7 years 1 month Sisterlocks Anniversary

My day to day grind requires this partial updo.  At seven years and one month, I don't need a separate barrette.

Playing with semi- permanent haircolor (direct dye)

I don't trust my Sisterlocks with any type of permanent haircolor. Luckily, I don't have a lot gray hairs for my age. The safest color absorbs into my hair just fine.

The longer my Sisterlocks get; I do see the tension at the roots when they are wet or if I am sitting back on them.

Loc Hostage: Look, Touch but No Pulling!

One of my clients got very fascinated with my locs.  I initially thought that she wanted to just touch them, but before I knew it, she had held one of my locs hostage to measure its length.  She was pulling it with tension to see where it fell on my back.  I was tilting my head to alleviate tension, but she was determined to continue stretching my loc until it had no more give.  All of this was happening so fast that it completely shocked and surprised me.  I was even a bit traumatized by the hostage of my loc.  My loc and I survived the "loc length check," but in the future, I will have to inform anyone interested in my locs to

LOOK and maybe touch but NOT PULL!

Focus on Loc Shrinkage

Is it just me or has anyone else inhaled a Sisterlock up their nostril by accident? Anyway, I have been sniffling some due to the fall weather hitting so quickly, and on more than one occasion, I have sucked up a loc.  I am sorry if that is too much information, but I supposed that people with long hair must have sucked up their own hair before too.  I never remember sucking up my own hair before so with me gaining more length, I am sure that I will be making further longer length discoveries.

There was only a two day difference between the two pictures included in this article.  My natural, loose hair usually shrinks about 75% into a tight afro.  My locs still have about 25% shrinkage so I do not worry about showcasing length for myself, but I know that for others inspired by my journey, shrinkage is real based on your curl behavior.

I also braided my hair up one night to get the wavy look.  I initially felt the tension on my roots from the braids so I literally had to purposely re-braid my locs slowly and loosely.  Any type of tight ponytails or braided loc styling that is pulled even moderately tight can put stress on the locs.  I may need to even re-think wet sets.

My focus has been no stress on my tresses. I have not have any problems yet, but I have not had enough length to stretch my imagination with styling my locs.  So let me continue to stay conservative with styling for at least another six months, then I can try more fancy options with no tension.

Lock Styling Decision: Straight versus Curly

The extra wide headband on the left was my old "Sleep cap." It started out the same size as my new "sleep cap" on the right.  Now, that I have started using my new extra wide headband, I realize that it scrunches my locks for me and gives me extra volume.  I am soooo thrilled!  But it got me thinking about the fact that everyone does not want volume and curls.  Some people want flat, straight, flowing locks.  So this "sleep solution" is not for everyone.

I also started to realize that everyone does not need their locks tightened with a lot of tension especially if they want volume.  Also, my natural texture of my hair is a rough cuticle, and most women with my texture seem to always wear their hair curly.  Even five years from now, I do not foresee me wearing my long locks down.  So I have been randomly handlocking some of my locks while watching TV or in my downtime.  I am not worried about using a tool to tighten my locks because I want my new growth to assist in volumizing my overall look.  Curls always hide imperfections, and I am counting on those imperfections to give me volume.

So everyone has to make a personal decision on their routine.  There is no one universal answer.  We all have to work with what the good Lord gave us!

Interlock Retightening Guidelines for SisterLocks or MicroLocks

 New to Sisterlocks or any other interlocking technique?
A video link is embedded later in this blog article for a hair interlocking introduction.

 Wondering how often you should have your Sisterlocks or microlocks re-tightened? Well, here's a guideline that may assist you:

Eight weeks Range
If your density is low or you seem to remain "scalpy looking" past the first three months, then consider getting your retightening done about every 8 weeks.  This will allow for your new growth to volumize a little for a thicker look.  If your schedule gets hectic, then the six weeks period is the soonest  and the ten weeks period is the longest that I would push it.  If your hair is truly thin or less dense, the tightening time should not take any longer than any person with medium hair density.  Yes, the locitician will have to spend more time and check the tension on each lock, but you will probably have less locks to be serviced than a denser head of hair.

Four weeks range
If you have thick density, coarse hair, and can NOT stand too much volume or lift at the roots, then your retightenings should be every four weeks.  Your goal is to keep your roots as flat as possible to subdue any volume from your root area. You can consider three weeks as the soonest and five weeks as the longest timeframe in case your schedule gets hectic.  The technician should only need to do one rotation or looping cycle so the loctician should not have to worry about adding tension.

Six weeks range
If you have medium density and you do not mind  having a little volume or lift at the roots, then six weeks is a good timeframe for you to have your locks retightened.  If the loctician gives you really tight roots, then you can kindly ask the technician for future purposes to maintain moderate looping tension, and that you do not want the interlocking too tight to the scalp.  If they are doing two full looping cycles, then ask for one and half looping cycles.  Communication and partnering is key.

Scalp Tension?
Some people like their retightenings to the point that their scalp feels the tension.  For others and certain hair types, the extra tension may cause additional thinning or breakage.  If the loctician is not willing to help find a routine that works for your hair type and styling needs, then you may need to keep moving.

