4a/4b stretch relaxer

[Natalie76]

I am currently 14 weeks post touch up and I've been using braids to for the last 6 weeks to help me stretch it to 16 weeks. Previous to this, the longest I was able to stretch my relaxers was 12 weeks.

 

[Camille]

The hair I use is a corse Yaki with minimal shine and I just flat iron the front part I have left out 1x week.

Thanks for the advice there girl, I can weave my hair myself and this is the best option for me, b/c braiding takes forever and a day to do myself, LITERALLY!

 

[CICI24]

What works for me is
1. washing/conditioning more often,
2. applying creamy detangling leave-ins,
3. applying activator gel to my roots and ends

 

[chicamorena]

I have 4a hair in the front and 4b from the crown to the back. I relax my hair every 3 months. When I have alot of newgrowth I make sure to only comb my hair when its wet. I also use the K-cutter comb recommended by Nay which is a lifesaver. Using conditioners that give me alot of slip also help alot. I put my hair in a bun while it's wet and tie it down with a scarf.

 

[Tene]

Co washes, activator, and detangling leave-ins help me strecth my relaxer to 3 months.

 

[Babygurl]

Im a 4a/b with very kinky hair in the crown and I generally stretch my relaxers for 10-12 weeks and have gone as long as 16 weeks. What works for me is detangling shampoo (Elasta QP Creme Conditiong) and conditioner (Humectress) and wearing buns. I only comg my hair when wet and under running water from the shower, and I do that with a shower comb. I rarely experience breakage and my hair stays manageable and moisturized (key to stretching). Lately Ive started to use activator which is very good for laying those kinks down! LOL QP Mango butter is also a God-send for laying down new growth.

 

[notsomebody]

I'm a 4a/4b what works well for me is constant deep conditioning and hot oil treatments. I relax only 4 times a year (every 3 months). Keeping it conditioned and using a good wet set. The best one for really difficult to tame hair is the multiple pony tails. Then once the hair is in the pony tails, wrap the individual Ponytails around your head like you would normally wrap your hair (all in one direction). Once it's dry, your hair is straight enough to work with. Sometimes, I use the ceramic flat iron to bump out the crimps from the ponytail holder.

But, to avoid breakage, the best bet is to avoid combing as much as you can, and finding a good wet set is one of the best ways to do this. If your hair is in good condition, the set will last with only a little bit of maintenance from you.

 

[Survive4]

I use the mango butter as well but my egdes around my ears and glasses are sticking out my the end of my midnight shift. Any ideas??? I wear a phonytail/bun at work so I need the edges to "blend in" as best as I can. Trying to make it at least one more week without a touch up. 12 weeks yall.

 

[dontspeakdefeat]

Daily co washes and s-curl works for me.

When it gets too rough sometimes I flatiron.

I usually stretch abou 4 months or more.

 

[HairQueen]

I am a 4b, and I have found that there are two opposites which enable me to stretch past the normal 8 weeks I could usually go. I have decided that 12 weeks is the best point for me...maximum benefits, minimal breakage. Either I have to have my roots blown out after a rollerset and, aside from moisturizing, pretty much leave my hair alone until my next set (this means weeks of no washing) or condition wash my hair every day or every other day and put it in a bun/ponytail/2 buns/2 ponytails to airdry and leave it alone. The less manipulation, the better. The former option means that my hair will look nice, but be filthy, the latter means it will be clean, I will likely yield more growth, but it will look a mess. I switch back and forth between them, depending on how I feel. The results have been worth it, though, my hair is noticeably thicker just from stretching an extra 4-6 weeks. HTH .

Hi dreemsold, I am 4a/4b and am currently at 7 weeks, this is the first time I have ever tried to stretch and to be honest it is driving me crazy!! At only 7 weeks my hair looks a TOTAL mess, I was thinking that maybe I will try what you said and blow dry my roots. I just wanted to ask you two things though:

1) How do u blowdry your roots only (without drying out/damaging the rest of your hair? Do you use a comb attachment with the blowdryer or a round brush to do it? I am just a bit worried because I quit blowdrying my hair 6 months ago and do not want to ruin my hair again but am willing to try if it is the roots only.

