Anybody started with interlocks? Newbie needs help!

**naturellejae** · 02-28-2011, 11:39 PM

Hey everyone! I've been a lurker on here off and on ever since I went natural in 2004 but finally decided to get serious about my hair care and do the research on locing my hair...something I've wanted to do since I was a kid but my mom was NOT having that.

Anyway, from my initial research and taking my lifestyle into consideration, I have my heart set on starting my locks by interlocking. I've tried several times with comb coils and 2sts but after about a month and half, the parts are gone and most are unraveling, so I just take them down in frustration and go back to loose naturalness.

I'm wondering if anybody has started their locks by interlocking and then maintained them by palm rolling? Is this even possible? I like the idea of my hair not coming out when I wash my hair (which I do semi-frequently) but I don't want my locs to be thin or skinny (which is what it seems happens with interlocking). I love the cylindrical and thick look that I've had with comb coils and always just assumed I would palm roll my locs because it just feels healthier to me (less tension on my hair) . I know a few of you here have started with interlocks, but has anybody ONLY started that way and then moved on to palm rolling? Or switched early on in their journey to palm rolling?

**chachadiva** · 02-28-2011, 11:51 PM

It sounds like you have issues with maintaining your hair. Even with comb coils and 2sts, you still should be able to keep the parts. What do you think will be different if you start by interlocking since you are going to palm roll anyway?

But...to answer your question, yes, a lot of people start with interlocks. Yes, you can maintain by palm rolling. Yes, people have switched from latching to palm rolling.

Try doing a search for palm rolling, interlocking, latching, etc.

**naturellejae** · 03-01-2011, 12:36 AM

Originally Posted by chachadiva

It sounds like you have issues with maintaining your hair. Even with comb coils and 2sts, you still should be able to keep the parts. What do you think will be different if you start by interlocking since you are going to palm roll anyway?

But...to answer your question, yes, a lot of people start with interlocks. Yes, you can maintain by palm rolling. Yes, people have switched from latching to palm rolling.

Try doing a search for palm rolling, interlocking, latching, etc.

Well yes, I'm spoiled. I grew up with a beautician in the house (my mom) so I didn't start doing my own hair until college. And I'm just very low-maintenance about my hair in general. I don't use a lot of product, don't want to have to maintain it every day so I usually end up retwisting it once or twice and then by the third wash, my OCD kicks in and I'm obsessing over the parts.

I've just finished going thru the whole locs discussion forum and found a few pics/posts that sort of answered my questions. I guess my biggest thing is if I will be able to have medium sized thick locs by starting with interlocking.

**chachadiva** · 03-01-2011, 01:04 AM

Originally Posted by naturellejae

I guess my biggest thing is if I will be able to have medium sized thick locs by starting with interlocking.

Just start with larger sections of hair.

**DeBe** · 03-02-2011, 08:45 PM

You could always start with braids....? if they're braided loosly, you have the advantage of them holding together enough to be low maintainance, but loose enough to loose the braid pattern over time. Tight braids can hold the braid pattern longer than many people like.

DeBe

**yetrapp** · 03-08-2011, 03:26 PM

Im thinking about starting with interlocking too! As soon as my hair grows a little more

**NaturalBeauty101** · 03-08-2011, 09:09 PM

Hello NaturelleJae,

I started my locks almost two years ago by interlocking my loose, natural hair. I decided on interlocking because I figured that the entire lock of hair would mature at the same time, rather than start at the root and gradually move down the lock, as in the case of two strand twists or braids. I can say from experience that the size of your locks will depend upon the size of the parts you make. If they're too small, you can always combine neighbouring locks to make them bigger. If they're too large... well, you may have to take them down and re-do the locks from scratch.

I maintain my hair by interlocking once a month/ every two months. My locks are not yet mature, so they're pretty fuzzy in-between touch-ups, a fact that doesn't bother me at all. I would switch to palm rolling as I think it's more esthetically pleasing, but because I wash my hair every week/ twice a week, the roots would unravel easily (whereas it's impossible for them to "unravel" when latched). I haven't experienced any thinning. On the contrary, my locks have thickened up and remained thick throughout. But who knows what may happen down the line?

I can say that the only problem i've had so far is with my shampoo drying out my locks during a wash... a problem which i'm working through at the moment. But to answer your question, yes it's possible to start by interlocking and switch to palm rolling. Locks aren't [so] sensitive that something like that would affect them.