Why would anyone relax every 4 weeks?

[GV-NA-GI-TLV-GE-I]

Co-signing. My hair sheds, tangles, and breaks like crazy usually starting at six weeks. I've tried stretching to seven and eight, but the hair that I lose just isn't worth it. My hair thrives when it's relaxed every six or seven weeks, but I baby it, deep condition, moisturize, and avoid heat like it's the devil in order to compensate. My growth and health hasn't been compromised. I think your texture (mine is a serious 4b) and growth rate matter more than anything else. If I were a 4a or a 3c then, perhaps, I'd be able to go longer between relaxers.

Me too. I finally switched relaxers again from ORS lye to Silk Elements lye. I believe this will help me transition somewhat to texlaxed hair....looking at months because I'm not cutting (so help me G-d~!) ...and will ultimately help me be able to stretch longer because SE relaxers "revert" quicker or so I've heard. This will be experimental. I'm currently pretty straight and can't wait long in between or shedding and tangles will occur. Plus, it grows fast.

 

[butterfly_wings]

I've relaxed my hair every 4 weeks in the past; thats because I had 1inch of regrowth, now I relax every 6 weeks and that works fine for me, but if needed would relax at 4 weeks again. Everyones hair, scalp and growth rate are diffrent so if it works for thm Idon'e see a probem

 

[hopeful]

I used to think I needed to relax my nape every 4 weeks. If I didn't, it would snap off and break. But that was b4 I really understood what moisturizing was, now that I have s-curl, HS 14 in one miracle worker, creamy leave-ins, etc., it is not necessary at all.

 

[naturalgurl]

To repeat others, they were told to do so. When I was relaxed I was told it would stop the shedding. NOT getting a relaxer has stopped the shedding. Some people's hair literally can't take the line of demarcation so I guess they have to relax. My question would be...how's my scalp and what about the chemical overload? Maybe this means nothing to some people but me personally, I wouldn't want to do that so often, this is one reason why I'm natural. Thank goodness I'm not ashamed of my natural hair, otherwise I'd be still relaxing and halfway bald in the name of having straight hair! What's for some is not for all!

 

[LiberianGirl]

IMO when a person get a relaxer touch up should depend more on how much new growth they have, not how many weeks it takes them to get there. So however long it takes you to get to a minimum of 1 inch of ng to help curb overlapping is cool to me.

But I do have to say that even if I grew 1 inch/month, I'd still wait till I got at least to 6-8 wks. My scalp just could take that every 4 wks business

I've got fine hair and I know you do too. If I was still relaxing, there is no way I could relax every 4 weeks.

 

[naturalmanenyc]

If I was getting an inch of new growth per month, then maybe I would have relaxed more often but I doubt it. My stylist for many years never relaxed my hair more than once per 12 weeks. I really hope that stylists are not so greedy as to tell customers that they must relax every 4 weeks no matter what the growth rate?

 

[JuicesN'Berries]

If I had a really really short hair cut.....

 

[It~Can~Grow]

DITTO...stylists tell people 6 weeks, and of course people who don't know any better believe everything that the "professional" tells them is correct.

This is true and wouldn't doubt if this was communicated in some beauty schools. It can't be just about dollars and cents.

I think it may be a combination of reasons why stylist have decided 6 weeks is the cut off point...idk...maybe after 6 weeks it takes longer for them to relax the hair...have to use a little more patience and patience is time away from the next $80 relaxer.

 

[blue_flower]

I don't trust hair stylists, especially Black ones. They always have this one-type-fits-all hair care method they use on everybody. To them, every Black person has the same hair type. They like to throw in your face that they're licensed and are professional, but they don't even know what a rollerset is. They'd rather put a metal flat iron on the stove. If you ask them about a texturizer, they think your talking about a dry jheri-curl. When you tell them that the relaxer is burning, they say "Leave it in a little while longer so it can take and make your hair straighter!" If you ask for a trim, they give you a cut. Black hair stylist don't know anything about the varities of hair textures, how to keep hair healthy, and how to grow it. If they had their way, they would tell customers to relax their hair every week. This based on my experience with Black hair stylist BTW, but from what I read on here I'm thinking it's across the board.

