Washing Baby Locs?

[babyraider04]

I've decided to loc my hair and it's been two weeks. My head is itching like crazy and very, very dirty. My stylist told me to stay away from moisture but I'm about to go crazy not washing my hair. How on earth do I wash my hair w/o washing it??? :unsure: :dunno: Help me!!!

[karimarie]

it's my opinion that when your head itches it's god's way of telling you to wash your head! lol. there's been a lot of topics on this, i know, but my opinion? wash your head. :) when i was first locking i would put a stocking cap (nylon) over my head and just rinse water over the "cap". but then i got more daring and would squeeze a little bit of shampoo in my hand lather it up in my hand and squeeze it through my locs, making sure i didn't scratch my hair - just massage it through with my finger tips. i would rinse ALOT when i was first starting and then squeeze the water out of my locs with a tshirt really gently and go about my business.

i would be interested in what your stylist says though. what does SHE (or he) suggest you do when your hair gets dirty and you need to wash? there is only so much "tap tap tapping" you can do before you finally have to dig in and just ITCH! ;)

take care - you'll be okay and this too shall pass.

kari

[bps_rebel]

ITA

[Melanizm]

from what i've read, clean hair locks faster than dirty hair because the oils, residue, and build-up on dirty hair slows the locking process.

maybe you might want to research it a bit more so you can decide what's best for your hair instead of your stylist. but almost every article i've read says that not washing locs early on is a myth and isn't necessary.

[knappy21]

THis is my same problem I started locking about a month ago and was told by my stylist that I shouldn't wash my hair yet...But my hair is way NAPPY and I don't think I need this much buildup and itching to lock my hair... I'm in the same ditch trying to figure out what to do ...I really want to wash I don't think its decent or good hygiene not to...I mean if we are to be natural and to prove to other people that we are proud of our naps it has to look good and be clean... I wish more replies would come up on this topic...so far I've been getting advice on what to put in my hair but not many stylist like to talk about the build ups and dirt that will accrue and eventually break your hair off.

[Ebonique]

I'm by no means an expert, I only have baby locs myself, but if my hair is that dirty and with that much buildup, I'd have no choice but to wash it. I've only had my locs in a week and already had to retwist some of mine 'cause of the humidity that made some of them unravel.

[Natural Kinks]

I have baby locs for two weeks now and I have been washing since week one. You are only asking for build up to be caked up into your locs in the long run when you don't. Some of my unraveled in the top and in the bad and I just retwisted and kept trucking. I rinse everyday as well so they are starting to tighten up a bit. Water helps it doesn't hurt.

[mochalocks]

Been locking for two months now,and I was told not to wash my hair for a while.. but I couldn't take it and I wash my hair, one month after. Just make sure, you take your time with them-remember they are still babies.. don't scrub too hard.

[Beryl]

Locticians who tell people not to wash their hair are part of the "old-school" who believe that goop (natural and added) helps hair to lock. Locs will happen without goop.

[iasade]

I have been locing for 3 months now and started them myself. After much research and just my own preference, I decided to wash mine every two weeks initially. I just let the water run all over my head and would gently massage the scalp a bit. I did this for the first 1.5 months. After then, I used shampoo in my hand and lathered it on my locs and rinsed them really well. I did feel much better and just cleaner overall. There have been discussions on this topic previously and the concensus has been to follow your mind and just wash if you need to , but be gentle. :afro:

[knappy21]

well, I have been concerned over washing for a while and have made a few posts in a couple of forums, recently after much confusion as a starter and newbie to locking I decided to wash. Washing my hair felt like someone took a cap off of my head! and my hair actually feels like its my hair and not a wig that I've been carrying around. My advice now to confused newcomers to the the game is, if your not sure what to do,...research. Its your hair, take some time to make it happy. secondly, though you may go and rely on a doctor for an ailment in your body... remember that not every salon professional is a doctor....many just wanna get paid. Sure not washing your hair will make your hair lock faster....but your hair should lock upon itself it is not supposed to lock upon dirt. Wash your hair when it is dirty, your scalp has pores that needs to breathe too... this promotes hair growth. Its funny even though I knew all this I still wanted to listen to what my stylist had to say about not washing. Guys trust me if you know what its like when a person stands in front of you with gunk in their hair then imagine what the person behind you is thinking.

[jkui29]

I just noticed we had more newbies on the forum who might appreciate this thread from the NP archives (:-)) so bump!

[cimorelli]

This is my second set of locs, and I ended up giving my hair a gentle wash after three weeks. I went for considerably longer the first time, but I couldn't take it this time.

