Stretching- The gateway to transitioning?

mahogany_horizons

Active Member
Well, here I am at 17 weeks post on February 22nd. I never thought I would make it this far :) As I mentioned in another thread, I have decided to transition into natural hair, my original goal was to transition for a year, but when I look at my hair in the shrunken state, I don't quite think that is enough hair for me, so I'm going to go for 18 months (maybe).

Anyway, managing my new growth inspired me to transition, along with the fact that I felt that my no lye relaxed ends were chewed up consistently compared to the vibrancy of the rest of my hair.

How many of you who transitioned originally started as a stretcher, with no intentions of ever attempting to go natural?

I hope this thread hasn't been started before, bu I'm curious because I believe stretching is the gateway, once you see parts of your natural texture appearing, and learn how to take care of it.
 

DDTexlaxed

TRANSITION OVER! 11-22-14
I love stretching and then transitioning to natural. I've done it about 10 times, but I've never long transitioned. It's something I've wanted to do and may do in the future.:lol:
 

Pennefeather

Well-Known Member
I'm still trying to make my mind if I am doing a long stretch or transitioning. I'm at 14 weeks now. I usually go 13 weeks between relaxers, so things are still fairly manageable.

This time I am trying different products and techniques to support my hair. My short term goal is five months. If that is doable, I may go all the way.
 

havilland

Magical Mythical Princess
Def a gateway drug!


I started out stretching for 10 months or more for about 3 years.

Dealing with two textures gave me the knowledge to deal with transitioning.
 

ezina

Well-Known Member
Yup, it happened to me. I started out stretching only to find myself in a 30 month transition.
 

AJellyCake

Well-Known Member
I started with a a 3 month "stretch" (didn't even know that was what it was called at the time! :grin:) and ended up transitioning for a year and a half. My last relaxer was almost 3 years ago.

I had just decided to not relax as often after becoming totally tired of my damaged hair. I ended up loving my heat-free styles (after lots of trial and error) and fell in love even more with my tiny curls.

Definitely one of the best health/beauty decisions I've made! I'm glad you're enjoying it, too!
 

mahogany_horizons

Active Member
Thank you so much ladies. I had wondered if these long relaxer stretches were what made me finally throw in the towel and decide to transition. I know I'm not far along in my journey yet, 17 weeks is nothing, but I feel like I can manage and handle what lies ahead because stretching really taught me a lot about my hair.

I almost can't wait to get home and wash and play in my curls lol! I will be glad though when it is all one type of hair I am dealing with. My natural curls are thirsty, and the weak, relaxed hair, not so much :p
 

sunnieb

Well-Known Member
I must be a relaxer for life because I stretch 20 weeks each time and have zero desire to transition.

I also haven't used heat in about 4 years so I get up close and personal with all my newgrowth! :yep:

Sent from my SCH-I545 using LHCF
 

Guinan

Re-Branding
I def think stretching is a gateway. I know for me, stretching can either determine if you can handle being natural or continue to relax. I'm alittle over 5mth post, and I am really considering going natural.
 

mahogany_horizons

Active Member
I must be a relaxer for life because I stretch 20 weeks each time and have zero desire to transition.

I also haven't used heat in about 4 years so I get up close and personal with all my newgrowth! :yep:

Sent from my SCH-I545 using LHCF


Sunnieb, that made me laugh :) But, you have such beautiful hair in your siggy, whether it is relaxed or natural.

For me, it's a decision that is prompted by the feeling that my new growth is so much healthier and vibrant than my no lye relaxed hair.

Now I suppose that I could chelate, and all that stuff, and protein treat in between and try to restore life to my dull ends, but I am so tired of living in fear of when the next chemical service won't agree with my fine hair type and cause a setback :(

It really seems that the newgrowth is doing better than my relaxed ends. Now, that having been said, taming the newgrowth is a beast.

Also, I'll check back as I continue the journey. 17 weeks is nothing, compared to how some women stretch. I can't wait to get to 26 weeks. I'm going to give my self some type of party (that's 1/2 year with no relaxers).

