Recycling locks.

Ok before you all think I'm completely gaga with all my "wierd" ideas hear me out. After I wrote about 24hr locks, American made a comment about cutting his locks then reusing them. Funny enough I hadn't thought of it like that when I wrote about the 24hr locks. Guess I looked at it from the outside and only saw buying a stranger's locks and locking with your own especially for the unlocked people.
I had shared about my twist locks thinning and eventually cutting during the early stages of my locking. This was basically caused by inexperience hence tightening my lock a bit too much while I twisted. I got this wierd idea for those who may be going through the same problem I did. The whole process will require a lot of imagination, I only got the idea after I had already separated my locks, but I'll try and add pics of the sewing the tip sometime.

When your lock thins
1. Attach it to a neighbouring lock, after a while the 2 will lock and you will end up with 2 locks with one base.

2. For tidiness sake, just cut off the tip of the parasitic lock. Be very carefull to differentiate between the parasitic lock from the host lock. Don't throw away the tip of the lock you cut, store it well.
The host and parasite take about 2 to 3 washes before they join together and lock but this depends on the magnitude of damage on the parasite lock and also kind of hair It may eventually range from 2 to 3 washes or even 2 to 3 months.

3. Search for the parasitic lock and separate it from the host lock (for those with a lot of hair, but no worries if you do your own locks then your hands will intuitively find them), at this time the tip of the parasitic lock has locked to some level meaning when you wash, the hair won't magically disappear (kinky hair shrinks and scatters on the scalp).

4. The parasitic lock now appears as a small new lock, twist it and give it time to completely lock on its own.

5. When the lock has eventually locked then attach the lock you had cut. You may use thin black thread either by sewing the old lock tip or crotchetting it to the new lock. Attaching the tip only helps to increase the length of the new lock so that it doesn't look too wierd in the midst of the rest.

Combing out locks

Is this really possible? Some say yeah some say no, I guess it's just another case of glass being half full or half empty. I have watched many videos on youtube and read about it on many blogs and magazines so I thought I should also try it and see what happens. Instead of throwing away my last lock that fell off, I decided to comb it out and see what happens.
So question is, is it possible to comb out locks? My answer is yes you can, but before you start trying to comb your locks, I don't think it's worth it. Wait a minute, I don't mean it being worth it in the sense you shouldn't let go of your locks or anything like that. What I mean is, your locks are an entanglement of dirt, hair that cut but didn't fall off and many other tiny little things. If you can look at your lock closely, you will realise it's not like a braid that you can undo and comb out soo simply. Do you remember when you would braid your hair and when you would undo the braids, where the artificial hair had been attached to your hair, there was like an accumulation of oil, drandruff and small bits of hair. Then when you finally finished undoing your hair, it would look soo full then after you comb it out, you end up with a whole ball of hair and the dandruff out of your hair but now on the comb.
When you comb out your locks, it's more or less like that or for me it was. You won't end up bald or anything, but you won't end up with hair as long and beautiful as your locks. Combing out your locks will definitely give you a headstart if you want to grow back your unlocked hair, but it won't maintain the length. Maybe this also depends of the method you use for locking because some of the videos I watched on youtube, it's like combing out a normal braid and the hair remains the same.
I don't know though, has anyone tried combing them out or knows someone who did? Did it work out? How did your/their hair look like after the combing?
All in all, if you are tired of the locks, a change is as good as a rest and instead of starting from bald, you might as well buy a tough comb, get yourself a movie or two and some time to kill then comb out those locks till you got your hair back.
What I would ask for from you would be, a before and after pic and maybe a short summary of the whole experience.

My babies turn 2

I have learnt alot from my locks as they turn 2 today. Here is a list of stuff I learnt.

1. Know the reason why you have locks: people have very many different reasons for having or not having locks. Some for religious reasons, others for beauty, others cause it's the cheapest hairstyle or easiest to maintain while for others it's a sign of the african liberation etc.

2. Realise not everyone has or doesn't have locks for the same reason you do. Just because you think locking is a sign of african liberation doesn't mean everyone who has locks agrees with you. Sometimes there are more "unlocked" people who agree with you than the "locked".

3. Do you want people to respect your reason for locking? Then respect other people's reason for having or not having locks. It saddens me everytime I vist a blog on locks only to find "locked" people cursing and writing trash about all those that are not "locked". For whatever reason you decided to lock, that's great but don't force it down any other person's throat.

