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Stretching Out Relaxer Challenge ...

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I already started this as a personal challenge to myself to go 12 weeks (3 mos). Well after I reached 12 weeks I decided to go for 24 weeks (6 mos) instead. I'm curerntly at 13 weeks 4 days and counting. I'm doing the bun challenge so it makes it very easy for me to style my hair. I do conditioner only washes 4-6 times a week with various conditioners including Lekair cholestrol, Lustrasilk cholestrol, granier frutis. I shampoo once a week with Creme of Nature shampoo and deep conditioner. When I see breakage I do an aphogee treatment (and I am do right now so I'll be doing one tonight since I missed my sat shampoo day). I also use infusium 23 or motions leave in conditioner, profectiv megagrowth, olive oil and megahertz serum for detangling, shine, and strength. I plan on buying some wild hair growth to help with manageability of the new growth next month. I plan to do a roller set on Thanksgiving to see how my hair looks. I also did a braid out this past weekend and it turned out good but by the end of the day it looked like an afro
shocked.gif
!

I can report that I can feel the different textures of the new growth and I'm getting more growth in some areas than others. Front, sides and nape is slow growing, the remainder appears to be 3+ inches. I'm very happy with my progress so far but I still would like to strength my relax hair to prevent further breakagae.
 
CocoaCure ...," LOVE your hair and your Ballet pictures!! I dance too.........not ballet, more modern and swing, but I love your pics!! "

-- Thank you! How long have you been swing dancing? It looks like a lot of fun! I could just imagine swing dancing with my hair down and flying all over the place.

MoezThunder... ,"Ballet Bun, girl look what you done started I'm in so many challenges....I'm gonna have to make me a calendar. "

-- Just trying to play my part in keeping you busy ... lol!

Ballet Bun ...
rosebud.gif
 
I'm at nine wks I have an appt on wednesday, I could cancel or start my challgene on after this touch up. I don't want to go because I have been putting that ubh on the roots and hair and tie it at night it is soooo soft and manageable still.
 
Believe it or not, I used to only relax twice a year, every 6 months. I wore extension and phony ponies, I would only wear my hair down a few times after getting it relaxed. Back then my hair was at the bottom of my bra strap, and it was dyed.
 
It's not necessarily that your hair will come out because you extend the time between relaxers. The point where the two textures meet is the most fragile part of the hair. Breakage most likely occurs there, because not knowing any better, people will treat the natural new growth with relaxed methods, and treat the relaxed hair as if it is the same strength as the new growth. Also people sometimes over-heat style their hair to make the textures match. That can weaken the hair and further dry it out, adding to the problem.

It's all in how you handle the two textures. Lots of moisturizing for elasticity and slippage, which will help the comb glide over that line of demarcation between natural and relaxed hair and make the hair more resilient. Protein treatments also help to strengthen both textures, especially the relaxed hair.
 
[ QUOTE ]
JaneiR36 said:
myhairsos, have you used Motions relaxer before this? I'm asking because to the best of my knowledge, the neutralizing shampoo is not color-coded... meaning the suds would be white regardless of relaxer content in your hair. But if you've experienced differently with previous use of the relaxer, I'd like to know that, too.

[/ QUOTE ]
Oh, I'm a no-lye faithful. I was using soft & beautiful botanical but it dried out my scalp so I switched to Just for me but I used the motions protein conditioner after rinsing out the relaxer to lower the alkalinity of the relaxer. The color code system was for just for me (no-lye relaxer for kids ... it did an excellent job and my scalp is just fine)
 
well i just got a relaxer today, but i will try it again...i dunno how, my hair get so tangled! like matted knots in the middle, i dont even comb tru it after4 weeks,it is too notty....i dont understand how you guys do it with out breaking your hair, can some one please give me thier secret and maybe i can get a better understanding of how to go longer than 6 weeks.....
 
asummertyme , gyrul I can definately feel you on this one, because I was like this also. I mean what works for one might not work for others. That is how I see things on this board from now on, even though I did go 8 weeks from my usual 4-5 weeks, which I didnt even notice, but I wont try goin any longer because I notice how much breakage I get when I wait those long periods of time
 
[ QUOTE ]
asummertyme said:
well i just got a relaxer today, but i will try it again...i dunno how, my hair get so tangled! like matted knots in the middle, i dont even comb tru it after4 weeks,it is too notty....i dont understand how you guys do it with out breaking your hair, can some one please give me thier secret and maybe i can get a better understanding of how to go longer than 6 weeks.....

