Whether you're new to dreadlocks or you've had dreadlocks for years, there are certain things you need to know about this hairstyle. Although locs can be low maintenance in the later stages, the early stages still require a lot of attention. Furthermore, as your hair grows, you may need to keep up with a loc retwist routine.
Why Do You Need to Do a Loc Retwist?
In general, you will need to retwist your locs when there is sufficient hair growth at the root of the loc. Although there are some benefits to allowing semi-freeforming between retwists, you should keep in mind that allowing too much hair growth at the base of the loc can put stress on your scalp and ultimately harm your hair.
There are two main reasons why you will need to do a loc retwist. Whether you're doing a retwist after your normal washing routine, or you are scheduling regular retwist appointments, the need reasons to retwist your locs include:
Maintain Locs
A loc retwist allows you to maintain your locs as they grow. Most hair can grow a few centimeters each month, which means that you will almost always need to retwist your locs every several weeks. The best way to maintain your locs is to keep up with a retwist routine that will allow you to keep your locs growing healthy and strong.
Prevent Breakage
Retwists help prevent breakage. When hair grows from the scalp, it grows at different rates for each follicle, which means hair that is already part of a lock may grow faster than surrounding hair, and this may put stress on slower-growing strands.
When strands that grow more slowly are too weighed down by the dreadlock, your hair can break even if you're diligent with moisturizing treatments. To prevent breakage, you must have a loc retwist routine to keep an even weight distribution of each dreadlock.
Stop Hair Thinning
Along with breakage comes the risk of hair thinning. When there is too much breakage at the root, you may harm the health of your hair follicle over time. Alopecia or hair thinning is common with locs that put too much stress on the scalp. Without frequent retwists, you can potentially harm the overall growth of your hair.
Other Frequently Asked Questions
1. How Often Should You Retwist?
The frequency of your retwists will depend on several factors, including what stage of locs you have, your hair type and texture, and how frequently you wash your hair. Your natural rate of hair growth will also influence how often you will need to retwist.
For example, people who have hair that grows quickly, thinner hair, and baby locs may need to retwist every four to six weeks, while people who have stronger hair, slower growing hair, and mature locs may only need to retwist every six to eight weeks.
2. How Often Should You Wash Locs?
There is a misconception that people who have dreadlocks do not need to wash their hair frequently. For the most part, you should wash your hair as frequently with locs as you do without locs. The frequency of your hair washing will depend on your scalp and oil production, as well as your daily activities.
For most people with locs, this means washing your hair every seven to 14 days. If you exercise frequently, work outdoors, or have a particularly oily scalp, washing once a week can be beneficial for your hair health. If you aren't very active and you keep up with gentle moisturizing between washes, you may only need to cleanse your locs every two weeks.
Best Cleansing Method
The best cleansing method for your locs relies almost entirely on the type of shampoo and conditioner you use. Ideally, you should use a gentle, residue-free shampoo to cleanse your scalp. Fragrance-free clarifying shampoos are usually the best options to cleanse locs. Be sure to wash all shampoo off your scalp to avoid dryness and irritation.
Follow up your shampoo with a lightweight cream conditioner or leave-in conditioner. Water-based moisturizers for dreadlocks are generally the best options since they will prevent product buildup that can irritate your scalp.
3. How Should You Dry Locs?
On wash day, it's essential to completely dry your locs. The first step of drying your locs is gently ringing water out with a microfiber towel or other quick absorbing towel. From there, depending on your hair density and the thickness of your dreadlocks, you can allow your locs to air dry or you can blow dry your locs on a low heat setting.
4. How Should You Moisturize Locs?
Although your natural scalp oil will do a good job of keeping the roots of your locs moisturized, you may also want to occasionally moisturize your locs, especially between washes and during drier times of the year. It's best to use a small amount of leave-in conditioner from root to tip at least once a week to keep your locs moisturized.
Depending on your hair type, your leave-in conditioner may include additional proteins to keep your hair healthy and strong. Regular moisturizing will keep the cuticle of your hair smooth and protect your hair from the elements.
5. Can You Use Hot Oil Treatments?
While hot oil treatments can be beneficial for natural hair, it's usually not a good idea to use hot oil treatments unless you have mature dreadlocks. And even then, hot oil treatments can potentially trap the oil inside your dreadlocks and destroy the locs. It's best to avoid hot oil treatments altogether.
6. How Should You Sleep With Locs?
The best way to sleep with locs is with a satin bonnet or pillowcase. Anything you can do to reduce friction on your hair while you sleep will benefit your hair cuticle, and this will ultimately improve the appearance of your locs. Make sure to cleanse your bonnet or pillowcase weekly to reduce oil and bacteria spreading to your dreadlocks.
7. How Can You Prevent Lint on Your Locs?
Locs have a habit of attracting all kinds of fuzz and lint. One thing you can do to prevent lint on your locs is using a sleeping bonnet to cover your hair at night. You can also prevent lint on your locs by using a silk scarf or hair covering when you are cleaning, working outdoors, or exposing your hair to any situation that involves dirt or fuzz.
8. What Should You Do for Dry Scalp or Irritation?
Occasionally, you may experience a dry scalp or scalp irritation. Usually, scalp irritation with dreadlocks occurs when cleansing isn't frequent enough or if residue from shampoo is left behind. In these cases, you can use moisturizing products to treat dry scalp and irritation.
9. What Are the Stages of Locs?
Dreadlocks don't appear overnight - in fact, there are several stages of your dreadlock journey. From baby locs to rooted locs, here's what you can expect from your loc stages:
Starter Locs
Starter locs or baby locs are the initial phase of your dreadlock journey. You can start baby locs with braids, palm rolls, or other techniques. Starter locs are also where you can create patterns for growth. It's important to visit a professional for your starter locs to ensure the loc thickness is ideal for your hair type since locs that are too thin can break off and locks that are too thick can cause damage.
Budding Locs
After three to six months with baby locs, you will likely have budding locs. This is a stage where most of your new hair growth will be visible. It's important to maintain a washing and retwist routine during the budding loc phase. This phase can last for six to 12 months, depending on your rate of hair growth.
Teen Locs
Teen locs are the stage where dreadlocks begin to develop a more defined form. Using a water-based solution to condition your dreadlocks will prevent buildup, while also allowing you to maintain the moisture of your locs so they can continue to grow healthily. The teen loc stage can last from one year to 15 months.
Mature Locs
Mature locs can form one to two years after you start your dreadlock journey. You can identify mature locs when the dreadlocks are firm and there is no more reforming, which means that you should not have to retwist often. Mature locs are generally thick enough to support themselves.
Rooted Locs
Rooted locs are the final stage of dreadlocks and occur several years after you first started your dreadlock journey. Usually, rooted locs are very long and have a heavier, more slender texture that moves more freely. With rooted locs, it's still essential to keep your hair hydrated.
It's important to do loc retwists when there is an adequate amount of hair growth to add to your dreadlocks. Usually, this means retwisting every one to two months based on your dreadlock stage, your hair growth speed, and other factors.
