Sisterlock Support Thread (micolocks/braidlocker welcome too)

[genesis132]

sisterlocks checking in! it took a while (maybe the first year or so) to really get used to my sisterlocks and to love my hair. honestly, i had a love hate relationship with them up until around 1 1/2 years. at the 2 year mark i finally started to love them. i just wanted to share that in case someone gets sisterlocks installed and they aren't exactly what they were hoping for right away - it takes time for them to fill in and thicken up but they will and they will mature and blossom beautifully.

here are some pics of my journey...i apologize about blocking out my face but i am wary of posting pics on the internet.

my locks will be 3 years old in march. i have larger sisterlocks which makes them appear a bit less full than the very small ones. i only have about 300...most people with sisterlocks average 400-500.

Thanks for those pics. I can def see how they progressed and thickend up.
I wanted medium/larger SLs and I didn't want any small SLs in my head. But for some reason, she STILL installed smaller ones above both my ears and I'm going to have her to combine them w/ my 1st retightening. I think 300 is a good number. Do you retighten them yourself?? I think I'm going to take the consultant training in June bc I like to know whats in my head and how to maintain them on my own.

 

[genesis132]

That's Blenna Williams - she's a master sisterlocks loctitian and is the one who installed my locks. She's based out of Memphis, TN but has clients that travel all the way from the east coast to see her

WoW, small world. I just grabbed those pics from the web. I love her locs!

 

[genesis132]

Here's my SLs at 3 weeks and my first style attempt Faux Mohawk

This was my hair at 2 weeks

 

[genesis132]

I did not now loced hair can still for coils at the end or are they not mature yet? I suppose if you continuously undo your ends it'll do that.

Have you counted how many locs you have yet ? They look lovely.

That's what is great about SLs (or traditional locs), they look different on everyone depending on hair texture and the pattern used. It looks like he has a curlier texture and it could be that his hair had not completely loc'd in that pic. But some people with locs still have the curly q's on the ends.

I have around 500+ locs in my head.

 

[trevprit]

This thread is turning out so nice!

I'm lovin all the pics, especially of the LHCF ladies.

Every time I look at Sisterloc pics I want them. I never wear my hair out of plaits anyway. I just don't have the heart quite yet to take that plunge.

 

[thefineprint]

Thanks for those pics. I can def see how they progressed and thickend up.
I wanted medium/larger SLs and I didn't want any small SLs in my head. But for some reason, she STILL installed smaller ones above both my ears and I'm going to have her to combine them w/ my 1st retightening. I think 300 is a good number. Do you retighten them yourself?? I think I'm going to take the consultant training in June bc I like to know whats in my head and how to maintain them on my own.

Yes, I've maintained them myself since the end of year 1. i bought a nappylocks tool and started from there. it's extremely easy to do and usually takes me 2 evenings (maybe 2 hours per evening) every 6-8 weeks. i never took the class because i didn't have the money at the time and then I learned how to do it myself and didn't need to spend the cash.

 

[Celestial]

I'm considering sisterlocks. My hair will not grow "long" so I'm considering them but I want a good stylist and a patient one. I've seen some sisterlocks that looks like dredlocks and I don't want that so I prefer them very small. This year is a very busy year for me but I'm trying to squeeze in some time in the summer to get them done. Hopefully, I will find a good loctician by then.

 

[Ivonnovi]

More Pics.

First is the work "do". With hair scrunchies added.

The rest are my attempt at a twist out. (misted, twisted, & heatcapeded).
Back view:
the shorter side is where my roller "stayed in. I liked that side better. I was supposed to go out this night...but instead put on the PJs and went to bed. Geesh!

Pic3 shows my hair only (extended crown has been flipped forward)

Front view: I pulled and banded the crown area back into about 4 (ponytails that look like they'ed been flat-twisted)

 

[TracyNicole]

My hair is starting to get a little too far past 4ninches and I don't want to pay an arm and a leg so I set up a consultation for Friday afternoon and depending on how that goes I'll determine how many other consultants I want to meet. My hind parts are aching just thinking about how long installation takes. Yikes!

 

[Ivonnovi]

It's week 4, I finally counted and I am proud to report that I have 436 Locs.

I did my hair last week, but took crappy pictures the best "crap" is posted below. Hopefully I'll do better this week.

