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

[mz.rae]

All of this!!!!!! I agree with everything you said. I know for me, I would be so excited when I found some of their channels and I think I can follow along as I go through my journey. Then I see 'I combed out my locks' or 'come with me as I transition back to loose natural' 'I'm thinking about cutting my locks' and I just sigh and stop following them.

But most of the time they end up coming right back, and when they do I *might* see what they're doing the second time or whatever, but I'm not as interested as I would be if they had actually stayed the course. I honestly think it's a ploy to get their views and subscriptions up. There's so many of those videos now that there's no other logical explanation. I just find other people to follow that have more skin in the game or seem committed for life.

Did you see that JoyceMD relaxed her hair now? I was really surprised that she did that. I still look for her to lock her hair again at some point.

I'm glad I'm not the only one! I'm like gosh why is everyone combing out their locs all of a sudden. And I was shocked at Joyce MD relaxing her hair I didn't watch the video, but I saw the thumbnail. I wonder why she didn't Loc again. I'm seeing a lot of naturals going back to relaxing videos as well.

 

[shortycocoa]

I'm glad I'm not the only one! I'm like gosh why is everyone combing out their locs all of a sudden. And I was shocked at Joyce MD relaxing her hair I didn't watch the video, but I saw the thumbnail. I wonder why she didn't Loc again. I'm seeing a lot of naturals going back to relaxing videos as well.

Yeah, I saw the thumbnail too....and that's what shocked me. So then I had to click on the video to watch it. She must have had a feeling that people were going to come for her because near the end of the video she said something like "don't come for me in the comments....leave me a comment, but keep it cute." I think she can do and pull off any look. She definitely has the face and personality for it. I also wonder why she didn't just do another set of locks but maybe try a different method since she claimed she was so unhappy with her first set.

I am starting to see more videos crop up suggesting that naturals lock their hair instead of going to relaxers, so it's interesting that you said you see more videos of naturals relaxing their hair again.

I wish I had just started my locks about 4 years ago and not went back to relaxing (it was more like a texturizer because when I washed my hair my hair was not bone straight, it was just a looser curl pattern.) I just wore my hair with the looser curl pattern and only had it straight twice the whole time. But in July 2015 I big chopped again so it wasn't a long time. Almost a year and a half.

At any rate, I'm on this lock journey until the wheels fall off this time, come hell or high water! I was just daydreaming about how my locks will look when I hit certain ages, like 40, 50 and 60. When I was 38 I began thinking about how I wanted to have locks below my butt by the time I was 40. Obviously, I won't be able to meet that goal by then, but I will get there. It's just a matter of when. I am claiming it!

 

[FemmeCreole]

My appointment is set for Dec. 10&11

 

[shortycocoa]

@mz.rae DXLYN cut off all her locks. I've been seeing the thumbnail in my recommendations but I have not watched it yet. Seeing that realization has me like

I learned so much from her videos and the videos of her doing her clients' and her family's hair so I might have to give her a pass.

This is completely unrelated, but I am binge watching The Cosby Show on Amazon Prime and I saw the episode where Angela Bassett and S. Epatha Merkerson guest starred (they were a part of Clair's book club). I immediately recognized S. Epatha Merkerson and I adored her two-strand twists. I instantly wondered if she started her locks around that time and started Googling pics of her.

ETA: it was this scene.



She definitely had a signature look with her locks, for sure. I watch Chicago Med and a couple episodes ago she was wearing her hair in a beautiful lock bun. That was the first time I saw her hair styled in an updo in any episode, and I've been watching that show since it first premiered.

I hope they experiment with more styles for her on the show from now on.

 

[FlawedBeauty]

@mz.rae DXLYN cut off all her locks. I've been seeing the thumbnail in my recommendations but I have not watched it yet. Seeing that realization has me like

I learned so much from her videos and the videos of her doing her clients' and her family's hair so I might have to give her a pass.

This is completely unrelated, but I am binge watching The Cosby Show on Amazon Prime and I saw the episode where Angela Bassett and S. Epatha Merkerson guest starred (they were a part of Clair's book club). I immediately recognized S. Epatha Merkerson and I adored her two-strand twists. I instantly wondered if she started her locks around that time and started Googling pics of her.

