Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Transitioning from Sisterlocks-Traditional Locs

Hello everyone....I know I haven't updated for a very long time and the last time that I did was to just complain, but as of Feb. 2, 2009 I am no longer a part of the Sisterlock family. Me and my sisterlocks just did not mesh very well. I went through a very rough time making this decision because I did invest so much time and money into them but in the long run I had to do what was best for my lifestyle as well as my hair. I thought about taking them out completely, I even went out and bought 3 rattail combs and lots of conditioner....lol!!! I researched the process of what it would take and the possibility of hair loss and after all the research that i did and thinking about why I originally wanted to have locs, I decided to get my sisterlocks combined by twisting 2 of them together and retwisting from their to cultivate traditional locs.

I went to a braiding shop in my area called African & American Braiding in Blackwood, NJ and got my hair done by Bridgett...she is the owner. Took her about 5 hours twist everything. She twisted with the Jamaican Lime and Mango resistant locking gel...that I brought with me becuase she used the black gel and I can not use that type of gel in my hair without excessive flaking. I will go back in 3 weeks to get it washed and retwisted and hopefully my loc journey will be so much easier and less expensive compared to my Sisterlock journey.

One thing that I can say about my Sisterlocks is that I chose to not keep them becuase of the cost of maintenance for them. My retightening sessions were to frequent, I needed to go no more than 5 weeks without getting my hair retightened...and at 130 a retightening session...I just could not afford it. I enjoyed having my Sisterlocks and I would encourage anyone that is interested in getting Sisterlocks to research all aspects of them....I thought I did but the one thing that i did not account for was the amount of slippage i had and the frequency of my retightening sessions.

I will try to update more frequently concerning my new loc journey...hopefully this one will be much smoother.

15 comments:

Unknown said...

This is definitely interesting. I intend to follow your blog!

Unknown said...

Glad you are doing what works for you honey! Enjoy your new journey!

Natasha Dyer said...

I understand your frustration. I have Sisterlocks but often consider going traditional because of my hair texture (looser curl, slippage, etc.) I learned how to retighten my own hair and that's what has helped me. But if locs are your goal, then go for it on the path that is best for you. The important thing you embrace the natural you! Keep us updated with pictures!

just jan said...

Making the decision to trasition from sisterlocks to traditional locks was difficult I'm sure. I find your story interesting because I too am concerned about the price of maintenance. I did my research and I also wanted to have Simone Wright do my hair. (I live in South Jersey too). I will keep up with your blog and I wish you well.

Kumina said...

Enjoy your journey! You have to do what's comfortable for you. I changed technique's several times before I found what was best for me. You will get there!

Blaquegoddess said...

Wow it's a blessing to read another sista's journey and transition of the natural loc process. I to found the cost and long time it took to retighten my napps just was a bit much this coming from a natural hair stylist myself.Combined my sisterlocks my self and now some of them are with the latch method and some are palm rolled. I even made my own tool to retighten my loc's.Sometimes I even get a little depressed because I cut off my long traditional loc's to have sisterlocks installed but overall I'm happy bout bein nappy!

Anonymous said...

Your comments have given me hope. I love my sisterlocks, but when I relocated I found myself in an area where there weren't any locticians. Traveling 3.5 hours every 4-5 weeks is tiring and the cost is almost twice what I paid in Los Angeles. Keep us updated on your progress.

Anonymous said...

I know I am about two years late to seeing your blog but this has been an answer to my prayers. I have had sisterlocks for abotu three years and though I love them I have somewhere between 700 and 1000 locks. I went to a consultant the first year and it typically took her eight hours to retighten my hair even though I went to her every month! I eventually began doing them myself seeing the lack of consultants and trainees in my area. I usually do them over a couple days so its not that bad but thinking about having to do them every month for the rest of my life spending as much time is scary to me because they are just going to keep getting longer thus taking longer and I have an infant to take care of besides working and going to school. I hate that I'm leaving such a long comment but anyway I have been told that most consultants wont touch my hair since i've been doing them myself for so long. So I felt my only options were to keep doing them myself or cut them out because I've been told not to try to transition even though tradition locks are what I wanted in the first place (I wont go into to detail and be even more long winded.) Im just so happy that it is possible to transition and I hope to within the next year.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for your comments. They have helped me make the decision to try something else. I had two test twist installed and they are so thin, they appear too delicate to maintain over time without breakage. The maintenence is also too much of a committment of time and money. My goal is to have a stress free, low maintenence hairdo. Sistah locs are beautiful, but too much to maintain!!

lmscrogg said...

Glad I found this. I am considering going from sisterlocks to traditional locks. Mainly because of the cost. Do you find your size of the locks now okay? Or too big?

Ponderful said...

So glad I found this. (four years later, LOL!) Wish I had seen it before getting SL's installed. I am seriously considering transitioning from my SL because of the cost of maintenance. I love them, but with the travel and expense, its just too much for me. I would really like to know how it turned out for you.

Unknown said...

I’m curious how your journey is going also. I am considering sisterlocks but want to know if it is possible to go back to traditional locks if the sisterlocks font work out.

Anonymous said...

Do you have any pictures of your journey from sisterlocks to traditional locks? I have had my sisterlocks for over 7 years. I don’t if my sisterlock consultant put in the wrong pattern or my hair texture.

VirtuousEvie said...

Thank you so much for sharing this information! I have had sisterlocks for eight years however my loctician decided to raise her prices (yet again) and I simply cannot afford to pay $120 every six weeks. I have decided to try to lock my hair myself for now. I am glad I am not the only sister who is on this journey!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for posting this. I see that I'm not alone in my thoughts to leave the Sisterlock family. I've had them for 1 1/2 and I just don't care for how my hair looks. I have a lot of bunching at the ends in the back and due to my soft looser curl pattern the wholes and slippage are just too much. My hair has grown so much, and I don't want to start over so this post was great. I love the two strand twist, I'm just glad to see that there is an option to transition.

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