Dealing with natural hair when you have been relaxed is no joke. But so far, thanks to twice weekly washes and Tons of moisture, it's not as bad as I thought.
 

whosthatgurl

here.... but i'm not here
I'm stretching now. I have no idea as to how many weeks post, because I never count. I know it's been since like Oct or Nov. most likely.

But I'm toying with the idea of going natural. Just don't know what to do.
 

mahogany_horizons

Active Member
I'm stretching now. I have no idea as to how many weeks post, because I never count. I know it's been since like Oct or Nov. most likely.

But I'm toying with the idea of going natural. Just don't know what to do.

Who's that girl (OMG love that movie) we can support each other. My last relaxer was like October 22nd. So we can support each other if that's what you decide to do.

I've been counting the weeks to keep myself motivated.
 

ronie

Well-Known Member
Yep I joined the site to help grow my relaxed hair. Started a 6 month stretch, and I ended up with a BC at 11 month post relaxer.
To be fair, seeing how thin my relaxed hair looked was what made me decide to get rid of them to start over. The plan was for me to relax again this upcoming summer. I'm not sure when I changed my mind about that, cause I have no desire to relax my hair right now.
 

Honey Bee

Well-Known Member
mahogany_horizons, I am EXACTLY where you are. My last relaxer was the weekend after July 4th. I never planned to stretch this long. My issue was, my mother started transitioning and she always does my perms. I thought it would be ridiculous to still have her doing them... but I researched, and researched, and researched. :look: I just couldn't pull the trigger. I bought the perm but I realized that I have absolutely no interest in doing it myself, and I don't trust stylists, so where does that leave me?

I go back and forth on transitioning ten times a day. :lol: I figure I might as well just stay in this holding pattern until I reach a firm decision either way.
 

mahogany_horizons

Active Member
mahogany_horizons, I am EXACTLY where you are. My last relaxer was the weekend after July 4th. I never planned to stretch this long. My issue was, my mother started transitioning and she always does my perms. I thought it would be ridiculous to still have her doing them... but I researched, and researched, and researched. :look: I just couldn't pull the trigger. I bought the perm but I realized that I have absolutely no interest in doing it myself, and I don't trust stylists, so where does that leave me?

I go back and forth on transitioning ten times a day. :lol: I figure I might as well just stay in this holding pattern until I reach a firm decision either way.

I think going back and forth is normal Honey Bee. I am not going back and forth right now, but it's probably because I'm highly motivated.

Every setback I have had has been due to something going wrong with a chemical service. In 2008, I had a huge setback, after having long hair for a long time, which brought me here (my hair was BSL and brought it back to APL). And then, I was waist length before I had my issue which brought me back between APL and BSL. I'm just tired of the damage.

I have yet to see if I'll fair better natural than relaxed, but even stopping a lot of heat usage has left my hair so much longer, so I think not relaxing might unlock the rest of the mystery of why I cannot achieve waist length hair once before I die LOL!

Anyway, on complicated wash days with lots of tangles, I already waver in my decision and it's only 17 weeks :) I think what you are describing is normal.

Congrats on your decision, even if you change your mind from time to time. :)
 

Honey Bee

Well-Known Member
Every setback I have had has been due to something going wrong with a chemical service. In 2008, I had a huge setback, after having long hair for a long time, which brought me here (my hair was BSL and brought it back to APL). And then, I was waist length before I had my issue which brought me back between APL and BSL. I'm just tired of the damage.
I hear you. I have a section from the crown to my nape that just won't get right. The rest is all healthy and I kept having to cut it all back to that point. I'm tired of it too, tbh. I baby it and trim (probably too) regularly and it's much better, but still comparatively scraggly and ragged. Looking at the natural hair in that section, it's healthy and strong despite the fact that I'm using heat every two weeks. I want my whole head to look like that.

I'm also a bit tired of the Russian roulette of texlaxing. It's too hit and miss for me.

