch at least 16 weeks if not more this time. We shall see! I'm in love with BKT despite the negative press out there. My hair was shedding something awful and now I can't pull a hair out of my head. I'm serious...
 
I've never gotten a relaxer more often than every four months. I usually go between six and twelve months.
Transitioning now, though :) Hopefully. Only one month three weeks post, at the moment.
 
I'm 6 weeks post and I would normally retouch at this stage but after reading this thread I really want to stretch to 12 weeks but I'm not a fan of wearing my hair in a bun so I think that's what's going to be my downfall. I bought about 5 scarves on Sunday to flatten my hair, which look ok and do the trick along with using wave nouveau daily humecatant to soften my NG, but I'm still not excited about buns. And it seems a shame that those of you who have grown such long and lovely SL/APL/MBL hair have to spend 6 weeks at a time wearing buns or hiding your hair with other protective styles in order to retain length. Right now blow drying is out of the question because there'll be far too much breakage. Rollering works but involves quite a bit of combing and I've got too much growth to dealing with rollers on a regular basis - yes even at just 6 weeks. I plan to save the rollers for my going out days. Anyway if the worst comes to the worst I'll definitely wait till 8 weeks cos I'm too broke to go to the hairdressers before then. I still think stretching is a great hair growth method and it seems like the most common method used on this forum to grow long hair along with regular moisturizing and DC'ing.
 
just finished my first stretch at the end of December. I went 12 weeks, but i wore braids from weeks 4-8 and a weave from weeks 8-12. I'm currently at 3 weeks and this time trying to stretch to 16. It did wonders for my edges.
 
YES, STRETCHING IS GREAT FOR EDGES.....stretching is just great period. The last three times I have stretched for 12 weeks! I have limited the number of perms I get per year. It has been really helpful to me. My mom always relaxed me faithfully every 6 to 8, and sometimes my edges as often as ever 4 weeks YIKES!!

I have fine hair, that is very soft, and still manageble at 12 weeks post.....SCARY to think how my hair was being ravaged.

I will stay on this cyle for april and july as stated in an earlier post, but see how long if I can stretch 4 months after july, almost into the dead of november. We will see! I also don't want to get too off so that I have to relax too soon prior to the important life events.

Now I have it scheduled perfectly. 1 relaxer between now and my anniversary, then 1 between that and my professional development conference LOL!

m.
 
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