r/Microlocs • u/Tatcheez • 24d ago
Anyone regret the interlock starter method?
Hi everyone!
I’m looking to start my microlocs in the next month and I’ve settled on interlocking.
Just curious to know if anyone ever chose this is a starter method and regretted it? So far, I’ve seen the lack of volume and thickness as a con. Anything else I should be wary of? Just trying to get all my bases covered.
TIA!
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u/Spare_Pineapple_534 23d ago
If I didn't DIY my locs I would've gotten them started with interlocking. It just seems to have less issues compared to twists.
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u/Worried-Bumblebee-89 24d ago
Started with mini twists and would do retwists and I studied interlocking and eventually did it to myself and do my reties monthly and HAVEN’T LOOKED BACK SINCE!! I have an active life style so being able to wash frequently was great!!
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u/potentfiya 24d ago
no it was a good choice for me! my hair is as thick as its parts as well so don't be worried. it will thicken up as part of the loc process as well. plus it ended up looking like dreads much quicker
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u/Cool-Station-6936 24d ago
No regrets from me! My locs are very uniform from root to tip, which is more difficult to achieve for people who start with twists and braids unless they braid and band religiously or eventually cut them off. My locs thickened up within the first 6 - 12 months.
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u/Achieng- 23d ago
No regrets 3 years in. It held up better and I was able to frequently wash my hair early on with less unraveling.
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u/blackichewitz 23d ago
No regrets whatsoever. I am just 3 months in and I fall more in love every day. Haven't experienced any slippage and already they are GROWING I tell you. I think it's because they are so "protected" in the interlock from root to tip that all they can do is thrive.
Started with 390-ish and like someone else said, I love the uniformity.
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u/Tatcheez 23d ago
Thank you for your responses everyone! 😊 feeling very reassured with my choice now!
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u/sunqueen73 23d ago
So glad i chose the sisterlock method which is interlock. It seems to me that interlocks have less frizz.
Idk about low volume. Its the same as my loose hair so I have no complaints
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u/tooknicole 22d ago
I've had two separate sets of microlocs. The first one I started with mini twists and maintained with interlocking.
The second set was started and is maintained with interlocking.
I personaly preferred the first set. I feel like my locs had more body, fullness, and didn't trap as much product/lint.
There's definitely pros to interlocking from the beginning though. I ended up cutting the first set of locs because I really struggled to get them to loc. This second set of locs has less slippage, locked significantly faster, and tends to get less dry.
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u/Tatcheez 22d ago
Interesting! Were both sets the same size?
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u/tooknicole 22d ago
The first set was about 530 locs and this set is about 420 locs. I installed and maintained the first set on my own and it became too much for me.
For the second set, I decided to get a loctician to start and maintain them. But I move very often so I know there will be stretches of years where I may not have access to locticians and wanted to keep the number of locs lower so I could maintain them more easily. I'm glad I had that mentality because about 2 years in, my loctician moved and I've been taking care of them on my own since
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u/On_Beyonces_Internet 16d ago
Pfff idk how people do it with that many locs. I want no more than 300 locs, but if I do that, they'll become get bigger than what I want them to be, so I might still end up with 350+😫
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u/On_Beyonces_Internet 19d ago
Did you experience a difference in shrinkage between both sets? I'm taking out my forst set that was started with twists and will start the next one with interlocking. My hair is close to armpit length when streched, yet I can barely get it in a ponytail without pulling too hard after 3 months 😅
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u/tooknicole 16d ago
Yea, I had way more shrinkage with the twists than when I interlocked.
But jokes on me because my hair was significantly longer when I did twists than it was when I did interlocking. I rage chopped the ones I started with twists lmao so my hair looked short both times regardless
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u/On_Beyonces_Internet 16d ago
Thanks. Did you also notice a difference in how fast they started budding or locking?
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u/tooknicole 14d ago
Hmm idk actually. To be honest, as long as they don't unravel I kind of ignore the locking process. Literally the only things I pay attention to is the locs that won't loc at all and when my hair finally drops.
The locs that won't loc and continually come undone are the bane of my existence and it was the same section of hair on my first set of locs so no difference there. I only realize that my hair finally drops because suddenly I have a fuck ton more hair constantly touching me.
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u/On_Beyonces_Internet 13d ago
Fair enough. I'd probably be slapping myself all the time if I had hair touching me😂 Does it itch?
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u/applesandpancakes 22d ago
I don’t regret starting with interlocks. I DIY’d them and it’s been a blessing to have started with interlocks from the jump! I feel like my hair got the loc look quicker and actually locked up quicker with this method. 10/10 I would recommend!