4. Your locks are unique and special: Don't try and compare your locks with all the others out there, there are many factors that play a vital role in your hair's texture, colour, weight and even length eg your genes, hormones, climate, hair products you use, age etc. Understand and treat them special they are as unique and special as you are.

5. Too much of anything is poisonous: yes and this applies to all the good remedies you get online too. For anything to work well, it should be used in moderation. Just use enough when you need it but not too much.

6. Excersice patience: It's funny how my locks have taught me how to be patient with other people. I was formerly the most impatient person I knew until I got my locks and I had to wait for 22months before I could hold them in a ponytail and also sit for a little over an hour twisting them myself every fortnight. (All of you, you have locticians, count your blessings)

7. A change is as good as a rest: just because you got "locked" doesn't mean you have to look the same all year round. Change the way you hold your hair once in a while regardless of the length of your locks. If you can braid your locks, even with bought hair ( I aint against enhancing your lock). I have braided my hair twice since I started locking but let me warn you, if you braid your hair after a long time, you scalp will itch like crazy. Maybe for me it was different also cause, I let no one else do my hair so getting "foreign" hands on my head caused the itch.

8. Enjoy every stage of your locking: I guess I was too caught up waiting for my locks to be long enough to hold up and style that I missed their growth. I see pictures of people with short locks well styled and I wonder why didn't I try that when my locks were short?? If any of you is starting their locking or even if you are regrowing your afro, enjoy every single minute of it.

9. Don't use every single product you read about in the blogs, some people are just making money out of you. People do get paid for advertising you know.

10. Keep it simple: stay away from all those compound named chemicals Ammonium lauryl sulphate, dodecahydroxyclohexane, (yes that's one word). Just because it sounds fancy and intelligent doesn't mean it'll help your hair, trust me, I'm a scientist. I use more baby products that adult products. Baby products are usually more expensive, have less intoxicants and contain more pure substances that are less harsh on your skin adult products on the other hand, are usually cheaper than baby products ( to be cheaper it means there is more substitution of pure substances with chemicals) and some can be very harsh on your skin.

11. Locks are just hair don't fuss too much about them: wierd that I'd be the one writing this considering, I call my locks my babies, I take pictures of anything that happens to them and even started a blog for them. Anyway, locks are like any other hairstyle, don't feel guilty for getting tired of having them, it's normal and you are only human. If one day you wake up and want to cut them, feel free to do so. You'll still be welcome at My Dreadlocks. What you feel inside is what matters most, your appearance only enhances but doesn't define the feeling inside.

Threading

I met a guy who is trying to lock his hair but wasn’t sure which style to use to lock. When he visited the loctician, threading was suggested to him.
Threading of locks is done by first subdividing the hair into rectangles (sometimes it's an undescribable shape) and then tying the thread loosely along its whole length to form a lock. Space the thread along the lock length NOT like the raffia locks though (it is quite complex trying to explain this style so I made pictures of the locks, hope they give a better understanding of the technique). It is preferable to use black thread if your hair is black. Later as the hair grows out, you twist the root with hair gel or beeswax.
This method is just a starting method to help make the locks lock faster and equally through the whole length of a lock. This method is usually used on long hair. DO NOT tie the thread too tight cause then the lock will develop with bumps on it. Tie it lightly but firmly enough to hold the lock in place.

More of OUR Beautiful Pictures

This week we feature, Francene's Pictures.

Being glamorous on her birthday. Hope you had a wonderful Birthday Francene. May you have many more birthdays to come and continue enjoying your locking journey. Keep us updated.

If any of the other readers would like to be featured on My Dreadlocks please email me a couple of your pics you would like to share with us at dreadlockmamasita@gmail.com

Get Locks in less than 24hrs

I hope everyone enjoyed their holidays and are all ready for the New Year. January is the month we all try and recover from the fun we had and lazing we did during the festive season. In some parts of the world, kids are starting their first days in school while other are moving to a class higher than a year before making this one of the most hectic months of the year. We have made resolutions to become better people, parents, friends, parents, employees and bosses.  In the new year and new decade, My dreadlocks will try and help you take care of your "crown" better. We'll help you look more elegant, have less stress being natural and be even more interactive while the page remains easy to navigate.  Happy New Year to all of you and may you all have a prosperous one.

