“Stretching” – A Healthier Hair Alternative or Big Mistake?

Chemical relaxers can weaken the hair and make it susceptible to breakage and damage. Extending time between relaxers – “stretching” - can lead to healthier, longer hair. Relaxer applications should
be done no sooner than every 8-10 weeks for healthy hair and scalp. Doing so
can help yield thicker, stronger hair. However, if not properly cared for, hair
can break at the point where the relaxed and natural parts of the hair meet,
often called the demarcation line. Keeping hair properly moisturized is vital at
this stage. Your hair may require more frequent washing and conditioning than
usual, an increase of 1-3 times per week may be needed to prevent dryness,
matting, and breakage. Special attention must be given to keeping your hair
strong with consistent, weekly deep conditioning. Choose treatments especially
made for dry, damaged, or color treated hair with application/processing times
ranging from 10-30 minutes with or without heat. Also look for products that
contain strengthen ingredients such as, keratin, wheat, collagen, silk, soy, or
milk proteins, and lubricating natural oils such as jojoba, olive oil, coconut,
avocado, safflower, wheat germ, or grape seed. Although the use of heat is
generally discouraged in most healthy hair regimens, using heat only on the new
growth is a great way to help lessen the chance of breakage at the
demarcation  line and make hair more
manageable for daily styling. As with most things, “stretching” may not work
for everyone. It is extremely important to pay attention to how your hair
responds with each progressing week, and adjust to your hair’s changing needs.
Never sacrifice the health of your hair to meet the demand of current trends!