ETA: it was this scene.



She definitely had a signature look with her locks, for sure. I watch Chicago Med and a couple episodes ago she was wearing her hair in a beautiful lock bun. That was the first time I saw her hair styled in an updo in any episode, and I've been watching that show since it first premiered.

I hope they experiment with more styles for her on the show from now on.

I'm almost done getting my coils and they look crazy. They are not those perfect coils you see in pics and video. Some just look like spiral curls y'all. What do I doooooo, I'm freaking out.

 

[shortycocoa]

I'm almost done getting my coils and they look crazy. They are not those perfect coils you see in pics and video. Some just look like spiral curls y'all. What do I doooooo, I'm freaking out.

If you're not happy with the outcome so far, you should definitely ask to have them taken down and redone. This is the foundation for your locks, so it has to be right and most importantly, it needs to be the way you want it.

I'm trying to picture it, but if you say they look like spiral curls, it sounds like the loctitian did really big parts and her technique is off. Did she use a comb to do them or her fingers? Can you post a pic so we can see what they actually look like so far?

Don't pay for it or leave until you're satisfied.

ETA: are each of the coils tightly coiled and then the ends look like spiral curls? Because that's different. I wouldn't get it redone if that's the case. Your hair will shrink up and that will end up being a non-issue. But if all the coils are loose along the length, that's major. When you wash your hair, it may unravel.

 

[mz.rae]

Yeah, I saw the thumbnail too....and that's what shocked me. So then I had to click on the video to watch it. She must have had a feeling that people were going to come for her because near the end of the video she said something like "don't come for me in the comments....leave me a comment, but keep it cute." I think she can do and pull off any look. She definitely has the face and personality for it. I also wonder why she didn't just do another set of locks but maybe try a different method since she claimed she was so unhappy with her first set.

I am starting to see more videos crop up suggesting that naturals lock their hair instead of going to relaxers, so it's interesting that you said you see more videos of naturals relaxing their hair again.

I wish I had just started my locks about 4 years ago and not went back to relaxing (it was more like a texturizer because when I washed my hair my hair was not bone straight, it was just a looser curl pattern.) I just wore my hair with the looser curl pattern and only had it straight twice the whole time. But in July 2015 I big chopped again so it wasn't a long time. Almost a year and a half.

At any rate, I'm on this lock journey until the wheels fall off this time, come hell or high water! I was just daydreaming about how my locks will look when I hit certain ages, like 40, 50 and 60. When I was 38 I began thinking about how I wanted to have locks below my butt by the time I was 40. Obviously, I won't be able to meet that goal by then, but I will get there. It's just a matter of when. I am claiming it!

@mz.rae DXLYN cut off all her locks. I've been seeing the thumbnail in my recommendations but I have not watched it yet. Seeing that realization has me like

I learned so much from her videos and the videos of her doing her clients' and her family's hair so I might have to give her a pass.

This is completely unrelated, but I am binge watching The Cosby Show on Amazon Prime and I saw the episode where Angela Bassett and S. Epatha Merkerson guest starred (they were a part of Clair's book club). I immediately recognized S. Epatha Merkerson and I adored her two-strand twists. I instantly wondered if she started her locks around that time and started Googling pics of her.

ETA: it was this scene.



She definitely had a signature look with her locks, for sure. I watch Chicago Med and a couple episodes ago she was wearing her hair in a beautiful lock bun. That was the first time I saw her hair styled in an updo in any episode, and I've been watching that show since it first premiered.

I hope they experiment with more styles for her on the show from now on.

I'm with you there I'm rocking my locs until the wheels fall off. The most I might do is start combining locs, but other than that I love my hair. I feel like something is in the water, because even people that I have seen in real life are cutting their locs off, and some have had them for years. It's crazy because I love watching people's loc journies from Sisterlocks to traditional locs and seeing the transformation. I loved watching DXLYN videos as well, I wonder if she is going to start another set of locs in the future.