So back to the Quick Locks,

Would you like to move from the lady on the left (short straight hair) to the lady on the right(long beautiful locks) in less than 24hrs?? Amazingly it is possible. I was recently in Nairobi and I was surprised at the number of people with very looong and beautiful locks. The reason for my surprise was not the locks being beautiful, not at all because one of the best locticians I know lives in Nairobi. The reason for my surprise was in less than 2yrs Nairobi had moved from no lock zone to almost everyone is locked and they are all long. My locks are only 23months old and it was only recently that I was able to hold them up in a pony tail. So I decided to investigate how most people in Nairobi moved from short straight hair to very long locks in such a short time.
What happens is, people with long locks cut their locks and sell them. If you decide to lock your hair, you go to the loctician in upmarket salons in Nairobi and buy the locks. As you get your "afro" twisted into locks for the first time, they attach the bought locks to your new ones. The bought locks are natural, i.e. they were growing on someone else's head before they were attached to your hair. They are not synthetic nor are they like the "human hair" weaves you attach to your hair, these means they are not treated in any way.As your new locks grow, they gradually lock with the attached locks.
This method is very fast and hustle free especially when done by a professional. You also don't require too much patience to wait for your locks to grow, (I have been waiting 23months before I could hold my locks in a pony). It only requires about 3months if not less for your hair to lock completely with the attached locks. The method is quite cheap, if you compare it to dread perm that's just as fast. 24hr Locks cost about €60-€80 ($100-$120), according to the living standards in Nairobi that's a lot of money but for a visiting kenyan from the diaspora, it's manageable if you want to hurry your locking.
The only disadvantage would be the use of someone else's hair, and in most cases someone you know nothing about. I think if I had been presented with this option when I wanted to start locking, maybe I would have done it but now I have been with my babies for 23months, I wouldn't exchange them for anything.
What do you guys think? Those that have been locked for a while, if you had to reverse time, would you do it? And those who would like to lock, would you do it if you found a salon that does it?

Happy Holidays

I would like to thank you all for your continued support of My Dreadlocks through reading the articles, commenting, sharing your pictures and even sending me emails with questions and encouragement. I salute you all for your dedication to this blog. I cherish the time you all take to visit the blog and make it a success. Locking can be quite taxing but the journey is made easier travelling with wonderful people like you from all over the world. 

I would still like to encourage you to share more pictures of your beautiful locks and even stories of your locking journey. Keep the questions  and  comments coming on what you want to see more or less of in the new year.

Do you own a locking salon? Or do you have a website on dreadlocks? Or maybe you make products that you think would be great for locks? My Dreadlocks will be offering low cost advertising to those interested in advertising locking products or services, your location doesn't really matter, My Dreadlock readers are everywhere around the world. On rates and further details please contact me on dreadlockmamasita@gmail.com


 I wish you all a Merry christmas and a very Happy New Year, may the joy of christmas reign in your homes and your hearts at this time. May you all remain blessed and hope to see you all in 2010 with lots of new stuff on the blog. Finding the right graphic to use for this message was quite a challenge but I finally chose 2 and I hope you will all like them.

Black hair turning Brown

Well someone recently asked about her hair turning brown. What would cause your locks to turn brown and how can you solve this? I decided to research on the topic and here is what I dug out from the net and from friends.

Why Hair turns Brown
This can be caused by:
1. the sun, especially if you move from a cold region to a very hot one. It also happens during summer for those in temperate climate. Many call this "sun bleaching" or "tinting".
2. The water you use to wash your hair. Water depending on the source, contains many different dissolved minerals that may affect the natural colouring of your hair. Chlorine is a known criminal and is usually used in swimming pools for hygenic reasons.
3. Using products that contain peroxide (a bleach, worse than chlorine) and/or lemon
4. Using very hot appliances on your hair burns it, making it look brown
5. The wrong diet, if your diet is not balanced then that may also be a reason
6. Extended use of honey on your locks or also chamomile and rhurbarb

What you can do to get back Black Hair
1. If you hair is turning brown due to exposure to the sun, you can try and always wear a hat or just covering it when you go out. If you are in the temperate region, just enjoy the sun, your hair has the whole autumn and winter to recover to its natural colour
2. For the swimmers, use a swimmers' shampoo to wash your hair and always use a good conditioner and hairspray. Don't forget to wear a swimmingcap and tucking all your hair into it, you may also try and smear a bit of petroleum jelly around the rim of the cap before you enter the pool.
3. Avoid bleaches as much as you can. I have been encouraging use of natural products of your hair but you have to BALANCE, too much of anything is poisonous (even something good. Completely stay away from Chamomile, rhurbarb and lemon while for honey you use it in moderation
4. Again, BALANCE, you need it everywhere. Please have a BALANCED DIET a burger, pizza and fries are heathly, soja milk, lettuce and tofu are also healthy but if that's all you eat every single day, you're not helping your body or your hair
5. Don't burn your hair it's not firewood, it's your crowning glory.