After the comb coils were put in and paid for, the woman who'd done my hair advised me not to get moisture on my hair... now the first time that I went to a loctician, she advised not getting my hair wet for at least six weeks. This time, this woman was trying to get me to come in for the next two and a half to three months, so that she could wash my hair herself, and re- twist whatever had come undone. After a short, awkward silence ( in which my husband shot me a horrified glance ), I asked her again just how long I should wait. She gave me the same answer, and urged me to book an appointment in two weeks... " the hair needs training... ", etc. I did not ask her a third time ( seeing as how she was not going to tell me, apparently ), I just smiled, thanked her and left with my family.

I wash my hair, shake it dry, blot it, apply spray and go about my day. My hair looks fine. I'm not sure how much faster it will lock because of what I am doing now.

I really hope that I helped. :)

[mstrina911]

Im about 9 weeks in. I wash and retwist my hair every two weeks. I don't do a lot of manipulation and none of my tsts arre coming loose. Only the back half of my head is starting to loc.

[konyeogar]

Im 2.5 months in now and i was going through the same thing waiting and wondering if i could wash my hair , after my 2nd retwist in my 2nd month i had a light wash and it felt great ,my hair lady says i should wash every other month but i like the idea of washing every month

[Bossfemme]

I don't know if anyone else said this but, STOCKING CAP. Wash through the stocking cap and your locs will be fine.

[Denny]

Use a stocking cap, or band and braid or use a soapy flannel but whatever method please if your hair is dirty wash it! This 'do not wash for weeks/month on end' advice is based on old myths. Dirty hair does not loc faster it just gets dirtier.

[zaria333]

I washed mines the 2nd day I started them, I didnt really care about having neat part and I cant stand having gel products in my hair. I'm on my third set of locs and I maintain them myself. At first most unraveled, but my parts were still intact. I never really listened to the "loc experts". I've been washing every two days ever since. Advice, wash whenever you like, just have a mirror and gel when you do.

[chcltroses]

thanks for clarifying this. could someone tell me about beeswax? my stylist told me to use it, a friend who has been locked for a long time(10+ years) told me to stay away from it. i have been using a loc gel by taliah waajid. this seems to work ok. my baby locs are only two weeks old but i noticed some in the back of my head are coming undone

[Denny]

Beeswax is a recipe for buildup, its not the best thing for locs.

[Naturaldisiac]

bumping this one....it was helpful for me and may help someone else.

[Naturallonghairseeker]

It's good to hear this, because I have had locs for just a little over a week now and so far I've washed about 3 times now. I have no intentions of not washing for the sake of locking faster. I'm addicted to washing my hair. I started my locs by root to tip interlocking because of this fact. It makes it harder for them to unravel.

[AtaroWalker]

so if I just got comb coils done a few days ago, and wanted to wash for the sake of the build up is that ok??

I dont wanna ruin them when they look so good, but the waxy & dried build up from product is bothering me

[Denny]

so if I just got comb coils done a few days ago, and wanted to wash for the sake of the build up is that ok??

I dont wanna ruin them when they look so good, but the waxy & dried build up from product is bothering me

Welcome to locdom:)

If you feel your locs need washing, then wash them.

[kellbonez]

so if I just got comb coils done a few days ago, and wanted to wash for the sake of the build up is that ok??

I dont wanna ruin them when they look so good, but the waxy & dried build up from product is bothering me

I have comb coils and I wash as often as I like. I'm gentle and don't scrub that may help you. Some say use a stocking cap. I don't and I do just fine. So do what you think is best.

[chcltroses]

i was started with washing them every two weeks. When i switched people, i was told i could use a dry shampoo to cleanse my scalp. soon it will be a year for me come February

[trese55]

I found this thread very helpful...I'm three weeks in today and my loctician told me not to wash until I saw him (4 weeks for day started). I couldn't...I wash last weekend which was week 2. Took the advice here an on YouTube and washed with a stocking cap and diluted some Trader Joes nourish spa shampoo. My head felt 100% better.

[Platinumstyle]

Great thread. My baby locs were born on May 27, 2014. I started them via 2 strand twists in a salon. I asked the loctician how soon can I wash, she said "Come back to me in 4-6 weeks".:huh: It's only been 2 days and my scalp is itching like crazy. She used Shea Butter mixed with something else. I'll probably wash with diluted Dr. Bronner's (peppermint) and a stocking cap.

[originalwharris]

I'm so happy to have found this thread. I have dandruff that gets worse when the weather gets cold and waiting 3-4 weeks to see my stylist is too long to go without washing. I will try the stocking cap idea.

[gilroygal]

With my scalp, not only do I HAVE to wash often, but I MUST be able to have full access to my scalp, so no stocking cap for me. I also have to scrub my scalp with the pads of my fingers, so I have more frizz (honestly I have frizz no matter what I do or what products I use) than I might have if I didn't. This requires that I retwist often, too, but once I am fully locked I probably won't retwist EVERY time I shampoo.