2024 has been a wild ride gone in a flash. Managed to do a small trim and ended the year on a high hair note. Work, health and life have kept me from writing more. I also kept my hair routine to a bare minimum. I managed to wash about once a week and kept it in a bun most of the time. This worked quite well and am going to continue keeping things simple. Before taking this photo I had been asked if it's my real hair a few times when I had it down. In 2025 I would like to be more regular with my trims. I barely managed to do it twice this year. The soft v shape and layers are a bit more forgiving and don't let my hair look scraggly too much which helps. I am hoping as I take better care of my health I'll have more energy for my hair. My current wash and blow dry routine takes me about an hour and a half and that's been the most I could do this year. I will try take better pictures in the coming year. I might also dig to see if I have any others from this year to share m...
I am currently 4week post relaxer and am planning to stretch to 10weeks this time around.
What is relaxer stretching?
Also commonly referred to just as stretching, relaxer stretching is when you wait to apply relaxer to your hair after the last application. How long to stretch is an individual decision, however there are a few things to consider. Generally people stretch from 8 to 12 weeks to 6 months or even a year. The main reason for stretching is to ensure there is enough new growth to apply relaxer without overlapping previously relaxed hair. Overlapping can lead to over processed, damaged thin hair.
What to consider when stretching
One of the things to consider is how quickly your hair grows. If your hair grows out pretty quickly you may have sufficient new growth to relax at 8 weeks for example compared to someone who might need to get to 14 weeks for the same amount of growth. This also links into another consideration of how manageable it is. If your new growth is super thick and coily it may require more time and patience to manage. When you have 2 hair textures that are completely different like this it can be hard to manage. Depending on your other life commitments stretching beyond a certain amount of time may just not be worth it. If you handle your hair harshly due to frustration it may lead to breakage.
How I use each stretch
Relaxer stretching is another part of my hair care process that I use to learn more about my hair and to find what works best for it. I have been keeping my hair braided in cornrows for my stretches and so far this has worked well. After having an irritated scalp last stretch I simplified my regimen even further and recued the amount of products that I was using. By keeping an eye on my hair and listening to what different products did for me I was able to get to a place where I was happy.
This stretch has been great so far. I am thinking of starting to wear my hair out more from the next stretch meaning less cornrows if any. With this in mind I know I will need to monitor moisture in my hair. I will still try to keep my hair tucked away in a low manipulation style most of the time. I am currently trying to figure out all the ways I can style it and not let it get damaged or dried out.
How long do you stretch your relaxer for and what is your go to hairstyle to stretch the longest?
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