What Could Go Wrong - When Your Locs Don’t Obtain Enough Moisture

One of the top conversations around locs is how much moisture the locs need to stay and feel healthy, how to get that moisture into your locs and how to retain moisture in locs. 

It’s no surprise that we’re always talking about well moisturized locs, because the moisture of your locs can literally make or break your locs. In this article, we're going to approach questions like, what do well moisturized locs look like? How much is too much moisture? What could go wrong besides breakage in locs if your locs don't get enough moisture? And, what could be trapping moisture from the locs?

How Much is Too Much Moisture?

Over moisturizing your locs, also known as, Hygral Fatigue, is when the follicles in your hair shafts are being overworked. When your hair is wet the follicles open up to allow the moisture in and when your hair drys the follicles close. But when you over moisturize your locs, you're forcing your locs to stay open for longer than necessary, which later leads to weaker hair, reduced elasticity and further dryness. Furthermore, when you over moisturize your locs you can cause build-up or mildew inside the locs because the hair isn’t given the time it needs to dry and breathe. 

What could go wrong if your locs don’t have enough moisture?

Besides growing brittle and weak, causing breakage and frizz, dry locs will also change the color and texture of your hair, making the hair look more ashy in color. Dry locs cause your locs to live in a weaker state, making them more vulnerable to damage during sleep, while tied up, or during your day to day activities. 

What could be preventing moisture from entering the locs?

There are two main walls that one may need to break through in order to properly moisturize locs. First of all, your hair type may have a much harder time absorbing moisture because the natural shape of the hair prevents the hair from absorbing all that moisture. Of course, there are solutions so don’t fret, but first we’ll get to the second ingredient that may prevent moisture from entering the hair shaft. Ingredients like beeswax, and other heavy conditioners may hold your locs in place, or give you the feeling as if your locs are moisturized, but in fact, they're sealing the locs off from both oxygen and moisture causing further dryness down the road. 

And finally, what do well moisturized locs look like?

Though we may categorize our hair type from 1-4 with sub categories, we all still have different hair types the same way our features differ from one another, even if you are a twin! With that said, well moisturized locs are going to look and feel different for everyone. The best clues to know if your locs are well moisturized is when you're experiencing less frizz and breakage, when the locs are looking relatively sheen and when they feel healthy and balanced. 

They best way to keep your locs looking and feeling moisturized is to keep your locs uncovered while taking a steaming shower, so the hair can absorb the moisture in the steam, cover up your locs with a satin scarf when you sleep and deep conditioning your locs with a leave in conditioner, hot oil treatments and of course, drinking water helps your body from your roots to your toes!

Takeaway

Well moisturized locs may sound like a tricky overwhelming detail when it comes to locs, but in truth it isn’t all that complicated. What’s most important is understanding your locs, your rhythms, when to moisturize and condition and understanding your hair type and how to best penetrate those follicles for enriched locs!

Tell us about your experiences of dry and well moisturized locs, what problems you may have confronted and natural solutions which have worked for you!