Lock It Up, Lock It Up, Lock It Up, Lockdown . . .

Locking hair: are you locked, would you lock it up?

  • Yes, I am dreadlocked

    Votes: 11 6.9%
  • Yes, I am Sisterlocked

    Votes: 4 2.5%
  • Yes, I am "______" locked [fill in the blank]

    Votes: 2 1.3%
  • No

    Votes: 57 35.8%
  • H to hecky naw

    Votes: 53 33.3%
  • Maybe [please elaborate in thread]

    Votes: 32 20.1%

  • Total voters
    159
  • Poll closed .

Raspberry

New Member
Yea, I know what yall mean about receding hairlines and locs. A lot of lockers are self-conscious about nappy edges and over-twist them to keep it looking smooth. I wash my hair a lot so I couldn't twist them tight every time or I'd have no edges... I smooth the ones around my edges gently and do a half-twist, yea it doesn't look tight and smooth all the time but I'm cool with that, I'd prefer a healthy hairline. The weight of the locks can be a factor but no one has to have WSL locks - they can be cut or trimmed whenever. I plan on keeping mine cut into layers after they hit APL - especially the front ones..

You can definitely comb locks out, it just takes a while - and there's always Cowboy Magic.. I posted about it in another thread.
 

Transformer

Well-Known Member
I love locs, but I HATE hairdressers. They are on my list with car and insurance salesmen. So I will have to learn to do maintenance myself--where's the youtube tutorial?
 

redecouvert

Well-Known Member
I love locks so much that I started them and freeforming them for 4 months until I missed so much my loose hair..
maybe one day i'll go back to it...but so far, i am enjoying my loose hair
 

JustKiya

Well-Known Member
I think they are beautiful! I could see myself with sisterlocks one day, but I'd have to do some research. Maybe you call can help me - for some reason I've always had the impression that locking hair was a religious decision for some people. Is this the case? And if so, is this religious basis the origin for dreadlocks?

I'll google it (now that it's on my mind) but I'd like to see what yall know about this, because I don't quite remember where I got this impression from, but I've believed it for years. I'd have no problem wearing locked hair someday, but was always curious as to whether it was offensive to those who do it for my alleged religious reasons.

There was no religious reason when I did - heck, it was more spiritual, for me, when I took them out then when I put them in.

And yah, there are some folks who will get salty at you for stating clearly and firmly that for YOU, locks are a HAIRSTYLE, not a statement of attitudes or beliefs. :rolleyes: Ignore them. :lachen:
 

fyb87

New Member
I wouldn't get locs, but I do think they can be nice. I prefer the thin ones. They seem to be able to provide more styling options. IMO
 

that_1_grrrl

New Member
Do you get 100% retention with locs?

I am looking at several women who have locs, but they're hair isn't at the length it "should" be. Like, this one woman had locs for 3 years, but her hair is only SL. Then, there are a couple of women who have had locs for 6-7 years. One is BSL, the other, maybe APL.

I would like to loc for a year or two to give my hair a rest and do its growing thing, but I would still like to gain and retain a full 6 inches a year. Is that possible? Anyone know?
 

JustKiya

Well-Known Member
Do you get 100% retention with locs?

I am looking at several women who have locs, but they're hair isn't at the length it "should" be. Like, this one woman had locs for 3 years, but her hair is only SL. Then, there are a couple of women who have had locs for 6-7 years. One is BSL, the other, maybe APL.

I would like to loc for a year or two to give my hair a rest and do its growing thing, but I would still like to gain and retain a full 6 inches a year. Is that possible? Anyone know?

It really depends on how they are maintaining them. When I was maintaining mine with the crochethook method, simply by nature of the method, I was 'using up' length in order to tighten. So, while I did retain all of my growth, it didn't look like I did, because I was 'shrinking' the hair at the roots.
 

that_1_grrrl

New Member
I am talking about post-takedown. These women had their hair flat ironed and everything, and it just seemed odd to me that their hair wasn't at a length you would expect after having their hair loc'ed for so many years.

It really depends on how they are maintaining them. When I was maintaining mine with the crochethook method, simply by nature of the method, I was 'using up' length in order to tighten. So, while I did retain all of my growth, it didn't look like I did, because I was 'shrinking' the hair at the roots.
 

Junebug D

Well-Known Member
I am talking about post-takedown. These women had their hair flat ironed and everything, and it just seemed odd to me that their hair wasn't at a length you would expect after having their hair loc'ed for so many years.

You lose hair during takedown. Not just the shed hairs, but I imagine a lot of it ends up needing to be cut anyway or it breaks when you undo the loc. Locs aren't "meant" to be taken down, so to speak. It's not the best method to get long, loose hair. Locs are hair that is severely matted and tangled; you would inevitably lose hair taking them out.
 

JustKiya

Well-Known Member
I am talking about post-takedown. These women had their hair flat ironed and everything, and it just seemed odd to me that their hair wasn't at a length you would expect after having their hair loc'ed for so many years.

Ahh, yeah, post takedown, it's rare that you maintain the length that you had while locked.

