STRETCHING = SETBACK

[Highly Favored8]

For me stretching is the best thing I ever done for my hair. I used to relax every 6 weeks SMDH. When I joined LHCF and followed KiniKakes and a few ladies blogs- I found out that stretching is beneficial to my hair. I went from 6, 8, 10,12, 14,16, and 26 weeks. When I went 26 weeks I went from full APL back to NL line of demarcation. I learned my lesson from that experience and I am now back to full APL on my way to full BSL.

I stretch for 12-16 weeks at a time. I only touch-up 4 times a year. In between relaxers I do protien treatments, deep condition, rinses, leaving my new growth alone- I wear buns, pin-ups and flat iron once or sometimes twice a month. For me this time around I have gained a lot in retention and dusting my ends at every relaxer has worked for me.

 

[Chaosbutterfly]

Stretching is easy, and you don't need braids or weaves or whatever to do it.
You just have to understand how your natural hair works and learn to take care of it in tandem with your relaxed ends. Like for me, my new growth is very kinky and dry and I relax straight, so for me to stretch successfully, moisture, protein, low manipulation and making sure to keep my new growth stretched are key.

I get the moisture from overnight DCs and Care Free Curl.
For protein, I use Aphogee 2 Minute weekly and leave it on for like thirty minutes. I think people are really scared to use protein in their hair, but I find that as long as I concentrate it on my line of demarcation and relaxed length and don't use the hard stuff too often, it's all good.
I keep manipulation to a minimum by only washing once a week, combing once every three or so days, and only combing my hair in sections, with a K-Cutter comb after liberally applying Care Free Curl and coconut oil. It takes a long time to get through my new growth like that, but it's okay because I only do it once in a while.
And to stretch my new growth, I do rollersets. Around 14 - 16 weeks post, I have to switch to ponytail rollersets and lightly ironing just my roots, but once I'm done with that, I can keep it stretched and smooth with buns and my scarf until the next wash day. The stretching of the new growth is imperative for me, because my new growth likes to curl up on itself and tangle, so if I do not keep it stretched out, that would be game over for me.

Writing it out now, it kind of seems like alot of work, but when you fall into the rhythm of stretching, it really does become easy. And even if it weren't, I'd still do it, because stretching has been one of the most beneficial things that I've picked up from this whole hair journey. Since I've started stretching, I've noticed that my hair feels stronger and healthier, and it stopped doing that thing where it used to get lighter with every relaxer. I also notice that the health of my scalp has improved a ton.

 

[FutureMD]

I think the difference between your natural hair and relaxed hair makes a huge difference. So if you hair is really kinky but if relaxed bone straight that is going to have a different result from someone who has really wavy hair or someone who has kinky hair that is more lightly relaxed.
I went 9 months out of necessity on 3 different occasions and had no problems or breakage, but each time there was like a week when it all changed and suddenly detangling was a pain b/c of the two textures and in the final time, a change in stylist resulted in a lot of breakage (not intentional but I went to a Dominican salon where they like to pass you around). I think that moment in time for everyone is different, so it might be 3 months, or 4 months, etc. for anyone depending on a lot of factors.
Getting blowouts can help b/c of course then all of your hair can be made equally straight. That options doesn't work well if you work out, and not everyone is good at flatironing hair (either stylists or people doing it at home).
Any time there is that stark difference between the old and new hair, you have a potential breakpoint b/c the two types of hair behave differently and have different relative strengths.

 

[sylver2]

Syler2 are you doing any cowashes during your stretch. I was also wondering if you still wait 2 wks in between washing. You are the master stretcher, because you do it without wigs, weaves or braids. This is what I'm aiming to do. Like I said in an earlier post, I'm right at 5 months so I will see how things go the next week or so to see if I will be relaxing at the 5 month mark. One thing I learned this past weekend is not to put the hard core aphoghee on my ng and leave it there longer than instructed.

i use to never co-wash but i finally started last summer. it definitely helps a lot in keeping NG smooth/moisturized. i co-wash with the suave shea butter con. love it. I still wait 2 weeks to wash in winter, maybe 11/2 week.. but in summer i co wash daily and go.
right now im 5 months and its not even fazing me lol.
i put my aphogee in a spray bottle. i do a hardcore aphogee treatment 1-2 times a year. once a month i do the 2 min reconstrutor.

 

[amber815]

I stretch between 4-6 months and what usually stops me is the hair around my hairline and nape. The texture that resides there gets unruly and does what it wants to do. lol. Other than that, my hair does well with stretching. I do not PS, I will rollerset with the ponytail method or flat iron. When I dry it it is usually in a bun to get the NG as flat as possible though. When I DC I doo add wheat germ oil and apply the condish like a relaxer to get all NG, and that DEF helps.

 

[Your Cheeziness]

I got up to stretching about 4 months and my transition was 5 months. I air dried, rollerset, and flat ironed the whole time. I only had one bout with breakage and I needed a protein treatment and a trim. Problem solved.

The benefit to stretching is to prevent relaxer overlap. The key to stretching is low manipulation and patience.

