Is stretching relaxers doing more harm than good??

[shinyblackhair]

Why am I getting so much breakage??? I'm coming up on week 10 and my hair is B R E A K I N G ! ! !

I really don't want to give in before New Year's. I really wanted to wait till the end of Jan. (see my sig). That would be about 14/15 weeks or so. I don't know if I'll make it. I've been doing protein (mild protein) such as Motions Silk Protein and the Aubrey GPB, but I'm not seeing much difference. Actually, this week has been the worst.

I'm going to try and up my water intake it is VERY dry in my house with this heat jacked up to 9834573470 degrees. We'll see if that makes a difference.

If any of you have any other suggestions of what I should try, I'm all ears. I'm getting quite desperate.

Oh, let me add that, while I do have a lot of new growth, I'm managing it quite well.

Moisturizing shampoos and conditioners with slip are doing the trick. I'm only shampooing 1x a week, with a co wash or two, thrown in there. However, as it gets colder (brrrr) the less the co wash appeals to me. I hate being cold!

Thanks!

 

[karezone]

If your hair can't handle having the relaxer stretched then go ahead and relax. It is good that you have lasted this long but if you are potentially doing more harm than good, go ahead and relax.

 

[debyjay]

Re: Is stretching relaxers doing more harm than go

I have a humidifier running in my room all night, it really helps put much needed moisture in the air.

 

[KathyMay]

Re: Is stretching relaxers doing more harm than go

I experienced the same thing with me stretching out my relaxer to 8/9 weeks instead of 6 weeks and I had a lot of breakage so I am resolving this by just getting the relaxing every 6-7 weeks instead.

 

[shinyblackhair]

Re: Is stretching relaxers doing more harm than go

Karezone: I thank you for your advice. You said what I pretty much was looking to hear!

I'm going to tough it out until New Years. Actually, I'll probably relax on New Years Eve.

Debjay: We are going to get a humidifier for sure.One of the big ones that will service the upper level when we're asleep at night. Not just because of my hair though. My kids are suffering with eczema and the dry air makes it very scratchy and uncomfortable. All of us have the worst case of chapped lips you've ever seen, too! LOL...

KathyMay: I agree with you, sometimes you just gotta know what works for your hair and stick with that. Thanks.

 

[debyjay]

Re: Is stretching relaxers doing more harm than go

Good, it will certainly help their skin. I use way less lotion! And everyone will breathe better too. Just make sure to clean it once a week.

 

[Supergirl]

Re: Is stretching relaxers doing more harm than go

I think there is a fine line between relaxing too soon & waiting too long. Also, I think it takes "experience" to know how to stretch out the relaxer. As time goes on, you will develop techniques & strategies that are helpful to you and your individual hair. But as for now--if you are experiencing breakage, then go ahead and get your re-touch.

 

[Karonica]

Re: Is stretching relaxers doing more harm than go

With my hair, going too long without a perm can be disastrous, as was this summer when I waited four months.

 

[ChasingBliss]

Re: Is stretching relaxers doing more harm than go

Please try Surge, It worked for me. I had the same problem late in the summer. As I had stated in another post, when I tried to stretch out my relaxer to 4 months (May to Sept) but my hair started breaking and shedding in HUGE amounts... I was literally losing my mind. Now I have not relaxed since August 30, as my sig. says I will be relaxing Dec. 30. And I am swearing by Surge in this department. Of course other changes in my habits may have something to do with it, but I give Surge all the credit for keeping my demarcation line and hair strong.
Also I used Nexxus Keraphix, this was just before I discovered Surge on this board. I felt that helped some too.

 

[shinyblackhair]

Re: Is stretching relaxers doing more harm than go

Hey Supergirl!

I agree with what you said for sure.

I think I've done well in terms of keeping my new growth tamed and under control, I've pretty much figured out what works. However, that hasn't helped the fact that it's breaking. I'm starting to believe that no matter how well I take care of my new growth and keep it smoothed and detangled, once my new growth gets to a certain lenght it WILL break.

How often do you retouch Supergirl. Do you experience breakage if you wait too long?

