Lock It Up! Support Thread (Sisterlocs, Dreads, Freeform, Etc)

[LavenderMint]

Good luck @caltron! That sounds like a good plan. They may surprise you though- the most ignorant, hurtful & disrespectful comments I got during my transition to natural and to locs were from other blk people & family. Your coworkers may have questions or be curious but don't feel pressured to be their answer box. Usually, the question I got was "that's beautiful, how do you get your hair to do that" which I didn't see as intrusive or rude.

I've been plotting my move to locs. I am one of very few blacks in my workplace, and the most of the whites I work with are not cool. I think for the next few months I'm going to start wearing kinky twists to get them used to more natural-inspired hairstyling. Then I'll move to some starter locs. I'm not sure how my starter locs will be received and I'm afraid that some smart comments will undermine my confidence and cause me to give up. I'm wondering if I should wear them under a wig at work until I feel confident enough in them myself to "come out" and give them a chance to mature.

 

[LavenderMint]

@Arian, I can't speak to "normal" because everyone's journey is different. However, that reminds me of the sections on my locs where I switched from latch hook to palm rolling. It looks almost as if the direction of the palm rolling was changed a few times, causing that twisty thinness...... Any idea if that could be your culprit?

View attachment 325261

Ok. A lot of my twists are starting to look like this. This can't be normal, right?

 

[Harina]

Did my first retwist on Sunday. I really didnt plan it. I had just washed my hair and was not in the mood for a fuzzy look for the week. Decided to take my chances remembering everything I saw and learned through youtubes. Got out my mango lime twisting gel and went ot work. Came out beautiful. I was very surprised because I really wasnt expecting it to turn out as nice as it did. Then I realized just how easy it was. I mean everybody kept telling me but I didnt believe it. Furthermore I was happy for the first time that I didnt have a gazillion locs.

@ChasingBliss I don't understand what you mean by you didn't have a gazillion locs?

Got my hair retwisted last night. I'll post a length picture when I take down this style in a week.

Another recent pic Harina

This would be considered a brick overlay grid? Like your grid rows aren't straight back? It just looks like they are slightly overlayed?

Got my reti today

Now your pattern @Foxglove Yours are more of a straight back row pattern but would these be considered bricks?

 

[Foxglove]

@Harina mine aren't in a brick pattern
This is a brick pattern

 

[Harina]

@Harina mine aren't in a brick pattern
This is a brick pattern

Oh, ok thank you. Does anyone here have patterns like the above on mature locs? At first I thought I would want a brick pattern but I would not want ones like the the ones you posted. For some reason I thought a brick pattern would look more natural but it doesn't really in these pics at least. Also the squares are lot bigger than I plan my for my starter locs. I need to go look at more grid pattern pics.

 

[Arian]

@Arian, I can't speak to "normal" because everyone's journey is different. However, that reminds me of the sections on my locs where I switched from latch hook to palm rolling. It looks almost as if the direction of the palm rolling was changed a few times, causing that twisty thinness...... Any idea if that could be your culprit?

I did change loctitians, so this could be the problem. @MeaWea, what can I do about this? I'm worried that I have messed up my locs now--do I need to start over? Because that would be devastating...

 

[ChasingBliss]

Was that Jamaican Mango Lime gel? How did you like it? I quit using it forever ago when I noticed it was taking my nail polish off; tossed out a half full jar after seeing that. I hadn't noticed before because I rarely wear nail polish. Did they change the formulation?

Yeah it was. I had nail polish on too ...newly painted. Nothing happened tho. Maybe it had to do with the type of polish. Im wearing the Sally Hansen gel formula.

 

[ChasingBliss]

@ChasingBliss I don't understand what you mean by you didn't have a gazillion locs?

This would be considered a brick overlay grid? Like your grid rows aren't straight back? It just looks like they are slightly overlayed?



Now your pattern @Foxglove Yours are more of a straight back row pattern but would these be considered bricks?

Well for the longest time I had been wishing I had more locs that I had. I only have about 55 --cant really remember. But I wished I had about 80 or 90. After doing my own retwist (which was rewarding but tiresome) I appreciated that I didnt have as much after all.... Although I still love the look of lots and lots of locs. My loctitian told me that due to my hair texture, it would be better for me to have bigger locs which means...less.

 

[LavenderMint]

It was a long time ago, I was in college so I'm sure I wasn't wearing anything more expensive than Wet'n'Wild lol
They may have changed the formula too. I liked the way it smells but I'll stick to my diluted KCCC.

 

[LavenderMint]

@Arian, I don't think you would need to start over. Do you trust your current loctician? That might be a problem they could help solve.
Some of the solutions I've seen online include: sewing up the gap, tying a knot, sewing in extra hair or cutting it. Over time, my transitional areas bulked up and I haven't worried too much about them.

I cut a thinning lock for the first time this weekend!! It wasn't in a transitional area or anything, it was just thin. It was only about three inches from the tip... I tied it in a knot and snipped above it.

I did change loctitians, so this could be the problem. @MeaWea, what can I do about this? I'm worried that I have messed up my locs now--do I need to start over? Because that would be devastating...

 

[PrincessKia]

View attachment 325261

Ok. A lot of my twists are starting to look like this. This can't be normal, right?

I am having this same issue. I started from 2 strand twists last November and I have lots that look like this.

I have been following this thread for sometime now meaning to post and answer the questions. I just wasn't sure I would make it to tell the truth. So far so good though.