 

[Artemis]

This is true and wouldn't doubt if this was communicated in some beauty schools. It can't be just about dollars and cents.

I think it may be a combination of reasons why stylist have decided 6 weeks is the cut off point...idk...maybe after 6 weeks it takes longer for them to relax the hair...have to use a little more patience and patience is time away from the next $80 relaxer.

The manufacturers also tell stylists that relaxers are to be used every 6-8 weeks for best results. But these are also the same manufacturers that say that relaxers are for professional use only, but also manufacture at-home box perms so

 

[ChocalateDiva]

I used to do this all the time with no ill effects. My hair was healthly but a the first sign of new growth I would relax.

 

[BGT]

If I had a really really short hair cut.....

When I cut my hair from APL to SL, I had to relax every month solely because it grew back so quickly. I mean, I felt NG one week after a relaxer and 1 month was comparable to 3 months when my hair was longer

 

[Jassy28]

This was my exact experience! I relaxed every 6 wks b/c thats what my stylist said. I wanna go back and slap him. He was taking all my money and my normally thick hair was thin! Thank goodness I know better know and found a much better stylist.

My stylist would relax my hair every 6 weeks b/c she said I needed it and I believed her b/c she was the professional. It never grew and was weak and thin even though I was going to the salon every two weeks. Ultimately it was my fault b/c I allowed my ignorance to stand in the way of learning how to properly take care of my own hair. I believe my old stylist just wanted the extra money for giving relaxers often and could care less about the overall health of my hair.

 

[Lava27]

I don't trust hair stylists, especially Black ones. They always have this one-type-fits-all hair care method they use on everybody. To them, every Black person has the same hair type. They like to throw in your face that they're licensed and are professional, but they don't even know what a rollerset is. They'd rather put a metal flat iron on the stove. If you ask them about a texturizer, they think your talking about a dry jheri-curl. When you tell them that the relaxer is burning, they say "Leave it in a little while longer so it can take and make your hair straighter!" If you ask for a trim, they give you a cut. Black hair stylist don't know anything about the varities of hair textures, how to keep hair healthy, and how to grow it. If they had their way, they would tell customers to relax their hair every week. This based on my experience with Black hair stylist BTW, but from what I read on here I'm thinking it's across the board.

I totally agree with this! Almost every stylist that I've encountered was really not interested in hair health and more interested in the overall "look" you have when you leave the shop..THAT day only. I've often only been happy when a stylist styled or curled my hair well, but I've never really felt like any particular stylist has ever made my hair healthy. Funny enough, my hair was at it's healthiest when I was in the swim club as a child. I know, a black girl in the swim club.
Well, I washed my hair at least 3 times ad week because I HAD to get the chlorine out. I drenched it in moisturizer and wore buns all the time. The only thing I didn't do was seal. My hair was so thick and bouncy, and then I don't know what happened. Probably another evil stylist got to me! Just kidding, I don't think they are really evil, and often times they mean well, but they've just been about as mis-educated as we have been all these years. I've actually had most stylist recommend closer to 7 or 8 weeks of relaxer stretching for me, but never recommend past that. Honestly, without the aid of braids, I'm doubting that I could comfortably go longer than 10 weeks..but I'm open to giving it a try.
My best friend actually just got licensed, and before she moved she was doing my hair. She used to tell me the craziest things, like: "Your hair will never grow long unless you get dreads" (she's dreaded) and "people with hair like us will just always have bad hair". Honestly, her comments don't really bother me, but I am hoping that I can prove her wrong very soon...and I'm getting there with the help of this site.

