frequent relaxers and thick hair?

[Luscious Locks]

is there anyone with thick hair (meaning your ends are even and not see through) that relaxes frequently (6-8 weeks) like clock work?

I've always heard that you should relax every 6-8 weeks. I normally go on the 8th week like clock work, but has anyone had any luck with length retention when going every 6-7 weeks like clock work.

i'm on a 9 week stretch right now and the breakage from last week's wash was unforseen and quite disheartening. I was thinking of just relaxing sooner next time to avoid overmanipulation. I figured that if previously relaxed hair was well protected by oils or vaseline then it would be fine to relax that often.

anybody agree? anyone staunchly disagree? let me know before I have no more hair on my head either way. LOL.

thanks, ladies.

 

[Poodlepizzared]

I have thick hair and I get a relaxer every 12-16 weeks. I use a no lye relaxer because the lye relaxers were to harsh. My hair is naturally wavy, what is your texture/grain?

 

[Luscious Locks]

I think i'm 4b very coily curls like the metals springs in clicking pens. But I have thin to average width strands.

 

[Poodlepizzared]

I think i'm 4b very coily curls like the metals springs in clicking pens. But I have thin to average width strands.

So if you wait longer to get your relaxer, does your hair break off more?

 

[Brooklyn72]

I get a relaxer every 7 weeks like clock work and color every 7weeks 2 weeks after the relaxer. My hair is very fine but I have a lot of it. I also have a straight patch in the very back, so if I try and stretch the top of my hair will break off.

 

[Poodlepizzared]

I get a relaxer every 7 weeks like clock work and color every 7weeks 2 weeks after the relaxer. My hair is very fine but I have a lot of it. I also have a straight patch in the very back, so if I try and stretch the top of my hair will break off.

Nice hair in the pic!!

 

[Luscious Locks]

So if you wait longer to get your relaxer, does your hair break off more?

yeah, my hair starts breaking at the 7th week. so i'm thinking of just relaxing at the 7th week.

 

[Luscious Locks]

bump bump bump. please chime in.

 

[MonPetite]

When relaxed I do.

Especially using MT, if I relax...I will be doing it every 6 weeks as I'll have 1.5 inches of new growth verses 1" or 1.25".

My hair is thick in strand AND density. You can thread needles with it and it'll look like thread. Carpet thread.

 

[Denise11]

I relax every 4-5 weeks. I have nice medium thick hair. No see- through. I'm APL. I've never stretched or had gone more than 5 weeks. My hair is strong and I don't take risks like stretching that could possibly cause shedding or breakage. I say that my hair is medium thick because my 18 year old daughter has hair so thick that you have to pull her hair apart to see her scalp. Oh yeah, and she relaxes every 4 weeks and her hair is also even.

 

[Poodlepizzared]

yeah, my hair starts breaking at the 7th week. so i'm thinking of just relaxing at the 7th week.

Yea, you should relax at 7 weeks.

 

[Mai Tai]

yeah, my hair starts breaking at the 7th week. so i'm thinking of just relaxing at the 7th week.

Ultimately you have to listen to your own hair as opposed to going off of the testimony of others. Some ladies can go 12-16 weeks. Me...anything past 8 weeks is a danger zone. If you are experiencing shedding, and breakage at 7 weeks, then it's time to relax. Don't stretch just because. The goal it to strike a balance between the health of your hair and scalp, and your exposure to the harsh chemicals in relaxers.

 

[ebonylocs]

The ultimate objective of stretching is to retain more hair. So if it's causing breakage, then it's time to relax. Everybody's hair is different.

 

[HairGurl]

I'm stretching my hair right now and I'm trying to gain thicker hair. I'm at 10.5 weeks now. If you want to stretch you can combat breakage with moisturizing (for moisture) and protein (to strengthen) conditioners and by keeping your new growth soft with a moisturized. . I do this and my hair isn't breaking. I also keep my ends very moisturized.

 

[blasianbeauty]

Are you combing/styling your hair when you get a lot of NG? I'm just wondering why it's breaking off so much. I relax every 20 to 24 weeks (3b/4a) and have thick hair.

 

[pear]

This thread is right on time. I am having the exact same problem. Before I joined LHCF I was relaxing my mostly 4b hair every 5 weeks like clockworks. It seems like my hair has somehow become trained to kink up terribly as soon as I reach week 5.

I want to stretch my relaxers to help thicken up my hair (especially the edges) but I am now at only 6 weeks and I am starting to see more breakage than usual. The problem for me is that in some areas of my hair there is almost an inch of new growth that is very thick, coarse, dry and unmaneagable but in other areas of my hair there is a minimal amount of new growth and in those areas I could probably go a few more weeks...BUT if I did that the other areas where there is a lot more new growth would surely break off really badly.

I have not been able to find any product (leave in, moisturizer, deep conditioner) that will soften my new growth. The rest of my hair will soften up but the new growth will still feel very dry.

I am really NOT liking my hair right now and I will probably give in this week and relax to avoid any further breakage.