Can Children have Sisterlocks? Yes they can!

The following are pictures of my California consultant's daughter and niece who both have Sisterlocks. The youngest (her daughter) received her Sisterlocks on her 2nd birthday, shortly after Imani locked me. She just loves her Sisterlocks! Imani specializes in locking children. These pictures were taken a month before Jen and I headed back home to Texas.







If they were ever candidates for low self-esteem, not anymore!!!! These girls, rock their locks!

Posted in lockitup by Imani about her choice to lock her daughter's hair:

I decided to lock my daughters hair the day after her second
birthday. I got all the same negative comments about what if she gets
older and she doesn't want them and she will have to cut them off. I
tell them that if she wants to do that when she gets older fine but
while im doing her hair for the next 8-10 years she will have
sisterlocks. Not to mention once you have sisterlocks for a while and
your hair starts growing you realize that "its just hair" It will grow
back. Most kids who grow up with long hair usually want to do
something different with it when they grow up anyway. So if it is
long as a child they want it short later or vice versa. Either way my
daughter will grow up without some of the same hair horror stories i
had to endure. No sitting at the edge of the pool all summer because
she can't get her hair wet. No putting a towel on her head acting like
it's her long hair ( cause she'll have her own). No scalp burns, ear
burns. Long waits in the beauty salon. ECT, ECT, ECT.... I am very
happy with my decision despite what anyone else might think because 9
times out of 10 they don't even have locks or natural hair to begin
with so they are talking about something they dont understand anyway.
My niece also has sisterlocks. She was 8 when I first put them in.
Their is a picture of them in the files section under sisterlock
kids. One of the pictures is also two of my other child clients 8
years old and 10 years old.

Single's Valentine Day Banquet

We took these pictures at our church's single's banquet 2-12-05. Isn't Jen's hair just dazzling?

Sisterlocks 14 months

Thin locks Question (Thanks Everybody for your replies)

Posted in Lockitup:

Hey Luvi, Sandy, Jeri, Maranndme, Jennifer & Debbie,

Thanks for all your feedback. I really appreciate all that you
shared. I'll definitely have to check out the Wheatgrass. I've had
some before at good ole' Jamba Juice, but I'll head by Trader Joe's
to see what they have.

I do not eat beef or pork, so it may be protein that I am low on. I
drink plenty of liquids (mostly water) and don't drink soda and eat
junk. I mostly wear my hair "free-style" (with little fuss) and
when my consultant retightened my hair before Christmas she didn't
say the thinning was all that bad.

I was just wondering if anyone else had seen this kind of thinning.
It's only 2 strands, so it's not a whole head full of problems,
Thank God!!! Well, I'll keep ya posted. I'll send the pictures to
my consultant and see if she has any other feedback.


Q & A from a consultant:

Re: Thin locks Question (Alandria)

My answers are below Alandria's questions.

My name is Alandria Clarke and I am a Sisterlock Consultant in
Miami, Florida. After reviewing your locks, I thought that I should
respond to you. First, Questions and reasons for you to consider:

Q. Are you wearing a band across the front of your head?
Reason: Bands worn constantly may cause breakage at the scalp and in
the middle of the locks.

A. Nope, rarely if ever.


Q. Are you wearing your hair pulled back in ponytails?
Reason: Sometimes, unknowingly, the hair maybe strained and is
weakened which leads to breakage.

A. Nope, Not long enough yet.


Q. Are you wearing a cap during Showers and baths?
Reason: Constantly wetting your hair (like daily showers) will dry
your locks which lead to breakage.

A. Yes- That may be the culprit. I have/use the SL reconditioner,
but I have always had a "dry" head of hair. My consultant knows
about that.

Q. Are you maintaining your retightening schedule (i.e. not
missing or prolonging appointments)?
Reason: When you think that you are trying to save a few bucks by
trying to extend your appointments the new growth (baby) hair in the
front of your hair is not as thick as at the crown and therefore can
be strained which again will lead to breakage.

A. Yes, every 7-8 weeks.

These are just a few of the questions that should be asked. Discuss
your daily habits with your consultant and I am sure that together
you can rectify the problem.

I haven't heard back from my consultant yet, so hopefully I'll share
her feedback with the group. Thankfully it's only 2 strands, so I'm
not tripping. Before I had sisterlocks, I cut my hair down to a
fade, so losing hair or cutting off one stand ain't no big deal.

Also, don't stress... that doesn't help.


These are just a few of the questions that you should ask yourself
and discuss with your consultant.

Thanks Alandria!

12 1/2 months

This picture was taken at Imani's shop after a good retightening. I was now experiencing a lot of dryness from the dye. Some of my locks up front were getting weak, but I think that may have been actually from me perming the edges so often when I'd get my hair braided so my front roots wouldn't be so nappy and they'd match that "other people's hair". I am still suffering with my locks around the front to this day because of that. I think it was more from perm damage than dye, since I don't have that problem in any other part of my hair. Go figure.

Imani did put some really nice smelling Sisterlock conditioner all over my hair because I was whining about the dryness. I love her! You can still see the conditioner in my hair.
"Lockitup post"

Hey everybody! I wanted to wait until Jen made her year as well to post
pictures. Everything is going just fine for both of us. Jen's hair is really
thick and much longer than the pictures reveal. My hair has really grown, too.
I kind of like the two toned look. Imani, my consultant said my hair has
"dropped". Jen is jealous cause her locks have not yet. This group has been a
great help and support. For those of you waiting to get your Sisterlocks, I
wish you well! It is a wonderful thing!!!

I Need a Retightening

Believe it or not this picture was taken 10 days before my retightening session. I shampoo'd it and was checking out the length and new growth since I had my Sisterlocks one whole year!