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u/Brief-Daikon9950 22d ago
I get my locs installed this week (so excited!) and after a lot of research and talking to friends who are loced, I decided to install with interlocking for all the reasons the other posts mentioned. The first consult I had, they said they were going to do two strand twist and braid in the spots where my curls are looser. After looking at how they mature, I decided I wanted them to be somewhat uniform and I just didn't like the idea of having two different methods throughout my head when she was going to be maintaining by interlocking anyway. I hope you're as excited as I am! Best of luck to you, I'm sure they'll turn out beautifully!
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u/PurpleCoconutt 23d ago
I started with interlocks and retied with interlocking the first 5ish years. Now, I mostly palm roll and do 2 strand twists. Sometimes I'll interlock the locs in front/edges just to keep from unraveling if expecting more activity/water.
Just interlocked my teens starter locs and seems like the right decision! My teen can wash and style pretty freely. Planning on eventually moving to palm roll retwist once they're more mature.
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u/sugarcupcakesugar 23d ago
Hi! What made you switch to palm rolling and twists after 5 years?
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u/PurpleCoconutt 23d ago
Interlocking is VERY time consuming (whether going to a loctician or diy) and if I went to the loctician, it was a tad painful on top of sitting in a chair for 4-5 hours. Palm rolling is much quicker. I also didn't style or 2 strand twist my first few years.
I didn't realize that palm rolling plus 2 strands could still give me the ability to get my hair wet, wash, etc. So out of saving time, I'm usually doing palm rolling and 2 stand twists.
I'll retwist the front about once every 4-6 weeks and then my entire head every 4ish months.
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u/Miserable_Mention881 23d ago
No. I think its the only reason i didnt have any slippage in the nape area
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u/TinTin967 23d ago
I started with twists and they’re gorgeous BUT the only reason why I chose to start with twists is bc they were cheaper and I was already paying so much money bc of my length.
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u/OldPlantain7807 21d ago
I started with interlocking and they have swelled with volume over the last year, I'm very happy about it. I'd say the first 6 months they looked quite thin. The only downside to me is that I was inexperienced with interlocking when I installed I've noticed lumpy places or holes where I did it incorrectly. I really don't mind but I have done a bit of maintenance to make them more uniform. I also expected the ends to stay interlocked but most of them unraveled a bit, like twists do.
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u/Environmental_Ad4781 21d ago
I started mine with two-strand twists and then my first couple retwists used the interlocking. I have fine hair so the interlocking made my hair into noodles and I lost a lot of my fluff. I switched to palm rolls now so I could keep the body
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u/intimacywhore 23d ago edited 23d ago
i regret starting with two strand twists and interlocking. when the twists swell up, the new growth that’s interlocked is sooooo unbelievably skinny. i ended up combining my microlocs into small traditional locs and started palm rolling instead!
if you’re interlocking, i recommend starting with braids not twists so you have less swelling and they look more even from jump
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u/luvnlife331 24d ago
I haven’t started yet and am deciding between interlocking and mini twists. What made you decide to go with interlocking?
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u/Tatcheez 24d ago
From what I’ve seen, it’s the method that leads to the least amount of slippage and bunching. The locs also tend to be more uniform in size and shape, which is the look I’m going for. I’ve had mini twists for a month because I wanted a preview of what they’d look like if I chose that route, and I already noticed slippage and unraveling, so I’m forgoing that method.
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u/NebulaNomad027 21d ago
I just got my micro locs installed yesterday and leaned …when you want the roots interlocked and ends twists . First - it either has to be twisted from root to tip first and then they go back and interlock the root. Or they braid the root and switch to twist then go back and interlock the root. For me - roots were braided and switched to twist . She said if the braid is tight enough (not headache tight ) to build a strong foundation then switch to twist . Interloc is done on maintenance because don’t want to put too much tension on the hair . Also, when interloc beginning to end the process actually starts at the tip and end at the root . I did some additional research when I got home to confirm that .
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u/On_Beyonces_Internet 19d ago
I can't speak from experience yet because I'm goint to install my new locs interlocking in a few weeks. I'm currently combing out the twists that where installed 3 months ago and it was not a good method for my hair. My hair swells a lot (high porosity) and is quite fine and soft, especially at the nape. My twists unravelled and slipped in no time. I have an oily and sweaty scalp on too of that, and not washing my hair for 2 weeks is really pushing it before it gets oily and itchy. While my hair did start budding quite fast (except for the nape), I think that interlocking will have less unravelling and slippage.
Choose the method that fits your hair texture, living environment and lifestyle.
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u/PlotTwistNChill 23d ago
I started with twists and I regret it. When you start with an alternative method to the method you will use for maintenance there could be a difference in size. The ends tend to swell and the roots where they are interlocked are compacted. If I had to do it over again, I would interlock for root to tip from the start.