I always said, I'm not going natural because my point in joining the board was to grow long hair. I thought it defeated the purpose if my hair was too shrunken to even show my length. I've since realized that, if I really wanted to, I could use heat once a week and still not do the same amount of damage to my hair as a single relaxer. So, yes, relaxed hair shows length better, but not if the length has since died and fluttered away like an autumn leaf in the wind. :lol:

^^^ this obviously only applies to MY head of hair. There are many relaxed ladies who grow long hair. Obviously. And, yes, I really do imagine it as autumn leaves. :spinning:
 
I was a stretcher. I was on the fence for a while. But, I hadn't made a direct choice until after my final relaxer. Via much reading and researching, I decided to transition in the long-run. I'm so glad i did. I learned a lot as I transitioned. So, now I'm natural and happy.
 

Mjon912

Well-Known Member
I did lol, my last texlax was aug 2012 I was going to touch up for thanksgiving and was too tired (I got Prego with my son in sept 2012) then I said I'd do it for my daughters birthday dec 1, never did it, then Christmas, still no, then New Years... By then I was like I'm going natural lol... Best decision of my life regarding hair care!
 

whosthatgurl

here.... but i'm not here
I told my stylist that in considering transitioning.... Her response. "Lawd" :laugh: I have an appt with her on Friday and I doubt that I'll follow up with the touch up that I originally scheduled. I'm already looking into protective and transitioning styles. We shall see....
 

havilland

Magical Mythical Princess
I told my stylist that in considering transitioning.... Her response. "Lawd" :laugh: I have an appt with her on Friday and I doubt that I'll follow up with the touch up that I originally scheduled. I'm already looking into protective and transitioning styles. We shall see....


GO FOR IT!!!!:grin:
 

Aviah

Well-Known Member
Stretching was the lead up to transitioning for me. For years I relaxed every 3-4 months, then found LHCF and stretched for 6 months at a time then just went for it.
 

beauti

Well-Known Member
i went from stretching 6mos, to 8mos, to a year. I stretched to a year twice before deciding hell, I might as well transition. Now I'm 17mos post relaxer, hoping to make it to 24 before bc...HOPING... :look:
 

Austro-Afrikana

Well-Known Member
I originally planned to stretch for 6 months. After 6 months I had gained 3 inches and was scared the relaxer was going to ruin my progress. I also found that I could still get my hair relaxed straight easily with a flat iron. I ended up transitioning for 3 years as I did not want to cut my hair.
 

SuchaLady

Well-Known Member
pelohello This is the only thing that is preventing me from throwing in the towel. If I REALLY wanted to relax I could have by now. There is nothing stopping me.

I def think stretching is a gateway. I know for me, stretching can either determine if you can handle being natural or continue to relax. I'm alittle over 5mth post, and I am really considering going natural.
 

mahogany_horizons

Active Member
I love all you ladies chiming in and confirming my thoughts. I'm so excited that I've made the 17 week marker. It might not seem like much, but I was a 6 to 8 weeker. Then I found LHCF and went between 12 and 14 weeks.

The fact that I've made it to 17 weeks, and have not thrown in the towel due to matting and tangles, is still a miracle. I feel like if I can make it 17 weeks, I can make it to 24 weeks, and then 32 weeks....and that's half a doggone year with no relaxer :)
 

Babygrowth

Well-Known Member
I'm stretching cuz I'm preggo but at least once a day I think about transitioning and just being a natural that wears straight hair. The only thing that makes me want to relax is that its harder to keep my natural hair moisturized and detangled unless its straight and for my hair type and patience with 2 kids. Relaxed hair is the answer for me right now.
 

whosthatgurl

here.... but i'm not here
Someone already discouraged me today. I can pretty much tell what my texture may be, because there is a part of the back that has already grown out. And someone mentioned today at work, "ooh you need to get a perm back there. Everyone isn't meant to be natural" Smh. High school all over again.
 

mahogany_horizons

Active Member
Someone already discouraged me today. I can pretty much tell what my texture may be, because there is a part of the back that has already grown out. And someone mentioned today at work, "ooh you need to get a perm back there. Everyone isn't meant to be natural" Smh. High school all over again.

Mama I am sorry to hear about others ignorance. They have no right to tell you how to wear your hair!

And most of the time when someone says that, their chewed up relaxed hair is awful.

Ignore them and press on.

I got your back and so does LHCF!
 
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