All locks require some type of regular maintenance to insure that they don’t mat together into a few large locks. There are there basic types of lock maintenance: free forming/ separating the roots , twisting and rolling, interlocking/intertwining. If you want your locks to have a consistent look it is better to pick one method and stick with it.

Free Forming

Free forming is just what it sounds like you are basically letting your locks form themselves you are just guiding the process along. This method works best if you have hair that will naturally lock up if left to its own devices, coily, curly or kinky hair.

To free form just separate the bases of your locks after you wash your hair to keep them from hugging and growing together. It is usually easier to do if you group your hair into sections with hair ties or clips and work on one section at a time. This is the easiest least time consuming of all the maintenance methods.

If you are not pressed about having defined parted sections or being able to see your scalp this may be the method for you. You can free from if you started your locks with braids, twists, interlocking, or extensions. You can free from with locks started by rolling or twisting if the locks are teenage to mature.

Twisting and Rolling

Finger twisting, palm rolling and double strand twisting are all ways to maintain locks started with rolls or twists or extensions (if your hair is naturally curly or coily).

You will get better results and will be less likely to cause your locks to thin if you twist locks right after your have washed your hair or when they are dampened with some water. You can use a light gel to set them but stay away from beeswax.

Grouping locks in sections can make twisting easier. And you will be sure to get everyone. Try to remember to twist your locks in the same direction- clockwise or counterclockwise - unless you are going for the zig zag look. If you want to be sure that your locks set you can achor them with a metal clip and sit under a cool to warm hood dryer.

Finger twisting

Grab a lock and put a dab of gel on the hair to be twisted. Twirl the base around your finger until it coils. clip it and move on to the next.

Palm rolling

Grab a lock and put a dab of gel on the hair to be twisted. Place the lock between your palm. Move your  hands in opposite directions so that the hair turns in a clockwise(or counterclockwise) direction. Do this at the root and down the length of the lock.

Double Twisting

Grab two locks that are side by side put a dab of gel on the hair to be twisted. Twist both around your fingers separately until they form a coil and then twist them around each other until you reach the end of your new growth. Secure with clip until dry and then untwist.

Interlocking and Intertwining

Interlocking/intertwining new growth works best with locks that are started that way or started with braids or extensions. Since you aren’t twisting the hair you don’t have to worry about thinning locks as much as with twisting and rolling methods. You can also do this on freshly washed hair or dry.

The concept of interlocking hair is quite simple. You are just intertwining the strands of the new growth to make it easier for them to form a lock. It is kind of like using a crochet hook or knitting needles to make loops to form a chain.

You can use any thing that will help you thread your lock through your new growth. Some of the most commonly used items are:

• Latch hooks
• Bobby pins
• Bent wires
• Nappyloc Tool TM (can be purchased here)
• Sisterlock Tool TM  (Can only be obtained by SL Consultants,  Trainees and those who have taken the retightening course)

No matter what tool you use the process is about the same. Now I am going to explain the very basics of how to do this. There are other resources where you can get more detailed information about various patterns and techniques for various hair types.

Ok here is how you retighten with a tool. Remember you want to tighten from the formed lock up to the root.

Start by poking your tool or finger if you have a lot of new growth in to the base of your scalp.

Pull it down through the new growth until you hit the part that is already tightened/locked. This will give you an idea of how much you have to tighten. You should  have and area that feels like the letter “Y” looks.

Pull your lock through the arms of the “Y” space. You want to pull it through the area just above the pong where all their lines join.

 No do the same thing only this time go in the opposite direction so if you went top to bottom go left to right you want to make another “Y” space through the arms of the existing “Y” space. Just remember to pull your tool down to just above where the hair is locked so that you will be sure to get it tightened consistently and you wont have any loops or hole in your locks.

Be sure not to go around and around in the same spot. Poke the lock through at different points. When I had locks I would go in a round. I would poke from left to right then I would go from top to bottom then from right to left and then from bottom to top and end with the lock pointing down. That would be one round. If there was loose hair still I would start all over and do it again. Once you try it you will get the hang of it.

Trouble shooting

As with any thing mechanical some times you run into troubles, tightening with a tool in no exception. The most common tool tightening issue are: over tightening, joining to locks, making loops in your locks.

Over Tightening

One of the potential downside in tightening with a tool is that you can accidently tighten your locks too much. This can pull your roots and if done too often cause hair loss. It is always better to ere on the side of a little bit of slack in the base of the lock.

If you find that you have just over tighten a single lock. Try to undo the last pull through if you realize that it is tight as it is coming through it is easier to correct it. But if you find that your whole head seems to be on the tight size time is usually the only thing that can correct the problem.

Joining Two Lock Together

Almost everyone who has started tightening their locks with a tool has had the misfortune of accidentally joining locks together. If you catch it soon enough you can usually get them a part by pulling the one lock out of the other’s base. If you can see what happened you may want to enlist the help of a friend to separate the joined parties.

I have found that prevention is better than cure with this. If you do your tightening so that you are only working on one lock at a time, you are less likely to join locks together. Try sectioning your hair into bunches and pulling one lock out at a time until you finish a bunch and them move on to the next section of locks.

Locks with Holes

Once you get the technique down this is less likely to happen but while you are getting the hang of it you may loop the end of a lock though its base one or more times to many. This will make the two arms of the “Y” twist as if you were doing finger twists or coils. The twisted parts are not going to automatically lock together. If you don’t notice your mistake and poke your lock through in the other direction you form a lovely hole in your lock.

 If you have done this it is not the end of the world or your lock. You can try to work backward and fix the problem. If you notice it at a later time, you can take a needle and thread matching your hair color and carefully sew up the whole. If you have long stray hair you can use them.

Like joining locks together prevention is much better than cure. Remember not to go through the same spot twice. If you have brought the tip from top to bottom, insert your tool or finger in and bring it left to right or right to left. You can even insert your tip at angles and go top left corner to bottom right corner or top right to bottom left. What ever you do don’t go through the same spot two times in a row and you will not have to worry about holes in your locks.

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