Test Locs

So after doing tons of research and completely admiring so many beautiful women with sisterlocks, I have decided to start my own sisterlock journey. I am scheduled for my installation on Friday and Saturday November 23th and 24th. Funny how I said that I would never lock my hair. Maybe because I have always had a negative view of "dreadlocks". Heck, it took me this long to even consider going natural. It is interesting that the guy that used to do my hair when it was permed was the one who told me he was no longer going to put a relaxer in my head. He started flat ironing my hair and at the time I was working out pretty regularly and going to the gym with natural roots and relaxed ends was not pretty. So I started wearing braids, wigs, and kinky twists and the rest is history. I stopped relaxing my hair in the fall of 2006, and I did the BIG CHOP on March 30, 2007.

Here are some pics before the realization that I didn't have to perm my hair. I was another one who felt like her hair had to be straight in order to be considered "well kept".

One of my old favorites : 1/2 Wig

Kinky Twists Microbraids

Someone please remind me again why I would sit for 12 hours straight to have this done to myself, only to have to get them redone every 6-8 weeks!!!

The things we do to look good...LOL

Now I could act like cutting my perm out was the most liberating experience of my life, but I hated it.....well at least initially. I came home and cried to my husband saying that I looked like a boy with girly earrings on :-( Thank God I have a supportive husband!! Be he assured me that I looked fine. I went to a natural hair care stylist who performed the "BC" and she styled what hair I had left with comb coils. It had a hard time looking at myself in the mirror. But after about a whooping 2 days I fell in love with myself. It was me!! Finally, no weaves, no extensions, no creamy crack, just me!! That is when I felt liberated. I had so many people give me compliments. I only had a handful to ask "why did you cut all your hair off". So that definitely helped.

But one thing I needed to realize was that my validation in who I am and how I look is not in other people. I'm so thankful that I made that decision. And God had to work on me to realize that I am only validated in Him. That how he views me and my hair will reflect in who I am and will have nothing to do with how my hair looks. LIBERATION LADIES!!! The Creator of the ends of the earth loves me, and loves my hair! This is how he created me. No need to be something that I am not. I never thought I would have a spiritual experience with my hair, but I am learning a lot as I go through this process.

Okay, so I'm really about to get personal. Well personal at least in my own mind. I have been thinning at the crown of my head for a while now. It seems to be getting worse. So since there is nothing impossible for God, I am literally praying that my hair grows back. So I am going to include pictures so you can see just how bad it is. I am getting locked by a sisterlock consultant trainee so I hope everything will go well. I have expressed my concerns to her and hopefully I will be able to cover that spot somewhat. One of the biggest concerns that I have read about is the "scalpiness effect" as I call it. So this is going to be an emotional time for me I can already tell. But hopefully you all will help me get through it. But here goes...

I know the question might be asked, "have you seen a dermatologist?" I have not, which is what I need to do. To be honest, I have been afraid and I have been avoiding it. So I may need a little more encouragement to get there. I just don't want to hear that I have permanent hair loss. And to think it could have been caused by years of damaging chemicals and tension of weaves. Hindsight is always 20/20.