You really have to take care of your hair the same - and possibly slightly better - than you would when it was loose in order to keep all the length. I've heard of one woman who kept 90% of her length - everyone else I've ever heard who does a take down loses a significant portion of it.

I don't know if locing is a good way to try to grow loose hair longer, really.
 

that_1_grrrl

New Member
Yeah, it doesn't to be a good method. I guess all that shed hair and the process of takedown is not the best for retention. :ohwell:

Well, I guess I'll just keep doing what I've been doing.

Ahh, yeah, post takedown, it's rare that you maintain the length that you had while locked.

You really have to take care of your hair the same - and possibly slightly better - than you would when it was loose in order to keep all the length. I've heard of one woman who kept 90% of her length - everyone else I've ever heard who does a take down loses a significant portion of it.

I don't know if locing is a good way to try to grow loose hair longer, really.
 

beans08

Well-Known Member
My cousin got some sisterlocks. Her hair was already long, and she looks so pretty! I think I would miss my fro, though.
 

msa

New Member
I see a lot of women IRL with them; and most often their locs are beautiful until you get to their hairline.:nono:
The weight of the locs, the constant pulling and the tension/stress on the hair at the roots can rush the process and lead to a quick case of traction alopecia. And that takes away from the beauty of the locs to me.


Yup, I agree.

IRL, I haven't seen anyone with locs (male or female) whose edges were still intact.
 

mamauv2

New Member
Yup, I agree.

IRL, I haven't seen anyone with locs (male or female) whose edges were still intact.

I think that's one of the appealing things about sisterlocks. Since they're so small, they won't pull the hair as much as traditional locs.
 

Ladybelle

New Member
I'm seriously, seriously considering getting some sisterlocs in the fall.I think they're so pretty and I like the versatility of them. After all of my research, the only question i have is this:


can you unlock sisterlocs the wayyou can with other forms of locs??? I know it's probably not the easiest thing to do, but is it possible???

I got DH on board, so now I just need to finalize my decision. He saw some of the pics & also thought they were a nice look.
 

msa

New Member
I think that's one of the appealing things about sisterlocks. Since they're so small, they won't pull the hair as much as traditional locs.


Those seem to be the worst offenders actually. Every person I know sisterlocs has NO edges. The ones with regular sized locs have sparse edges.
 

Junebug D

Well-Known Member
I've never seen anyone whose weren't :spinning:


I haven't seen a lot of sparse hairlines on people with locs either. When I have seen it, those were people whose locs looked manicured to death, were really long and heavy (like WL), or older people whose hair may have been thinning naturally by that point.
 

mrsmercery

New Member
This is a sidebar, We have been trying to get my son's hair to lock for about three months, his hair is curly but NOT fine and curly. We have gotten it twisted professionally all this time and it doesn't seem to be getting there yet. Are we not being patient enough? Someone please pm me.
 

LovinLocks

Well-Known Member
This is a sidebar, We have been trying to get my son's hair to lock for about three months, his hair is curly but NOT fine and curly. We have gotten it twisted professionally all this time and it doesn't seem to be getting there yet. Are we not being patient enough? Someone please pm me.

Oh no, suga, not enough time. Seriously, it's like the saying, "A watched pot never boils!" Fuhgetabout it, leave his hair alone. It will loc when it loc. Let it do what it do, Booh.
 
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JustKiya

Well-Known Member
I think that's one of the appealing things about sisterlocks. Since they're so small, they won't pull the hair as much as traditional locs.

Not true, as it depends on the length of the locs. The longer they get, the heavier they get, and the smaller the locs are, as they get heavier they WILL pull your edges out. Follicles can only support but so much weight. It's akin to microbraids - even if they aren't tight, make them too long, and it'll pull your hair out by weight alone - esp. when they are wet. Pencil/pen sized locs seem to be the best for maintaining a hairline - small enough to not be super heavy, big enough to have a spread out base of support.

Yup, I agree.

IRL, I haven't seen anyone with locs (male or female) whose edges were still intact.

I've never seen anyone whose weren't :spinning:

Indeed. Perhaps the people msa has encountered weren't taking good care of their edges (which isn't a failing of lockers alone, as we all know) but most of the lockers I've met had/have lovely full edges.
 

mamauv2

New Member
Not true, as it depends on the length of the locs. The longer they get, the heavier they get, and the smaller the locs are, as they get heavier they WILL pull your edges out. Follicles can only support but so much weight. It's akin to microbraids - even if they aren't tight, make them too long, and it'll pull your hair out by weight alone - esp. when they are wet. Pencil/pen sized locs seem to be the best for maintaining a hairline - small enough to not be super heavy, big enough to have a spread out base of support.



Well, I'll let you know how it works out in a few years!:grin:
 

LovinLocks

Well-Known Member
Install date - July 15, yipppeee. Been checking out locks in Boston, New York and PA the last week.
 
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ScandalousBeauty

New Member
I started locking my hair 3 months ago and I love it. I HATED the look of locs forever, but about a year ago I started to really like the look. I wanted to loc, but got scared and never did. Then my hair was in microstwists and were starting to lightly loc (get CRAZY tangled), so I left them in. And here I am today! Here's my Locs album.

http://public.fotki.com/scandalouslocs/
 
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