 

[Arian]

I am having this same issue. I started from 2 strand twists last November and I have lots that look like this.

I have been following this thread for sometime now meaning to post and answer the questions. I just wasn't sure I would make it to tell the truth. So far so good though.

Ok, good. I did ask my loctitian about it and she said they would round themselves out. Just a kink in my twist.

 

[Arian]

Checking in...my growth is crazy right now and I have serious itchy issues. I cannot believe that I will be 5 months in on May 2. I'm hoping to see more budding and closed ends within the next few months.

 

[Foxglove]

My consultant gave me the green light to henna
She said I still need to band the ends so they don't unravel
I'll probably do it sometime this week

 

[Platinum]

11 months loc'd!!

 

[Arian]

Mean loc face!

 

[Foxglove]

@Arian they already look thicker especially when you compare them to your avi

 

[Foxglove]

So my SL consultant got hurt and I have to reschedule on a last minute basis. This is frustrating and this is why I hate depending on stylists in the first place. I plan on taking the SL course this summer so if this happens again I can do my own retis

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

Hi ladies! I never thought I'd be in here, but I've done just about everything I've wanted to my hair lol. Currently, I'm relaxed with about an inch and a half of new-growth. I'm taking down my Senegalese Twists, cleansing, and in a few days dyeing and starting my Bradelocs. I wanted Sisterlocks, but that is financially not feasible for me. Besides, I'm so used to doing my own hair anyway lol, and I just want to be loc'd. Any tips for a newbie?

 

[LavenderMint]

Welcome @whosthatcurl!
I started my locs with braids and don't regret it. I made mine half the size I wanted them to be, knowing they would puff out to the right size. I maintained with a latch hook, transitioning to palm rolling after a year or two.
All I would really say is not to underestimate the value of moisturization/deep conditioning. I chose a silicone free conditioner and mixed in essential oils (rosemary, lemon, & tea tree), saturating my hair and sitting under a warm dryer for about 45min. My hair grew so much and stayed hydrated.
Good luck!!

Hi ladies! I never thought I'd be in here, but I've done just about everything I've wanted to my hair lol. Currently, I'm relaxed with about an inch and a half of new-growth. I'm taking down my Senegalese Twists, cleansing, and in a few days dyeing and starting my Bradelocs. I wanted Sisterlocks, but that is financially not feasible for me. Besides, I'm so used to doing my own hair anyway lol, and I just want to be loc'd. Any tips for a newbie?

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

Welcome @whosthatcurl!
I started my locs with braids and don't regret it. I made mine half the size I wanted them to be, knowing they would puff out to the right size. I maintained with a latch hook, transitioning to palm rolling after a year or two.
All I would really say is not to underestimate the value of moisturization/deep conditioning. I chose a silicone free conditioner and mixed in essential oils (rosemary, lemon, & tea tree), saturating my hair and sitting under a warm dryer for about 45min. My hair grew so much and stayed hydrated.
Good luck!!

Thanks so much, I didn't know you could deep condition locks. I have a lot to learn lol.

 

[LavenderMint]

I didn't either until I did it lol I figured that with my locs, my hair wouldn't be getting as many opportunities for moisture as loose hair, as well as the method of maintenance requiring a lot of whole loc manipulation.
I've recently fallen off the deep conditioner train.... I need to do that again.

Thanks so much, I didn't know you could deep condition locks. I have a lot to learn lol.

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

@MeaWea May I ask how you treated your baby locs? I plan to color my hair before I install the braids.

 

[LavenderMint]

I treated them like braids at first and I colored mine too! Fire engine red that faded to a warm honey brown. I dyed them in the braids to have more control over how much was colored and then washed my hair, rebraiding each one. I washed them gently with color retention shampoo & regular conditioner, weekly, until they were past the bare scalp stage.
I waited to latch hook them until there was a fair amount of new growth and THAT took some learning! Leave some loose hair at the root or else you will SUFFER.

@MeaWea May I ask how you treated your baby locs? I plan to color my hair before I install the braids.

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

I treated them like braids at first and I colored mine too! Fire engine red that faded to a warm honey brown. I dyed them in the braids to have more control over how much was colored and then washed my hair, rebraiding each one. I washed them gently with color retention shampoo & regular conditioner, weekly, until they were past the bare scalp stage.
I waited to latch hook them until there was a fair amount of new growth and THAT took some learning! Leave some loose hair at the root or else you will SUFFER.

Ooh, thanks for the tips! Much appreciated.

 

[caltron]

11 months loc'd!!

OK I am mad that you did not post a pic!!!

 

[caltron]

Just checking in. I'm getting kinky twists put in next week. I've also found a loctician who looks good. I know I said that I was waiting until December to start my locs, but I may just move that plan up to when I'm ready to take down the twists. I'm excited!!!

@MeaWea Thanks so much for that post! So reassuring and just what I need to see right now.

 

[Arian]

My retwist was Wednesday! Five months in and I guess they are looking more like locs. I am so tenderheaded, though! Ugh... excuse my expression in the pic. I was mad at myself for eating Burger King for lunch when I am supposed to be doing better.

 

[Platinum]

It's been about 2 months since I've interlocked my roots. I haven't decided if I'm going to do it this weekend or wait until my loc anniversary on May 27.

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

I started my Bradelocs (like only two) and I wanted to finish by Mother's Day but I keep getting interrupted, and I have a million things to do so that's not going to happen. Plus, my boy is acting a plum fool. I wish I had a a pause button.