Showing posts with label 8 week stretch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 8 week stretch. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Hair Confession: I am tired of stretching my relaxer

My last stretch was only 10 weeks which has been the shortest period I have gone without a relaxer since I began my hair journey. My plan was to have stretched for 14 weeks but I was so tired of the two textures that I decided to give in and texlax. It was during that previous stretch that I was just tired with it all. I texlax my hair to have somewhat straight hair because that is the look I prefer, yet at the same time, I constantly have to contend with natural hair and texlaxed hair because I stretch. Back in the day it would take 10 weeks before I really saw any significant growth, so stretching to 12-14 weeks was really easy. I would texlax and I'd have an inch after 3 months.

Now that I have a ridiculously healthy diet (I'm talking at least 5 fruits and vegetables a day, no sugar, no processed foods etc) my growth rate has dramatically improved, in fact I would state that my hair is growing at its optimal rate. My new growth is noticeable from the 3rd week and by the 6th week I am frustrated with it all.  I really feel like I have two options. Either I start relaxing every 8 weeks or I go back natural, so that I commit to one look. I am currently 6 weeks post and I already have over 1 inch of new growth. This is enough to prevent excessive overlapping when I relax, however I am not keen on the idea of using chemicals that often. I also don't like to use direct heat so flat ironing my roots is out of the question for me, my country is in the Caribbean and it gets hot and I would sweat it out in a day or two.

All I know is I am frustrated. Stretching is not something new to me. I have stretched to 16 weeks and even completed a 6 month stretch and had no breakage at the line of demarcation. The problem is not that I need to learn to stretch. The issue is that I am tired of always having two significant textures of hair.

This post has helped me to make a decision. I will be texlaxing on June 14th at 8 weeks post. I seem to be rebelling a lot of late: using sulphate shampoos, using products with petrolatum and now eliminating long stretches. We will see if my likes these changes. If not, I will just have to stick it out with the stretching.

I just finished washing and roller setting my hair. This is what my new growth looks like. I will be 6 weeks post tomorrow. I don't think I can make another 6 weeks.