Relaxer Stretchers Support Thread

I just want to know if there is anyone here who like me the back of my hair is so thick and unmanageable at like 4 weeks. I don't think its new growth because I can feel where the new growth starts. It's almost like my relaxer is turning back or something. Don't know why but always happens in the back, can't even get a comb through it and makes it very difficult to not use heat because I prefer my hair to flow not be packed up on my head. I'm about to break down and go back to a stylist every 2 weeks.
 
preciousstone said:
okay ladies...
if am experiencing breakage... should i try to stop it or relax?

I keep hoping that i'll try smthg else and the demarcation breakage will stop. i'm 12 weeks post 4b.

i posted on another thread couple nights ago and realized i was doing too much - too much manipulation.. some ladies thought it was time to just relax... i decided to kill the manipulation. so i haven't really touched my hair since.. just doing a moisturizer on the ends every day. but i'm scared the minute i wash it or do anything.. i'll see those long annoying quiggly strands again.. UGH!!!!!

I really want to stretch till end of march. but if i cant.. that's fine... what y'all think.
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baddison said:
....but what are you doing to keep the new growth moisturized, too?? For me, the key to successful stretching is keeping the new growth very moist, it prevents breaking & snapping of dry new growth. Also, during my stretch, I really up my protein treatments especially near the demarcation line. I need that portion of hair to be particularly strong, since it is the area of the most weakness. I am currently 8 weeks into my 13week stretch. I use MT every nite....my new growth is a veritable FOREST!!!:wallbash: But as long as I continue to keep it moist, then I do not suffer excessive shedding and/or breakage. Are you making sure your new growth is kept moist???
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baddison is right preciousstone. Increasing your protein treatments on the demarcation line is imperative to keeping it strong. Also less manipulation is a great idea. I would definitely keep it moisturized with a moisturizer like salerm 21 or lacio lacio as these have a little protein in them to keep that line as strong as possible throughout the day. I find that UBH hair moisturizing lotion is awesome for this as well. If your hair is not in a protective style (which I actually recommend at this point in your stretch) then a weekly mild protein treatment is necessary for your hair's strength. And remember to keep it moisturized.
 
I'm 7 weeks post as of tomorrow. If I have new growth I can't tell. The demarcation line is not clear. Last stretch I wasn't really able to tell until about 8 weeks. I know cowashing and dcing has been key. I don't manipulate my hair much but I'm trying to do it less and less and trying to work on getting more protein into my life.
 
Aggie said:
baddison is right preciousstone. Increasing your protein treatments on the demarcation line is imperative to keeping it strong. Also less manipulation is a great idea. I would definitely keep it moisturized with a moisturizer like salerm 21 or lacio lacio as these have a little protein in them to keep that line as strong as possible throughout the day. I find that UBH hair moisturizing lotion is awesome for this as well. If your hair is not in a protective style (which I actually recommend at this point in your stretch) then a weekly mild protein treatment is necessary for your hair's strength. And remember to keep it moisturized.
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Okay.. so maybe i might be getting the hang of this.. the demarcation line breakage is less noticeable -- i'm keeping my hands out of my hair, (which for me is hard cuz i've been studying for a major exam and i tend to itch at my scalp even tho its not itchy - its a nervous tick.. i know its wierd)

anyway.. so my hands have been out of my hair.. and what's helped is that my hair is doused in coconut oil - so everytime i even try to touch my head my hand looks like i just dipped it in lard...:lachen::lachen::lachen::lachen:.

also i flat ironed some ng and it made it easier.. and i've stopped trying to comb thru the ng... i am settling with whatever detangle i get after my dc after shower.. and not coming thru anytime thereafter.

the only thing i am still trying to figure out is - and i posted a question about this is whether oil based or moisture based moisturizers are better for my ng.. so far the coconut oil is working and i read somewhere that its the only oil that has moisturizing properties as well.. so it penetrates the hair...

so that's where i am.. i'm now 13 weeks post.. i think.. last relaxer was 2 days before thanksgiving...

I'm forging on!!!!! I think I'm going for another 4 weeks:yep::yep::yep:. Focussing on daily and dc moisture.

I hear you guys on the protein thing... but I neglected to mention that when i first started dealing with demarcation breakage.. I tried an aphogee treatment (the one that makes your hair all hard) and nothing.. then i tried garlic shampoo.. nothing..

now i'm sticking with coconut oil i'm gonna try a daily protein moisture like y'all suggested... the salerm or dudleys.. not sure yet.. gonna stick with the dousing coconut oil :lachen:and see if the breakage subsides even more... and am also not gonna be washing as much... i think once a week or every 10 days. i dunno if this makes sense.. but at this point my hair likes to be a little stinkier.. :grin:

thanks ladies for the support... i'll keep you guys posted.

