My First Retightening & Meeting My Loctician
I recently had my first retightening (or retie) after four weeks with my microlocs and I was surprised by how pleasant my experience was. It’s often advised to schedule your first retie four weeks after establishment to ensure that your microlocs are holding up well and to correct any potential issues at the onset. As soon as I returned from my trip to Nigeria, I contacted the loctician that I identified from the Sisterlocks website to confirm that she was still available to do my reties. She was still on board and asked me to come with my hair freshly shampooed. This was refreshing to hear, since in my consultation with another loctician, I was advised to wait 10 weeks before washing my hair. She also gave me instructions on how to wash my hair with the Sisterlocks Starter Shampoo (braiding / banding and cleaning the scalp without scrubbing too hard).
I was so surprised by how thick my freshly washed hair was and how much movement / bounce it had (see video below)!
To start, my loctician parted my hair into four sections and worked through each section one at a time. It was so painless that I didn’t even realize when she got started interlocking. I was nervous about the pain level because my installation was very painful and my scalp was sore for 2 - 3 days. I did not have a lot of new growth at the roots so she used a 3-point rotation to interlock my hair. Since she’s a Certified Sisterlocks Consultant, she also used the Sisterlocks tool (it looks like a small white pencil with a triangular groove) to retie the roots. It was my first time seeing the tool and I found it fascinating because I was only familiar with the interlocking tool that looks like a needle / crochet latch hooks. As she worked through my hair, she showed me two examples of what microlocs that have slippage can look like at the roots or in the middle. Thankfully those were the only locs with minor issues and she corrected them. She also reformed one of the locs around my edges that unraveled, and said that overall, my hair texture was taking the locking process very well.
It took her only 1 hour and 54 minutes to retie all 494 locs, and it cost $185 (which is fairly in line with the market rate in New York). She did not charge a transfer fee either. Prior to the appointment she told me she was fast, but I was so impressed to see how quickly she worked in person. I had heard a few horror stories online of people whose reties consistently take 4+ hours. I learned more about microlocs and Sisterlocks broadly from her decades of experience as a licensed Barbara and natural hair specialist. We chatted throughout the entire time and she curated such a relaxing atmosphere. I left feeling well taken care of.
Here’s a few pictures of my freshly retied hair:
She placed me on a regimen and shared a few tips / tricks to take care of my microlocs:
She put me on a 5-week retightening schedule.
She recommended that I wash my hair every two weeks, but to wait until right before I come for my retie for the 2nd wash. She stressed the importance of maintaining a clean scalp and not walking around patting your head because it’s itchy.
She advised me not to use any oils because the hair needs to lock. For clients whose hair is not locking, she sometimes recommends that they spray lemon juice water on their microlocs to help it lock faster. Because my hair was taking well to the process, she didn’t recommend that I do this.
She advised me to take my vitamins / supplements regularly (particularly iron since it can negatively affect your hair when deficient). She also educated me on how what you eat can affect your hair.
For the dryness / flaky scalp I was experiencing, she recommended that I mix ~6 drops of an essential oil like Tea Tree, with spring water and Lavender or Peppermint Oil in a small spray bottle, and spray a little bit only on my scalp before exercising. I purchased those items and am looking forward to seeing how they work for me.
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Overall, my loctician was very knowledgeable and kind. She worked diligently, assessed the health of my hair and also completed repairs where necessary. She did a great job building credibility and trust. Every step of the way she walked me through exactly what she was doing and answered all of my questions honestly and professionally. She also encouraged me to enjoy my microlocs - wear it down, play with styles, and let it do what it does, while also showing me how to massage my hair so that it frames my face better. I’m looking forward to future appointments with her because she was so delightful!
My advice to those looking for a loctician is, don’t underestimate the importance of developing a positive relationship with your loctician. Get to know them personally and be kind. Use them as a resource when you have questions or concerns. You’ll be spending a lot of time with them over the course of your maintenance journey, and at times may run on their schedule, so it helps to establish good rapport.