Kitchen recipes

Please do remember to use all these recipes in moderation
1. Mix cocoa with your shampoo and use it to wash your hair
2. Use coffee (the drink not the beans) to rinse your hair advised to do it every fortnight
3. You could also use ground coffee mixed with yoghurt/conditioner cover with a shower cap and leave it on for a few hours
4. A mixture of soy sauce and apple cider vinegar may also be used to rinse out the hair
5. Sage tea also helps darken hair even grey hair, just mix it with your leave in conditioner and use it until your hair reaches the shade you desire
6. A mixture of curry powder and coconut oil applied on your scalp may also do the trick. You can also use plain coconut oil
7. Ground blackpeppercorns mixed with curd help darken hair and stop premature greying.

Disclaimer: I haven't tried any of these recipes on my own hair so I'm not sure of their legitimity. Please be careful as you try them out.

Dread Perm

Before I went on Holiday Kicukalah asked what a dread perm is. I got the Wikipedia explanation and left it at that, but I made a note to explain further when I got back. Here are a few explanations on what it is:
"Hair Police uses a comb and our hands to create dread shapes in the hair, then permanently "perms" them in with a chemical solution."
Charles Nicholas:"This technique is where the hair is teased {backcombed}, twisted and reteased and then it is wrapped in rags with wire.
It is like bandaging the dread.This forms the dreadlock into a straight dreadlock with only a small amount of frizz." Charles Nicholas further explains that "If you want dreads and you have non-afro hair, absolutely YES1 The dread perm speeds up the formation of dreadslocks. It forms the dreadlocks into the sizes you choose, either fat ,normal or thin. It helps afro hair too but it mainly assists the afro person in the sizing of their dreads."
According to Fierce Locks from whom I got the picture : "Dread perms involve a comb, perm rods, end papers, and AT LEAST 6 inches of your natural hair to form dreadlocks. Dread perms also entail the use of permanent wave chemicals. Dread perms are the most efficient way to begin dreadlocks. Dread perms are NOT for everyone, if a dread perm won’t work for you, dread crochet would be the solution to beginning a new crop of dreads."

The price ranges from $275- $660 (€184.95 - €443.88) for the first timers and from $50 - $88 per hour for maintenance. This is quite expensive I'd say, it's more expensive than my rent. The things we women go through to look good.
Generally from all the posts I have read about this method, it is more for the non-afro hair. I'm not sure if it would work on afro hair (please do enlighten me if any of you knows). As I told Kicukalah, I haven't tried it nor do I know anyone who has so I have no real opinion about it but someone who has done it has penned down his thoughts here. Hope all this info helps all of you out there contemplating this method.

What's Good hair?

Hallo People,
I'm back summer is over and so is my holiday. I got a lot in store for all of you. Lot's of new stuff and new ideas I learnt during my holiday, even an interview with one of the best locticians I know. Thanx a lot to all those who have remained tuned to My Dreadlocks, I will definitely not disappoint. Feel free to email questions, topics you want discussed, criticism (always welcome), encouragement and anything else you may think I need to know or want featured on the my dreadlocks website. If you have a great My Dreadlock story please do share with us, you may also share pics of your journey, Lisa I hope you will share yours. Enjoy the Autumn/Fall season, my side of the earth is already cold and feels more like winter while others are having extended Summer and others predicting El Nino, I hope you will all take care, remain safe and continue enjoying the My Dreadlocks blog.

Many of you may have already watched this episode on Tyra but I would like to share these videos with African women all over the world. Hope they get you thinking on a lot of things and lead you to make better decisions in the future. Better decisions don't necessarily mean going natural but this being a problem that mainly affects women, I bet your intuition will tell you if the decision is better or not.