ETA: I'm gonna be digging around for a good moisture dc... any suggestions?
 
I'm 15 weeks. At this point a full wet set is very difficult, especially in the back, but I am treating myself to wear it down tomorrow. After that, back to PSing and cowashing. I'll just do pony sets.

Also, I was planning to relax in 2 weeks, but my stylist is booked so it looks like it'll be another 4 - 5. :ohwell: I wasn't planning on going this long, but oh well, I'll really need to bump up the moisture (and a little protein, just on the demarcation line).
 
Butterfly08 said:
I'm 15 weeks. At this point a full wet set is very difficult, especially in the back, but I am treating myself to wear it down tomorrow. After that, back to PSing and cowashing. I'll just do pony sets.

Also, I was planning to relax in 2 weeks, but my stylist is booked so it looks like it'll be another 4 - 5. :ohwell: I wasn't planning on going this long, but oh well, I'll really need to bump up the moisture (and a little protein, just on the demarcation line).
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Weeks? Ouch! I envy you! Is this the longest relaxer stretch that you've had?
 
I have tried to stretch in the past with no success. I get so much breakage! I used to relax after 1/2 inch of NG, which is exactly 4 weeks. I am trying Ladies, really. I am now at my first ever 5 week stretch. I've been using growth aides and I have 1 inch of NG in most areas. I am bunning, and baggying, and DCing, and avoiding mirrors, and cursing, and fussing...

If you have any words of inspiration lay them on me--PLEASE. I'm going to tough it out as long as possible. If I can just keep my hair soft and shiny I can do it. But my hair doesn't hold on to moisture at all. Its weakest when wet so co-washing every day is not really an option. I lose too much hair on wash days.
 
ok ladies.. i dont think am going to make it. i thot i had it in the bag with the whole coconut oil thing. i am in a state of panic cuz i'm getting knots and wierd looking loops in my hair.. and the breakage is rearing its ugly head again. this is about the 2nd of breakage for me.

so i need some advice..

do i get braids or relax?
 
wheezy807 said:
Weeks? Ouch! I envy you! Is this the longest relaxer stretch that you've had?
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Yep! The bright spot is I'll be able to relax a little sooner during the summer, maybe at 15 or 16 weeks.

LaidBak said:
I have tried to stretch in the past with no success. I get so much breakage! I used to relax after 1/2 inch of NG, which is exactly 4 weeks. I am trying Ladies, really. I am now at my first ever 5 week stretch. I've been using growth aides and I have 1 inch of NG in most areas. I am bunning, and baggying, and DCing, and avoiding mirrors, and cursing, and fussing...

If you have any words of inspiration lay them on me--PLEASE. I'm going to tough it out as long as possible. If I can just keep my hair soft and shiny I can do it. But my hair doesn't hold on to moisture at all. Its weakest when wet so co-washing every day is not really an option. I lose too much hair on wash days.
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You sure you can't cowash, but at night? You could always go to bed with a wet bun and scarf and it should be mostly dry the next morning. You could do it every other day, or even every 3 days. I'm pushing this because cwing really whips my hair into shape! :whip: If my hair starts breaking, after one or two cowashes it is lusher and softer again.
:lick: Seriously, without it, I would NOT be able to make it.

preciousstone said:
ok ladies.. i dont think am going to make it. i thot i had it in the bag with the whole coconut oil thing. i am in a state of panic cuz i'm getting knots and wierd looking loops in my hair.. and the breakage is rearing its ugly head again. this is about the 2nd of breakage for me.

so i need some advice..

do i get braids or relax?
Click to expand...

How far along are you? Have you tried scurl? What is your hair type?
 
I am also stretching my relaxer and find it really hard to get the hair into a bun, wet, without combing the NG and the NG started to loc because I was not able to comb it. I now have a sew-in with hair out in the top and sides...I have several broken hairs in the top of my head..I am 8 weeks post on the hair that it out of the weave and 5 months post on the hair that is braided into the weave....My hair is 4b SL by the way...thanks
 
preciousstone said:
am 13 weeks, 4b relaxed.
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If you really want to hold out I would get the braids. that's what I did. I was itching for a relaxer and my hair was getting pretty difficult and I was afraid of breakage. I didn't know what to do so I got braids, that way I don't have to make a decision for at least two months. But I'm trying to hang on to these braids for at least 3 months. We'll see. the new growth is coming in some kind of fierce and it's itching like crazy.
 
