After last year’s post on taking down my locs, I’ve had quite a few questions about the loc take-down process and how to prepare for it.

Loc take-downs are usually the process of combing out locs after they have matured… and this could mean that your hair has been loced for years! But it can be done! Patience and gentle care in taking them down can leave you with a big head of loose healthy hair.

I wanted to share some tips on what I did to prepare for taking down my locs and what I feel I should have done too! Hope this helps 🙂

Some things to consider 1-3 months in advance from your loc take down:

Think in advance!

If you plan to take down your locs, bear in mind… it will take time! – How long it takes completely depends on your loc length, how much length you want to keep, your texture, your loc maintainance etc. So, being prepared and setting a week aside can be a good idea – where you don’t have to do anything or be anywhere important to comb your locs out.

If you also want to get your hair healthy before your actual take-down, it might be worth starting the process 1-3 months in advance to make things easier and keep your new growth as healthy as possible!

Keep your products simple!

Again, this all depends on your current routine – you may already be keeping your loc routine with products pretty simple. If so, keep doing this! The aim is to minimise any product build-up before your take-down.

A good shampoo, occasional conditioner, light oil/water spritz is all you really need to get back to basics 🙂

Regular clarifying treatments are great

And while we are on the subject of products for your locs, you could consider doing much more regular clarifying treatments. A classic way to do so is using Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) and Baking Soda regularly.

Healthy diet and health supplements

Your hair is a reflection of your health… so this is a great excuse to return/boost actively living a healthier lifestyle, even if you already are doing so!

Drinking water, exercising and eating well all build up the foundations of your new hair growth, the foundation for your new loose hair at the take-down.

Health supplements are great too – MSM, Flaxseed oil, Biotin and Silica are popular supplements to boost hair health.

Massaging and spritzing your hair roots with rosemary essential oil mix (don’t apply the essential oil without mixing it in water or base oil – avoid if pregnant or breast-feeding) can help stimulate your scalp too. This is very relaxing as part of a daily routine!

Semi or fully freeforming

If you are thinking of combing out your locs, freeforming (fully or semi) is a good idea so you can make it easier to untangle when the time comes. As mentioned, if you don’t want to fully freeform and let your root hairs do their own thing, you can either semi freeform by having longer periods of time before root maintenance or by just maintaining the root hairs around the hairline to keep it looking “neater”.