Going Natural With Dreadlocks

My natural hair journey began more than 10 years ago when I did the big chop (a drastic hair cut, cutting off permed ends). At the time, I was concerned about what my co-workers and family would think about my new look. I didn't have any experience in working with my hair in its natural state. My natural hair is extremely kinky or curly. People who choose to describe hair by type would say that I had type 4b hair. The front of my hair is a bit softer, probably type 4a.

I was surprised that my co-workers and editors at the newspaper where I worked embraced my hair. In fact, I don't remember that they said anything about my hair at all. However, comments from people in the black community ranged from positive to extremely negative. I got a lot of stares.

I wore my hair natural and loose in afros and two strand twist styles for about three years. I decided to try locs after experiencing hair loss from a cornrow style. My hair was styled at Talija Waajid's natural hair care center. I felt that my hair was braided too tight, and I didn't realize just how tight until I experienced the hair loss after removing the cornrows. Ironically, I allowed my locs to be started at the natural hair care center with the thoughts that was to be the last time that they would get my money. Once my hair locked in the dreadlocks, I didn't get my hair styled at a salon for several months, maybe years.

These days, I do go to locticians at other natural hair care center from time to time, and I am usually pleased with the results. I am a freelance travel writer, and I like my hair to have that neat, manicured look.

One of my favorite dreadlock styles is a "curly loc" style. You can curl locs with hard perm rods, the skeleton of foam curlers or even use pipe cleaners. If you use perm rods to curl your natural hair that is loced, be warned that it is difficult to sleep on the hard perm rods. They hurt. The skeleton, the part that's left after you remove the foam cushion, on foam curlers work well for tight curls and they don't hurt. Pipe cleaners are my favorite for achieving beautiful spiral curls in dreadlocks. In any of those methods for curling natural hair, you can put one loc on a curler or you can curl two or more on the curler. If you use the perm rods or pipe cleaners to curl your natural hair, you can control the width of your curls. Use bigger curlers for fuller curls and smaller curlers for tight curls. Combine two or more pipe cleaners together for larger, fuller curls.

Curl your hair when it is wet or spray it with a setting lotion for hold. I've also used dreadlock gel and even hairspray to set my curls. I wouldn't recommend using hairspray with alcohol, because it can cause breakage. You can get under a hooded dryer or allow your hair to air dry. However, it's best to sit under a dryer so your dreadlocks do not develop a mildewy smell.

Always twist locs while they are wet.

1. Use a spray bottle as needed to moisturize dry locs. Use a loc butter or loc gel to retighten your locs.
2. Simply add a dab of product near the roots and twist the hair until it is tight at the root.
3. Don't over-twist. Your head should not hurt.
4. Add a metal clamp if you wish to securely hold the twist in place.
5. Get under a hooded dryer for a tight hold.