 

[naptrl]

OMG WHERE HAVE I BEEN!!! This is a WONDERFUL addition to LHCF!!! I have had sisterlocks for 1 year and 6 months now!! Like an earlier post, I have had a love hate relationship with them!! I absolutely love the vision I have for them, but the beginning stages can be tough! i started with mid back 100% natural hair. My hair is pretty curly, so I had some bunching early on (partly my fault because at 6 months I thought I could stop banding, but not so with my hair texture!!!), so I have cut my hair many times! Luckily my hair grows very fast, but it is still a little short for me. I even removed the front ones and wore weave for a little while! BIG BIG mistake...so now I have newer locks in the front and locked hair everywhere else. Oooh the stories I can tell! I am back on track now, but it has certainly been a journey. Thanks Ivonnovi for this new thread. I needed this! I will try to reupdate my fotki so you can see pics..

 

[genesis132]

I had my first retightening last Saturday (Feb 27). After my initial install, I made sure to tell her this time not to tightening my hair to the scalp EVER AGAIN!! I know that causes weak locks and my head hurt for like almost 2 weeks after the install.
So my retightening session was only 4 hrs which was good for approx 550 locks. I had her to combine the first three rows above my ears on both sides and a few other locks that I felt were too small. So far so good....

 

[genesis132]

It's week 4, I finally counted and I am proud to report that I have 436 Locs.

I did my hair last week, but took crappy pictures the best "crap" is posted below. Hopefully I'll do better this week.

I think that is a good number. I know for a fact I want to get down to about 400 myself...possibly lower. I'll have her to combine some more at my next reti.

 

[Netta1]

I believe these might be in my near future....

 

[Ivonnovi]

I really tried this time.

These are shots of my hair freshly washed, & flatiorned. The only product used on the dry hair was an Oil Sheen Spray.

 

[Ivonnovi]

(this week) I've decided I really enjoy my relaxed ends & the multi-texture hair.

With that said I've also embraced the idea that it will take me quite a while to lock as I will nurture the health of all my hair. (conditioner's slow the locking process).

The Pics below show my hair "up close & personal". It's filling in nicely however my hair is still fine and not to dense. LOL

I'm not a style maven, but I do hope both sets of pics posted gives another relaxed head the courage to join the SL family/

 

[Ivonnovi]

I think that is a good number. I know for a fact I want to get down to about 400 myself...possibly lower. I'll have her to combine some more at my next reti.

1. We want pic's !!!! (well I'm actually speaking for myself)

2. My re-ti was put off from today. I'm not sure when I'll get it but I know from the growth I'm soooo due.

3. believe it or not 400 is toooo many for some folks, but I agree with you. I have the size I'd like, if this # gets to be too much for me, then I may combine some. For some reason I like them really small around the edges, I've already made 4 of them smaller (just cause they unravelled.).

5. Progess pics pretty please!

 

[Netta1]

I wonder how much these would cost me???

 

[genesis132]

I wonder how much these would cost me???

Hey Netta1! Long time no see. The best thing to do is to go to the Sisterlock.com website and find a certified consultant in your area, then go to a consultation. In my experience and from research, the longer the hair (virgin natural hair) the more it cost for install. But you could find a trainee who offers discount.

 

[TracyNicole]

Hi ladies. Just popped in to say that I had my consultations last week and found a consultant I like. I am getting my sisterlocks installed this weekend. I'm so excited! Can't wait to get my locks back. I'm really hoping third times the charm

 

[RockCreak]

HI ladies... I really enjoy looking at your hair.

I'm newly natural and I'm truly considering sister locks. I just love how they look after they mature. I also have a thing for traditional locs as well. I can't decide. I'm just gonna subscribe to this thread and continue to research!

 

[genesis132]

~*My Update~*
Ladies, I am half done taking my Sisterlocks down. Long story short, I can't get over my love of Traditional locs along with other reasons (i posted on Nappt'lity if interested in knowing why)
Good Luck to all the SL'ers and those contemplating them. DO LOTS OF REASEARCH!!

 

[Michelle1971]

~*My Update~*
Ladies, I am half done taking my Sisterlocks down. Long story short, I can't get over my love of Traditional locs along with other reasons (i posted on Nappt'lity if interested in knowing why)
Good Luck to all the SL'ers and those contemplating them. DO LOTS OF REASEARCH!!

Off to Nappt'lity to read

 

[naptrl]

Yeah genesis! I have been tempted to take mine out. How are you doing it? My reasons: My hair grows like crazy and after 2 weeks I already need a retightening and I have to drive an hour to get to the nearest loctician who takes forever to do my hair!! But I've gotten soo many compliments lately that I'm trying to hold on!

 

[shortycocoa]

Hello ladies!!! I am also joining the sisterlocks family. I had my consultation Thursday and my installation starts this upcoming Wednesday. I am so excited!!!

I thought I would be sad and depressed about saying goodbye to all my loose hair, but I'm not. I can't wait!!! That's how I know I'm really ready. The few times I've contemplated locking about 2-3 years ago it didn't last and now I know it's because I wasn't ready. Or I would find a way to talk myself out of it (due to money or other reasons) and then undo my starter locks.

