stretching relaxers - do you find that you need to shampoo/condition more or less?

[LocksOfLuV]

yes, I do. so time consuming.

It sure it. Do you use the sylver scarf method? I have a little method in my fotki if you want to take a look at it.

 

[blackmaven]

My first stretch was for 14 weeks second time 13 weeks hair could not hold out any longer. I did a lot of co-washing to combat the dryness. When it finally got relaxed the stylist was like girl the relaxer is screaming your name.

 

[HoneyDew]

It sure it. Do you use the sylver scarf method? I have a little method in my fotki if you want to take a look at it.

I just let it airdry.

I tried using a scarf, but it seems to take longer to dry and even after it is done I still have to flatiron (I am majorly texlaxed) which adds even more time.

I could do this on the weekend, but during the week, I get home at 6 pm and I need to be in bed by 11pm to get my 8 hours. Everyday, between 6-11, I have to fix dinner, pack my son's lunch, help him with any homework that he has, prepare for work the next day, workout and study. erplexed Wednesday's are my midweek shampoo days and I find that as the weeks progress past touchup time, I never go to bed on time, which I cannot afford.

Honestly, I used to HAVE to condition every 3-4 days because my hair got dry by that time. Now that I have been using Sidr Tree Butter balm as a leave in for the past month, on days 3 and 4, my hair is still holding on strong and moisturized with NG behaving well.

That's why I was thinking of waiting and taking advantage of that.

I think I saw a thread that Allandra (i think) started asking everyone if they waited on washing their hair if it was still holding up and doing fine. I am going to try to search for that...

(sorry for rambling )

 

[nycutiepie]

I agree with you Honeydew but I think every damn thing is timeconsuming. It's starting to be time consuming just for me to moisturize my hair. I don't have any patience and someone on here mentioned that patience is the key to this whole haircare game.

 

[envybeauty]

NVY, your hair looks so pretty. I love your color and the curls.

Thanks! I airdry a lot and I find it less time consuming than rollersetting or blowdrying...mainly because my hair dries while I'm sleeping or running errands. I figured out how to get it moisturized (sealing with oil method) while it dries so I don't have the breakage/dryness that others get from airdrying. And I have highlights on top of my relaxer so my hair should be super dry...but it's not. Glad too because I am due to get more highlights in a month. Yeah!

 

[HoneyDew]

I agree with you Honeydew but I think every damn thing is timeconsuming. It's starting to be time consuming just for me to moisturize my hair. I don't have any patience and someone on here mentioned that patience is the key to this whole haircare game.

this is so true!

 

[glamazon386]

I didn't wash more often but I did moisturize my new growth more often. I would put mango butter on the new growth and detangle it when it got unruly. The crown of my head was usually the worst spot. I could feel it kinking up in the middle. The rest of my hair was usually okay. I just hated that one spot feeling tight.

 

[amina kamal]

When I did my last stretch to 14 weeks, I found that I had to do more washes, not necessarily with shampoo. I did poos about once a week and co-washed up to every 2 days. My hair would get brittle and I would get breakage unless I washed pretty often. I did not do any roller setting at that time either, I only did airdrying in a ponytail or bun. I think I would have washed less frequently if I had done rollersets or flat ironing.

 

[mochamadness]

I think it depends on the style that you plan on wearing. If you're wearing a bun daily, I think you may benefit from the frequent washes. If you wear your hair straight and down most of the time, I think that it may be easier and less stressful to the hair to limit the washes b/c straighten the hair usually equals more manipulation than say bunning. Personally, when I'm far into a stretch, I try to keep the manipulation to minimum. So washing and rollersetting once a week works for me when I'm doing long stretches.

good luck on the stretch!!!

 

[LovelyLionessa]

Hey Honeydew. My regimen doesn't change too much, especially now in the winter. I wash 1x a week anyway, airdry and flat iron my roots. What's helping me dry my self-relaxed, texlaxed roots straighter, is securing my hair in 2-4 sections with scrunchies, in ponytails. That way when I flat iron, it's less of a chore, and those roots stay straight. I stretch my relaxers to 3 months and I never mess with my new growth in between those wash days.