 

[FlawedBeauty]

If you're not happy with the outcome so far, you should definitely ask to have them taken down and redone. This is the foundation for your locks, so it has to be right and most importantly, it needs to be the way you want it.

I'm trying to picture it, but if you say they look like spiral curls, it sounds like the loctitian did really big parts and her technique is off. Did she use a comb to do them or her fingers? Can you post a pic so we can see what they actually look like so far?

Don't pay for it or leave until you're satisfied.

ETA: are each of the coils tightly coiled and then the ends look like spiral curls? Because that's different. I wouldn't get it redone if that's the case. Your hair will shrink up and that will end up being a non-issue. But if all the coils are loose along the length, that's major. When you wash your hair, it may unravel.

Okok yes they are spiral at the ends tight coils at the base. I'll send a pic when I get home in a few

 

[FlawedBeauty]

If you're not happy with the outcome so far, you should definitely ask to have them taken down and redone. This is the foundation for your locks, so it has to be right and most importantly, it needs to be the way you want it.

I'm trying to picture it, but if you say they look like spiral curls, it sounds like the loctitian did really big parts and her technique is off. Did she use a comb to do them or her fingers? Can you post a pic so we can see what they actually look like so far?

Don't pay for it or leave until you're satisfied.

ETA: are each of the coils tightly coiled and then the ends look like spiral curls? Because that's different. I wouldn't get it redone if that's the case. Your hair will shrink up and that will end up being a non-issue. But if all the coils are loose along the length, that's major. When you wash your hair, it may unravel.

Disregard yhat blurry section that looks like no coils idk why it came out like that. So am I jacked up?

 

[FlawedBeauty]

Here's another

 

[shortycocoa]

Disregard yhat blurry section that looks like no coils idk why it came out like that. So am I jacked up?

I see what you mean. It should look more uniform throughout. Some of them are tight and some of them are loose. Even the "tight" ones look like they could have been coiled tighter. I would tell the stylist you're not happy and get them redone correctly. They shouldn't charge you to fix it. I'm sorry this happened, but hopefully you can get it sorted out.

That color is really pretty and the sizing seems ok, but just remember they are going to get thicker as your locks develop.

 

[FlawedBeauty]

So I was a little bummed about my coils not being uniform all the way through. Then I watched Natural Nirvannas video and I feel much better! I'm feeling excited and akward. Here's to day 2!!

 

[FlawedBeauty]

Oh, also I don't think the lady was used to coiling hair as long as mine. We cut off a lot of heat and color damage but it was still a pretty good length. That damage I notice is where the coils are just like no ma'am. I won't be going to her for my retwist though. I've already found a better loctician. I'm gonna let it do what it do for the next 6 weeks then retwist and see where I'm at.

 

[shortycocoa]

Oh, also I don't think the lady was used to coiling hair as long as mine. We cut off a lot of heat and color damage but it was still a pretty good length. That damage I notice is where the coils are just like no ma'am. I won't be going to her for my retwist though. I've already found a better loctician. I'm gonna let it do what it do for the next 6 weeks then retwist and see where I'm at.

I was going to ask if the looser parts were heat damaged, but I didn't want to offend. It's good that you're feeling better about your hair and that you found another loctitian.

 

[FlawedBeauty]

I was going to ask if the looser parts were heat damaged, but I didn't want to offend. It's good that you're feeling better about your hair and that you found another loctitian.

Aww no you wouldn't have offended. Def heat and color damage. I was tired of constantly damaging my hair and don't think I would ever be able to big chop to a low from, although it looks chopped off anyway lol. The brighter color in the pic is old color and the darker color is my natural color. Never coloring again.

 

[FlawedBeauty]

I was going to ask if the looser parts were heat damaged, but I didn't want to offend. It's good that you're feeling better about your hair and that you found another loctitian.

Do you think I should cut off those parts? Or leave em and see what they do in six weeks. Because if it not for those my coils would be Poppin lol. WWSCD? That stands for what would shortycocoa do?