[/ QUOTE ]
Daily washing and moisture moisture and more moisture. I don't manipulate my hair as much after about 2 months. Sometimes I braid it up. This time I think I will be trying a weave.
 
[ QUOTE ]
ballet_bun said:
[ QUOTE ]
perfectpeace said:
16 wks? Oh Lawd. Well Im in. My last touch up was Nov. 7 & 9 (did the half and half method). So my next touch up will be the first week of March 2004. Well, Im going to order my garlic shampoo right now! Good luck everybody.

[/ QUOTE ]

PerfectPeace .... fess up! Where are you ordering your Garlic shampoo from?

JRW ... of course you can still join. The more the merrier.

Ballet Bun ...
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[/ QUOTE ]

Hey Ballet Bun, I ordered the Nutrine Unscented Garlic Shampoo and and Unscented Conditioner from www.cosmeticmall.com. Its about $5.00 each (16 oz.), but some of the ladies have been able to find it at about $1 cheaper at a BSS. Sooooo, ya going to get some?
 
[ QUOTE ]
myco said:
It's not necessarily that your hair will come out because you extend the time between relaxers. The point where the two textures meet is the most fragile part of the hair. Breakage most likely occurs there, because not knowing any better, people will treat the natural new growth with relaxed methods, and treat the relaxed hair as if it is the same strength as the new growth. Also people sometimes over-heat style their hair to make the textures match. That can weaken the hair and further dry it out, adding to the problem.

It's all in how you handle the two textures. Lots of moisturizing for elasticity and slippage, which will help the comb glide over that line of demarcation between natural and relaxed hair and make the hair more resilient. Protein treatments also help to strengthen both textures, especially the relaxed hair.

[/ QUOTE ]

Myco, what products are u using for the slippage and elasticity?
 
I am already on my own personal challenge. I'm trying to go 12 weeks w/o relaxing which is the longest I've ever strecthed my relaxer. I'm washing my hair tonight.
 
Because of my recent coloring fiasco
crazy.gif
I am also waiting several months to relax. I was alsreayd doing this so it was nice to see a challenge. My last one was 4 weeks ago roughly around the 15th of October.

My next one will be the Mid-february. That will make four months - if I'm wrong someone correct me because I can't count.
laugh.gif
 
I usually wait 12 weeks between touch-ups. For the first 6 weeks, I usually do this 2x a week, but after that I might wash/rinse it more often just because I have more newgrowth and styling when it's wet is easier on me and my hair.

This is the most streamlined version of what I've done since my last touch-up:

Preshampoo: oil (olive or coconut), honey, amla powder on Sundays
Shampoo: Cream of Nature

Protein: Affirm 5-n-1, Ion Reconstructor or Motions CPR on Sundays (they all have different sources of protein, so I alternate every once in a while.)

Conditioner: Motions Moisture plus conditioner, Cream of Nature Conditioner, Lekair Cholesterol, or Pantene Smooth and Sleek (all mixed with honey and oil)
- I don't have all these on hand at all times, but whenever I run out, I re-stock with one of these. These really help with slippage when I detangle in the shower, and they actually feel like they're penetrating the strands.

Razac Leave-in diluted with water (gives great slippage out of the shower)
Glycerin mixed with coconut oil on the ends nightly

I wear buns and french braid a lot because I mist my hair so often.

If I'm in the mood, I'll rollerset my hair then flat iron the roots of my hair on a low heat setting just so it's not as bulky.
 
I'm checking in --- the longest I have ever gone was 11 weeks. Now that I'm at 13 weeks 5 days I'm struggling. Last night I washed hair with Creme of Nature, did the aphogee treatment, put lustrasilk conditioner on my hair left it in over night with a plastic cap and towel on my head. This morning I washed it out with along with using some granier frutis for smell purposes.

It was so hard to detangle my hair today. I was not patient at all with my hair and I saw my results in my comb -- to much hair loss. I think I may have to end it at 14 weeks ... but I will wait and see if I can at least go another week or two.
 
ok, i will join but how long r we stretching? i can do it with the help of my handy dandy weave......my good friend
 
I don't know balletbun. I'm on the fence with this one. I feel funny trying to go longer than 12 weeks! Twelve weeks was such an accomplishment for me. I'm currently at nine weeks post-relaxer. Part of me wants to do it and part of me is scared...lol.

