Stretching Relaxers: Do’s And Don’t

Don’t forget to trim your ends. While a lot of these tips are focused on the roots of the hair, we can’t forget the ends. Getting rid of split ends keeps the splits from traveling up the strand, and damaging more hair, while trimming hair to get rid of thinning ends gives your hair a healthier, and sometimes fuller look.

Do use the baggy method. The Baggy Method is commonly confused with The Greenhouse Effect. The Baggy Method is a moisture retention technique where you spritz your hair with a little bit of water, and pop on a plastic cap with an optional bonnet or scarf overnight. The plastic cap traps your body heat which then lightly “steams” your hair, giving it the proper moisture it needs. For a while, a regular moisturizing and sealing regime may work, but when dealing with a longer stretch the moisture needs of your new growth and previously relaxed hair may change. The Baggy Method is a good way to ensure that both textures of hair stay happy.

Do have patience. Stretching – even if it’s just a few weeks longer than normal, it is not an easy process sometimes, and can get very frustrating, so a little bit of patience will take you a long way.

Don’t skip out on the protein treatments. Protein treatments are typically a weekly thing, but as your relaxer stretch goes on, you may need to up the protein in your regime to keep the line of demarcation strong, and from breaking off.

Do make sure you have a very good detangler handy. Trying to detangle two completely different types of hair can be a beast, so having a reliable detangler within reach is a good idea.

Don’t go beyond your limit. What I mean by that is that even if you’re determined to stretch twenty four weeks, if you begin to see that you can no longer handle your hair, go ahead and get it relaxed. If you can’t deal with the two states of your hair, then in the long run you will end up doing more bad than good. Just because someone else can go a full year without a relaxer does not mean that’s for you.

Do stay consistent. Experimenting with a new product here or there is perfectly fine, however when stretching relaxers, you have to pay very particular attention to what your hair likes and dislikes. Adding a bunch of new products during this time can make assessing your hair fairly difficult.

Well ladies, those were my tips to help you successfully stretch your relaxer;I hope you are able to use them and reach your full stretching potential!