Success without stretching relaxers?

[Plenty]

Okay, I get the point of stetching relaxers to avoid overlaping of chemicals. But what if you get a good stylist who protects your already relaxed hair and doesn't overlap?

Also who has suffured from having to much new growth to relax? Last time I had a lots of breakage from stretching. And when I did get my hair relaxed she only relaxed half my newgrowth, dumb ***...

I how are you managing. Is anyone out their having success with relaxing every 2 months?

Thanks

 

[dlewis]

I relax every 8 weeks and I'm 2" from bra-strap length. Stretching is not for everyone so do what you feel is best.

 

[krissyprissy]

Co-Signing

I relax every 8 weeks two and I just made it to arm-pit length.
I just wear protective styles very often, shampoo and deep co weekly, daily moisturize and oil ends. I think the key is finding a stylist that specialize in healthy hair care, listen to your needs, and home maintance is key.

 

[Miss*Tress]

And when I did get my hair relaxed she only relaxed half my newgrowth,

Thay happened to me too, but still I stretch...

 

[glamazon386]

I've been relaxing every 3 months for the past year with no problems.

 

[Plenty]

I relax every 8 weeks and I'm 2" from bra-strap length. Stretching is not for everyone so do what you feel is best.

Owe, and your hair is thick as ever! I am very inspired!

 

[Miss*Tress]

The risk with getting frequent touch ups is that it increases the points of possible overlap and thereby multiplyies the number of weakened spots in the hair leading to breakage later on. But as everyone says, do what is best for you.

BTW, yes, it is easier to stretch the longer one's hair gets. 2 inches of new growth is less noticeable on BSL hair than with a pixie cut. HTH.

 

[MizaniMami]

I guess I'm the odd ball because I stretch no longer than every 6-8 weeks. I usually wear low maintenance styles such as a wrap which requires little combing and manipulation. But when I hit that 6 week period (especially since I have started taking biotin) I start to shed and I don't like that. My hair also starts to break where the new growth and relaxed hair meet. I don't recommend it really unless you wear very low maintenence styles where you have no combing. Stretching just isn't for me and I'm okay with that.

 

[KhandiB]

Nope..

Between tryin to stretch and post partum shedding I was having weekly heart attacks. and Im thinking it was more stretching, because after I relaxed last week, my hair hardly sheds at all

 

[Sistaslick]

It is definitely possible to reach your hair goals without stretching, but for me I choose to stretch as way of limiting my exposure to chemicals all together. My 21 year old scalp may be able to tolerate relaxing at that rate, but my 40, 50, or 60 year old scalp may suffer later on. Relaxing 7 to 8 times per year can't be good in the grand scheme of things-- so 2-3 times is much better for me. And like a another poster stated, stretching lessens the number of stress points along the hair strand...each time you relax, the hair is weakened at that 1- 1.5 inch interval. If you stretch, the intervals are lengthened out somewhat and breakage is decreased.

I had trouble stretching at first, but now its second nature. I also had issues with shedding. I thought my hair was shedding because I was stretching- but if you think about it, if your scalp is healthy your hair cycles through shedding phases natually anyway...whether you stretch or not. The key to stretching is keeping your hair moisturized and pliable, paying attention to its cycles, and keeping the manipulation down. All of those things are beneficial to maintaining a healthy head of hair anyway- but stretching forces you to really do it. I am also a self relaxer, so stretching is a must for me.

 

[baglady215]

I am in my first stretch, going for 12 weeks. I used to do my touch ups every 4 weeks! I made it to 6, then 8, now going for 12. It is definitely easier once your hair grows to a certain length. I just bun it back and forget about it. My goal is to relax 4 times per year.

 

[trinidarkie1]

I dunno what my goals are anymore concerning my hair.
It's just exhilarating for me to keep adding products and doing treatments etc.

I dont think I want to go all natural, because I would want nice tight curls and I dont think I will get those. I just want nice long hair again, healthy thick and black.

I can stretch for 12 weeks no sweat. I normally use special occasions for relaxers: Christmas (Dec), Birthday (April), End of Summer (Aug) and Christmas again.

 

[Samaria]

My hair broke so bad when stretching and I've been doing it for so long, would you know one thing I WASNT doing??? MOISTURIZING The nG.. Since I keep it moisturized, my hair never breaks.