 

[HoneyDew]

Ok, I had to post my 1st week results. I washed my hair today after a week adn I think this WILL help me stretch.

I am at 4 weeks post and I have lots of new growth. I can tame my new growth and my hair, including roots, is straight and soft.

It is the manipulation and parting of my kinks that I don't think I can do 2 times in a week. Parting through my airdried hair was just an ordeal.

Anyway, my hair actually was more moisturized as the week progressed. I was moisturizing daily and I tied my hair down everynight. My hair still looked good today actually.

I just finished doing my hair and if I can do this once a week, I think I may be able to get to 10 weeks easy.

This will be the 1st time I can get past 6 weeks. Even if I get to 10 weeks I will be happy.

 

[HoneyDew]

I think it depends on the style that you plan on wearing. If you're wearing a bun daily, I think you may benefit from the frequent washes. If you wear your hair straight and down most of the time, I think that it may be easier and less stressful to the hair to limit the washes b/c straighten the hair usually equals more manipulation than say bunning. Personally, when I'm far into a stretch, I try to keep the manipulation to minimum. So washing and rollersetting once a week works for me when I'm doing long stretches.

good luck on the stretch!!!

I am finding that to be so true! Basically if I just leave it alone, I will not be pressed to relax so soon.

 

[CoCoGirl821]

Re: stretching relaxers - do you find that you need to shampoo/condition more or less

This is the longest I have ever stretched withouth braids and I definately have to wash my hair more because my new growth gets out of control and my hair is harder to manage. But I am holding on strong, and will continue to stretch even longer since I am getting a full sew-in.

 

[YUMMY28]

i wash and dc my hair once a week whether i am stretching or not i use capilo suena y canela it tingles the scalp i love it
its makes the ng softer and easier to deal with i just relaxed my hair after a 15 week stretch

 

[HoneyDew]

I guess once a week is normal for some, but I was doing it bi-weekly. I really don't need to, especially considering the manipulation to get the comb through my hair after it has been dried - it always gets stuck in the kinks and I am always afraid of breakage.

 

[Miss*Tress]

HoneyDew, washing and roller setting once a week to every two weeks is a good cycle. However, since you work out, you may want to start wearing a shake and go hairstyle since you have to wash more often and want to save time. It's difficult to work out and cut down on your hair care routine.

Also bear in mind that if your hair is SL or shorter, when you stretch for a long time, you could end up with anywhere from one-fourth to one-half of your length being new growth. This is why it's a good idea to gradually increase the interval between relaxers if your hair isn't APL yet. Once you reach that length, having 3 months of new growth is less noticeable and less trying because it only represents a smaller part of your overall length.

Anyway, good luck stretching and HHG!

 

[HoneyDew]

HoneyDew, washing and roller setting once a week to every two weeks is a good cycle. However, since you work out, you may want to start wearing a shake and go hairstyle since you have to wash more often and want to save time. It's difficult to work out and cut down on your hair care routine.

Also bear in mind that if your hair is SL or shorter, when you stretch for a long time, you could end up with anywhere from one-fourth to one-half of your length being new growth. This is why it's a good idea to gradually increase the interval between relaxers if your hair isn't APL yet. Once you reach that length, having 3 months of new growth is less noticeable and less trying because it only represents a smaller part of your overall length.

Anyway, good luck stretching and HHG!

Thanks, Miss Tress. Luckily my daily workouts are only pilates, yoga and calistenics so I don't have to wash my hair on those days. But once a week, I do a major cardio and weight training session and I always wash my hair on that day. Actually, while I am working out, I normally have conditioner or henna on my hair.

Right now at 4 weeks, I have between 1/4-1/2 inch of new growth all over and I can deal with it well. I shampooed, hennaed, conditioned and airdried yesterday. Then I flat-ironed. It was an ordeal that I just can't see doing 2 times a week. But, if I can do that same process another 4-6 times each week, I should be able to at least get to 8 weeks. We'll see.

 

[sareca]

After a fresh relaxer I usually (although not the last time) wear rollersets so I wash 1X/week. As soon as my NG requires extra heat (for the roots) I switch to buns, WnGs, braids, twists or phonyponies. I wash or co-wash those styles 2-3X/week. So I definitely co-wash/wash more when I have more NG.

