10 Tips to Get Through Your Relaxer Stretch
As I’m 16 weeks into my current relaxer stretch, I thought I’d share my tips for getting through it!
I relax my hair 3 times a year, roughly every 17 weeks. Leaving a longer amount of time between your relaxers makes it easier to identify new growth & helps to reduce the risk of overlapping relaxers which, over time, can weaken the hair & lead to breakage.
Check out my tips for stretching relaxers!
Keep your hair well moisturised
Try the LCO method to add extra moisture to your hair to make it more manageable & to avoid breakage during your stretch. You can also sleep with a plastic cap after moisturising & sealing to lock in the moisture
Wash your hair in sections
This will help reduce any knotting & tangling whilst you wash your hair
Deep condition
Make sure you pay special attention to your new growth & your ends, this will keep your new growth softer & more manageable
Detangle in small sections
Start from the ends and work your way up to avoid knots & tangles
Use a wide tooth comb to detangle
To minimise breakage & splits
Wear low manipulation styles
Try to keep your hands out of your hair & rock easy styles that don’t put any strain on your new growth
Slick those edges
Invest in a good gel or edge control to keep your edges laid & to rock those slick styles
Baby steps
If you’re not used to stretching your relaxers then try delaying your relaxer by 1- 2 weeks at a time
Know when to end your stretch
You may have a specific goal of how long you want to stretch your relaxer but listen to your hair!
If you’re experiencing excessive shedding or breakage at the line of demarcation then it may be time to end your relaxer stretch
Patience is key
Your hair is very fragile during this time, be patient & handle your hair with care
How long do you stretch your relaxers & what is your top tip for stretching your relaxers?
~Healthy Hair Junkie~
3 comments
Yinka
18th November 2016 at 2:44 pm
These are great tips Ayesha, I usually stretch for 17-18 weeks. I follow all the method above except for the plastic cap after LCO method. I will be giving this a try.
Shani
18th September 2017 at 1:41 pm
I have a hard time stretching my relaxer … it’s usually because I’m unable to manage and style once I’m at 10 weeks. But I’ll give it a try again using your tips.
Kedesha
4th March 2018 at 3:57 pm
I usually stretch to 12 weeks as I don’t like to use products to slick my edges… I rock my hair for the first month and the two months after I use braids, weaves, crochet styles or wigs to rest my hair