 

[itsdiddy]

yeah I think its fear of the naps... Or naps don't really go with their flow. My aunt relaxes whenever she "needs to" which is basically whenever her doobie takes too long to wrap or whenever that swoop is too stiff

 

[curlcomplexity]

I'm probably going to get slapped w/ a hot comb or Sedu for this...but I used to relax every 2-3 weeks I think I've mentioned that before here. The reason why is because I used to hate my thick new growth . Also, from my peers, I thought that bone straight meant that the relaxer "took" so if I didn't get it right the first time....I would slap the creamy crack back in. I was also told that if I waited to long, my hair would fall out I'm suprised I had the little thin hair on my head at all looking back. I actually did this from age 12 to about 20, which was around the time that I found this site


I now relax every 2-3 MONTHS My hair isn't bone straight and I love the thickness and texture of it.

 

[NYAmicas]

Pre LHCF I never liked relaxing before 8 weeks, now I usually wait 12. A few months ago a beauty school instructor told me that for my hair, I needed to get a touch up every 4 weeks. I hate asking anyone to help me with a touchup because they complain about how thick the NG is and insist I relax quicker....smh

If some women can get away with a touch up every month good for them, to each her own.

 

[itsdiddy]

I don't trust hair stylists, especially Black ones. They always have this one-type-fits-all hair care method they use on everybody. To them, every Black person has the same hair type. They like to throw in your face that they're licensed and are professional, but they don't even know what a rollerset is. They'd rather put a metal flat iron on the stove. If you ask them about a texturizer, they think your talking about a dry jheri-curl. When you tell them that the relaxer is burning, they say "Leave it in a little while longer so it can take and make your hair straighter!" If you ask for a trim, they give you a cut. Black hair stylist don't know anything about the varities of hair textures, how to keep hair healthy, and how to grow it. If they had their way, they would tell customers to relax their hair every week. This based on my experience with Black hair stylist BTW, but from what I read on here I'm thinking it's across the board.

I have to strongly (but respectfully) disagree - I couldn't pay either of my stylist (one in DC where I go to school and one at home) to put a perm in my hair at 4 weeks. I might be able to convince my home hairdresser at 7 weeks but I'd have to do a little convincing. And they only know how long its been by looking at the amount of new growth and estimating. My hair is not really coarse and is 4a but for some reason it doesn't really "take" perms well... like at all. I think it has something to do with porosity but I'm no scientist. Anyway, because of this, I used to beg beg BEG my black hairdresser to use a super perm on my hair and she would never. So I went to some Spanish woman down the block and had my hair tow up (but believe I had some flow for the first week) and now I'm back to my original hair dresser. She does tell me that I neeeed to come in at 8 weeks to get a perm but lately I've been stretching. 2x for 3 months and this time for 10 wks... Check my signature to see if u see progress from the second time to the third. I don't and my edges are thinning I think because of this so this is probably my last time going past 8

 

[Toy]

I used to relax every 4 weeks because i did not know any better and i thought my hair would fall out and it was ugly with all the waves now i know better Love the waves and i relax every 12 wks going for 3x times a year.

 

[Musicachic]

I always relaxed every 4 weeks because my hair always grew fast and I am sure some of you have heard me mention the spot in the middle of my head where the poltergeist lives. It is very thick, especially in that area when it starts to grow. I guess you can kinda say I am stretching now, but me stretching means I have to accept the fact my hair is not going to look the way I want it to. But when I stretch I am trying to flat iron my hair more often and that still becomes a double edged sword: because which one is worse? Because the thickness of my hair can become an issue I feel like I am walking around looking like I should be in The Color Purple (not trying to offend, just saying how I feel inside) and the guy I like at work is not going to find that cute (not that he notices I am alive anyway)... But stretching saves money... that is about it to me at this point. I am trying stretching and it is nothing but a struggle physically and emotionally... and I am not sure it is worth a Britney Spears breakdown (joking).

 

[Dymmeonds]

Do people really relax that often? And why? Can any hair really be so coarse that a relaxer is needed every 4 weeks?

Actually, my Brother's wife has what we call "strong" hair and she had to touch up at the VERY LEAST every 4 weeks when her hair was relaxed. Her hair was uber thick, strong (not coarse) and shiny. If she waited any longer her hair would break at the demarcation point. Now she just shaves it off because that is a lot of work and my brother adores her with or without it (lucky her...she got a good one). A pic of their wedding is attached...