 

[shortycocoa]

So I was a little bummed about my coils not being uniform all the way through. Then I watched Natural Nirvannas video and I feel much better! I'm feeling excited and akward. Here's to day 2!!

I saw this video recently and thought of her when you were talking about your coils. Part of me wanted to suggest that you wait it out, but the other part of me that wanted you to get what you paid for prevailed.

Did you see her son's hair? His starter coils were super loose, but in an update video his hair looked like it was progressing fine. It'll all come together in due time.

 

[shortycocoa]

Do you think I should cut off those parts? Or leave em and see what they do in six weeks. Because if it not for those my coils would be Poppin lol. WWSCD? That stands for what would shortycocoa do?

I got it without you having to explain, but that is too funny! Ultimately, it's really up to you, FlawedBeauty! If you feel like those remaining parts that are heat and color damaged are going to bother you, I'd say go ahead and trim it all off so that all your coils can be poppin, as you say. I think that's what I would do.

But, in six weeks that may not be an issue anymore because your locks will have formed a good bit by then and the shrinkage and shed hairs might take care of that and you won't be able to see it anymore. You just have to determine if you can wait it out. If you've already cut a good bit off, you may not want to cut anymore and I understand that, too.

You could also treat it like people with relaxed hair do that want to start locks or transition to natural, and just cut that part off little by little as your locks grow.

I just Googled about this issue and found a few videos. Did you see these? Three different women, three different perspectives.

 

[shortycocoa]

I skipped my retightening this week. My kids and I were under the weather for the past two weeks due to the weather changing, so that played a part. I'm going to try to wait it out a little longer and retighten at 8 weeks. I'm not sure I will go past that, but I certainly thought about it.

I also found this video this morning while I was on YouTube and thought you ladies might like it, if you haven't seen it already. It has definitely inspired me.
@mz.rae you might get some styling ideas from this.

 

[FlawedBeauty]

I got it without you having to explain, but that is too funny! Ultimately, it's really up to you, FlawedBeauty! If you feel like those remaining parts that are heat and color damaged are going to bother you, I'd say go ahead and trim it all off so that all your coils can be poppin, as you say. I think that's what I would do.

But, in six weeks that may not be an issue anymore because your locks will have formed a good bit by then and the shrinkage and shed hairs might take care of that and you won't be able to see it anymore. You just have to determine if you can wait it out. If you've already cut a good bit off, you may not want to cut anymore and I understand that, too.

You could also treat it like people with relaxed hair do that want to start locks or transition to natural, and just cut that part off little by little as your locks grow.

I just Googled about this issue and found a few videos. Did you see these? Three different women, three different perspectives.

I think I can wait it out...try anyway. I cut off a few last night then was like wait let me consult w the ladies lol. Gonna watch these soon as I get home!

 

[shortycocoa]

@FlawedBeauty, to put it all into perspective, here are some comparison videos of the same 3 ladies I posted with heat damage, all of them a lot further into their journeys.
So you may not have to/want to cut, based on this. That last woman's hair....whoa!!!! I was really surprised because her hair seemed to be really loose.







I'll have to watch more videos of each of their journeys, because I am not sure if they cut any of the damaged parts, but it doesn't seem like Christian Malone or Precious Jewel did. I'm trying to skim through MsGabbiful's videos or comments to see if she trimmed any.

 

[shortycocoa]

I think I can wait it out...try anyway. I cut off a few last night then was like wait let me consult w the ladies lol. Gonna watch these soon as I get home!

Lordt....

Girl, I get it! I may not have been the best person to ask because I was all over the place when I first decided to go natural. I thought I was going to do a terminal transition and just grow it out, then I ended up cutting half of my hair off. I wore the shorter cut for all of 2 weeks, then I ended up chopping the rest.

Same thing with my Sisterlocks a few years ago. With the scalp issues I had, I ended up just cutting those off completely then I rocked my Caesar. I wasn't even about to sit and comb out 326 locks. #teamaintnobodygottimeforthat

When I'm ready to do something, I just do it and try not to think about it or second guess myself too much. Even starting this set, I jumped in head first and I have no regrets.

