Do locs shrink before they grow?

Your Locs Are Shrinking

This is more prevalent within the first two years of locing your hair. Just as many naturals experience shrinkage when they have their hair in two stand twists or leave it out in a fro, locd hair is prone to shrinkage itself. In fact, the shrinkage is part of the locing process.

Do locs get smaller as they grow?

What is this? Dreads go through a beautiful and constant transformation. As the hair begins to knot and tangle, each dread will adjust to the changes by shrinking while becoming puffy/ tight in some spots and loose/ thin in others.

How do you tell if your locs are growing?

The most noticeable sign of matured locs is that they lie flat against the scalp, and hang down. They're firm to the touch, and can't be unravelled easily at their tips. Because they're mature, you won't need to retwist your new growth as often since the untwisted hair will be weighed down by the locs themselves.

How long does it take for your dreads to stop shrinking?

Mature: 15-18 Months

Don't worry if you're over a year in and you don't feel your locs aren't mature yet, though; looser hair textures often take longer. You know you've reached the mature stage when your locs are finally long enough to lie flat or hang down.

How long does it take locs to drop?

On average, moving through all these stages can take upwards of 18-24 months; but depending on your texture, density, product usage, and hair care regimen, your hair may move quicker or slower throughout the locking process.

WHY DO STARTER LOCS/DREADLOCKS SHRINK?

How often should you Retwist locs?

Retwist frequency depends on whether you are in the starter loc phase or you have mature locs. It also depends on the type of locs you have, your hair type and your retwist method. Starter locs should be washed monthly or no more than every six week. If you interlock, you can go as long as eight weeks between retwists.

How long do locs take to bud?

2. Budding Stage/ Sprouting Stage. The Budding Stage (also known as the Sprouting Stage), occurs roughly six to twelve months into your locs journey. This is when you'll start to notice that your hair isn't unravelling when you wash it and notice your new growth, which will look a bit fuzzy and fluffy.

How long does it take to see growth in locs?

What is this? It can take anywhere from 10 months to 2 years to grow fully mature dreadlocks, but for most people, the process takes 18 to 24 months.

What does it mean when your locs start to bud?

When your locs start budding that means your hair is beginning to tangle inside the loc and form its own internal loc matrix. The internal Loc matrix is essentially a net within the locs that catches all of your naturally shed hair.

Does your hair get shorter when you dread it?

Do dreads make your hair look shorter? Yes, it can, but not necessarily. The dreadlocks themselves won't make your hair look shorter, but if your hair has a tighter curl or a different texture, then it can look a little shorter than what it would normally be if it wasn't dreaded, but it always depends on your texture.

Can I wash my starter locs after 2 weeks?

You can try to wait at least two weeks before your very first shampoo with your new locs, but it is not completely necessary. On average, I shampoo my hair every 9 days and have done so since I first started them.

Will my locs expand?

When you leave your hair alone, your locs are able to flourish and thicken up because they're not constantly “made” into condensed retwisted or interlocked bundles. The ideal timeframe for a retwist is between 4-6 weeks— no earlier!

Do smaller locs lock faster?

In general, thicker and more tightly coiled hair locs faster.

Does interlocking make dreads thinner?

Interlocking can lead to irreversible problems such as dreadlocks thinning out and even breaking off, residue buildup at the interlocked location. Also, it often leaves the dreadlock in a “braided” or “large knot” that can split the roots and prevent the dreadlock from forming properly.

What makes locs grow faster?

Having your scalp massaged regularly will stimulate the blood flow to your head (and your dreadlocks), pumping nutrients to the follicles while causing them to grow quicker.

How long does it take for dreads to look good?

Most will dread within about three to six months, but others take a little bit longer. The softer your texture is, the longer it may take for it to really dread and lock up into one full lock, but it does take some time. Dreads under I would say, about a year are considered young dreads, so they're a little softer.

How do I know what stage my locs are?

Are dreads and locs the same?

A notable difference between locs and dreadlocks is that one is a hairstyle and the other is a lifestyle. Locs are cultivated, but dreadlocks aren't. Dreadlocks also often stem from Rastafarian beliefs, which use the style to separate believers from the rest of society.

What causes locs to thin?

A lack of maintenance

If you're waiting too long between twisting your dreads, you'll notice your locs becoming a lot thinner. Since new hair follicles need to be twisted into the deadlock, these follicles can eventually fall out if left alone. This results in thinning dreadlocks.

How often should you moisturize your locs?

Prioritize deep conditioning treatments

Once your locs are mature (roughly 1 year after beginning your journey depending on the texture of your hair), deep conditioner your hair every 1-2 weeks to keep your locs healthy, strong, and moisturized. This deep conditioner is a great pick.

Are locs healthy for your hair?

Locs promote great hair growth with minimal shedding.

Because your hair is in a permanent protective style—and you won't have to manipulate your hair often—there is much less wear and tear on your strands. Your hair is free to simply grow and thrive.