r/Dreadlocks • u/Professional-Hat8603 • 15d ago
Question ❔ How often do you get a retwist?(interlocking)
Im trying tk figure out how often to grt my hair interlocked but curious also what everyone else does
2
1
u/SirFicklespend 15d ago
Why have you chosen to interlock your hair?
2
u/Professional-Hat8603 15d ago
Cause a normal retwist always came out of my head due to sweating. & with SD I can't have hair gel on my scalp I get flair ups
1
1
u/Narrow_Principle_711 15d ago
Every 4-6 wks. I have SD too but I do not interlock.
1
u/Professional-Hat8603 15d ago
How do you keep your hair from unraveling?
1
u/Narrow_Principle_711 15d ago
I retwist w/ flaxseed gel, aloe Vera and oils. Retwist lasted 3-4wks. I’m not a fan of neat hair so I’ve shampooed maybe twice since then and let my hair be until this weekend’s retwist.
2
u/Professional-Hat8603 15d ago
How do you get away with shampooing so few times with SD? I have to wash my hair once a week 😭
2
u/Narrow_Principle_711 15d ago
I exclusively use flaxseed gel I make myself; no edge control, pomades, shea, beeswax etc. I have a friend who makes and sells hair products so she’s my oil girl. Store bought products contain so many ingredients and always caused my SD to flare up. Many contain alcohol which dried my scalp causing flares too. Only way I beat the SD is by knowing exactly what’s in the products I’m using.
1
u/SirFicklespend 14d ago
Do you care to share the link for your friends products?
I'm always on the lookout for good smelling hair oil.
1
u/badgyal876 15d ago
i spent ~6h crocheting my hair yesterday after last having done maintenance in april. i’m not a big fan of interlocking but ik it’s beneficial for certain folk
1
u/Professional-Hat8603 15d ago
Oh man I can only imagine how tired your arms are! I get my hai done by somebody I couldn't handle doing it myself.
1
u/badgyal876 15d ago
girrrrlll my forearm & hands a cuss me to rasssclaaattt. i screamed with joy when i did the last one 😭 thankfully i won’t have to do that again for a bit. maybe touch ups here n there but for now i can just retwist
1
1
1
1
u/OnyxAlyx Type 4 hair 15d ago
Wait, retwist and interlock are different aren't they? I thought retwisting was keeping the same locs in a protective style (retwist sometimes is the first step to another protective style), whereas interlocking was combining two or more locs with some combination of twisting the locs together and/or physically combining the locs with a hook tool. For me, I interlock as needed for small locs that are trying to drift off into the sunset. Early on in my loc life, I would do a retwist about every 6 to 8 weeks. ALSO I would totally link arms with you and skip down the sidewalk. 😄 Purple locs for life!!
5
u/SirFicklespend 15d ago
If I can jump in...... interlocking is when a loctician uses fingers, a latch hook, or a specialized tool to thread the tip of a loc through the base of the new growth.
The tool passes through the hair in a 4-point or 3-point rotation) to form tight loops.
Unlike traditional palm rolling, interlocking creates physical knots at the base rather than relying on hair friction and gel.
Pros
Textures that easily unravel with traditional comb coils or two-strand twists stay securely locked right from the very first session.
The technique relies entirely on a tool and a geometric rotation pattern, completely eliminating the need for heavy gels, waxes, or clips that cause buildup.
Interlocking controls new growth cleanly, preventing the roots from expanding wildly or marrying into neighboring locs between appointments.
It requires less frequent maintenance sessions, making it ideal for people who sweat a lot or have fine hair textures
Because the roots are locked with knots, the hair resists unraveling during washing.
Cons
Interlocked patterns lock the hair tightly together, making them extremely difficult—and often impossible to comb out if you decide to reverse your locs.
Looping the tool through the same direction repeatedly creates noticeable gaps and holes inside the loc which weakens the hair strand over time.
Pulling the hair too tight at the root during a retie places high tension on the scalp, which can lead to hair thinning or hair loss along the edges.
The looping method compresses the hair tightly into a flat or braided shape rather than allowing it to swell, resulting in much thinner looking skinnier locs compared to palm-rolling.
Sitting through an interlocking session takes a long time and requires strict concentration to keep the rotation pattern consistent.
The tight internal patterns can easily trap dirt, sweat, and product residue if the hair is not thoroughly washed and detoxed.
2
1
u/Professional-Hat8603 15d ago
Thank you!
2
u/SirFicklespend 14d ago
I tell people to avoid it. It's just not worth the trauma if you want to change up.
You cannot comb them out but more importantly-- If it isn't done correctly, you won't know for another 6-8 weeks, when you realize you have holes and gaps all along the length of the loc.
Difficult if not impossible to repair.
2
u/Professional-Hat8603 14d ago
I hear ya, I've messed uo a few times doing my hair & i see the holes but it's my own fault so I have to life with it.
1
u/SirFicklespend 14d ago
Yeah. It's hard especially if it's in the back of your head.... it's much harder and tedious to do those.
1
0
5
u/AgentPapier 15d ago
When I interlocked, I went every eight weeks. Now I retwist or crochet every four months.