 

[Supergirl]

Re: Is stretching relaxers doing more harm than go

I go every 10-12 weeks. I went 16 weeks once & it wasn't so much that it was breaking b/c of waiting that long, but it was H*LL when my stylist was having to get through all of that new growth to apply the relaxer. I was in so much pain & I know I experienced alot of breakage just with her trying to get through the hair.

 

[Britt]

Re: Is stretching relaxers doing more harm than go

Try spraying some S-Curl on your new growth. It does a great job at softening my kitchen

 

[72792]

Re: Is stretching relaxers doing more harm than go

I can't seem to stretch my relaxers out without breaking either. I've gone 3 & 4 months at a time, but now without a lot of breakage. I think two different curl patterns on a strand of hair is too much stress on my hair and it breaks.

 

[Dutchess]

Re: Is stretching relaxers doing more harm than go

I was faithfully doing my re-touches every 8 weeks for years, however, I decided to stretch them out to every 12-14 weeks. The key for me is to keep my new growth moisturized moisturized, and did I say moisturized. As long as I use products like UBH Dew, Elasta QP Mango Butter, 100% shea butter and Sta-Sof-Fro I have very little problem with unruly new growth. Like right now, at my crown area there is over an inch of new growth but with the Sta-Sof-Fro it blends in very well.

 

[caramelbarbie]

Re: Is stretching relaxers doing more harm than go

I do more oil treatments. It really helped me stretch my touch ups. I would put the oil on my hair over night. Then do a condition wash in the morning. It really helped me.
Also about a week before my relaxer I would blow out my hair with med -low temp. to make sure all the tangles are out. re-wet add my leave-in then put my hair in a bun.
My hairdresser was surprised that i hardly had any tangles and it made getting the relaxer a lot easier.

 

[Chanteuse]

Re: Is stretching relaxers doing more harm than go

SBH how are you wearing your hair?

I am 4a and used to relax every 5 weeks b/c my hair would break off in the back if I didn't. Now I stretch to 3 months at the least b/c I know how to handle my hair w/ all of the new growth. I eiter set it in natural looking style or wear it in a wet ponytail. I only comb it when I'm rinsing my conditioner out and during my set if I do one. Oh, also shake and go.

 

[Nutmeg]

Re: Is stretching relaxers doing more harm than go

[ QUOTE ]
HoneyLemonDrop said:
Please try Surge, It worked for me. I had the same problem late in the summer. As I had stated in another post, when I tried to stretch out my relaxer to 4 months (May to Sept) but my hair started breaking and shedding in HUGE amounts... I was literally losing my mind. Now I have not relaxed since August 30, as my sig. says I will be relaxing Dec. 30. And I am swearing by Surge in this department. Of course other changes in my habits may have something to do with it, but I give Surge all the credit for keeping my demarcation line and hair strong.
Also I used Nexxus Keraphix, this was just before I discovered Surge on this board. I felt that helped some too.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thank you so much for this advice, HoneyLemonDrop. Surge it will be! I just got some, so hopefully, I will have similar results, because I really want to be able to lessen how often I relax if at all possible.

Great post, SBH...glad to see this is on someone else's mind too! I just committed to trying to stretch out my relaxers next year by another 4 weeks max (from 12 to 14 or 16 weeks, depending), but I will definitley be very cognizant of how my hair is behaving and adjust if need be.

 

[perfectpeace]

Re: Is stretching relaxers doing more harm than go

Im on the stretch out challenge as well. I am used to touching up every 6-7 weeks. This time around, I committed to waiting 16 weeks. Now that I think about it, I might have spoken too soon. I think 9 weeks is a little more realistic for me this time around, but we will see; I'll take it one week at a time. (but my goal is to eventually touch up 3-4 times a year.) (If it starts shedding excessively, I will definiately touchup.)

 

[Nutmeg]

Re: Is stretching relaxers doing more harm than go

Good tip for detangling before a relaxer, caramelbarbie. For me, I find that's probably the most difficult part, making sure my hairdresser can get his hands through the new growth!

 

[brwnskingirl]

Re: Is stretching relaxers doing more harm than go

I cant go past eight or nine weeks post relaxer I lose too much hair. I loose a lot of hair...the only way I go longer is if I wear braids.

 

[Supergirl]

Re: Is stretching relaxers doing more harm than go

Hey Blaxal,

Just wanted to do something different with the Avatar