sisterlocks and dreadlocks

[mousee09]

Hello everybody!
I am thinking about getting some sisterlocks or dreadlocks to install in my hair for the next 4 years. Then I would like to comb them down and and enjoy my length.I am already a year and 3 months natual. Some questions i would like to ask:

which would be better sisterlocks or dreadlocks?(sisterlocks look alot smaller, so i may end up going with dreadlocks)
Did you install them in yourself or did you have to go to a braid salon first to do them?
If you were able to comb them down, were you able to keep most of your length or was your hair so unhealthy that you had to cut most of it off?

thanks if you guys could answer these questions i would really appreciate it!

 

[Keen]

Hmm. I have lots of opinions but that all they are: opinions without experience. I would think it's easier to take down sister locks. I've read about people locking their hair then undo the locks. I'm just imagining that the shedding will be so much because when your hair naturally shed, it doesn't fall off your head.

Personally I wouldn't do this but this is something you need to take advice from people who has experience.

 

[runwaydream]

if you HAD to pick one i'd say get dreadlocks. they would be easier to take out and a whole lot less expensive than SL. SLs really are an investment. it seems like you're not trying to invest that much time into these locs and if you're already thinkin about takin them out i'd say get dreads.

but really i think you should think this through more. if you dont want to keep them for that long you probably just shouldn't get them.

but to answer your question i've heard of a lot of ppl who were able to successfully take down their locks w.o losing all their length, tho they DO lose a decent amount of it.

 

[MrsMe]

ITA with runwaydream! I would also like to add that you basically will "lose" hair that would have shed on its own with loose hair.
If you still want to do it, you need to make sure that you take great care of your locs so that you can have healthy loose naps afterwards.
It is more time consuming then people want to admit, no it terms of care but more in terms of how long it will take your locs to form and finally get matted.
Good luck and keep us posted!

Sent from my HTC Evo using Long Hair Care Forum App

 

[mousee09]

if you HAD to pick one i'd say get dreadlocks. they would be easier to take out and a whole lot less expensive than SL. SLs really are an investment. it seems like you're not trying to invest that much time into these locs and if you're already thinkin about takin them out i'd say get dreads.

but really i think you should think this through more. if you dont want to keep them for that long you probably just shouldn't get them.

but to answer your question i've heard of a lot of ppl who were able to successfully take down their locks w.o losing all their length, tho they DO lose a decent amount of it.

thanks nothing final yet, just trying to get as much information as possible. right now im basically got my hair in mini twists redoing a couple of bad twists every now and then. I thought dreads might be another good low maintenance hairstyle as well and i think they look really nice. i plan to be doing alittle bit more traveling in the future so i dont want to be constantly doing my hair every week of so. thank again for your comment.

 

[ms-gg]

which would be better sisterlocks or dreadlocks?(sisterlocks look alot smaller, so i may end up going with dreadlocks)

I'm not a locing expert, I learned all I know from nappturality but what is best for you depends on your own wants and needs.


If you were able to comb them down, were you able to keep most of your length or was your hair so unhealthy that you had to cut most of it off?

From what I hear, most people who took their hair down had some sort of damage that had to be cut off when they took it down. I mean think about it: your hair is loced. To unlock it you need to forcefully pry your hair apart and the process can take forever to do, depending on the length of time that you started locing, and how many locs you have. It is not that it is impossible, but if you are unsure about locs I would wait it out because take down is traumatic to the hair. I would definitely wait until you are sure that you want it. It takes a while for the locs to reach maturity so you also have to be prepared for all of the stages inbetween that time.

Good luck

 

[FoxxyLocs]

I had locs for 2.5 years before combing them out. I had intended to keep them forever, but after a while I decided I missed my loose hair. After combing them out I had to cut about 2 inches of damaged ends.

I really would not recommend doing this just for growth. If you want to loc because you like locs, then go for it, but I wouldn't plan on putting them in to comb them down. It is a very long and tedious process and there is no guarantee that you will retain length. IMO, it isn't worth it.

If you are going to do it, keep in mind that the smaller you make them, and the more often you maintain them, the more difficult they will be to take out.

Sent from my HTC Evo

 

[Fhrizzball]

I would like to add that it may be easier and a bit less damaging if you're locking not via the interloc method but by palmrolling and what not. Still locing for the intent of taking it down seems over and beyond and I would suggest getting faux locs or being constantly in twists as taking down locs can be mighty damaging and you may still have to cut off some damaged hair.

Also it's possible to take down sisterlocs but the process is tremendously long so I suppose the bigger locs you can handle, the easier the take down will be even though taking it out is still a trying process regardless.

 

[lovenharmony]

I say your best bet is to keep your hair in the mini twists if you want a low maintenance hairstyle. They are much easier to take out and you don't lose so much length due to damage. I would refresh them at least every two months so they don't loc up on you.