I CAVED LADIES! :perplexed I felt like i needed to stave off the breakage. am thinking this hair cycle i'm going to plan on breading around 8 weeks post and see if that will help me stretch better. am also going to do some protein research so that i can alter my regime to prepare my hair to avoid demarcation issues when the ng comes in.

thanks
 
Getting ready to end my stretch around the 3rd week in March.

Still not ready to transition yet. I should be 21 Weeks Post when I get my relaxer.

I have to get a new stylist and school her on how to do my hair. She was okay before LHCF but now i need to watch her like a hawk.

I plan to base my head up REALLY well with some Vatika Frosting before I go and make sure she DUSTS my ends and not cut my progress off.....i'm anxious to see how long it is.
 
Hi Ladies. I am 29 weeks post and I just had to get my hair braided!! Sadly, I was told by my future stylist that my hair needed a few more months before going to a texturizer so it looks like I will have to stretch to June!!! OMG!!!! My sister is getting married at the end of March, so I will take out my braids then get a Nioxin dermabrasion scalp tx, then wash, dc, and flat iron. After this, I'll probably wig or weave it til June....
 
Okay I can't lie I'm no real hardcore stretcher so I'm learning. I didn't do a lot of searching the threads on here so I didn't know this thread existed. I'm soooooo glad it does. I need help! I stretch my relaxer for the first time for 11 weeks (the goal was 12) I couldn't even stretch one more week. I was experiencing some drama for real. Now I kind of have an idea of what I should be doing and what I should not be doing to prevent all of the hoo-ha this time around. I just ran into one delima though. I started using mega tek and the otc every so often and seems that it has taken that 11 weeks worth of new growth that I had texlaxed and totally made it thick and crinkly again in some areas(which I would loovvvve if I didn't have such a problem trying to manage it day to day). So it seems like when I do this next stretch (for hopefully a few weeks longer than the first) that I will have double the new growth thickness in some aread. I hope that makes sense. I know this may sound foolish but is that what some on here mean when they say that their ng reverted? If that's what that means I don't like it. I am so afraid that this will cause my stretching process to be difficult and damaging. BTW I am 4 weeks post so I have a ways to go. I am open to any tips and personal stories. This is supposed to be a benefit to my hair not cause it damage. I want to do all that I can to go through this second stretch with no breakage. thanx.
 
I'm 15 wks post. I will relax next weekend at 16wks. This is so far my longest stretch. I have maintained by weekly rollersetting, deep cond and protein treatments. But it was really ayurvedic that pushed me over the top. It made my ng so soft and allowed me to stretch longer.
 
janeemat said:
I'm 15 wks post. I will relax next weekend at 16wks. This is so far my longest stretch. I have maintained by weekly rollersetting, deep cond and protein treatments. But it was really ayurvedic that pushed me over the top. It made my ng so soft and allowed me to stretch longer.
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Thanks, janeemat!! What's your Ayurvedic regimen that keeps your NG soft? Thanks in advance!! :kiss:
 
I am 25 weeks post and just took out my kinky twist! Man I got some ng that is out of control. My hair is red in some areas from my last rinse, dirty brown in some areas (my natural color) and grey in others (my new natural color?). This week I will co-wash often and DC 2x. I will henna next week and roller set oh and dust my ends. The following week I will cowash and DC in prepration for another round of braids!

I am not relaxing until Xmas, I want to give my hair a rest and experience my natural hair.
 
Checking in as well, 9 1/2 weeks post trying to stretch to 12 wks....for my 2yr anniversary...will update with pics when I relax...Hopefully I am a lot closer to MBL :yep:
 
First time checking in...I'm going on 8 weeks post. This is actually the first time I've ever tried to stretch past 6 weeks (without using braids or weave). It's not as bad as I thought! My rollerset was so full this weekend. I love it! I'm going to try to make it to 12 weeks (maybe longer).
 
Checking in...still have a long way to go. I am currently 3.5 weeks and going for 12 weeks this time.
 
Due to unfortunate circumstances...my stretch will be extended to June. I am currently 29 weeks post with 12 more weeks to go...yikes!
 
I am on my first 12 week stretch! I ususally relax at 6-8. I had the urge to relax yesterday but didnt so I'll see how long I can go. I was disappointed to see that I only have 1 inch of new growth unstretched. oh well.
 
Right now I'm 11 weeks post. My question is how do you successfully stretch a relaxer without breakage? Can someone give me a breakdown like:

Week 1-12 Wash once a week...etc
Week12-24: Wash hair twice a month...etc..

Thanks,
Kiki82
 
7 Week post . 5 weeks left to go for 12 weeks. I am so tired..lawd, lawd, lawd I am so tired but am trying to hold out for my wedding anniverary LOL!
 
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