Wrapping and Stretching a bad combination??

[RabiaElaine]

I am currently trying to get my strategy together for my first real stretch. I've been thinking that one of the reasons I have been unable to stretch my relaxers for very long is that I wrap my hair every night. I can wrap my hair with ease for the first 3 weeks of my relaxer with ease. By week 4 it starts to become more difficult and I experience shedding. I usually give in by week 6 or 7. So I'm thinking that wrapping when I have a certain amount of my 4a/b new growth is a bad idea because of all the manipulation to put it up and to pull it down. Plus whichever side I am wrapping away from always experiences more shedding because (I think) I have to manipulate that side more than the other side.

So my point is that I think I need to eliminate the wrap during the stretching process. I think that I might be able to maintain a semi-wrap look using Sylver2's scarf method after my roller set. What do you ladies think? How have you "wrap-lovers" out there been able to deal with this?

 

[Poohbear]

I definitely would recommend sylver2's method for you while you have a lot of new growth. once u relax, then you can go back to wrapping.

 

[vangrey]

you know i was just talking to cincysweetie about the same thing. i used to wrap every night.. but now that i have started to take care of my hair i think it would be counterproductive because it cause light breakage towards the ends and shedding. (btw i am twelve weeks into transitioning). so i decided to do a sylver2 version of the scarf and tie my hair back in a ponytail holder and clip the ends under or a single plait in the back, with the scarf laying the new growth down. i will see how this works out, but i think that wrapping my hair every night has kept me from reaching my ultimate goal.
welps, i hope i answered your question somewhere in there

 

[Cincysweetie]

By week 4 it starts to become more difficult and I experience shedding. I usually give in by week 6 or 7. So I'm thinking that wrapping when I have a certain amount of my 4a/b new growth is a bad idea because of all the manipulation to put it up and to pull it down. Plus whichever side I am wrapping away from always experiences more shedding because (I think) I have to manipulate that side more than the other side.

Are you sure what you are experiencing is shedding and not breakage? I used to wrap my hair regularly and I have damage (breakage) as a result of that. If you check out my album, you can see that my edges thinned, especially my left temple area which was the side that was manipulated most b/c of my wrapping. This, along with the friction of the scarf really messed me up. *Especially* if you are wet wrapping. I would def. try to move away from that, I am a big fan of Sylver's roller and scarf method. Good luck during your transition!

 

[RabiaElaine]

Are you sure what you are experiencing is shedding and not breakage? I used to wrap my hair regularly and I have damage (breakage) as a result of that. If you check out my album, you can see that my edges thinned, especially my left temple area which was the side that was manipulated most b/c of my wrapping. This, along with the friction of the scarf really messed me up. *Especially* if you are wet wrapping. I would def. try to move away from that, I am a big fan of Sylver's roller and scarf method. Good luck during your transition!

O I'm not transitioning , I just want to stretch my relaxer longer. Well when I say shedding I guess I mean breakage from the extreme difference in textures around line of demarcation once I have about 4 weeks of new growth. For me the side that I am wrapping away from will get the most shedding/breakage because it is being manipulated the most. I really don't have a problem with thinning edges because of wrapping I just get breakage in general when putting up or taking down a wrap when I have a lot of new growth.

I hope I too can maintain a wrap style with Sylver2 scarf method. I tried it for the first time this week, but I did not do it with a wrap style. I wore it in a flip style. Check out the pics in my album. I was only 2.5 weeks post when I did this so, I hope I can get it right when I have 6 weeks of new growth.

BTW your hair is beautiful Cincysweetie!!!

 

[RabiaElaine]

you know i was just talking to cincysweetie about the same thing. i used to wrap every night.. but now that i have started to take care of my hair i think it would be counterproductive because it cause light breakage towards the ends and shedding. (btw i am twelve weeks into transitioning). so i decided to do a sylver2 version of the scarf and tie my hair back in a ponytail holder and clip the ends under or a single plait in the back, with the scarf laying the new growth down. i will see how this works out, but i think that wrapping my hair every night has kept me from reaching my ultimate goal.
welps, i hope i answered your question somewhere in there

I agree with you. When you have several weeks of new growth I also believe its counterproductive to wrap the hair. The wrap is great right after the relaxer for a few weeks. I think its counterproductive because your are combing throught the roots plus the relaxed hair to get the hair to lay flat in a certain direction. Plus once your wrap there it usually doesn't just stay there for a few days. You have to take it down.