My personal Sisterlocks retightening Experience:
When I was getting Sisterlock retightenings, I had Sisterlocks certified consultants spend from 1.5 hrs to 4 hrs on my locks, and I was going every 4 to 6 weeks religiously.  It was amazing how different each Sisterlocks certified consultant can be. Self tightenings and/or finger twisting may be a good fall back option to learn your own locks.

A Sisterlocks Retightening Video Sample to show retightening speed when the Sisterlocks fall within the Sisterlocks sizing range-can be found at this link:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEB6DgMFSgQ

In this video, the loctician is using her own locking pattern that works for her.  Ignore the Discoloration of the video, she probably added that special effect so that the average consumer would not understand her technique. Her locking rhythm is unique to her. Do not expect all locticians to follow the same pattern.  Yes, Sisterlocks training teaches their own locking patterns, but seasoned locticians may start from different positions that work for their practice.  I found this video extremely helpful.  Her youtube channel name can pull up interesting footage unrelated to her.  I am not sure how she came up with that name. LOL!  Anyway . . .

Were you wondering about my new Sisterlocks tool storage case above?

Well, I got it from the Dollar Tree store.  It is a "Color Loops" Storage case.  Only $1.00 USD. It is an empty case for those who are into the rubber band looming.  No tools or supplies included.  Just the case.  I love it!  It probably can double for jewelry storage too!  Perfect for my Sisterlocks tools.

Learning about Locks: Dreadlocks

First of all, I am using the term "dreadlocks" because "locks" can be so broad of a term when it comes to hair.  Like Goldilocks, Locks of love, etc.  So "dreadlocks" is the best way to differentiate the type of hair that I am referring to.

In the picture above, my fellow Sisterlocks classmate, had some concerns about her recent Sisterlocks locking session that she had paid for and decided to become a Registered Trainee as well.  After class during the training period, the Master Sisterlocks instructor looked at her Sisterlocks because of her concern about how her Sisterlocks looked compared to others.  The Instructor corrected one of her Sisterlocks by sliding the loops down, adding tension, and adding additional loops into the Sisterlocks.  The corrected Sisterlock is the long one on the right.  The Sisterlock on the left is what it looked liked before "the Sisterlock correction."  Her hair doubled in length just by eliminating all the gaps that were left in the Sisterlock.

So now, imagine that her whole head of Sisterlocks may need to be corrected?  It is enough to make you cry?

 Of course, her Sisterlocks consultant may not have realized that their technique was not efficient or maybe they were going for "a less stringy" look?  Regardless, the client paying hundreds of dollars for the Sisterlocks service expects an expertise unless the client is paying a trainee.  Who is at fault?  The customer who is trusting the Sisterlocks professional, the Sisterlocks consultant, or Sisterlocks headquarters?

I do not have the answer to this question of responsibility, but this is what I do know:

1) Through my research, "interlocking" certain curl patterns is said to be damaging if done too often.  So Sisterlocks is an interlocking method, and it may not be the solution for all hair types.  I have met others that found their hair thinned out with Sisterlocks, and they had to come out of Sisterlocks into an afro.  "Stiff, coily, type 4 hair " should be aware of this possibility and monitor the thickness of their hair over the first seven months.  Sometimes it could be the Sisterlocks consultant's "tightening" technique.  Every consultant is an independent practitioner with different speeds and different approaches.

2) Some people have oily scalps; some people have normal scalp; some people have dry scalp. People with oily scalps will not need extra oil for their Sisterlocks.  Sisterlocks teaches that no one needs to add any oils or greases, but based on what I have seen, some of the stiff, coily, type 4 hair needs some extra help with moisture if their scalp does not naturally produce excessive oil.  However, I do NOT recommend grease or anything with buildup that will attract lint or dirt.  However, products like Jane Carter Solutions hair nourishing serum can be of assistance to certain hair types.  Careful with its usage, that particular Jane Carter Solutions product is not for the scalp- hair strand use only.

3) I also have learned that the interlocking methods such as Sisterlocks actually rotate the hair out of natural fall.  So if the hairtype is hard to lock, no one locking method is going to be the best fit.  What has worked for me is to combine two locking methods in order to make it hold then as the locks mature, one can start to narrow down one method.

4) Sisterlocks teaches only to use starter shampoo for the first six months or more depending on how long it takes for the Sisterlocks to settle in.  Those with normal to dry scalps and type 4 curl patterns may need some conditioning or moisturizing leave-in's.  Typically, type 4 curl patterns are not easy to unravel, but if anyone with a hair type that is easy to unravel, then they should stick with the starter shampoo to assist with speeding up the lock settling process.

5)  In addition, when choosing a loctician for any type of lock service remind the loctician that you do not want your locks doubled up at each service visit.  Also, ask the loctician to save any locks that might break off in order to mend them back.  Those with Type 3 curl patterns and oily scalps will less likely run into the breakage or mending of their locks unless there are a lot of gaps or holes in the locks themselves due to the locking technique.  Again, the lock on the left in the picture above, had a lot of gaps; therefore each gap can pose as a weak area within the lock for future breakage potential.


These are the philosophies of Loctician and Cosmetologist: Benita Blocker