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What's The Difference Between Dreadlocks, Sisterlocks and Brotherlocks?

29/5/2013

26 Comments

 
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Dreadlocks are hair that's been matted together. There are several techniques for creating locs; one of the most common ones for natural black hair is palm rolling.

What products are used?
Many people use a special cream or wax to roll/twist the hair.

How long do dreads take to form?
It takes a few months (as many as 18 months) for the dread to form and for hair to grow in a matted fashion. 

How do you maintain dreads?
For the roots to look neatly bunched up as in the picture to the right monthly maintenance is required by re-twisting the hair. Some people can do this themselves but others prefer to see a specialised, loctician.

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SISTERLOCKS

Sisterlocks involve much smaller partitions than dreadlocks. The initial installation of sisterlocks takes 10 to 20 hours - two to three times longer than dreadlocks. However, sisterlocks mature into a locked look quicker than traditional dreadlocks.

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BROTHERLOCKS

Brotherlocks are similar to sisterlocks but tend to be a little larger. They remain smaller than traditional locs.

Maintenance
Sisterlocks and brotherlocks are easier to wash and moisturise because of the smaller sections of hair.

Who can form locs?
Dreadlocks form much easier on type 4 (kinky or curly hair). It is much more difficult to get dreadlocks on straight or wavy hair and the techniques available are different and limited. Straight or wavy hair cannot form sister/brotherlocks.

Can you unlock dreadlocks, brotherlocks and sisterlocks?
Some people claim it's possible but the reality is it is extremely difficult and leads to so much breakage that there is no point; most people just chop their locs off when they no longer want them.

Benefits of dreads/locs
  • Once formed they can be easier to maintain than natural hair because their styling requirements are minimal.
  • They can be a fashion statement
  • They can be cheaper to maintain than natural or relaxed hair

Disadvantage of dreads/locs
Dealing with people's misconceptions, e.g. that they're dirty, can be a real headache!

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26 Comments
Chery Yisrael
8/11/2013 03:05:13 am

Great site; answered a lot of my questions

Reply
lisa
26/5/2014 01:17:55 pm

Reply
George
25/7/2014 04:49:47 am

That advice help me alot to go ahead and make decision.

Reply
Antonio McCoy
10/9/2014 06:45:36 am

Can anyone grow locs?

Reply
bob
28/12/2014 02:02:51 am

i need to point out that any hair will dread, even fine silky straight hair without any methods and straight hair can also have sisterlocks...please be more accurate and not so misleading.

Reply
Kathleen
30/3/2015 05:48:28 am

It is possible for finer hair to loc, however the method is not the same because the hair doesn't react the same. Locking methods were created and inspired by tightly curled, kinky textured hair. Straight hair has no reason to loc, it does not naturally do so... Whereas tightly textured hair can loc on accident if you let it!

Reply
Mar'Taja
17/11/2015 06:53:05 pm

Amen, you tell them. You did your research.

Jessica link
12/1/2015 09:17:51 pm

Locs is natural hair n yes ppl can comb out there locs with out cutting all there hair

Reply
Katty
28/7/2019 07:58:02 pm

True authentic dread locs cannot be combed out . You can comb and break and shed andcomb all day all your going to get is whatever new growth u had from scalp.THATS WHAT LOC MEANS ,SECURED,CONTAINED.

Reply
Loretta
28/3/2015 08:26:55 am

yes you can take out sister, brother loc's and dreads I do it all the time the hair that is lost is dead hair

Reply
Mar'Taja
17/11/2015 06:53:57 pm

Thank you for this article. I never would have know the difference.

Reply
Fairlana
6/5/2016 04:07:59 am

Thanks for all the advice and challenges,this has helped me a lot .I'm really thinking about locking my 14 year olds hair.

Reply
K
13/10/2016 10:02:08 pm

Loved this short, sweet article. Clarified a lot for me.

Reply
JennJenn
12/11/2016 09:33:52 pm

I have been thinking about starting locs. Does anyone know how it effects hair that has thin edges? I was thinking sisterlocs since smaller, less pull. If that makes since to anyone else. Ive been natural for a couple yrs.

Reply
Tee
29/1/2018 05:25:03 pm

Does this method work on mixed or "Spanish" curly curly hair?

Reply
Shonda
4/10/2018 02:26:25 pm

Thanks for the info

Reply
Adams Abosede Abolanle
22/11/2019 02:27:10 am

Nice write up.All dreadlocks can be loose depending on the locitian skill and it requires lot of patient.

Reply
Dr Monisha link
24/12/2019 01:55:33 am

Its amazing to know about this. Thank you for the valuable information..

Reply
Preeti Sharma link
4/12/2021 02:40:39 am

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Reply
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