 

[gradygirl]

I'm newly relaxed and this is my first stretch too. I have been relaxed before and I too got a relaxer every four weeks. I'm going to go no less than 6 weeks and take it week by week after that and just see how my hair responds to the stretching. This is how I plan to determine how long I can stretch.

 

[SparklingFlame]

When my hair was relaxed I got a re-touch every 6 weeks and I never had any problems. I rarely had breakage or splits (go figure). This was before I even knew what streaching was. But you have to do whats best for your hair.

 

[Prayingforprogress]

I'm currently stretching and this is the longest (8 weeks) that I've ever gone without a touch-up. I made the mistake of going to a beauty school a few days ago to get a roller set. The hairdresser (or shall I say student) ripped through my hair with a rattail comb adn kept commenting about how I needed a touch up. I did experience some breakage but it wasnt as bad as it could have gone, I guess. I'm going to go get a relaxer soon but I think it I had not gotten my hair jacked up by this girl I would have been able to last longer

 

[goldensensation]

It is definitely possible to reach your hair goals without stretching, but for me I choose to stretch as way of limiting my exposure to chemicals all together. My 21 year old scalp may be able to tolerate relaxing at that rate, but my 40, 50, or 60 year old scalp may suffer later on. Relaxing 7 to 8 times per year can't be good in the grand scheme of things-- so 2-3 times is much better for me. And like a another poster stated, stretching lessens the number of stress points along the hair strand...each time you relax, the hair is weakened at that 1- 1.5 inch interval. If you stretch, the intervals are lengthened out somewhat and breakage is decreased.

I had trouble stretching at first, but now its second nature. I also had issues with shedding. I thought my hair was shedding because I was stretching- but if you think about it, if your scalp is healthy your hair cycles through shedding phases natually anyway...whether you stretch or not. The key to stretching is keeping your hair moisturized and pliable, paying attention to its cycles, and keeping the manipulation down. All of those things are beneficial to maintaining a healthy head of hair anyway- but stretching forces you to really do it. I am also a self relaxer, so stretching is a must for me.

you stole my thoughts.

 

[planodiva]

I'm currently stretching and this is the longest (8 weeks) that I've ever gone without a touch-up. I made the mistake of going to a beauty school a few days ago to get a roller set. The hairdresser (or shall I say student) ripped through my hair with a rattail comb adn kept commenting about how I needed a touch up. I did experience some breakage but it wasnt as bad as it could have gone, I guess. I'm going to go get a relaxer soon but I think it I had not gotten my hair jacked up by this girl I would have been able to last longer

OMG...okay so I had the EXACT SAME experience with a beauty school student. Only I brought my own detangling comb and asked her not to comb through with the rat tail comb but to use my comb instead. Do you know she started crying (clearly this student was not a sista) and went to get an instructor, who also started combing my hair with the rat tail comb. I wanted to slap them both, so I repeated my request to use my own comb.

Then the instructor starts telling the student ..."Yes her hair is extremely damaged due to ya da ya..." I was simply amazed at the instructor tearing down my hair and discounting the condition and health of my hair.

 

[Candy_C]

OMG...okay so I had the EXACT SAME experience with a beauty school student. Only I brought my own detangling comb and asked her not to comb through with the rat tail comb but to use my comb instead. Do you know she started crying (clearly this student was not a sista) and went to get an instructor, who also started combing my hair with the rat tail comb. I wanted to slap them both, so I repeated my request to use my own comb.

Then the instructor starts telling the student ..."Yes her hair is extremely damaged due to ya da ya..." I was simply amazed at the instructor tearing down my hair and discounting the condition and health of my hair.

what the?
SERIOUS mis-conduct right there of the professional... i wudda jumped out my seat and took my self and my hair home for some home lovin

 

[Kitkat]

I relax every 8 weeks, and it works for me. You have to do what's best for you, and your hair will let you know when you it needs a touch up. Stretching is not for everyone. As someone said earlier it's easier to stretch as the hair gets longer. When my hair was shorter I needed to relax every 4-6 weeks. Now I can wait 8 weeks, possibly longer.

 

[Dogmd]

I relax every 8 weeks as well with no problems so far... I can't stretch either or my hair will break.

 

[shawniegee]

I would say I'm a successful non stretcher. I usually go 6-9 weeks, before m next relaxer.I have had some breakage lately, but I think it's because I switched perms.