5/30/2006

High Maintenance - No Way!!!

Tammycat said... Hi Leighann, I was just wondering if you consider your locks to be high maintenance? Because i was reading a forum recntly and someone said that their locks are really high maintenance. Thanks a lot!

Hey Tammy! Hope school is going well. This is a tricky question. For me the answer is no, but it's all relative. What I mean is: my hair is soft and it grows fast, so I retighten it myself about every four weeks. I'm okay with that, but someone else might consider a four week schedule high maintenance.

I think people confuse low maintenance with no maintenance, and there's really no such thing. Even if you choose to go bald, you've gotta shave regularly to keep that smooth look. Locks can be low maintenance if you just do the basics: wash, separate, go. But if you want your locks to look a certain way, then you've added to your maintenance. For example:

-- If you want neat locking locks then you're retightening more frequently.

-- If you want curls then you're twisting, braiding, steaming and/or rolling.

-- If you want color then you know that colored locks require extra care: moisturizing and conditioning. You've also committed yourself to keeping up a regular coloring schedule if you want the color of your new growth to match the old.

-- If you want independence then you're retightening your locks yourself, which usually takes longer then if your consultant did it.

My consultant can do my locks in about five hours. It takes me two or three hours a night, over three or four days. That gives me a chance to watch movies and catch up on my favorite TV shows.

Granted some maintenence isn't by choice.

-- If you've got loose, soft, slippage prone hair or even fast growing hair you're going to be retightening a little more often then someone who doesn't.

-- If you've got scalp issues such as excessive dryness, dandruff or medical problems that manifest in the scalp or hair, this too will add to your maintenance. But you'd have to tend to this whether you had locks or not.

Scalp and medical problems aside, it may not be the locks that are high maintenance, but the person and their choices.

I like neat locks and I enjoy styling them. It's not high maintenance for me since I'm willing and able to spend the time. It's nice to know, however, that when I don't want to be bothered I don't have to be. My natural hair before Sisterlocks was much higher maintenance, without nearly as much pay off: great looking, healthy hair. I love my Sisterlocks!

Actually, in the grand scheme of things, my blog about my hair is higher maintenance than my hair!

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Very well written Leighann! I can also identify with your description of "no" vs. "low" vs. "high" maintenance. I retighten my locks about every 5-6 weeks. I like my locks to look very groomed, but for me it doesn't feel like work at all. Consider the maintenance necessary for chemically processed hair or even natural unlocked hair. There literally is no such thing as wash and go. That's the true beauty of Sisterlocks. It is a very efficient hair management system that keeps us looking beautiful while freeing up our time.

Andrea
SL'd 3 years, 11.5 mos

Sister-in-Locks said...

I just love the braid do. I can't wait until I can do that. I am still not sure if I will continue to do my own hair. I think I am a little too impatient. I seem to marry a couple each time and I have to struggle to get apart.

Chi-chi said...

Well said! I couldn't agree more. I think the most important thing about SL's is that there is a CHOICE in deciding, "Do I want to curl my hair today or should I just let it hang loose" I couldn't do that with relaxed hair and feel comfortable. Great post and great hair!

Chi(:

Goodnapps said...

Excellent, excellent, excellent. You just don't get a better explanation than this. BTW - the braid looks great.

Detra said...

Okay...I am luvin the inbraid, that is so freakin cute! Got me saying to my loc's grow loc's grow! I wanna inbraid. You are wearing this very well!

kemicutie said...

What can I say that the other ladies haven't said? Well nothing really. Your hair looks great and I'm looking forward to doing my own locks!

Anonymous said...

Seeing this braid (which I taught myself how to do when I had loose napps) brought me back to this site, which has instructions on doing French braids plus many others (9-strand braid, anyone?):

http://www.dreamweaverbraiding.com/

Click on Braiding Instructions.

Anonymous said...

Hi there! Just dropping a note to let you know that I absolutely ADORE your hair!!! It's fabulous! I am seriously considering Sisterlocks or microlocks simply because of the versatile styles you've displayed on your site. At worst, at least my 'bad hair days' will be somewhat more manageable. At best, my hair will be fabulous, too.

But I do have a question: people I talk to (who have locs) about Sisterlocks and microlocks (not professionals, at all) says that they are too thin to support the weight of the the lock and breakage is going to be a huge issue. How do you deal with his problem? IS it even a problem? I appreciate you reading and thanks so much for a terrific site!

Blessings,
Siobhan

Leighann Lord said...

But I do have a question: people I talk to (who have locs) about Sisterlocks and microlocks (not professionals, at all) says that they are too thin to support the weight of the the lock and breakage is going to be a huge issue. How do you deal with his problem? IS it even a problem? I appreciate you reading and thanks so much for a terrific site!

Well thank you for reading. I appreciate it. To answer your question: All locks (traditional, braid locks, Sisterlocks) can and do break for many reasons:
Natural hair shedding
Thinning hair (illness, medication, stress, poor diet)
Lack of proper maintenance
Improper Retightening
Over manipulation (this isn’t to say you can’t style you hair. I do on the reg BUT yanking, pulling and abusing is not allowed.)
Grooming and watching TV at the same time.
Getting a lock caught in a zipper
Any physical altercation where there’s hair pulling

I think the most troubling is losing locks due to poor health and stress. Any problems we have manifest in our skin and hair. Locks are like a road map to the trained eye. My Consultant looked at my hair one time and said “eat more vegetables.” Yes, ma’am!
In the end locks, no matter what kind, are still your hair. It grows, sheds, reacts to environmental and physiological factors and in the interim, like all of us, wants to be treated with love and respect.

I hope this helps.