15 Tips to Stretch Relaxers without Breakage

15 Tips to Stretch Relaxers without Breakage

After many failed attempts, I finally learned how to properly stretch relaxers without breakage. With these tips, I went from not being able to stretch beyond 8 weeks to stretching to 27 months! Now that’s progress.

— 15 Tips to Stretch Relaxers without Breakage —

1. Pre-Poo for a minimum of 30 minutes with oil or conditioner to soften new growth and assist with detangling.
2. Detangle in sections! Smaller sections are easier to manage and lessens breakage.
3. Wash in ponytails or braids if your hair is tangle prone.
4. Use a slippery conditioner that allows the comb to pass through the hair easily when shower detangling.
5. Steam your hair midweek for a quick hydration boost!
6. Apply deep conditioner to the ends before applying to the roots to keep tangle prone ends from snagging and tangling upon itself.
7. Air dry on wash day with keeping new growth elongated and stretched.
8. Keep the hair stretched with braids or banding throughout the week.
9. Detangle with seamless combs to minimize breakage and mid-shaft splits.
10. Lightly comb or finger detangle daily to keep hair free shed hair and tangles.
11. Apply protein to the line demarcation down the relaxed hair only! Natural hair, also know as your new growth, is in its strongest state. Therefore, applying protein to natural hair makes it even stronger which indirectly weakens the line of demarcation and increases breakage and tangling.
12. Opt for low manipulation hair styles like buns, flat twists, French braids or wigs to keep the hair stretched.
13. Patience, patience, patience: enough said!

— Stretch Relaxers without Breakage by Keeping It Simple —

The longer I stretch, the more I am realize, less is more. The less my hands are in my hair, the less of a possibility that it will break. I no longer feel pressured to wash weekly because it is the healthy hair community norm. Instead, I wash when my hair requires it to remove product buildup.

Now that I am listening to my hair, things are going great! Back in the day before I started blogging, I washed once every two weeks or once a month and my hair did just fine. I have returned to this very schedule and it is going great with no issues. You can say I have returned to the basics and maybe so should you. Give it some thought!

What are your favorite stretching tips?

Original article and pictures take i2.wp.com site