I didn't do all this prepping that I've seen people do before hand, like this long drawn out wash, condition, deep condition, hair mask, tons of products, etc. I had already co-washed my hair recently and determined that that was going to have to be enough. I was tired of manipulating my hair.

 

[FlawedBeauty]

@FlawedBeauty, to put it all into perspective, here are some comparison videos of the same 3 ladies I posted with heat damage, all of them a lot further into their journeys.
So you may not have to/want to cut, based on this. That last woman's hair....whoa!!!! I was really surprised because her hair seemed to be really loose.







I'll have to watch more videos of each of their journeys, because I am not sure if they cut any of the damaged parts, but it doesn't seem like Christian Malone or Precious Jewel did. I'm trying to skim through MsGabbiful's videos or comments to see if she trimmed any.

I might have to cut because these ends are frizzing out of this world. It's crazy right now. ETA: I am talking the heat damaged not curling edges are frizzing, not the coils I know frizz will happen through the locking process.

 

[shortycocoa]

I might have to cut because these ends are frizzing out of this world. It's crazy right now.

All of your hair is going to frizz through the locking process, though. You do understand that, right? There are ways you can tame/minimize the frizz but it comes with the territory when your locks are forming.

 

[almond eyes]

I think many women who have taken down their locks have done it for various reasons. My loctician is on her third set of locs, she is not tied to her hair. A friend of mine said that as her traditional locs got longer her headaches got bad. Another friend said that she didn't have time to upkeep the reties so she cut off her sister locks. Another friend said the constant twisting caused damage. I met someone who said that the color damage and overstyling forced her to cut her locks. Other women that I spoke to said after facing a traumatic experience there was too much energy in the locks and they had to be cut. A close friend said she got into a car accident and cannot sit for long periods of time and had to cut her locs.

With that being said, I hope that my loc journey will last long. I want to grow my locs very long. I wish I had started them five years ago, however I was not ready. I was natural and liked my buzz cuts and then I loved growing out to a big afro. Locs can be lovely, however they are very temperamental too and require love and care.

Best,
Almond Eyes

 

[FlawedBeauty]

All of your hair is going to frizz through the locking process, though. You do understand that, right? There are ways you can tame/minimize the frizz but it comes with the territory when your locks are forming.

Yea, I know. But it's only day 2 lol. This is just disrespectful lol

 

[FlawedBeauty]

All of your hair is going to frizz through the locking process, though. You do understand that, right? There are ways you can tame/minimize the frizz but it comes with the territory when your locks are forming.

I should have added the heat damaged not curled ends are frizzing up.

 

[shortycocoa]

Yea, I know. But it's only day 2 lol. This is just disrespectful lol

I should have added the heat damaged not curled ends are frizzing up.

@ "disrespectful."

I figured you meant the heat damaged part, which is why I said what I said about all of your hair will frizz eventually. You sound like you are on the verge of just saying it and cut the rest of the heat damage off.

ETA: I just realized you updated your siggy. I see you!

 

[shortycocoa]

I am just now seeing this, but I only clicked on the thumbnail because of this woman's locks (Dr. Kari). I thought it was a segment on real locks, so I was disappointed to find it was not.



But, I'm glad I clicked because I would not have known her or seen her hair if I hadn't. She is beautiful! Let me see if I can find her on IG. I just checked and she has a YouTube channel, but she doesn't seem to have any videos about her hair. I didn't realize she was the one that did Meagan Good's faux locks a few years ago when she first started wearing them.

 

[FlawedBeauty]

@ "disrespectful."

I figured you meant the heat damaged part, which is why I said what I said about all of your hair will frizz eventually. You sound like you are on the verge of just saying it and cut the rest of the heat damage off.

ETA: I just realized you updated your siggy. I see you!

I cut a few more pieces and I'm done now. Leaving it alone now I swear lol. Please dont ever stop posting! All of your info and help is amazing

One thing I am noticing is when I'm tying my scarf the coils at the nape are getting all distorted and crunched up when I take the scarf off and my hair is starting to feel a little dry.