Two months

After two months so much has changed. I feel like I'm growing as a person with my locks and growing up in my knowledge of the process. I've learned a few things that I would like to share with anyone considering getting their locks done.

I would recommend anyone thinking about locks spend a minimum of two months with their own natural hair and hair length. Getting to know yourself in this manner made me so much stronger. I had no wigs or weaves in between me and my hair. I gelled it and took care to really get to feel each coil and move my fingers through with ease.

After my locks were put in a good friend of mine, Val, told me that I would get my strength in about three months. I didn't know what she was speaking of but now I feel I do. My strength is getting up everyday, believing in myself and in my own beauty with or without hair or extensions or makeup. I receive more looks, glances, and smiles with my hair natural than ever before and I am becoming stronger.

There are still days that I wish that my hair were flowing down my back but I want it to be mine and not a product of what I have been told is pretty or beautiful. My daughter is growing up now (she's 16) I want to be an icon of beauty for her and sisterlocks is helping me accomplish this goal.

My hair now gets retightened -- see photo to the right -- then it flattens down, after that it just starts to puff out after i braid and bunch it but this picture shows the growth pretty well I think.

Almost Two Months Old

My next retightening will be two months! I am so excited my hair has taken on its own little life of its own and is growing like a weed. Let's see if you all agree? I'm trying not to curl the ends that are still permed too much and keeping braids and bunching from time to time. I'm noticing alot of dry scalp in the front and that's a little odd but its okay.

I'm using knottyboys' peppermint spray for itch relief. My sisterlocks are starting to have little knots at the end of them which feels so cool. I have cantkeepmyhandsoutofmyhairitis. Its getting worse I keep grabbing and touching and pulling on my locks more and more. Here's my shot from us on Halloween. It was so cool! My daughter asked "What are you gonna do to your hair" and I said "Wet it and go!"

Happy Anniversary

I've had my locks for one whole month now (install date 9/13). I cannot tell all of you how much this process is changing me. I'm having to address my fears, superficial and otherwise, about my hair. Do I want my hair to grow every night? Yes!!! Do I worry if I've done the right thing with my locks? Absolutely! There are times that I don't want to tie it up, where I don't want to curl the ends, where I don't want to bundle before washing, etc.

But, there are other times that it is my source of healing. I look at how my hair has been damaged and ruined and how it is still fighting its way back - even though I tried killing it. I have covered it with braids, weaves, glue and other things so many times.

I have started relationships with tons of fake hair and then expected people to love the real me. I've doubted my own beauty and my own sense of worth in the workforce because of my hair. I've doubted friendships, love, family members when they have to see me in my natural state. How could they really want to be with the true me?

This has been a growing process and its just the beginning. My girlfriend greets me with "Hello beautiful" all of the time and I even don't want to accept that because of my insecurities but it is getting easier. I thank God for my locs, for my love and family, and for the support of the blog! See ya in a month

Perm rods and the Asian Shop

So I stop by the Asian hair place to get perm rods, additional rubber bands and one scarf. The gentleman that usually helped me with my #4 weave hair in curly or remy straight just stared at me and all I said was "hello". He said "you're doing something different with your hair?" then I explained sisterlocks and that I was to a point where I think I can perm rod them and he smiled and kept staring and told me "good for you".

well, I can't tell you what that did for me I used to never leave that place with at least $80 less out of my pocket - today's total a whopping $8. Can you say 100% decrease in one month at the hair shop mmmmm mmmmm loving that a lot. And my hair looks cute and healthy.

Here's to enjoying the experience, right?

Also my loctician called to see how my locks were doing - WOW! I just loved that, I must tell her when I see her next week! see you all later

Let me just say

Ok

When I got my first sisterlocks (the test pattern) you can see about how long and thin my hair was.

Now this same area looks like this:

I finished another retightening and turn around cannot describe how I feel. She was pleasant, nice, listened to me and my frustrations and then proceeded to start to do my hair. Sure from time to time she stopped to look at email and make phone calls but she always apologized and let me know that she had to let her fingers rest before continuing.

She also kept a little time clock that she would turn off and on as the night progressed. Overall a very different and enjoyable experience.

For the newly loc'd your hair may do like mine and lie down whenever you get retightened this is normal.

and it feels great and pulled like a ponytail tight but I like my hair twisty and free so it'll take a few days to go away before its back to the curly fro that i love after a few bundles. I will try this time not to wet it (only mist for stylin) until my next appointment.

wish me luck and will write again after the 16th (my next appointment)

Other pix of me through the years

I thought before I head out to the loctician and let her know how really unhappy I was my last appointment, that I would show some pictures of my hair through the years.

I've noticed that its always been about the same style & length. Hmm.

This is me on a cruise in 2004 it took forever to do it and because we were in the Bahamas (me and my sister Shelley -- in the picture, my nephew Martell, and my then girlfriend Sherry) and other islands I didn't go into the water at all.

An another one of me 2 mos before with Ms. Steph my girlfriend of six months and my daughter Shary who is 16 I can't even believe I have a teenager - but that's another blog all together :)

My first month with locs

So its been one month and honestly its pretty frustrating. I see slow changes and lots of slippage. I love how my hair feels and its so great to have the freedom of no combs etc. Considering my hair as it looks naturally (on 9/13/07) and now (10/1/07) its really quite a difference. I'm not seeing as many parts and it seems to be ok

The frustrating part is the bundling of the hair that you really don't hear about before you wash it.
If I had to do all over again I WOULD NOT wash my hair at all until its time for a retightening. The will be my second retightening on 10/3/07 and every time I wash it or wet it (I bundle religiously) there is still a significant amount of slippage.

I will post a picture of my slippage for those who may want to know and also the bundling process which only adds about 15 minutes to my morning but if i don't bundle and let it curl on the ends my locks look frightening because of the permed parts.

But I'll try again Wed and then see. Here's to next two weeks.