Making the Decision to Lock your Natural Hair

In the March 2015 issue of Essence there is a full page ad for Secret Clinical Strength deodorant. The model for the ad is wearing her hair in locks. This is probably not the first time this ad has appeared in this magazine, but its the first time that I have noticed it. For some reason it stood out to me. Why is that a big deal? Because it confirms that locks are growing more and more popular among black women.

Even though black women have been wearing their hair in the locks hairstyle for years, this hair style seems to be moving to the forefront of the natural hair movement...locks are moving to the spotlight.

And really, this makes sense. One benefit of growing your hair in locks is that it provides a neat, organized, less time consuming and simple way to maintain natural hair...Oh wait, that's four benefits! To me, locks take the natural hair journey to the next level. And growing locks destroys the myth that black women are not able to grow long hair of their own.

But, if locks are so great, why do sisters still struggle to make the decision to lock their natural hair?

The main reason I have heard, and struggled with myself, is the fear of missing their loose hair. The thought of not being able to run a comb through your hair and feel your scalp is a scary thing.  Another concern is the way locks look. Especially in the early stages of the process. Some women worry about maintaining a certain look and appearance, whether its work related or just personal. They might fear locks  won't look feminine enough, or sophisticated.  And one last reason is the fear of a lack of hair styling options (this could not be farther from the truth!).

These are just a few reasons that may keep women from making the decision to lock their natural hair. I am sure there are others I have not heard of. But, for all the reasons there may be for not taking the next step on your natural hair journey, there is one big reason that seems to be the theme for most of the women who somehow overcome or face these fears and make the choice...we love our hair!

If you have thought about starting your lock journey but are still not sure, one thing that might be helpful is installing yarn braids. Or, some people call them Genie Locs. This is what I did to help me make the choice. I wore them for a couple of months and really liked them. After this, I was convinced that I wanted to take the next step. Going through this process and making the choice to transition from loose natural hair to locks, was the best decision I have made for my hair.