A year ago, I made the decision to loc my hair. My Sisterlocks™ were installed at Sabine’s Hallway Natural Hair Salon in Brooklyn, New York.
Sabine of Sabine's Hallway
I am not part of the natural hair mafia. I don’t believe “natural” is for everyone and I am loathe to preach about it to others. On the other hand, what a great journey for me and my hair. After years of pressing, dyeing, relaxing, weaving, pulling, teasing, blow drying and largely torturing my fine, thin, curly hair …. now with Sisterlocks…shush….I think I just heard my hair say “THANK YOU.”
The most difficult part of my own hair journey was sharing my decision to get Sisterlocks™ with Big P. I didn’t tell him until the day before my installation. He has generally been supportive of my hair choices but like many African-American men, he likes long, straight hair. I don’t blame him, we are all conditioned to believe that long, straight hair is better.
Frankly, my head looked a bit scary right after the installation. I was advised to braid and curl my hair to camoflauge the scalpy, “plucked” chicken appearance. My hair did fill out over the first week and the locks themselves have swelled to about 3x their original size. During the first few months of being locked, I noticed some thinning in my crown and the back of my head. I saw a dermatologist who recommended I be monitored every six months but did not think that my hair loss was severe enough to warrant a scalp biopsy. (This thinning was present prior to getting Sisterlocks™ but became more noticeable due to the grid pattern of the partings used.)
Over the last year I have ditched most hair products (new Sisterlocks™ can not have conditioner or oils applied). This has been my hair care regimen over the last year.
1. Shampoo weekly with Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention Shampoo. This shampoo is very rich and has a lot of slip, so I usually dilute a small portion for immediate use.
2. If my hair is matted in the mornings or feeling a little dry I mist with Shea Moisture Organic Yucca & Baobab Thickening Moisture Mist or water.
3. Once my locks started to mature, I got permission from my lockitician to do a monthly deep condition. I use Carol’s Daughter Tui Hair Smoothie.
4. Although Sisterlocks™ can be styled with curling irons and flat irons – I have not used any direct heat (including blow dryers) on my hair.
5. I usually curl my Sisterlocks™ with either sponge rollers, Loc-Loops or Caruso Steam Curlers. When using sponge rollers or Loc-Loops, I section my hair and apply Jane Carter Solution Wrap and Roll.
6. I take Biotin 5 mg and a multivitamin every morning. I am not sure if this is promoting any hair growth, but I have noticed that my nails are not as brittle.
7. I am in the gym 3-4 times a week and drink about 2 liters of water a day.
8. I use no pomades on my hair. On occasion if my hair feels dry, I will jump into my steam shower at home and then apply a dime sized amount of coconut oil to my ends.
9. If I am traveling I tie my hair down with a silk or satin scarf. I don’t do this at home because Big P says he feels like he is sleeping with Aunt Jemima. (Yep, he said that.)
If there is one thing I hate about Sisterlocks™ it is getting my hair retightened (the process of adding new hair growth to the lock). My retightenings take an average of 4-6 hours every five weeks. Most folks with sisterlocks have retightenings that take 3 hours. My longer sessions are largely due to the soft, loose, texture of my hair which is prone to slippage (unraveling). When I reached the 9 month mark, I took a Sisterlocks retightening course. I have no intention of doing my hair myself but wanted to be able to do my freshen up my hairline between salon visits.
What do I love about Sisterlocks™ ? – having versatile, water-friendly, low maintenance, neat, and travel-friendly hair. When I travel, I pack a small spray bottle and some sponge rollers. I usually don’t even use the rollers and just do a braid-out. Even Big P, who has been a fan of the perfectly coiffed Mrs. Obama has started to love my hair and ahem…has his hands in it all the time.
Below is my 12 month Sisterlocks™ journey in pictures. Click on the photos to enlarge for viewing.
Sisterlocks at 2 months
Sisterlocks at 5 months
Sisterlocks at 6 months
Sisterlocks at 7 months
Sisterlocks at 8 months
Sisterlocks at 11 months
Sisterlocks at 12 months
I’m spending less time on my hair, and more time enjoying my life. I would love to hear about your stories of personal transformation. Sharing is caring!
Absolutely gorgeous!
Oh my… a compliment from the one and only Diva Goddess. Thank You! Made my day.
Wow! I’m a huge Sisterlocks fan, and yours look gorgeous.
Terez – thanks for stopping by my blog. I have a great consultant and while its been painful to give up my “products” (cue sad thrombone) … I really love the freedom of sisterlocks!
Love the hair and the product recommendations. I am a “product” lover as well.
Thanks. I’m weaning myself off the products. My go to product now is water. With Sisterlocks, less is definitely more.
As the year end you also get the chance of ending a year with happy thoughts which was brought by your hair style. It sounds like you had a year full of beautiful and affable moments as you had your hair fixed in the way you wanted it.
