I remember the day that I learned how much lint my locs had attracted over time. I was sitting in the car with my mother, discussing the ups and downs of my recent decision to loc my hair. I was about a year into my journey when I first noticed that a few of my locs toward the front of my head had areas of visible lint. I went on a tangent about all of the ways that I would eliminate the lint immediately. My mother smiled at me in a way that only a mother can give a child and said, “Awe baby, you have lots of lint in your locs, you’re not going to get it all out,” as she shook her head and laughed. In that very moment I became terrified. When I got home I frantically examined every single loc on my head, only to realize that my mother was right. But that didn’t shy me away from my desire to get rid of the lint, it only made me more anxious to get it out! I thought about how I was going to do this, and before I knew it I found myself with a comb in hand, a collection of lint on my lap and half of my locs destroyed. It didn’t dawn on me that not only was I removing lint, but I was also taking my locs out! After about 7 locs I knew I had to stop and find a new solution that would not only prevent so much lint collection, but also repair the locs that I destroyed.
Tips for At-Home Care
The first thing I did was start wrapping my hair up every night. One of the reasons I found so much lint towards the back of my hair was because I was sleeping with cotton pillows, pillow cases, comforters, and blankets without protecting my locs. Remember, locs attract lint so by paying more attention to your overall at-home care, you can prevent excess lint. There are a few ways to keep your hair protected while sleeping or lounging around the house. You can wrap your hair with a satin scarf or bonnet, or use a loc soc which is easy to use and convenient when you’re on the go. You can also purchase a few satin pillow cases so that you can protect your hair while sleeping. All of these products can be found in our retail area here at Good Hair Salon.
The second thing I did was something very simple: at night, if my hair is not styled, I’ll run my fingers through each section of my hair. Not only does this help prevent my locs from joining and possibly marrying together, it also allows me to catch loose lint with my fingers.
Repairing Damaged Locs
How did I repair the locs I damaged? This is something that I’m still struggling with. As a result of taking out parts of my locs, I lost a lot of length on some, while others are learning how to bud up again in order to become solid. I am also considering doing loc repairs, a service that we offer our clients here at Good Hair Salon. When receiving a loc repair here at GHS, your stylist will ask you to bring in human hair that matches with your hair color. You can purchase this hair at most hair and beauty stores, which your stylist will sue to mend the damaged area in your loc my using a special technique that allows your strands to receive extra support while maintaining the look of a natural loc.
Taking care of healthy locs is not as easy as it may seem. Our locs need just as much love as anyone’s hair, so use me as your example. Whether your biggest pet peeve is lint, or you’re just interested in keeping your locs the most healthy, at-home care in between loc maintenance appointments is just as important as your salon service. It’s important to you and us as your natural hair stylists that you shine as bright as you already are!
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