11 1/2 months

These pictures were taken two weeks prior to my 1 year anniversary right after a nice braid and band shampoo. I loved the squiggly locks. You can see half new growth/half originally dyed hair.

11 Months Sisterlocks and Still Lovin' It!

Posted in Lockitup:

See, I am just loving this journey. What can I say, but thank you
Lord for Sisterlocks! Thank you Lord, for Dr. Cornwell, Pat Hunley's
website, and LockitUP! OH, and thank you Lord for Imani Nash-Bey, my
consultant! This has truly been a blessing learning so
much about my hair, myself, and meeting on line and in person so many
strong and beautiful women and men of color. You have been the
best!

I saw this lady at a church in Temecula, Ca last weekend who had
blondish color Sisterlocks and they were slammin'. She was dancing
and praising the Lord, with her locks mesmerizing all who looked on.
She said was in year number 2. I'm looking forward to coloring my hair,
but I have gotten used to the two-toned look. My sister Jen is
enjoying her locks as well. Take care!

Maryee

Should I color or lock my hair first?

Posted in Lockitup:

I got my hair colored 2 days before my locking session. My consultant
told me that if I wanted it colored, to get it done before. She also
told me that if I want to "re-color" it, I'd have to wait a year. I
guess it makes sense, seeing how it slows the locking process down.
I love my two-toned hair, but am looking forward to my "option" to re-
color it after next month (1year!!!) Hope this helps.

34th Birthday at my Cousin's Wedding in Virginia

My birthday was spent at my cousin Jamita's wedding in Norfolk, Va. Jen and I flew up and as a gift we videotaped and took candid digital shots at the the wedding and reception. It was both our first time in Virginia and we had a wonderful time. The wedding was beautiful and those youngings were adorable. The top left picture is my Uncle Paul, me and Jen. The nuptials, Jamita and Myles top right. The newlyweds! Me at the bottom of course posing for the camera, and my cousin (Jamita's sister Rhashida) and her son "Aid".

Note: They will be expecting their first born January 2006

At the Beach in Orange County

I'm still braiding and banding from time to time because I like the crinkly look. It was windy on the beach today so my hair was standing up. I thought it was cute. We had a youth beach day. I'm posting with my good friend Melissa, another youth worker.

Maryee's at 8 months! Jen Close behind

Posted In Lockitup:


I've been lurking on the group for the past few months and totally
enjoying the "spoilage" of having Sisterlocks. "Bad hair days"?
Only if I agree or submit to the idea. Rainy day today? I say,
Yippiee!!





Since getting mine 11-28-03, my sister has some (she'll make 7
months on Friday), and a friend of mine from church got hers on
Memorial Day! Needless to say, we're the "buzz" around church I
suspect. Anyway, I wanted to send the link with some updated pics.
I will send another one a little later with my sister's locks. I
swear her hair is outgrowing mine, but you can judge for yourself
when you see her pictures compared to mine. But I won't hate, I'll
congratulate! :-)

Family Ambush

Posted in Lockitup as a response to another member sharing with us about how her family ambushed her concerning her locks in a negative way. Here's my take on the matter:

Re: Family Ambush! (long)-Maryee

Michelle,

When I went home to Houston over the holidays I only had my locks in
about a month. So you know it was during the baby stage where
there's really no controlling the locks.

A close girlfriend of mine kept looking up side my head as to want
to "straighten" the "wild" pieces. She held out as long as she could
and finally blurted out, "Are you going to put that in place?"
(meaning my hair). I politely smiled at her and said, "It is in
place and exactly where it's supposed to be. They are my wild
teenagers and there's no controlling them at this point."

Not so sure my reply satisfied her need to "shape and correct" my
mini lock fro, but I guess it sufficed. All she's known in her 50
years is perm, perm, perm. She meant no harm, it was just "different"
seeing me like that up close and personal.

In Texas, it's a lil' hard in some areas where "permed" hair gives
over the allusion that you are cleaner, smarter, and prettier, and
that to have locks or natural hair means otherwise. It's like this
hidden shame.

My 74 year old aunt shouted at me back in April when I went to visit
in Houston also, "I don't like those dredlocks!" I told
her, "Auntie, this is the same hair from the picture I sent you in
the mail in January where you said I looked beautiful. These are not
Dredlocks, they are called Sisterlocks". Not so sure if trying to
explain the difference helped any or mattered one way or another
to her. She already had her opinions (deep rooted) about nappy hair.
I guess the picture didn't depict my locks and when she got a "close-up"
she decided to change her mind. The picture I'm talking about is in my
photo link with the pink background. It does look like unlocked hair in the
picture, so I guess she just assumed otherwise. She too, forgot she saw me in
December as well.

I'm too at peace to be bothered with other folks not feeling me and
my Sisterlocks. My dad hates em' on me and my sister. Oh well! My
mom just goes along with whatever my and Jen come up with. Jen had
traditional locks some years back, so this shouldn't be that much of
a surprise to family and friends. They're just sweet ole' country
folks. :-)

I'm sooo thrilled to have Sisterlocks I could just shout! God bless
America, and God bless Dr. Cornwell.

I could write (and I just may do that one day) a book on all of my
haircare dramas alone over the past 25 years and I'm only 33. It's
been just that deep. Well, just wanted to share a blurb on my family
ambush.

Still debating on heading down to San Diego on Saturday for the reunion. If so, I'll
see ya folks there. Take care!

Maryee
Sisterlocked almost 8 months! :-)

Note:
My aunt Gustine I am speaking about has since gone on to be with the Lord on 9-1-05. May she continually rest in peace.