Despite their popularity, many misconceptions surround dreadlocks, If you’re considering getting locs, it’s essential to know the truth about it.
Now that you’ve agreed to go on the journey of locs, let’s look at the lies that people tell to discourage others from doing it and get well educated on it
1. DIRT MAKES YOUR LOCS GROW FASTER OR BETTER
There’s no way dirt makes things better, if you don’t wash your locs, it will damage your scalp, smell, and flies will live and die inside your dreads. Dirt makes it difficult to lock, cleaner hair is better to lock than dirty hair.
2. DO NOT USE HAIR CONDITIONER
It’s easier to lock tender hair than to lock tough hairs, apart from using shampoo to remove dirts and excess oils, hair conditioner is necessary to give the hair a softer texture and replenishes it. Unfortunately, stylists don’t want to add conditioner in fear that it will loosen locs, but conditioner is necessary.
READ ALSO: The 5 Stages Of The Dreadlock Journey
3. ONLY CERTAIN CURL PATTERNS CAN LOCK
In the history of locs, they go way back to hundreds of years on how the Scottish, Mongolian and Egyptians kept it. Although each texture is different and coily curl patterns tend to lock faster, all hair is capable of locking.
4. LOCS ARE MAINTENANCE FREE
There is a structure and a foundation to locs and they need steady upkeep just like any hairstyle or texture requires. Your hair should be washed weekly just like your loose natural hair. It’s important to have a nightly routine as you would with loose natural hair. Healthy hair means maintenance and that goes for loose hair and locs.
5. EVERY HAIRSTYLIST IS A LOCTICIAN
Not every hairstylist is a loctician, some of them just know how to do other hairstyles, and don’t know a thing about locs. They follow the wrong regimen for the wrong hair texture and it affects and damages the locs.
6. EXPECT YOUR LOCS TO BE SLEEK
Locs are not meant to look like straight hair. You should not be going to a loctician weekly getting them retwisted every time you see new growth. You will only end up over twisting and end up with broken off locs. Too much retwisting, especially if the hair is not moisturized, will lead to thinning locs.
7. REDUCE FRIZZ WITH SCISSORS
This is not the way to deal with frizz or new growth. Using scissors to cut frizz only creates thinning in the middle of the loc. You must train your hair or to grow a certain way, and cutting will only alter the consistency of your locs. There are two positive ways to handle frizz:
Palm rolling the frizz to train the hair to mend to the loc and
Take the frizz and wrap it around the lock and allow frizz to mend to the lock
READ ALSO: 6 Ways To Maintain Your Dreadlocks To Keep It Growing
8. LOCS CANNOT BE UNDONE
Another common myth about locs is that they are permanent and cannot be undone. While it’s true that locs can be difficult to reverse, it is possible to undo locs if you decide you no longer want them. This process, known as “combing out” or “unlocking” the locs, involves using a special comb and conditioner to gently unravel the locs and restore the hair to its natural state. You should note, however, that the process of undoing locs can be time-consuming and may damage hair.
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