My 10 Month Microlocs Update
Date: 01/11/25
Update time: 10 months post installation
How do you feel today: A little discouraged
Describe your loc journey so far in one word: Unique
How have things been overall:
Things have been going pretty well overall! Some days my locs feel longer, other days they seem shorter but thicker—it's crazy how they just do their own thing! They always look a little different from day to day. Around the two-week mark, they start to look a bit dull and limp, so that’s my obvious signal it’s time for a wash.
As I reflect on the main changes I’ve noticed in my locs over the last 10 months, this picture illustrates it so well.
Most Notable Changes in My Locs
A more cylindrical microloc shape is starting to form.
My hair is a lot less scalpy and more full (but too short for the thickness to put into a bun).
The loose ends are super coily (it’s cute until it starts to break off and you see all those tiny pieces in the sink).
What is your maintenance routine?
Normally, I would’ve had my retie by now, around the 4-week mark, but this month, my loctician and I decided to test out a longer interval between reties. We were aiming for 6 weeks, but with some scheduling conflicts, it’s closer to 7 weeks. As a compromise, my loctician asked me to retie the front and back rows where my locs tend to slip.
I did my the retie today, and let me tell you—it was a struggle! Retying with a 4-point rotation isn’t necessarily hard to do, but there’s a certain focus and patience required to (1) keep track of the direction you’re going in, (2) make sure you’re not accidentally joining locs (happened to me a few times), and (3) maintaining your parts. It’s not a mindless activity, but I’m sure it gets easier the more you do it.
I’ve done a few loc retying sessions before, but retying about 100 locs? That took WAY longer than I thought it would. It took me over an hour just to do the first 3 rows on the left side of my head! So I broke it up into sections (left, right, and back) and retied them throughout the day because doing it all in one go felt a little overwhelming. I can totally see why people space it out over a couple of days and I have major respect for all the DIYers out there, because these retying sessions are no joke! It probably took me about 6-10 times longer than it would take my loctician, so I’m not sure if I’m ready to take over all of my retying after the one-year mark like I thought I would. My loctician is just so fast, and to me, that convenience is worth the cost! And coming from someone who actually enjoys doing their own hair, I can completely understand why some people decide to comb out their locs—it can feel like a lot to maintain on your own, especially if you live a busy lifestyle.
What has been your go-to hairstyle this month?
This month, I had fun experimenting with new styles! My loctician gave me a cute style after my retie for the first time and I finally tried the French Roll Updo on my microlocs, inspired by @si_locked_in. Check out my recreation of her tutorial below.
Have their been any challenges with your locs this month?
Yes, I’m still battling some scalp dryness and flakiness, especially around the front of my head. My locs themselves feel really moisturized, though, which is good. If the flakiness doesn’t improve by the end of the month, I’m planning to visit a dermatologist to get to the bottom of it. I’ve tried some natural remedies like adjusting my diet, using essential oils, and spritzing rose water, but none of them seem to be making much of a difference.
What will you do address those challenges?
I’ll be heading to the dermatologist if the dryness continues. Hopefully, they’ll be able to help figure out what’s going on.
Have any locs fallen out? How many?
Nope! Everything is holding up just fine.
When is your next retie?
My next retie will be in 3 weeks. I’m curious to see how my locs will look after 7 weeks instead of the usual 4-week interval.
How much money did you spend on hair products this month?
Just my usual rose water purchase. I also bought some alligator clips to help separate my locs when I do my own reties.
Share some pictures of your hair from this month!
