Who relaxes their every ever 7 weeks or SOONER?

[simcha]

i use to relax every 4-6 weeks. it seemed fine until i realized hair never grew past a certain point, seemed thin and started breaking from overprocessing.
i was also one who couldn't absolutely not stretch..new growth outta control ..couldn't handle it .. until i 'had' to.

Me too! I used to relax every 6-7 weeks and couldn't understand why my hair couldn't get to bra strap like before. Then I realized it was because I used to go 9-10 weeks only because I couldn't really afford my hairdresser at the time. Anyway, I'm hoping this gets me to bra strap and beyond. I found saturating my new growth with a deep moisturizing conditioner (Mixed Chicks) and detangling in the shower has worked wonders. I still can't go beyond 10 weeks - because my hair is fine. So we will see!

 

[Solitude]

I used to relax every 6 weeks, sometimes after 4 weeks. Never had any real ill effects, except that my crown area used to break back then. It could have also been lack or proper moisture/protein balance.

 

[Aggie]

That's it! I am am relaxing on Tuesday

I tried the hot oil treatment and every other thing that used to work and my hair was like:
:hardslap:

I give ...

 

[Aggie]

How do you apply your hot oil treatments and what do you use? Thanks!

Okay here is what I do. I heat up about 2oz of oil in the microwave ( evoo, coconut, amla, brahmi, aloe vera oil, sweet almond or bhringraj oil) for about 30 seconds, apply to my roots to ends as a pre-poo and go under the dryer for 20 minutes, wash and DC as usual. I would also heat the oils again and add to my roots and hair before adding in my DC for 30-60 minutes under the dryer. So in essence I do it twice on wash day.

 

[Aggie]

I do lengthy stretches, usually 24-27 weeks, but only b/c I wear sew-ins so much and don't have to deal with the two textures on a daily basis. When I start wearing my hair out I will go back to relaxing every 6-8 weeks. Stretches without the sew-ins or braids have caused me more damage the good, so it's not really worth it in my case.

ITA, I use braids to help me stretch too and my thoughts are about the same as yours. I will go back to my regular stretch of 9-12 weeks when I stop wearing these types of protective styles. The difference in weeks account for the times when my hair is growing slowly.

 

[yuriko]

My issue with long stretches are tangles. If I wear my hair loose it just tangles up. I have given up at this point and I am getting a weave. My issue comes from my hair type I guess. I can't manipulate it, so I don't comb it. But all my shed hairs don't just drop off my head. Instead they get tangled with the hairs that are still on my head. It takes me so much time and patience to detangle every week.

I have given up at this point. I am getting a weave, and sticking to half weaves because I am not relaxing till the end of may and that is a mighty long time to continue to struggle like I am doing now

 

[taz007]

Okay here is what I do. I heat up about 2oz of oil in the microwave ( evoo, coconut, amla, brahmi, aloe vera oil, sweet almond or bhringraj oil) for about 30 seconds, apply to my roots to ends as a pre-poo and go under the dryer for 20 minutes, wash and DC as usual. I would also heat the oils again and add to my roots and hair before adding in my DC for 30-60 minutes under the dryer. So in essence I do it twice on wash day.

Thank you Aggie. I will try this mix the week after I relax on Tuesday. It sounds great!

 

[Aggie]

Thank you Aggie. I will try this mix the week after I relax on Tuesday. It sounds great!

You're welcomed. Remember now I only do these oil rinses when my relaxer stretches are getting harder.

 

[HairGurl]

I used to relax my hair every 7-8 weeks before i started my journey in 07, but now I do it every 10-12 weeks.

 

[taz007]

You're welcomed. Remember now I only do these oil rinses when my relaxer stretches are getting harder.

Thanks for the reminder. I guess that I will try it when I am 6-7 weeks post.

 

[trenise]

I used to relax every 4 weeks prior coming to the board. But I was doing it wrong anyway. Now I can stretch to at least 10 weeks but I had to build it up. I started with a 5 week stretch, then 7, then 10. Plus I use Ovation which changed my 4b hair texture.

 

[msa]

If for some reason I lost my mind and relaxed...I'd probably relax every 4-6 weeks. Mainly because, if I want straight hair bad enough to relax, then what's the point of dealing with the natural new growth, which is not going to be straight.

I don't think people should relax that often (because of the heightened exposure to the chemicals), but I can definitely understand why they would do so.

 

[Aggie]

Thanks for the reminder. I guess that I will try it when I am 6-7 weeks post.

6 weeks is about perfect timing for the hot oil treatments.

 

[trenise]

I used to relax every 4 weeks prior coming to the board. But I was doing it wrong anyway. Now I can stretch to at least 10 weeks but I had to build it up. I started with a 5 week stretch, then 7, then 10. Plus I use Ovation which changed my 4b hair texture.

 

[taz007]

Ok. I didn't even wait until Tuesday. I relaxed my hair today and am currently DCing under the dryer. I will post a pic in a few.

Did I make APL???? :scratchch

 

[SCarolinaGirl]

Ooooo, waiting for that pic!!!

 

[mahogany_horizons]

My issue with long stretches are tangles. If I wear my hair loose it just tangles up. I have given up at this point and I am getting a weave. My issue comes from my hair type I guess. I can't manipulate it, so I don't comb it. But all my shed hairs don't just drop off my head. Instead they get tangled with the hairs that are still on my head. It takes me so much time and patience to detangle every week.

I have given up at this point. I am getting a weave, and sticking to half weaves because I am not relaxing till the end of may and that is a mighty long time to continue to struggle like I am doing now

I relax every 12 weeks, sometimes 13, or sometimes 11 depending on what events are going on in my life. I have a simliar problem to yours! It's not so much that my new growth dreads, or is "nappy", but it's because it's so curly and shed hairs don't just pop off of my head, but get tangled in my hair as well. The only thing I think that helps is washing twice, or three times a week and detangling each time. It is also helpful to detangle in the shower while my hair is loaded in conditioner. I find that I can pick some of the shed hairs out that way!

 

[taz007]

Ok, here are the pics. Sorry, this is the best that I can do. I will have my husband take more when he comes back from his business trip.

 

[Aggie]

Ok, here are the pics. Sorry, this is the best that I can do. I will have my husband take more when he comes back from his business trip.

Lookin' mighty thick there taz...I left a comment in your piki album.

 

[Misseyl]

I use to relax every 6/8 weeks and I didn't retain any length. What might work for some, may not be good for others. I've been relaxing every 16 weeks for the past 5 years and my hair and scalp is thanking me for it.