Tip 4 – Minimize The Use Of Direct Heat
I know, I know, I know y’all are probably looking at the screen like “is she crazy?” But I promise there is a method to this madness. Using a flat iron* every day is very stressful for your hair, the high temperatures not only cause dryness but can further damage the hair strand causing it to appear brittle and lifeless.
I’m not saying retire your flat irons* forever ladies, I’m just saying be cautious, and do not touch your hair with heat every day and when you do use heat use a heat protectant*.
Tip 5 – Stretch the time between relaxers
Hair tends to grow at a rate of half an inch per month; some a little slower and some a little faster; but what I’m getting at is that some ladies relax their hair every four weeks and that is simply not healthy due to the extreme likeliness of overlapping relaxers which will pretty much spell certain death for strands getting a double dose of relaxer.
The optimum time to wait between relaxers is 12-14 weeks or about 3-3½ months because the average person would have a significant amount of new growth by that time. If you are not experienced in stretching relaxers I do caution and suggest you start off slow, maybe stretch a week or two longer then work your way up.
Tip 6 – Utilize protective styles
Protective styles aren’t just for the natural ladies! Us relaxed heads can do it too. Relaxed ladies tend to wear a wrap with the hair brushing against clothing, that’s pretty tiring for the ends of the hair.
Flat twisting or throwing the hair into a bun once or twice a week can take a lot of the stress off those ends especially in the winter when the hair isn’t only fighting the off the roughness from that wool but the cold weather too. Long term protective styles like box braids, senegalese twist and sew-ins can also help stretch relaxers.
Tip 7- Keep your ends trimmed
Cutting hair seems counterproductive I know but listen, when your hair splits there is really no way to 100% repair it so it will just travel up the shaft and eventually cause hair loss.
Kerimah Rogers says
Love this!!! I am one of the few who still relax because that is what works best for me
Nicole says
Great article! Not like that last natural snob author
chocolatestarsbx says
THANK YOU!! it was refreshing to see an article pertaining to us ladies who are on a HHJ but relaxed. @Kerimah Rogers YASSSS! me too!
danyell says
Great information for the relaxed movement. I have been natural and had dreds for years and now I relax every 8 to 9 months. So I know we are dealing with chemicals but with sites like this to let people know there is a healthy way to do it then ladies lets go and get all the information
Living relaxed on my healthy hair journey. ..
Marta Daniels says
Great tips! I’m amazed at how many relaxed heads don’t moisturize and seal or use protein or any of the crucial things they should be doing!
Kelly Jamila says
dont see posts like this very often. Its nice to be reminded every once in awhile that this isn’t the “natural revolution” age :/ frfr
Candra says
Good tips! My favorite is #4. My relaxed hair is actually getting thicker because of minimizing direct heat. I now flat iron my hair every 2 to 3 months, and after 9 months of doing this I can already see a difference!
Rashonda says
Great article! You are absolutely right about protein treatments! They are a must !!! Nutress Hair Protein Treatment has transformed my hair dramatically!! My hair feels stronger and moisturized. Love it ! 🙂
danyell says
Nutress protien treatment I have not heard of I will check that out.I have used redkin and sweet nature by eddie products….
Rhodz says
great article