After torturing my hair over so many years – I’m very happy to still have some on my head. Thanks for your comment Mary.
i am considering locking my hair also, i have very think and kinky type of hair(looks similar to yours) my concern is with the appropriate width.
Nishka – If you want to self-maintain your locks … you may want to consider going with medium or large sized sisterlocks. One suggestion, at your consultation have your stylist place a few of each size so you have any idea of how they will look. Also keep in mind that they will “plump” up quite a bit.
P.S. My hair is kinky but fine and thin (womp.womp)
Anne,
Am totally on board with all that you say about the beauty of Sisterlocks. They definitely make traveling anywhere, anytime sooo much easier! Sabine put mine in as well – just over 3 years ago. She rocks!
Melodie- Sabine is the bomb! Because of her great skills – not only has my hair grown but I she noted some mild hair loss which prompted a medical evaluation that revealed some vitamin and mineral deficiencies. I’m under a dermatologist’s care and it looks like things are slowly gettng better.
Thanks for your posts… one of the most and informative that I have seen. I want Sisterlocks badly, but I also have thin hair and I’m afraid of the “plucked chicken” look. How did you get around that in a professional settings – plucked chicken in a business suit, does not sound like a good look. Btw – I am currently a weave queen – and I work with people that have no idea about afro hair… it will be a dramatic change that will need lots of explaining.
Hi Patricia – I have very fine thin hair and recently got diagnosed with androgenetic alopecia. I’m the thin hair poster girl! The plucked chicken look lasted about 2 weeks. I did consider wearing a wig but I did not own any. I felt self-conscious but the locktician advised me to braid my sisterlocks and then set them on sponge rollers. This gave them a fuller look. Some folks asked me about my hair and I explained the process as best I could. I am a physician and I also work with people who don’t understand a lot about our hair. Most thought they were extensions or a weave. My approach was to politely answer any questions … I even allowed touching. I figured the more people understand about African American hair – the more accepting they will be. I’m at the 18 month mark and get a ton of compliments from non-blacks.
My only regret is not locking my hair sooner. I did a lot of damage to my hair while thinking about getting sisterlocks. One last thing, be careful with the weaves … I’m seeing a ton of women with traction alopecia. Thanks for reading my blog!
Hi,
I just scheduled my appointment with Sabine yesterday. Question… how long was your hair when you had your install? Also, have you cut or trimmed them since?
Hi Nytasha – My hair was fully natural and I believe 6 or 7 inches. I have trimmed of a few ends of my locks to even it up in the back but no major haircuts since my install. Sabine is fantastic and I know you will love your sisterlocks. Feel free to contact me at ann@waterwinetravel.com if you have any additional questions.
Hi, I am new to this site. Actually I do not usually answer to make a comment; but I find myself so encouraged by your story.
I recently, just last week met a young woman with sisterlocks and I stared at her so intensely that I had to call to her and speak to her about her hair. I have just taken out my knicky twist extensions, and have bee natural for over 4 years.
Now after touching her hair and seeing the locks and gaining information online this weekend, I am ALMOST sold on getting my hair in lock. My hair is about your length when you put yours in.
You look so pretty!…thanks for sharing…I am looking for a consultant for more information…
Interested, Linda
Linda – go for it. Give it a year… If you don’t love them you can always cut them off. Thanks for your comment.
Thanks for responding…..I talked to my sisters and my niece last night about sisterlocks….my niece called tonight with information about a salon right in our neighborhood, or at least not 5 miles from my home…….the consultant invited me to stop by and I plan to today………your information and photos help me to have confidence in knowing something about the style…so I will ask all the questions I can to try to ensure that the stylist knows he stuff…..I’ll keep you posted…………thanks again, Ann,…Linda
Good for you Linda. Keep in mind that no two heads of sisterlocks look alike. Your sisterlocks will be unique based on your hair texture. I have no regrets… wish I had done it sooner.
Hello Ann,
I went to the salon i heard about where a consultant stated to my niece she does sisterlocks and it would take 3 days. She was not at work, the other stylist tried giving me information about the other woman, including that she did not work there more that a few days a week, and that she herself had not seen any evidence of photos, etc. that helped to prove i was getting true information.
I left my number anyway, this was Thursday, and I have not heard from the shop, so I feel uneasy already; maybe she is very busy elsewhere, or is not so interested in seeing me. At any rate I will continue to seek other consultants…..Linda
p/s: my husband asked me if I was sure about this, and I am; he is very supportive!
Linda – you should look for consultants in your area at the sisterlocks.com website. Also if you are a Facebook user, there is a page Sisterlocked and Loving it where you can get a lot of informations from both clients and consultants. Please send me a photo once you get your install (ann@waterwinetravel.com)