2) When you leave your hair alone with weeks of no washing does it not get dry? I have found that my hair needs MOISTURE and have found that 2x per week washing is what my hair needs so i am worried that if I leave it alone it will get dry.

Thanks in advance

 

[dreemssold]

Hi dreemsold, I am 4a/4b and am currently at 7 weeks, this is the first time I have ever tried to stretch and to be honest it is driving me crazy!! At only 7 weeks my hair looks a TOTAL mess, I was thinking that maybe I will try what you said and blow dry my roots. I just wanted to ask you two things though:

1) How do u blowdry your roots only (without drying out/damaging the rest of your hair? Do you use a comb attachment with the blowdryer or a round brush to do it? I am just a bit worried because I quit blowdrying my hair 6 months ago and do not want to ruin my hair again but am willing to try if it is the roots only.

2) When you leave your hair alone with weeks of no washing does it not get dry? I have found that my hair needs MOISTURE and have found that 2x per week washing is what my hair needs so i am worried that if I leave it alone it will get dry.

Thanks in advance

Hi Hairqueen, when I have my roots blown out, I am going to a Dominican salon and getting a rollerset and letting them blow my roots straight. They use a brush after they take out the rollers. I don't know how to do this myself, but I know that webby has good instructions in her album. I do think it is somewhat damaging, but considering that this is the only form of direct heat that my hair ever gets (no irons, etc) and that I don't get it very often at all, I just look at it as a little treat. However, if you found the blowdrying to be damaging enough that you needed to give it up, I probably wouldn't go back. I look at it this way, though. Let's say, until week 7 or 8, you can make it through by just conditioner washing 2 or 3 times a week, but your goal is to stretch to let's say, week 12. At weeks 8 and 10, you get a blow-out. That's only two blow-outs per 3 months, and that's only the roots, and by not washing that last month, you have just stretched an extra month. I don't think it's murder on your hair, especially if you don't get any other direct heat. I don't think this plan is for everyone, but it has worked for me. I usually try to get only one at the end, though, and that is also because I was sick of the stylist ripping through my hair because it wasn't straight at relaxer time.

My hair doesn't really get dry when I don't wash it. Dirty, itchy, and even funky, lol, but not dry. I still apply a water based moisturizer every day. I am actually in the midst of the process right now. I am a little over 11 weeks post-relaxer, and I had my hair set about a week and a half ago. I hope my Phyto comes today, so I can get it relaxed, but if not, I won't be washing it until whenever it gets here. It doesn't feel/look dry at all. HTH .

 

[HairQueen]

Hi Hairqueen, when I have my roots blown out, I am going to a Dominican salon and getting a rollerset and letting them blow my roots straight. They use a brush after they take out the rollers. I don't know how to do this myself, but I know that webby has good instructions in her album. I do think it is somewhat damaging, but considering that this is the only form of direct heat that my hair ever gets (no irons, etc) and that I don't get it very often at all, I just look at it as a little treat. However, if you found the blowdrying to be damaging enough that you needed to give it up, I probably wouldn't go back. I look at it this way, though. Let's say, until week 7 or 8, you can make it through by just conditioner washing 2 or 3 times a week, but your goal is to stretch to let's say, week 12. At weeks 8 and 10, you get a blow-out. That's only two blow-outs per 3 months, and that's only the roots, and by not washing that last month, you have just stretched an extra month. I don't think it's murder on your hair, especially if you don't get any other direct heat. I don't think this plan is for everyone, but it has worked for me. I usually try to get only one at the end, though, and that is also because I was sick of the stylist ripping through my hair because it wasn't straight at relaxer time.

My hair doesn't really get dry when I don't wash it. Dirty, itchy, and even funky, lol, but not dry. I still apply a water based moisturizer every day. I am actually in the midst of the process right now. I am a little over 11 weeks post-relaxer, and I had my hair set about a week and a half ago. I hope my Phyto comes today, so I can get it relaxed, but if not, I won't be washing it until whenever it gets here. It doesn't feel/look dry at all. HTH .

Hi again thanks for that answer it was very helpful. Which water based moisturiser do u use?

You say your hair doesn't get dry when you don't wash it, so how often do you normally wash it (when you're not trying to stretch your relaxer i.e. weeks 1-8)?

