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

[LavenderMint]

Okay ladies, my baby brother called me and I am in mama bear mode in need of some advice!! He lives in Utah and is starting locs traditionally. The young lady doing his was recommended by a black friend whose locs she started. However, he called because she told him not to wash his hair yet AND she hasn't washed his hair in FOUR MONTHS and he is suffering!! He goes in and gets retwisted without a wash first. She just "puts some cream or gel" on his scalp to assist with the maintenance and that's it. He assumed this was normal and it doesn't sound right to me but I'm not sure as I did my own locs and washed weekly. Is this standard operating procedure?? He said he was always prone to dandruff but these past four months have been bad and now it's gotten to the point that he is scratching his scalp to bleeding at night.
WHAT CAN HE DO?!

My first advice was to get a stocking cap and get his head in some water, STAT. I also suggested using a microfiber cloth and some witch hazel to help cleanse his scalp of all the build-up with his girlfriend's assistance. Then I suggested acv, tea tree oil, oregano or rosemary as rinse additives to help restore his scalp to health and some balance. I really don't want him to go back this.... person.... but I think if he is going to start doing his hair himself, he should start right after his hair has been freshly done so he can be sure to pay attention to the direction of the twist. What do you think? I am really glad I don't have the disposable income to fly out there for his next appointment and observe or question the process I'd probably get put out!!

 

[Platinum]

@MeaWea Thats terrible! I would never advise anyone to go that long without washing their hair. How long is his hair? How is his scalp? Does it appear to be inflamed? He may want to try an ACV rinse to remove buildup from his Locs and scalp. Youtube has a lot of great videos to help him learn how to retwist and cleanse his scalp. I can't believe that "stylist" retwisted his hair without washing!

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

Okay ladies, my baby brother called me and I am in mama bear mode in need of some advice!! He lives in Utah and is starting locs traditionally. The young lady doing his was recommended by a black friend whose locs she started. However, he called because she told him not to wash his hair yet AND she hasn't washed his hair in FOUR MONTHS and he is suffering!! He goes in and gets retwisted without a wash first. She just "puts some cream or gel" on his scalp to assist with the maintenance and that's it. He assumed this was normal and it doesn't sound right to me but I'm not sure as I did my own locs and washed weekly. Is this standard operating procedure?? He said he was always prone to dandruff but these past four months have been bad and now it's gotten to the point that he is scratching his scalp to bleeding at night.
WHAT CAN HE DO?!

My first advice was to get a stocking cap and get his head in some water, STAT. I also suggested using a microfiber cloth and some witch hazel to help cleanse his scalp of all the build-up with his girlfriend's assistance. Then I suggested acv, tea tree oil, oregano or rosemary as rinse additives to help restore his scalp to health and some balance. I really don't want him to go back this.... person.... but I think if he is going to start doing his hair himself, he should start right after his hair has been freshly done so he can be sure to pay attention to the direction of the twist. What do you think? I am really glad I don't have the disposable income to fly out there for his next appointment and observe or question the process I'd probably get put out!!

Oh, that's horrible! He really does need to wash his hair, and hopefully find a better loctitian. Even I know locs need moisture.

 

[LavenderMint]

@Platinum @whosthatcurl, his hair is just about neck length. He said his scalp is incessantly itching. He sprays with water in the morning and fluffs his hair. He really wants to wash with a dandruff shampoo but I think a gentle clarifying shampoo might be better.

I told him to check out YouTube but he's very intimidated by the idea of doing his own hair. Which was why I suggested washing before he sees her again and then taking over his own maintenance after that. It also doesn't help that locticians/natural hair care salons are few and far between out there.

 

[Foxglove]

Oh hell no
He needs to bite the bullet and either find a new loctician or start doing his own hair

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

Well he can either cut it off or learn how to do it on his own. Or travel to get his hair retwisted.

 

[LavenderMint]

You guys are right. I basically told him all of that and now I just have to step back and let him make up his mind. He already got the witch hazel and has started wiping his scalp. I think he's going to wash either later tonight or tomorrow.
Thanks for all your advice! I hope he takes it......

 

[Foxglove]

I have the henna in my hair right now. I don't know how to rinse it out while keeping my hair bundled so I'm going to have to rinse it out with my hair loose. Praying I don't get much slippage/loosening

 

[Foxglove]

My hair survived the henna. I ended up washing my hair loose so all the henna would rinse out. I also shampooed three times. I don't have any slippage or loosening that I can tell. They are a little fluffy but they normally contract once they dry
Pics

ETA sorry the pics are so big. Trying to resize

 

[Platinum]

You guys are right. I basically told him all of that and now I just have to step back and let him make up his mind. He already got the witch hazel and has started wiping his scalp. I think he's going to wash either later tonight or tomorrow.
Thanks for all your advice! I hope he takes it......