 

[Jewell]

I quit my wraps at 5 weeks...I was shedding alot, and my hair looked just as good in a bun. I will only wrap up until 5-6 weeks, because the new growth gets so thick in the back of my head.

 

[RabiaElaine]

I quit my wraps at 5 weeks...I was shedding alot, and my hair looked just as good in a bun. I will only wrap up until 5-6 weeks, because the new growth gets so thick in the back of my head.

You have beautiful hair Jewell!! How long have you been able to stretch your relaxers by quitting the wrap at week 5. Also is this the first time your hair has been that long?

Also I just checked my calendar, I made a mistake, tomorrow I will be exactly 4 weeks post relaxer!! So I guess I should quit the wrap nowerplexed . I was wondering why my hair was already becoming harder to wrap especially because when I got my wash and set this week I did not allow them to blow out the roots.

 

[sylver2]

Hey ladies, I have been wrapping for 16 years.
Now that I am stretching relaxers I don't wrap it after 7 weeks post.
The less manipulation when I'm stretching.. the better.

 

[Hair2day]

RabiaElaine, I stop wrapping my hair after 4 weeks post relaxer. The new growth is just too course to have that much manipulation. After 4 wks I resort to the bun & baggie method.

 

[RabiaElaine]

Hey ladies, I have been wrapping for 16 years.
Now that I am stretching relaxers I don't wrap it after 7 weeks post.
The less manipulation when I'm stretching.. the better.

Hey Sylver!!,

Yesterday I was exactly 4 weeks post relaxer, and I have some growth already! I went to my dominican salon yesterday for a wash and set (I also got a cellophane rinse in Jet Black, my black hair is starting to turn brown in the light). Anyway I did a rollerset. After the rollerset I didn't let them do anything to the hair just add the sheen spray that they put in my hair and comb the curls out slightly/gently with a wide tooth comb. When I got home I did your scarf/bonnet method and just left the end inside of the bonnet without any curlers. When I woke up this morning the front was laying down nicely. The ends were a little flat so I just pin curled the hair while I was getting dressed. I will take out the pin curls when I park my car on my way to work. By then I'm sure my hair will have plenty of curl.

Anyway I'm excited because I've found another way to use your scarf method even with my rollerset!!! Yeah.

Thanks girl!!! I really think your method is going to help me to stretch to my goal of 10 weeks.

 

[Jewell]

You have beautiful hair Jewell!! How long have you been able to stretch your relaxers by quitting the wrap at week 5. Also is this the first time your hair has been that long?

Also I just checked my calendar, I made a mistake, tomorrow I will be exactly 4 weeks post relaxer!! So I guess I should quit the wrap nowerplexed . I was wondering why my hair was already becoming harder to wrap especially because when I got my wash and set this week I did not allow them to blow out the roots.

Thank You! No, this is not the first time my hair has been that long...in high school my hair was past bra-strap. I just didn't maintain it well...I used to do heat, spritz, you name it to my hair! I eventually had to get a significant trim, and later had to cut it to like 3 inches below my shoulders because of overprocessing (Jan 2002). Jan 05 was the first time I stopped my wraps at week five, because I had been re-touching like every 6 weeks for the last 6 months or so.

I have been maintaining bra-strap for about a year and a half now...I was on a trimming spree every 8 weeks. I had layers in April 03, and let them grow out...I've maintained a blunt cut since. I will be 9 weeks post this Thurs. The longest I have ever gone without a touch up is 11-12 weeks (in high school), but I wasn't able to tame the new growth like I'm able to do now, thanks to LHCF and other hair care sites!

 

[RabiaElaine]

Thank You! No, this is not the first time my hair has been that long...in high school my hair was past bra-strap. I just didn't maintain it well...I used to do heat, spritz, you name it to my hair! I eventually had to get a significant trim, and later had to cut it to like 3 inches below my shoulders because of overprocessing (Jan 2002). Jan 05 was the first time I stopped my wraps at week five, because I had been re-touching like every 6 weeks for the last 6 months or so.

I have been maintaining bra-strap for about a year and a half now...I was on a trimming spree every 8 weeks. I had layers in April 03, and let them grow out...I've maintained a blunt cut since. I will be 9 weeks post this Thurs. The longest I have ever gone without a touch up is 11-12 weeks (in high school), but I wasn't able to tame the new growth like I'm able to do now, thanks to LHCF and other hair care sites!

Thanks for the info Jewell .