I hope you don't mind all these questions but as we are both same hair type I am just trying to find out so I don't give up on this relaxer stretch, I would LOVE to get to 12 weeks for the first time ever and need all the help and advice I can get cos right now I feel like I can't cope!!

 

[RabiaElaine]

Hi Hairqueen,

I'm a course 4a/b, probaby more b. My coils are very tight but they are circular. I tried stretching last year by co-washing and airdrying in a ponytail. This method works for a lot of ladies here...but it does not work for me. Even with me being very genty I still lose more hair than I gain with this method. I've decided the best way for me is by doing what Dreemssold does by going to a dominican salon. It is very surprising what they can make our hair look like even when it desperately needs a relaxer. I will only have the blowdry the roots though, it gets pretty straight. I am currently 5 weeks post, and I usually relax at 6, but I am not going to. I am going to go to the dominican salon once a week to wash my hair. My hair like yours craves water, so when it's close to wash time, but not a whole week, I put my hair up in a protective style so that I'm not touching it all day. I am going to try to go to at least 8 weeks, for me this mean over 1 inch of new growth. But I am taking this thing week by week, when I feel like I'm losing to much hair...I'll relax it. If I can make it past 8 weeks I will try good luck.

 

[lisatamika]

I'm 4a/b and I relax about every 15 - 18 weeks. Before now, I did a lot of conditioner washes and just wore my hair in a wet bun while I was stretching to keep my new growth extra moist and soft to make it easy to deal with. I recently tried Kitchen_tician's blow drying technique and it worked WONDERS for me.

I washed and deep conditioned my hair and air dired with my leave-in and oil until my hair was about 95% dry. Then I took each small section and blew it dry with a round brush and high heat. I let it dry to 95% so I wouldn't have to run the brush through each section more than once before it was completely dry. My hair came out looking like I had flat ironed. While it's blow dried straight, I try not to use any water based products, mostly just a little oil on the ends at night. The smooth my edges in the wet bun, I use Worlds of Curls spray with either some kind of grease on my edges and my ends or Profectiv Healthy Ends creme.

Now, I think I gonna try the blow dry on Sundays, wear my hair straight until Wednesday and conditioner wash and bun from then until Sunday and see how that works.

HTH

 

[dreemssold]

Hi again thanks for that answer it was very helpful. Which water based moisturiser do u use?

You say your hair doesn't get dry when you don't wash it, so how often do you normally wash it (when you're not trying to stretch your relaxer i.e. weeks 1-8)?

I hope you don't mind all these questions but as we are both same hair type I am just trying to find out so I don't give up on this relaxer stretch, I would LOVE to get to 12 weeks for the first time ever and need all the help and advice I can get cos right now I feel like I can't cope!!

No, I don't mind! I use Elasta QP Mango Butter, ORS Carrot Oil, and Profectiv Break-Free as dailt moisturizers...they're all water-based. Weeks 1-8, I usually wash 2-3 times a week. Co washes. You can do it, really, just stay encouraged . HTH!

 

[HairQueen]

Hi Hairqueen,

I'm a course 4a/b, probaby more b. My coils are very tight but they are circular. I tried stretching last year by co-washing and airdrying in a ponytail. This method works for a lot of ladies here...but it does not work for me. Even with me being very genty I still lose more hair than I gain with this method. I've decided the best way for me is by doing what Dreemssold does by going to a dominican salon. It is very surprising what they can make our hair look like even when it desperately needs a relaxer. I will only have the blowdry the roots though, it gets pretty straight. I am currently 5 weeks post, and I usually relax at 6, but I am not going to. I am going to go to the dominican salon once a week to wash my hair. My hair like yours craves water, so when it's close to wash time, but not a whole week, I put my hair up in a protective style so that I'm not touching it all day. I am going to try to go to at least 8 weeks, for me this mean over 1 inch of new growth. But I am taking this thing week by week, when I feel like I'm losing to much hair...I'll relax it. If I can make it past 8 weeks I will try good luck.

Hi RabiaElaine, we don't have dominican salon's here in London I never heard of them till I came on the LHCF. I will try the method at home myself though with a round brush, or maybe I will just ask my normal hairdresser to do it for me if I have a disaster! Will see how it goes.