When the sisterlock bug bit me again this past winter, the thought kept resurfacing. I asked my husband about it earlier this week, and he told me to not overthink it, and if it's something I know I want I need to just do it.

So after I deep conditioned, detangled, washed and detangled my hair yet again (and almost for the last time) I found a consultant and set up a consultation Thursday. I was so excited when I called to tell him! He told me he didn't feel like being at work anyway and was going to take the rest of the day off and come with me to my appointment to support me.


He says he wanted to do that because he knows my hair is important to me.
I love my husband so much for that. He is an amazing man and I am very lucky to have him!


Anyway, I have 3 sample locks for right now and I am bursting with anticipation for the full install. I'm supposed to go for 3 days back to back in the early morning and again in the afternoon until about 10-10:30 at night. Hopefully that will be enough time for her to complete it.

Mine are going to be very pricey but I expected as much with my length and thickness. She also said this is her first install on someone with hair this long and thick, so I'm excited to be her first. She had to take an average measurement to figure out the cost, but I thought that was more than fair.

Especially since she told me some consultants measure the longest layer of hair and charge based on that one measurement and she thinks that's wrong.

So the front was 16 inches, the middle was 12 and 13 inches in some places, and the back layers were 14 inches, so she is charging me based on the average of those numbers, which is 14 inches. All these measurements were done on fairly dry hair; there were some places where my hair was not dry all the way. Soaking wet with conditioner combed through and stretched is even longer, so I'm glad I decided to lock now and not wait another year or so. Otherwise the price would have been ridiculous.


I have been wearing my hair in a puff ever since the consultation to just enjoy my hair being out before I take the plunge, and also because I know my husband will miss it. Don't get it twisted though, when I showed him some pictures of examples of sisterlocks, he got very excited and is also looking forward to seeing how they will turn out for me.



I have been at a crossroads about my hair for a minute, and I considered getting a sew-in, but I thought this might be a much better choice and offer me more styling options. That's something that I am really looking forward to, because I was tired of protective styling 24-7 but I am glad that the end result was long, thick and healthy hair that will make beautiful sisterlocks.


My consultant said she hasn't even "really gotten in my hair yet" but she can tell my locks will be even more beautiful than my loose hair. I am so amped about this.


I have already taken a lot of pictures of my loose hair and I started updating to fotki but I can't upload anymore right now because my husband is working on a project for work and he is on the computer where all my pictures are downloaded to.


I will take lots of pictures of my installation and check back in. I think I covered everything, but if you guys have anymore questions, just hit me up either on fotki or in this thread or by PM if you feel more comfortable that way.

happy sisterlocking to everyone!

p.s. Genesis I saw that thread on NP earlier this week before I found a SL consultant and was trying to do my research again and decided to quit playing around and just do it. Very interesting read.

 

[Ivonnovi]

UPDATE:

March was a busy month for me so here's a brief wind up of it and where I'm at now.

1. I lost my SL big-sis (Genesis), ...I'm through mourning now. *she took her SLs down*

2. I took the SL Consultant class, and did about 40% of my own retightening, went 2-3 rows in all in around the edges. (See the pics below, I had to straighten my center part, the rear length shot is all my hair, the 2nd-to last shot shows why I extended the length of the hair in my crown, ...(I can't have those flying around and be taken seriously, SERIOUSLY!) )

3. I now fully understand the frustration of not being able to get to a consultant in a timely manner.

4. I have to have Thyroid surgery, as my Biopsy is suspect. http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=373699&page=5

and am researching different issues with this issue. Now I'm wondering if my thin crown has anything to do with my thyroid problem. http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=427288. If it's cancerous, well the treatment could cause thinning on a "HNL". (ebonic'd Whole Nuther Level)

5. I've decided I might be retireing sooner than I thought. Yipee?!?!?!?!

 

[naptrl]

Ivonnovi...I cut my sisterlocks out...so you can mourn me too! Because of the reasons in my earlier posts and exactly what you said about not being able to get a consultant....I had to do it. I am VERY VERY happy not to have them any more...I am on the journey to growing my hair back to mid back.

 

[Ivonnovi]

^^ DARN IT
But really, why did you choose not to self maintain?

 

[naptrl]

It was difficult to self maintain because my hair was pretty loose in the front so I would get them tangled or start combining locks, so that would be more frustrating than driving an hour to get them done! I just said forget it.

 

[Ivonnovi]

It was difficult to self maintain because my hair was pretty loose in the front so I would get them tangled or start combining locks, so that would be more frustrating than driving an hour to get them done! I just said forget it.

WOW, I guess I don't mind self-maintaining because I've also been a DIY braider. And I'm re-al funny about my edges.