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

LavenderMint

Well-Known Member
Okay ladies, my baby brother called me and I am in mama bear mode in need of some advice!! :mad: 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 :eek: 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 :arguing: I'd probably get put out!!
 

Platinum

Well-Known Member
@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

Aka Giveme D’Monee
Okay ladies, my baby brother called me and I am in mama bear mode in need of some advice!! :mad: 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 :eek: 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 :arguing: 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

Well-Known Member
@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

A drop of golden sun
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

A drop of golden sun
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
 
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Platinum

Well-Known Member
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!:nono: 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.
 

caltron

Well-Known Member
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

Aka Giveme D’Monee
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.
 

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caltron

Well-Known Member
@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.
 

Arian

Loc'ing Up!
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! :wallbash:)

Do you snip them or leave them alone?
 

Foxglove

A drop of golden sun
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! :wallbash:)

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
 

Foxglove

A drop of golden sun
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
 

Arian

Loc'ing Up!
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!
 
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