 

[kandegirl]

low manipulation and protein treatments every six weeks helps. I just went back to shampooing in braids once I have a lot of new growth and letting it DRY in braids also. That was the key. They put some Hawiaan silky 14 n 1 on my hair and use the tangle teezer from Sally's and my hair did great. I think detangling is where I've had problems before but now I'm drying washing and drying in braids and not messing w. soaking wet hair when I have a lot of new growth. Weaves and rollersets also help me. No fingers in your hair!

 

[divachyk]

HijabiFlygirl and chasturner84, my hair also curls on itself and has a tangle tendency if I'm not careful.

sylver2, I notice you indicate you use it aphogee 2min 1x monthly. How do you determine when throughout the month to use it?

 

[hopkinstudent]

I usually stretch 12 weeks at a time. I once stretched to 15 weeks but my hair hated going that long. Part of the issue for me is that I'm transitioning from relaxed to texlaxed. The difference in textures is significant enough to kickoff a setback if I wait too long. But I started oil rinsing the last four weeks of my most recent stretch and it was a breeze (relaxed 3/4 @ 12 wks). I think I'll try to stretch longer this time (maybe 14-15 wks) and see if the oil rinses still make a difference.

 

[Solitude]

I'm not sure. I've been a faithful stretcher since I joined and I think it does cause me some breakage. I've decided to go back to 8-12 weeks unless I decide to transition.

Stretching does help with thicker, fuller hair though.

 

[Butterfly08]

I don't think stretching is for everyone. While I do think it's much easier for a 3c/4a to stretch than a 4b w/fine strands, I do see some w/ very think hair that manage their new growth very well. Sylver and Tracyee are both 4a's and manage to stretch for long periods of time. Also, Fgrogan on youtube looks to be a coarse 4a and she stretched for a year and found ways to wear some really cute hairstyles! Idk, i'm 8 wks now and I feel like the only style I can wear is a bun daily . I suppose twist outs and braid outs would work too, but that's too much work .

Thanks, I'll check out Fgrogan.

hmmm...im not sure it has to do with hair type. I use to get a touchups every 4-6 weeks religiously. 6 wks was pushing it because my NG was so dry and coarse coming in. I would have a lot of breakage & shedding. Until my hair got damaged soo bad and broke off a lot from overprocessing. I couldn't put any more chemicals in it until i nursed & nurtured it back to health. It was a do or die decison for my hair to stretch. It took a lot of patience, nightmares, detangling, techniques, product & time, working w/both textures...but it was worth it to learn. My hair retains the best length from stretching. I learned to leave my NG alone and keep it well moisturized, flat & smooth.
Stretching was the best thing that ever happened to my hair. and to think it was my enemy.

Sylver, the master stretcher. :notworthy I need to go back and watch your videos again.

 

[Chevelure618]

I think that as relaxed hair gets longer, it is harder to stretch. I think it is very beneficial though, but I think you have to protective style after 10 weeks if you want to do a long stretch. I've experienced what you have, but my minimum stretch is 10 weeks. I don't think I'll go beyond 16 weeks now that I have trimmed away some damage, because I don't want to take a chance.

 

[Minty]

I'm gonna stop being a chicken then and go on a "stretch past 10 weeks" journey.

But I think that means I'd have to wash/wet/cw less. hmm.

that Suave Shea conditioner is great.

 

[Lissa0821]

I have experienced the exact same setback every year since being on this board. My hair grows down to APL, even a little further but the ends are so thinned out that I have to have my niece trim it away. What I realized that in spite of doing what I thought were all the right things to do from regular DC to steaming my hair to stretching 16 weeks to not trimming for each relaxer, there was something I was missing. I was not paying attention and listening to my hair needs.

Just prior to my last touchup, I realized I have a patch of hair in my crown area that needs more moisture as it gets dry and coily quickly. This spot has given me that W shape in my hair as long as I can remember. I also realized I still need to moisturized and seal my ends regularly. I just needed to discover a lighter oil to use which I have.

Also I wash my hair twice a week, alternating between a protein and moisturizing DC but I shampoo each time. This has been drying my hair out especially with my not sealing my ends regularly.

Lastly, air drying does not work for my hair either. What works best for me is sitting under the dryer for 1/2 hour to get most if not all of the water out of my hair.

Just making minor tweaks to my hair like

• cowashing once a week,
• using a Sulfate free shampoo,
• putting a liquid leave in followed by a cream leave in and oil on wet hair
• sitting under the dryer for 30 minutes
• stretching 12 weeks instead of 16 weeks
• regular trims and dusting to create a fullness to the ends while I grow out my layers

Hopefully this year I will be able to get length and thickness to my hair

 

[FabuLocks]

I think it depends on the texture of your hair too. The more course the hair is, the more you are at risk for breakage without relaxers. I went 10 months without chemicals by way of braiding; however, my natural texture I believe is a 3a/b. Silk Elements have a heat protectant serum called MegaSilk Olive Flossing Polish and it does wonders to the hair when applied wet. It instantly detangles and soften the hair upon contact. You should give it a try. I got mine from Sally's

**Covered Jewel**

 

[IMFOCSD]

What helps me is keeping the newgrowth moisturized..the only thing i dont like is parting the hair when its time to relax...OUCH lol