Considering Sistalocs--Need Support and Info

LadyBlu

LadyBlu

New Member
First of all...thanks LHCF family for putting up with TWO YEARS of crying, whining, and complaining (with a few success stories) about my hair. I can't believe it's been two years. Thanks to the education I have received on this forum, my hair has grown to the longest its ever been.

Well...it's time for a change and after struggling with the decision on and off for these past two years, I think I am ready to go natural. I have started to really consider sistalocs and have begun extensive research. The blogs are nice, but I am going to need some help from my sistas that have already taken the plunge.

I recognize this is as much an emotional and spiritual decsion as it is a physical one, so I am going to walk you guys through my thought process:

Why I want to loc...

I was diagnosed with Lupus last year and chemically altering the hair (via relaxers) is STRONGLY discouraged--practically prohibited (thank Goodness I was already stretching for 4-6 months when I was diagnosed)

I travel A LOT, and this would make hair care on the road (and in the air) a lot easier.

My hair is getting long, but it is fine. I think locs would make my hair look fuller and give me more styling versatility than the infamous bun.

My edges are really thin. Maybe leaving them alone will finally encourage them to grow back in.

My fears about locking...

It's permanent. What if I don't like them?

How is my family going to respond? They already think I'm crazy for stretching my relaxers so long.

I work in a very conservative, non-diverse environment. I am currently the ONLY person of color in the entire company (except for the mail room staff--isn't that sad?) I am not sure how they would respond to this "ethnic" hair. I get enough questions when I wear a twist out.

And the biggie...my SO has that slave mentality. He likes light skin and long, straight hair. I've been testing his feelings about locking (well I asked him if he liked microbraids), and his response was that braids are ok for a beach trip. I usually straighten my hair when he's around because he "prefers" straight hair, so I am not sure how he would react to me being natural. I know it's a little crazy, but it worries me a little.

HELP ME SISTAS! I just need someone to talk me through this. I haven't made the final decision yet as I really want to be well informed, so I welcome any links to websites, blogs, etc. that will give me as much info as possible before I take the leap. Thanks for listening. I'm sure I will have tons more questions. BTW...I just subcribed to SL Journal.
 
You're going through a lot. <<< HUGS >>> It is sad that the decision to wear natural hair should create such anxiety. Black women are the only ones who go through that.

Work: Sisterlocs can look professional for work because they are less threatening than afro, and behave differently than locs. You can wear them in buns, low ponytails, you can put them in rollers and get a wavy look. It's actually a very versatile look.

Family: well, you'll need to develop a thick skin. Many of us have experienced negative attitudes from family. Oh well...

SO: You're the only one who can determine if you're willing to fit the image he expects you to fit, or if you want to follow your own journey through life. You are the only one who can determine what kind of love you're expecting from your partner.

NOTE: There are a number of members with Lupus who relax or texlax their hair. I didn't know that relaxing was prohibited when one had Lupus.
 
Jessy55 said:
You're going through a lot. <<< HUGS >>> It is sad that the decision to wear natural hair should create such anxiety. Black women are the only ones who go through that.

Work: Sisterlocs can look professional for work because they are less threatening than afro, and behave differently than locs. You can wear them in buns, low ponytails, you can put them in rollers and get a wavy look. It's actually a very versatile look.

That is a common misconception about locs. You can do all of the same with "regular" locs as you can with sistalocs. :yep:


Family: well, you'll need to develop a thick skin. Many of us have experienced negative attitudes from family. Oh well...

SO: You're the only one who can determine if you're willing to fit the image he expects you to fit, or if you want to follow your own journey through life. You are the only one who can determine what kind of love you're expecting from your partner.
Very true.

NOTE: There are a number of members with Lupus who relax or texlax their hair. I didn't know that relaxing was prohibited when one had Lupus.
It's not necessarily prohibited but when you are dealing with hair loss and sores, applyinig a chemical is probably not the best thing to do. Since she has stretched, that is better than relaxing all the time with lupus :yep: (Speaking from experience)
Click to expand...

See above...

Also, NappyRina and TheFinePrint have sistalocs. You should PM them as well.

Locs are as permanent as you want them to be. Plenty of sistas have removed their locs either by chopping them off or by unraveling them. It can be done. So if you don't like them you can do that.

Also, you can hold on to your relaxed hair with sistalocs, if you want to hold on to your length.
HTH.
 