 

[Evolving78]

i had locs, took them down and experienced no damage. my hair was in great condition with no split ends or breakage. you have to take your time and use a lot of conditioner to remove them. it took me a couple of days, but i did it. i clipped the very ends of them to make the take day process better and it gave me a little trim too.

as far as sisterlocks are concerned, you can get braidlocs instead and maintain them by latching your locs. sisterlocks has a certain grid pattern that everyone seems to like. you can get something similar to that grid and maintain them yourself. you can order or make a nappy loc tool to latch your locs with. it is very easy once you get the pattern down. i did this as well.

i will be going back to locs one of these days. they were so much easier to maintain. i didn't have to worry about tangles and knots because that was part of the process!

btw, please don't refer to them as dreadlocks. you could offend some folks using that term. nobody likes there hair to be referred to something dreadful. just use the term locs.

 

[HauteHippie]

btw, please don't refer to them as dreadlocks. you could offend some folks using that term. nobody likes there hair to be referred to something dreadful. just use the term locs.

Wow... I had no idea that's what the "dread" in "dreadlocks" referred to! I mean, I had wondered before, but assumed that it must just be a coincidence of sorts. Thanks for clearing that up!

Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using T-Mobile G2

 

[Raspberry]

I say your best bet is to keep your hair in the mini twists if you want a low maintenance hairstyle. They are much easier to take out and you don't lose so much length due to damage. I would refresh them at least every two months so they don't loc up on you.

I agree.. mini-twists or mini-braids work best for long term styling.

btw, please don't refer to them as dreadlocks. you could offend some folks using that term. nobody likes there hair to be referred to something dreadful. just use the term locs.

Wow... I had no idea that's what the "dread" in "dreadlocks" referred to! I mean, I had wondered before, but assumed that it must just be a coincidence of sorts. Thanks for clearing that up!

The term "dreadlocks" means different things to different people so maybe its best not to use it. Rastafarians take pride in the term, I'm personally not offended by it because I understand the history. I use the term dreads/dreadlocks when talking to white people because they usually aren't familiar with the term "locs"

 

[Raspberry]

i had locs, took them down and experienced no damage. my hair was in great condition with no split ends or breakage. you have to take your time and use a lot of conditioner to remove them. it took me a couple of days, but i did it. i clipped the very ends of them to make the take day process better and it gave me a little trim too.

dang.. I just typed a whole bunch and lost it *sigh*

But yea I can't believe it only took you two days. I'm taking my locs down and its taken 3 weeks so far and I still have like 40% to go. I've had locs for 4 years and have a 4a texture thats very coily so may that has something to do with it. I started mine with twists and trimmed them back to APL before I started to undo them.

I've been using Miracle 7 leave-in, Cowboy Magic, and Softn'free Olive Oil Detangler to take mine down with minimal damage. Its working but its slooooww going. It's like 40 minutes per loc and I can't do more than 3-4 on a daily basis and a few more on the weekend. The amount of shed hair coming out is astounding but the process feels freeing actually. My head already feels so much lighter and it's nice to alleviate pressure on my roots, especially around the edges. The hair that's being revealed looks nice and feels great but I"ll definitely need to trim about two inches.. I was always plagued with SSKs the whole time I was natural and never got a professional trim.

Lawd I can't wait to finish taking these locs out and get a relaxer

 

[mousee09]

thanks you guys
sorry about saying dreadlocks i didnt know i would just keep to saying locs instead. i decided not to get locs for the moment anyway but i may when my hair gets longer.

 

[GoodMernin]

I did my hair in micro braids and then latched locked them myself for around 6 months and I gained about 3 inches of hair.

I just missed being able to comb through my hair and wear it in different styles.

The only thing is that since I am married with children, it took me about a solid week to take them down but I was amazed when I flat ironed and saw that I am about 2 inches from BSL even after I trimed about a 1/4 inch off the ends.

I am pretty sure that sisterlocs are similar to latch locs but regular locs would be more difficult to remove due to matting vs. a weaving type pattern with latch locs.

 

[Raspberry]

I am pretty sure that sisterlocs are similar to latch locs but regular locs would be more difficult to remove due to matting vs. a weaving type pattern with latch locs.

I think the biggest issue with taking out sisterlocs is not that it's impossible but that your hands would cramp up trying to pick out such tiny locs. It would also take incredibly long since most people have like 350-500 sisterlocs. Lawd . It's bad enough with my skinny straw sized ones..

 

[Shadiyah]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGi0iUaovTE&feature=player_embedded#!

we are so use to white woman with black children not know what to do with their kids hair... I say this one really has her stuff together.

 

[Raspberry]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGi0iUaovTE&feature=player_embedded#!

we are so use to white woman with black children not know what to do with their kids hair... I say this one really has her stuff together.

Good for her

I tried latching briefly but I preferred twisting/palmrolling