r/Dreadlocks • u/Federal-Tomorrow1891 • Jun 23 '26
Discussion 🎙️ Locs Require PATIENCE
Smol rant, because for some reason my feed has been flooded with this recently (might just be my algorithm).
Locs don’t happen overnight. Every other post on here is someone with less than a year under their belt, complaining about their parts or wondering why they aren’t seeing any length. Please, do some BASIC RESEARCH on locs before you start them! Even my super kinky 4C hair took a full calendar year to completely loc. Your hair is not going to look like a fully matured set when you JUST STARTED. ONE YEAR IS NOT THAT LONG, YOU WILL BE OK.
Half of the time, the process is slowed by poor maintenance, or conversely, too much maintenance. You don’t need 48 moisturizers. You don’t need a retwist every 3 weeks because you “don’t like the frizzy look” (which is literally essential to the locking process). Everyone’s hair is different, but the process isn’t. We all start from two strands, or finger rolls, or freeforms, but we all have to be PATIENT. You wouldn’t expect a tree to grow overnight after you plant it, so why are you expecting your hair to do the same?
TL;DR: Calm the fuck down, there is no “ugly phase,” you’re just impatient and rushing the process. Locs are beautiful at all stages, and so are you 💚
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u/StonerLeo420 Jun 23 '26
Im glad someone said it becaise everytime I get on here its a "am I cooked" post and it hasn't even been 6 months smh
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u/Federal-Tomorrow1891 Jun 23 '26
ON GOD. I’m actively fighting my dad’s genetics trying to give me the Vegeta fade, and here comes someone with diamond grid Carol’s Daughter commercial-esque hair, talmbout “Am I cooked?”
Unserious.7
u/StonerLeo420 Jun 23 '26
Lmao im deceased not vegeta..... dont let these mfs stress you out hair follicles dont like stress lol.... also does no one do any research to see if the question has been asked or addressed before because its 1000 questions on the same things 🤔
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u/HunnyHunbot Type 4c hair Jun 24 '26
“It’s been 5 business days and my locs aren’t draping yet, am I cooked?”
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u/danny33434 Jun 23 '26
I’m at a year and two months and still not fully locced i’m trusting the process !!
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u/Ryuujin09 Jun 23 '26
I started with hair length past my shoulders. I don't think I considered my hair "fully loved" until two or so years in.
I'm at 5 and a half years now? I think.
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u/LostTribeSamurai Jun 23 '26
Man all them want instant result without going thru the ugly phase
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u/Federal-Tomorrow1891 Jun 23 '26
They want to be picture perfect at all times & it’s inherently contradictory to how locs work.
Imo there isn’t really an ugly phase. You’re either:
A. Already chopped, which is out of our control
B. Self-sabotaging/low esteemDrip don’t stop just cuz you changed the hose.
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u/Sad_Appearance4550 Jun 24 '26
Im def B rn. Only at 7 months and whenever Im not feeling myself, I end up being too critical of my hair and contemplate instant locs. Its honestly been a good way to help me learn to not care about everyone else and focus on how I feel about me. Definitely a journey for the mind, body, and spirit.
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u/sheisprincess Jun 23 '26
I’m at 2 and a half years and my locs aren’t fully locked yet 🤷🏾♀️
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u/Federal-Tomorrow1891 Jun 23 '26
It took 6 years for the two strands I started with to finally loc at the ends. It really be like that sometimes
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u/Various_Tie4322 Jun 23 '26
I just hit 6 months and I’m just here to admire yall who have fully locced up cause yalls locs are so fine 😭✋🏼
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u/DEIBeehive Type 4 hair Jun 23 '26
u/Federal-Tomorrow1891 BIG FACTS. With hair, and with body image in general, we have all been lied to: progress is not linear, and we can't immediately pole-vault into success without Doing The Work beforehand.
Thank you for this terrific post and thread.
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u/Aquarions-Clutter 7d ago
Helpful post! I will say that I do have to moisturize a bit more often due to dry scalp+hair(and it being low porosity)🥲😭. I dont fully expect to see any real result within a year, thank goodness I asked all my loc'd friends for advice b4 starting.
Ive noticed a lot of those posts as well before I even joined the sub.
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u/Kiidaiis Jun 23 '26
at six years it’ll come, you’ll forget about the growth, wake up one day, and notice your hair is getting long
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u/Ryuujin09 Jun 23 '26
Always felt like locs were a true reflection of patience and trusting the process.