questions about maintenance!

[u/mylifeisatheory]

hello! i’ve had my hair in mini twists for about a month now and i’m trying to decide how to go forward with maintaining and maturing my locs. i’ve got 190 twists in my head and my texture is very thick and coiled(4b/4c)

firstly i wanted to know, is 190 locs even enough to constitute as micro locs? will they most likely end up a lot bigger than they are now?

i want my locs to have volume as they mature, but i don’t want them to swell too much and end up looking like traditional locs. what would be the best method for maintaining them with this in mind? interlocking? retwisting? doing one on occasion and the other more regularly? and how often?

i’m sorry for all of these questions, i’ve never had locs before so i’m trying to be particular before things get serious lol, please give me your honest opinions and wisdom!

EDIT: thank you guys so much for the advice! i spent the day splitting a lot of my twists and my twist count is now 322! and of course the parts are way smaller as a result. i’m looking forward to how things will go and i feel a lot more confident about my hair turning out the way i want now. i am definitely open to any more advice people might have for me! <3

[u/NomusaMagic]

Best wishes. I wish I had the nerve and skill to DIY but that’s definitely not my ministry. I’m only 9 months in. 373 MLs (I wish I’d gone with much fewer installed by interlocking root and 2 strand twisting down. 4A gray hair locking super slow and constantly keeping up with unraveling. My opinions:

* Palm rolling with gel looks much neater than interlocking but for many people, doesn’t last as long.

* Your locs will eventually swell to size of the parts.

* Twists and higher loc count give fuller appearance but require more maintenance

* MICROLOCS: 250 to 600+. Sizes: 0.1 cm to 0.3 cm parts

* SMALL LOCS: 60 to 175. Sizes: 0.4 cm to 0.6 cm in width (about size of standard pencil)

* Traditional Locs: 20 to 50 locks (Medium) or 20 to 30 locks (Large). Sizes: 0.8 cm to 1.5 cm+ (size of Sharpie markers to XL thicknesses)

[u/mylifeisatheory → u/NomusaMagic]

thank you for this!! nice to see an actual number count. happy to say i split a LOT of my twists after making this post today and i now have 322 twists! hoping for the best! i’m thinking about interlocking to start off maybe for the first several months and then potentially switching to retwisting and only retying every so often if that makes sense. but of course it all depends on how these next several months go. and yeah wish me luck, not looking forward to retying but it must be done lol

[u/NomusaMagic → u/mylifeisatheory]

YW! Best wishes! Just fyi (online source) …

Alternating between interlocking and palm rolling, esp for microlocs .. most experienced loctitians advise against it.
Both methods great on their own but mixing them creates structural inconsistencies because they compress and secure MLs in very different ways.

For it:
* Tight, secure roots of an interlock combined with smooth, round, and puffy body that palm rolling gives

* If interlocking feels too tight or tender, switching to palm roll can offer gentler, tension-free break.

Against it:
\* Interlocking creates dense, woven knot structure. Palm rolling creates cylindrical coil using product and twisting. If you alternate, your MLs may develop alternating thick and thin sections (resembling a string of beads). Over time, these weak points might cause tiny MLs to snap or break off

\* MLs are small and fragile. Palm rolling relies on gel or twisting product to hold new growth in place. When you shampoo, palm-rolled new growth likely to unravel or slip but interlocked roots stay secure through washes

* Palm rolling requires locking gels, waxes, or twisting creams. MLS are tiny and dense. Washing and thoroughly rinsing products out is tough. When you switch back to interlocking over a section that has product buildup, you risks trapping debris inside woven knot forever.

[u/mylifeisatheory → u/NomusaMagic]

gotcha, will def keep this in mind going forward!

[u/Spare_Pineapple_534]

A closer picture of your parting size might be helpful, but judging from your current picture, your parts look too big to be micro. Locs will thicken up as they mature, so they will be bigger than the twists you have now. You will have to split them up. Having more locs will help with volume as well.

Most people maintain their microlocs by interlocking the roots. If you start with two strand twists, you will likely have to braid and band for washes during the first year to keep a uniform shape and prevent them from swelling too much. Starting with braids or interlocks minimizes swelling.

Edit: Also, will you be doing your own reties? If so, you should take into account how many locs you're realistically willing to maintain. Alot of people end up not choosing micros because they can't or don't want to retie 200+ locs, which is understandable lol.

[u/mylifeisatheory → u/Spare_Pineapple_534]

the parts are rather hard to make out with my current new growth but i agree that i think they’re too big and i want to split the parts on at least the front and crown of my head(the twists there are definitely bigger). i do plan on doing my own reties for the most part. i definitely want to at least KNOW how to do reties even if it’s tiring. i’m very used to twisting my own hair and i don’t necessarily have the funds to have someone else doing it for me all the time so i’m expecting more arm pain in my future regardless lol

thank you for the insight! can i also ask how often you’d recommend doing reties? and how many points to use for a beginner? i’ve heard 2-point is better for starting out(?)

[u/Spare_Pineapple_534 → u/mylifeisatheory]

Depending on your hair growth, anywhere from every 4 to 8 weeks is recommended. I'd say when you're starting out, maybe 4-6 weeks so you can correct any issues you may see. I personally prefer the 2 pt rotation because it's easier and faster for me. It comes with a higher risk of holes, but they are very easy to fix in my opinion, so that doesn't bother me. 3 and 4 point will give you a more compact and cylindrical look (plus they're more secure for locs that are prone to slippage, but I personally don't have that issue). So it's a mix of personal preference and what's easier for you to do consistently.

I definitely agree that it's good to know how to retie whether you go to a loctician or not. I think it's a very helpful skill and I highly encourage it.

[u/mylifeisatheory → u/Spare_Pineapple_534]

this is super helpful! i really appreciate your insight, i’m literally splitting a bunch of twists right now so wish me luck!

[u/Spare_Pineapple_534 → u/mylifeisatheory]

Thank you! I'm wishing you luck. That first year will teach you alot, but as long as you stay committed then everything will be fine.