 

[HairQueen]

I'm 4a/b and I relax about every 15 - 18 weeks. Before now, I did a lot of conditioner washes and just wore my hair in a wet bun while I was stretching to keep my new growth extra moist and soft to make it easy to deal with. I recently tried Kitchen_tician's blow drying technique and it worked WONDERS for me.

I washed and deep conditioned my hair and air dired with my leave-in and oil until my hair was about 95% dry. Then I took each small section and blew it dry with a round brush and high heat. I let it dry to 95% so I wouldn't have to run the brush through each section more than once before it was completely dry. My hair came out looking like I had flat ironed. While it's blow dried straight, I try not to use any water based products, mostly just a little oil on the ends at night. The smooth my edges in the wet bun, I use Worlds of Curls spray with either some kind of grease on my edges and my ends or Profectiv Healthy Ends creme.

Now, I think I gonna try the blow dry on Sundays, wear my hair straight until Wednesday and conditioner wash and bun from then until Sunday and see how that works.

HTH

I have not heard of kitchen_tician's blowdry method. I will do some research into this..... Thanks.

 

[Leslie_C]

Well Ive gone 16 weeks without a relaxer now which is longer than Ive gone in a very very long time, and Im still hanging in there. Of course it doesnt look the greatest, but I feel like I have a ton of growth under all this. I hope to have a pleasant suprise when I finally relax. I only planned to go 12 but I want to start self relaxing and money hasnt permitted me to buy the whole Affirm system yet.

What Ive found works for me is leaving it alone A LOT after week 12. Im shocked I have no excessive shedding by now, but I barely touch it. Its hard for me to go more than 4 days without washing my hair but when I have a lot of new growth I wont wash unless I have the time and patience to gently detangle, wash, deep condition, detangle, moisturize moisturize moisturize.

About a week and a half ago, I washed it, let it mostly airdry in a ponytail, then gently blow dried it a little. After that I flat ironed it with my ceramic iron. It stayed pretty straight/smooth for a week. I noticed it started to revert back after that bc I was using a lot of s curl to try to boost the moisture. Now I REALLY cant wait to wash it and get all this buildup out, but its been holding up well!

dont know when Im gonna relax bc Im afraid of the results if I just buy a cheap perm and put it in, Id really like to stick to affirm. tomorrow I plan to wash and do the same thing I did last time and hopefully I can get through another week or so till I figure out what to do with it!

 

[Healthb4Length]

I'm a 4a/b and so far I'm 21 weeks post relaxer. I know that it's difficult but I do protective styles like twistouts/braidouts to help with texture differences. I wash my hair every other day or every two days to combat the naps. I comb my hair with a wide tooth comb with loads of thick creamy conditioner in it to get rid of the tangles and finally if all else fails I get braids and call it a day!

 

[LaNecia]

Leslie_C, I've sent you a PM!!

 

[nyc_beauty]

Wow this is a very informative forum I am just adding to my favorites list...

 

[hottopic]

I am think about stretching for 4 months..I searched the forum and found this. I wrote this. It was very informative back then and it still is now....Last year I did mostly braids, weave, wigs, and braid outs. This year I want to wear my hair out...and I needed to know how to do it pass 10 weeks. Because this is really when my hair gets crazy.

 

[Faith]

I'm about 4 months post and it's definitely do-able IF you put it away after the 10 week or so...lol.

 

[lala]

I'm 4a and the longest that I can stretch w/o severe shedding is 13 wks. I have to shampoo condition more (2x/wk.) to keep the shedding down and I keep my hair moisturized.....As long as I comb/brush my new growth daily, I'm ok.....

 

[Isis]

I'm 4a and the longest that I can stretch w/o severe shedding is 13 wks. I have to shampoo condition more (2x/wk.) to keep the shedding down and I keep my hair moisturized.....As long as I comb/brush my new growth daily, I'm ok.....

I love your latest hair pic Lala - very beautiful!!

As I think I mentioned in this thread, I too prefer not to go over 13 weeks although I'm 15 weeks + already (I've been too busy). I agree that moisture is the key.

 

[lala]

I love your latest hair pic Lala - very beautiful!!

As I think I mentioned in this thread, I too prefer not to go over 13 weeks although I'm 15 weeks + already (I've been too busy). I agree that moisture is the key.

Thanks Isis, you're hair is equally beautiful. You're hair is getting sooo long....