I hope so too. I hate to see people get "burned" by uninformed or unskilled "locticians". I still can't get over the fact that he/she would retwist your brother's hair without washing it! I learned how to maintain my ex-BF's locs by watching Youtube videos so by the time I got my locs started, I already knew how to interlock my roots.

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

I still haven't finished my Bradelocs :-(

 

[caltron]

I've finally decided to take the plunge. After these kinky twists are ready to come out, I'm going to start locing. I am sick of paying an arm and a leg to get my hair done and don't have hours to spend taking it down and putting hair back in. If I'm going to wear my hair under a wig anyway, then why wait???

I've always had this fantasy that I was one day going to find a loose hair style for me--whether relaxed or natural--that would work for me and my lifestyle, but I'm finally ready to let that dream die.

Sometimes I get nervous when I think about it. I'm a little scared of what my starter locs are going to look like. But what gives me strength is seeing pics of matured locs. No matter how awkward locs start off, I've yet to see any that didn't look great with time.

I am going to get them started off with interlocking. I run daily so I need a method that will stay put and allow me to wash. It seems like a controversial method but I think this will be best for me.

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

Yay, I'm 1/3 of the way done! My Mom's birthday is in 11 days (Jun 1) and I plan on having them done by then. I'm going to split my hair into 11 sections and do a section (and maybe a half) a day so I can be done on or by her birthday.

 

[caltron]

Yay, I'm 1/3 of the way done! My Mom's birthday is in 11 days (Jun 1) and I plan on having them done by then. I'm going to split my hair into 11 sections and do a section (and maybe a half) a day so I can be done on or by her birthday.

Beautiful!! These are going to look so gorgeous!!

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

@caltron Thank you so kindly! It is truly a labor of love. I have to fight through my back pain to do these beauties. My mom thinks I'm going to take them back down (I'm known for changing my hair style frequently). I've done everything I've wanted to do with my hair, and now I just want to be free.

 

[Foxglove]

@whosthatcurl that's dedication. They're going to look great

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

Lol, true this is dedication. I figure since I'm going to do it, might as well do it right the first time. Thanks so kindly.

 

[caltron]

@caltron Thank you so kindly! It is truly a labor of love. I have to fight through my back pain to do these beauties. My mom thinks I'm going to take them back down (I'm known for changing my hair style frequently). I've done everything I've wanted to do with my hair, and now I just want to be free.

Yes, freedom!! I love the way locs look, but it's the freedom they will give me that is most appealing to me.

 

[Foxglove]

I hit 9 months today

 

[bklynbornNbred]

@MeaWea Tell your brother to look up Damian Walter on You Tube. He's a loctician based in Houston. If/when I move to locs he will be the one to start them off. Damian videos are long but very informative.

 

[Arian]

On June 2, I will be 6 months in!!! Halfway to a year...they are changing so much and I am still soooo excited about what my locs will become. I want to post some loc inspiration photos for everybody on the journey.

 

[Arian]

Her locs are beautiful! They look like they may have been started with two strands because I can see some of the pattern... hmmmm..

 

[Arian]

For those interested in thicker locs... these are gorgeous!!!!!! I may end up combining a lot of mine later for this thickness!

 

[Arian]

I have been going through my twists and I notice some single strand knots on some of the loose strands. Anyone else have this issue? (Pesky single strands! )

Do you snip them or leave them alone?

 

[Foxglove]

I have been going through my twists and I notice some single strand knots on some of the loose strands. Anyone else have this issue? (Pesky single strands! )

Do you snip them or leave them alone?

I figure they'll become incorporated into the locs eventually so I don't snip them unless you can see them from far away. I hate when it's an entire ball hanging on for dear life by one thread but I leave it be unless it's really visible

 

[Arian]

Thank you! Leaving them alone...

 

[Foxglove]

I think some of my locks are maturing.
The one closest to my neck here is thickening up on the ends. It used to look like the one in the middle. Even the one in the middle looks like it's budding on the end

Reference so you can see the actual size. I'm holding the middle lock

 

[Platinum]

I've been extremely busy this week and I forgot to check in. I'm 1 year loc'd as of May 27th! I'll have to add pics later.

 

[Arian]

I think some of my locks are maturing.
The one closest to my neck here is thickening up on the ends. It used to look like the one in the middle. Even the one in the middle looks like it's budding on the end

Reference so you can see the actual size. I'm holding the middle lock

Mine are starting to look like this too!

 

[Foxglove]

I've been extremely busy this week and I forgot to check in. I'm 1 year loc'd as of May 27th! I'll have to add pics later.

Congrats!