Braidlocs, braidlocks, braidlocz… whatever you choose to call them, are locs achieved by braiding hair. They are a great alternative if your hair type does not twist, hold, or coil easily.
To start these locs, you need two inches of hair and regular retightening every 4-6 weeks.
Latching, twisting and palm-rolling are commonly used techniques to maintain braidlocs. Latching is used to tighten new hair that grows at the roots. To latch hair, you can either use a latch hook tool or your fingers.
Advantages Of Braidlocking Your Hair
1. Hair can be washed as regularly as required.
Unlike treated or natural dreads, braided hair tends to stay intact. You don’t have to worry about them unraveling when you wash them.
2. By choosing the latching method, new growth can be re-tightened on one day and the rest at a later time. Latching can be done on natural wet, damp, or dry hair.
3. It is easier to fashion braidlocs in a variety of styles. Due to the smaller size, braidlocs offer more opportunities for intricate and defined styles.
Challenges Of Braidlocked Hair
1. A larger section of your scalp is exposed in the beginning. The tight braids hold the roots together, exposing a larger portion of your scalp.
2. Hair needs to be re-tightened every month. Braids can also experience breakage and damage without regular retightening. Maintain a monthly schedule to prevent newly installed braidlocs from unraveling.