Are there any 4b's doing this challenge? I'll be keeping my eye on this challenge.
pooh123
 
Well, guys, I'm going to be in this. I decided a few weeks ago that I was going to go at least 16 weeks. After learning how to take better care of the new growth with the help of some hair care books, the internet and this board, I did 16 weeks standing on my head.

Saturday 11/15 was 18 weeks for me and I'm going for 8 more weeks to make it an even 1/2 year (26 weeks). How do I do it? Well . . . I always went 8 weeks when I was younger. That's how long my mother went. My mother still does at least 8 weeks and her trick is to never, never, never, never comb the new growth - EVER. Not even when she washes it which she does every week. Hot oil treatments are an all-day event for her. And she doesn't own a brush.

As for me, prior to my new-found style - the braidout, my hair was always up in a clip and I never, never, never, EVER combed my hair between washes. EVER!!! I would literally wash my hair and comb it into a ponytail and let airdry. Then at night, I would put a scarf on it to push the new growth down. My edges came out smoother. I would take out the ponytail holder and run some moisturizer on it - only on the outside and immediately put it in a clip. It was a fake bun without the roundness or the cuteness. People at work are used to looking at me look like this so it's no big deal. When I got home at night, I would take the clip out and put it back in a ponytail holder after putting some moisturizer/oil on it. NEVER COMBED MY HAIR until the next wash.

Even now with the braid out, I moisturize my hair every night (either with shampooing, conditioner washing, or another moisturizer) and then cornrow my hair in 4 from front to back, take them out in the morning and fingercomb. When I'm braiding at night, I can feel my hair tangled up. I let go, separate the hair and then start back up. I don't have to start over - I start from there.

The trick is to be very gentle with your hair. One more trick that I got from somewhere and that is if you are combing your hair when it's wet or damp and you reach a tangle, get some conditioner and work that tangle out with your fingers - NOT THE COMB. The comb is your enemy when you're trying to stretch out your relaxer.

Another trick is to comb your hair while the warm water of the shower is hitting it. It will detangle better. And I'm a firm believer in detangling with your fingers first and then combing. Much less breakage. Does it take more time? Yes. Is it worth it? I think so. If there is more new growth for you or your stylist to see, the less overprocessing of previously relaxed hair there will be. Less damaging overall; healthier hair. JMHO.

The moisturizers that I use are World of Curls curl activator (I only use this occasionally because it makes the relaxed portion of my hair limp and it won't hold a braid out) and UBH cream moisturizer which is also a great detangler.

BTW, can you MSM users point me to the thread that discusses the benefits of MSM. Exactly what is this?
 
I was of the opinion that less is best which worked for me. I do comb the new growth now but only when I'm washing/rinsing it in the shower and then it's not the new growth that is giving me the problems. It's the other part of my hair that likes to get tangled up.
 
[ QUOTE ]
myhairsos said:
[ QUOTE ]
JaneiR36 said:
myhairsos, have you used Motions relaxer before this? I'm asking because to the best of my knowledge, the neutralizing shampoo is not color-coded... meaning the suds would be white regardless of relaxer content in your hair. But if you've experienced differently with previous use of the relaxer, I'd like to know that, too.

[/ QUOTE ]
Oh, I'm a no-lye faithful. I was using soft & beautiful botanical but it dried out my scalp so I switched to Just for me but I used the motions protein conditioner after rinsing out the relaxer to lower the alkalinity of the relaxer. The color code system was for just for me (no-lye relaxer for kids ... it did an excellent job and my scalp is just fine)

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for replying. I thought I replied to this already yesterday, but then I couldn't find my post! I'm so glad that Motions silk protein will work even with another relaxer. I've noticed that some neutralizers in the box kit are so weak, you have to keep washing and washing before it comes out!! (Got the same results even when I let the neutralizer sit for a bit). Now I use Motions, but I'm glad I can try something else and still get great results using their "neutralizing conditioner"
smile.gif
 
Alright -- found something to hold me over for at least a few days. I did put in single braids using my own hair and pulled it up into a claw clip. So far so good. 13 weeks 6 days and counting.
 
I'm having my hair relaxed today. I stretched mine from 6 weeks to 7weeks. I know what you mean, that was as far as I could go this time but I'll try to go longer the next time.
 
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