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I don't have sisterlocs but I investigated it and got 2 consultations last fall. My research lasted about 3 mos. I wanted them desperately to deal with the humidity in the spring/summer along with my exercising. I decided to try small twists this summer and not loc yet because: 1) like you my SO didn't want me to, not because he likes straight hair (I'm natural), but he thought I would look like everyone else with locs (they're in abundance where I live) and 2) everyone else (e.g. family) thought I am too creative and versatile with my natural "open" hair now and I would lose that versatility (like you I'm scared of committing). I agreed with both and still feel like I have more experimenting to do with my natural un-locked hair.

I am also in a conservative career and my natural hair works well for me (no one has ever questioned it or any hairstyle I have). I am the only black in my department and probably 1 of 3 in the company. Check out this blog. This lady is a corporate lawyer and has sisterlocs http://brunsli.blogspot.com/. I still check out her blog, even though I didn't loc, because she is so positive about her hair. She touches on the topic of locs in the workplace. As long as you don't have rastafarian locs and they are neat you shouldn't have problems. I personally know of a corporate lawyer who wears twists like I do and has no problem with colleagues or off- the-cuff comments. Once you're comfortable with the hairstyle that confidence shines through and shuts up all the haters.

Also, I personally know of a woman with sisterlocs who works in university education. They are small enough not to be perceptable to most people (they look like twists), so make sure you get them tiny. With your hair being fine, the stylist will more than likely start them very small. With curling and other manipulations it will look like natural "open hair". If you live in Atlanta there's a woman who does "micro-locs" (even smaller than sisterlocs) http://www.twistylocks.com/ VERY expensive to start (she quoted me over $1k, every 6-8 wk maintenance starts at $180, and it would take a whole week to do my hair initially. But I tell you these women have the most awesome head of hair you've EVER seen and I almost cried when I saw a woman with twistylocs down to her waist and dyed blond.

Good luck!
 
AZAfroGurl said:
See above...


Locs are as permanent as you want them to be. Plenty of sistas have removed their locs either by chopping them off or by unraveling them. It can be done. So if you don't like them you can do that.

HTH.
Click to expand...

One of my friends removed her pencil-width locs using a rat-tailed comb and conditioner one summer. When she was done and it was relaxed she had waist-lenght hair.
 
Wow, those twisty locks are fierce! I too would be scared of the permanency (some people say you can take them out ("new") and some people say you can't ("mature")) But they ARE cute and good for traveling. As for everybody else's opinions, that's their problem. I know it's a tough decision but it's yours to make. Good luck and keep us posted!
 
curlscience said:
One of my friends removed her pencil-width locs using a rat-tailed comb and conditioner one summer. When she was done and it was relaxed she had waist-lenght hair.
Click to expand...


Just curious...how long did it take her? And why isn't she on here posting her fotki?! lol
 
Queeny20 said:
I didn't know you had locs. Wow, that is cool. I am considering sisterlocks as well. Q
Click to expand...

Yup for 6.5 years. :yep:
I miss them that is why I have started them again.
I would have gotten sistalocs but the expense and having to have someone else maintain them for a while just wasn't gonna work well for me at this time :(
 
winnettag said:
Just curious...how long did it take her? And why isn't she on here posting her fotki?! lol
Click to expand...

it took her all summer, since she's a teacher it wasn't a big deal. She walked around with a head wrap all the time. lol. unfortunatley she did not chronicle her progress with pics...it would have been a good fotki.
 
Hi LadyBlu :wave:

I have Lupus too. Had it over 20 years now. I hear you on wanting to go natural. Do you have discoid or SLE? I have SLE.

I, too, have been thinking about sisterlocs. I think they're beautiful :)
 
Like Alyssa said, NP has a whole subforum on locs. Nappyrina, who also chats over here, just got them not too long ago, but then disappeared on us like a week after she got them. :sad: You might try PMing her.
 
I agree with the other posters that nappturality is a great resource for info,also stalk some fotikis. There are a bunch of fabulous ones out there with sisterlocks. GoingAllNatural just got hers done and they look BEATIFUL :yep: you should definitly check her fotiki out as well.

HTH
 
AZAfroGurl said:
Yup for 6.5 years. :yep:
I miss them that is why I have started them again.
I would have gotten sistalocs but the expense and having to have someone else maintain them for a while just wasn't gonna work well for me at this time :(
Click to expand...

Cool. I may have to wait though because I don't think anyone in this area does them. Hopefully next year we will relocate to a place that has someone certified to do them. I am still thinking so I have time. Q
 
Sistalocs are beautiful. I have been enjoying looking in all of the albums of those who have then and those who just started their sistaloc journey.

I wish you luck and hope you will share pics if you decide to get them.
 
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