Starting Locs with Kinky Twists?

[yayaloveee]

Hi all!
So I knew I definitely wanted to lock my hair, but I wasn't really interested in cutting all of my relaxed hair off to do so. A friend suggested I put kinky twists in my hair, and as my natural hair grows out, I lock my roots. Overtime I'll cut the kinky twists, until I'm sporting nothing but my natural locs.
So I put kinky twists in my hair about two weeks ago, but after doing some research I'm having doubts if I should go through with this.
My question I guess is, has anyone tried this, or does anyone know someone who has locked their hair using this method? Any tips?

[Favoured1]

I considered using this method before I loc'd with combcoils and had some issues:

1. The dryness. The kinky twist hair was competing with my natural hair for moisture...and I already had issues keeping my hair moisturized.

2. The weight. I have fine strands and from experience, I know that as my hair grows out, the fake hair would pull on my fragile strands, causing my roots to constantly be stressed. And as you probably already know the key to healthy locs is healthy roots.

3. THEN there was the issue of build up and/or lint along the demarcation between where the kinky twist was installed and my hair. Try as I might, that white crustiness would show up even after thorough washing.

All that said, there are people that have successfully transitioned from kinky twists to locs. I'm just not one of them.

But if you do follow through with it, I'd suggest you use human hair - it will go through the locing process with your hair much better than synthetic. And it may reduce the issues I experienced. Also, make sure to keep your situation moisturized.

Good luck! :-)

[NeverGiveup]

2. The weight. I have fine strands and from experience, I know that as my hair grows out, the fake hair would pull on my fragile strands, causing my roots to constantly be stressed. And as you probably already know the key to healthy locs is healthy roots.

3. THEN there was the issue of build up and/or lint along the demarcation between where the kinky twist was installed and my hair. Try as I might, that white crustiness would show up even after thorough washing.

I've always wondered about that.

[Yams]

I started off this way using human hair extensions and kept them in for about 2 - 3 months before I realized it wasn't going to work for me. A lot of the extensions slipped out on their own within a month or so...mostly the ones in the back, middle of my head (so it wasn't noticeable) and they kept slipping out, so I didn't see how it was going to hold up for much longer and decided to take them all out. I'm glad I didn't stick with the extensions becuase I was STILL able to experience the process from starting with really short locs to what they've grown to be a year and 3 months later...I think it helped me mentally more than anything else...hope that makes sense.

I didn't have issues with builup at the line where extensions/my hair met.

[KnottyAuthor]

Locking is exciting-but it's more important to get in touch with your loose natural hair, experience that, then lock after 1-2 years. You may lock anyway, but for a successful journey, it's better to take that mental journey to loose nappy hair instead of complicating things. Just MHO.

And, the input already given is right on point and true. You have to know what you're doing to go the ext. route and it takes experimenting and getting in touch with your hair and trying hairstyles to learn how to work it and embrace you. Going from a perm to locks, skips alot of steps that are essential to become locked for life.

[cammiecam]

My experience was similar to Yams. I attempted to use human kinky hair to transition to locs, but after 8 months it just was a no go. The hair was slipping, it was a different texture than my natural hair and my loctician made my parts entirely too small. I documented it in my blog if you want to take a look.

[cammiecam]

I thought my blog was in my siggy, dunno why it's not.

http://naturaltaketwo.wordpress.com/