ETA: My last stretch was 11 months. I'm currently 3+ months post-relaxer.

 

[wish4longlocs]

I just tried to do 12 weeks, but couldn't make it. My hair was coming out every time I washed and I comb with a light hand. I found it more helpful to was on a daily bases and alwasys deep condition. But this time it was scary I ran for my relaxer. Good luck.

 

[RosesBlack]

I wash biweekly and con weekly or as needed. Usually I con more when I'm past about 4 weeks post. Keeps my new growth a little happier.

 

[upandcoming]

I just got a relaxer (well, more like texturizer) and I was 8 weeks post. I asked my stylist to do spiral rollersets and my hair is still bouncy. Rollersetting helps keep my hair pretty and requires little manipulation after I get the initial wash because I'll comb it only one time before I get it washed. It looks cute and it's still a protective style because my hair isn't touching my clothes.

I can't wash my hair more than once a week or else I'll experience breakage and it's too much manipulation.

 

[Legend]

I’m just over 5 months post right now (only because I haven’t found the time to investigate new salons since my stylist retired), and I find myself washing a little less.

I usually wash my hair every 3 to 4 days, but lately I’ve been washing about every 4 to 8 days. I must admit that some of the reason is due to the dry winter weather, but I do very little styling, and I can get away with less frequent washing. Washing less also reduces manipulation.

I’m not sure when I will get a retouch, but I’m thinking maybe in the next week or two…if I actually remember to make an appointment!

Good luck on your first stretch!

 

[Whimsy]

I voted for the same. No difference since the goal is still the same.

 

[rdm]

I have to do a con wash at least everyother day. Otherwis, my hair will break when I comb it dry.

 

[msjackson8]

Re: stretching relaxers - do you find that you need to shampoo/condition more or less

I definitely have to wash more often because the longer I stretch, which is usually btwn 16and 20wks, my hair gets EXTREMELY TANGLED!!! I don't comb my hair other than the wash days so I have to wash it like 2 times a week so I can use my keracare detangling shampoo and make sure it doesn't start to matt up.

 

[HoneyDew]

I have to do a con wash at least everyother day. Otherwis, my hair will break when I comb it dry.

Well, the 1st week between washes was good. But then

My hair is great the day after a wash, but on the days after that, I cannot comb it because my flatironed roots revert over night it seems. It is especially bad in the very back. I have about 1/2 inch new growth right now and I am at 5 weeks just about. I don't know if an entire week between washes is going to be good because I notice that after the first couple of days after a wash, I get breaksge when I try to comb. I can't even part my hair to section it for moisturizing. I haven't been combing for this reason, but then like msjackson8 says, the tangles start. Maybe I need to just go back to shampooing and conditioning every 3-4 days. I never been able to go past 6 weeks unless I am in braids and I really want to stretch it out. I KNOW I can do this.

 

[HoneyDew]

I voted for the same. No difference since the goal is still the same.

I am not sure I understand what you mean. Do you mean the goal to stretch the time between relaxers? I wish that I could treat my hair the same week to week, but after the 1st 3 weeks following a relaxer, my hair changes more and more and I find myself having to take different measures to #1 prevent too much manipulation #2 keep my hair untangled and #2 still maintain my style.

Right now I cannot even comb my dry hair, but I can the first few weeks after a relaxer touchup.

 

[Jewell]

My last stretch was for 6 months. I think on average I shampooed and dc'd every 1 to 2 weeks...more like every 2 weeks near the end. Co-washes help of course but I did them no more than once or twice a week. I am transitioning and I plan to leave my hair alone as much as possible. I am actually gonna try going every 2 weeks between shampoos consistently from now on.

 

[HoneyDew]

My last stretch was for 6 months. I think on average I shampooed and dc'd every 1 to 2 weeks...more like every 2 weeks near the end. Co-washes help of course but I did them no more than once or twice a week. I am transitioning and I plan to leave my hair alone as much as possible. I am actually gonna try going every 2 weeks between shampoos consistently from now on.

Hey Lady! I haven't seen you on the board a while! I have always loved looking at your albums!

 

[gymfreak336]

Doing the bump