How can loc extensions help?
If your hair is quite short in the start stage, you might not feel confident about your locs cause they’re still maturing. This could feel discouraging for some people. Instead of giving up on them, try a loc extension! Loc extensions are a protective style that allows your hair to grow at its natural rate and will hold your locs in place until they reach their desired length.
What are Loc Extensions?
Loc extensions are permanent sections made of 100% kinky human hair. They can be added to your natural locs to provide extra length without glue or chemicals.
Loc extensions are a type of weave that is commonly used in African-American culture. Locs comes from the word “locating” which is the act of adding hair to one’s head. They have been around for quite some time, but they have been popularized by celebrities like Beyonce and Rihanna.
The Difference Between Faux Locs & Loc Extensions
Faux locs are a temporary protective style. To install them usually involves twisting or braiding your actual hair, and wrapping locs around your braid/shaft. Faux locs are usually made of Marley hair, Kanekalon hair, or synthetic hair. While loc extensions are meant to be a permanent extension of your hair, this temporary protective style is comparable to box braids.
Loc extensions that use 100% human and the most important part is the density ratio of them matches the ratio and the density of the real hair growing from your scalp.
Some more noticeable difference of faux locks is that they normally have spirally shiny apparel. While permanent loc extensions look more like natural or real dreadlocks.
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Faux locs |
Loc extensions |
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Appearance: |
Shiny/ Smooth/Spiral |
Natural human hair dreads |
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Weight: |
Heavier |
Lightweight |
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Washing: |
Mostly scalp |
Can be washed regularly |
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Life span: |
Months/ Temporary |
Years-lifelong/ Permanent |
Things you need to know before you get loc extensions
1. Do loc extensions affect hair growth?
The question that people ask a lot is:
-Is loc extensions bad for your hair?
-Does loc extensions somehow affect my hair growth?
No and no, obviously. Loc extensions are not connected to your scalp and do not have any physical contact with the scalp, so applying loc extensions will not affect your hair growth. But they might stand a chance of causing hair loss by tension and traction if they are applied too tight or the locs are too heavy. But the problem will also happen to your natural locs too due to the way you do your locs.
You can start your locks with permanent lock extensions if you want to feel more ”feminism” and skip the short period.
If you are considering permanent loc extensions, please make sure to know your lock ratio.
You can make your own permanent loc extensions with afro kinky human hair bulk or you can pay the bill to get them installed. But the reason why it’s important to know your lock ratio is when you are moving forward with permanent lock extensions you might meet some trouble if someone is adding a lock onto your natural lock incorrectly.
let’s say you’re taking loc extensions, and for some reason, the ratio locks aren’t fitting well. You might find that by the time your natural hair grows, your natural loc is going to be thinner than loc extension and, as a result, the extensions will weigh it down.
This will cause a breaking point. In the middle section where it connects to your natural lock. This is why some ppl get loc extensions and wonder why their hair is either slipping out or does not grow as quickly as it should.
hair growth
2. Are loc extensions permanent?
Yes, they can be permanent if you choose the correct ratio of the loc and get properly installed. Since they were made of real human hair, they can be left on your hair forever if they have good care.
Usually, the permanent loc extension hair texture can be anywhere between 4C and 4D. You can hardly tell the difference in touch feeling when you put your hands on them. Maybe just a little bit more textured than your natural locs do.
3. Avoid wrapping method— that’s not a way to have permanent locs
And something that you really want to avoid is to have a permanent loc extension with the wrapping method. If you wrap locs onto your hair, as your hair is growing, it only causes breakage on your natural lock.
Do not believe it if someone says that they can give you permanent lock extensions with the wrapping method. The wrapping method is only for faux locs which is a style that only lasts 1 or 2 months.
Make sure you are not using synthetic fake hair as loc extensions. If you want to have your hair longer than 6 months, it has to be human hair, only that you can dye it or care for it.
4. Pay attention to your fragile area
If you are adding an extension onto your nape area, and maybe your nape area is not really that Strong. Then you might want to make your natural loc thicker In that area and also bigger in the party so that way your nape area can withhold it and it doesn’t break off. And also you have to consider how strong your loc is before you get your lock extensions attached.
Loc Extension Maintenance
1. Use gentle cleansers after being installed 4 to 6 weeks:
You can cleanse your hair with extensions in your hair. However, ensure to use a gentle cleanser that is sulfate-free. As it is human hair you do not want to remove all of the oils from the hair which will leave it feeling dry, brittle, and prone to breakage. Gentle cleansers do the job of cleansing the hair and scalp without allowing it to feel stripped. As well as you don’t want to disturb the bonding process between the extensions and your natural hair.
Once you apply an ample amount to your scalp, ensure to pull the ‘sud’ from the cleanser along the extensions. This is especially important if you have used a lot of oils and butter in your weekly regimen. And rinse thoroughly before moving on to the next step.
2. Hydration is the best friend for your loc extensions:
Human hair becomes way much easier to maintain once it is hydrated at all times.
Whether you are experiencing sunny days or cold days, this affects the hydration level of your locs. As well as chlorine, salt water, and harsh bleach dyes can break down the quality of your locs.
The best way to hydrate your locs is using a water-based moisturizer/leave-in conditioner. Or you can use an aloe vera juice spritz followed up with your favorite oil. Both combinations work well to keep the hydration locked into your extensions for a longer time. It will keep frizz and flyaways at bay. As well as, maintaining the health of the locs to keep them looking ‘brand new.’ Also, you can keep a spray bottle of water with you wherever you go if you need to refresh the locs.
3. Sleep with Satin
Silk Satin Lined Sleeping Cap
When you’re going to your bed with your extensions, ensure to sleep with a satin scarf on or on a satin sheet/pillowcase. Human hair extensions are premium extensions that do not shed, tangle, or knot as much as other extensions. However, you want to ensure that you are doing your due diligence in caring for them. Also, it makes prepping your hair the next morning way easier as you do not have any detangling.
Although these extensions actually can last forever, you need to care for them at night. Before you go to bed today, ensure that your hair is being protected by satin.
Silk Satin Lined Sleeping Cap
4. Use High-Quality Loc’d Gel–
Not every loc gel in the market is great for your extensions. You want to use high-quality gels that provide hold as well as nourishment. You can choose a gel with a soft hold or a stronghold. Most people will choose a stronghold in the beginning for the bonding process. As well as others may choose a soft hold because they want natural-looking dreadlocks.
The gel should also be rich in essential oils that contain antiseptic and anti-microbial properties to soothe and heal your inflamed scalp. Therefore, it won’t cause itchiness, flaky scalp, build-up, or any adverse reaction.
You need to use the best gel so ensure to research and watch reviews on different loc gels from different brands to hear other person’s experiences before you commit to one.
5. Do not over-manipulate your loc extensions:
This does not mean that you cannot wear your desired hairstyle. We all want eccentric, unique, and/or curly Loc’d hairstyles to wear. However, sometimes the excess manipulation involved during the styling process will affect the bonding process of the extension to your real hair. So, you want to have adequate time, especially when you have just installed it to style it in a particular way.
You can wear it the way the stylist installed it for a couple of days. But do not try to do your own thing until four to six weeks later. Or follow the time period that your loc technician has duly advised you to. After the time has passed, then you are free to do whatever style you want.