 

[SuchMagnificent]

I don't trust hair stylists, especially Black ones. They always have this one-type-fits-all hair care method they use on everybody. To them, every Black person has the same hair type. They like to throw in your face that they're licensed and are professional, but they don't even know what a rollerset is. They'd rather put a metal flat iron on the stove. If you ask them about a texturizer, they think your talking about a dry jheri-curl. When you tell them that the relaxer is burning, they say "Leave it in a little while longer so it can take and make your hair straighter!" If you ask for a trim, they give you a cut. Black hair stylist don't know anything about the varities of hair textures, how to keep hair healthy, and how to grow it. If they had their way, they would tell customers to relax their hair every week. This based on my experience with Black hair stylist BTW, but from what I read on here I'm thinking it's across the board.

Interesting statement...

 

[locabouthair]

I don't trust hair stylists, especially Black ones. They always have this one-type-fits-all hair care method they use on everybody. To them, every Black person has the same hair type. They like to throw in your face that they're licensed and are professional, but they don't even know what a rollerset is. They'd rather put a metal flat iron on the stove. If you ask them about a texturizer, they think your talking about a dry jheri-curl. When you tell them that the relaxer is burning, they say "Leave it in a little while longer so it can take and make your hair straighter!" If you ask for a trim, they give you a cut. Black hair stylist don't know anything about the varities of hair textures, how to keep hair healthy, and how to grow it. If they had their way, they would tell customers to relax their hair every week. This based on my experience with Black hair stylist BTW, but from what I read on here I'm thinking it's across the board.

I've had that experience with stylists in general I dont trust them at all.

 

[MizzBrown]

Actually, my Brother's wife has what we call "strong" hair and she had to touch up at the VERY LEAST every 4 weeks when her hair was relaxed. Her hair was uber thick, strong (not coarse) and shiny. If she waited any longer her hair would break at the demarcation point. Now she just shaves it off because that is a lot of work and my brother adores her with or without it (lucky her...she got a good one). A pic of their wedding is attached...

I'm too busy looking at her HUSBAND'S hair! Its so shiny and look at those waves!

 

[Dymmeonds]

I'm too busy looking at her HUSBAND'S hair! Its so shiny and look at those waves!

ROFL.... My brother got the best hair of all three children...and the other two of us are girls!!!!

 

[MizzBrown]

ROFL.... My brother got the best hair of all three children...and the other two of us are girls!!!!

Now you KNOW you gotta tell us his reggie. I bet its simple as hell. Wash and go with some Dax grease if its a little dry right?

That's all they ever need...men make me sick.

 

[Dymmeonds]

Now you KNOW you gotta tell us his reggie. I bet its simple as hell. Wash and go with some Dax grease if its a little dry right?

That's all they ever need...men make me sick.

No grease cuz his hair gets slick too easily (as you could imagine)...He has shaved off his hair for medical reasons now, but he used to wash and go and deep condition once a week with V05 hot oil treatment...makes you SICK right?...imagine what I have felt like the last 28 years of knowing him?...and then he says stuff to REALLY piss me off like "hair is vanity"...

 

[Butterfly08]

I know 2 people who relax every 4 weeks. One says it takes an HOUR for the relaxer to process in her hair. erplexed She said her hair is very resistant to chemicals and gets hecka thick very quickly. It looks very healthy but she keeps it short so any cumulative damage, if any, would not be visible.

 

[locabouthair]

I know 2 people who relax every 4 weeks. One says it takes an HOUR for the relaxer to process in her hair. erplexed She said her hair is very resistant to chemicals and gets hecka thick very quickly. It looks very healthy but she keeps it short so any cumulative damage, if any, would not be visible.

AN HOUR???

Wouldn't someone be bald if they left the relaxer on that long?

 

[Nelli04]

I used to get my hair touched up every 4 weeks when I had a perm, but thats because my stylist said I needed it. It did seem to cause any harm to my hair until about 5 years later, lol. But I could not imagine going 12 weeks without one when I did have one.