5 REASONS TO TRIM LOCS DREADLOCKS

Thinking of trimming your locs / dreadlocks? Let me share why and how I do it!

I have always trimmed my locs – Since 2001, I have lost count of how many times I trimmed them. In 2021, I went from having my hip length locs to having bra-strap length locs in my biggest trim… No regrets! It made me reflect on why I personally love trimming and how it has helped me.

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5 REASONS I TRIM MY LOCS

✂︎ Having healthy ends…

My priority is having healthy locs. If that means I need to trim them, I am happy to do this. I have found that having long locs has also meant that the ends are more open to damage and lint, especially if you wear your locs out all the time – It is common that over time, the ends of our locs can get thinner or start to feel/look less healthy. Some people leave them alone – I prefer to trim them.

With my recent trim, my loc size was naturally thinner – I had thinner locs when I started and they started to thicken up over time. So having a trim meant that my loc ends were now much thicker and felt much stronger.

✂︎ Length is not everything…

I would be lying to you if I say that length was never an issue for me. I have loced my natural hair twice and both times, I could not wait until my locs were “long enough”. For me, that point was the bra-strap length and longer. Now there are times when I look back on early loc photos and I start to admire how good they looked when they were shorter. After many years, I now feel like length is not a big deal anymore. Each stage has its own beauty – And the one loc advice I would give anyone who is starting out the natural hair journey is to simply enjoy every stage and length!

Length has always been an important issue in the natural hair community. In many ways, I think this is something that I had to re-program in my own mind and beliefs of what “good hair” and beauty is. “Good hair” seems to also assume that natural hair grows long or has a certain curl pattern. All of these ideas are harmful and take-away from the beautiful natural hair journey. Why is there so much pressure to conform to these so-called standards of what we feel is acceptable and beautiful? We are all unique and our natural hair is beautiful, full stop – whether we can grow it down to our ankles or not. Over time, I started releasing many of these beliefs that still linger in many natural hair communities.

✂︎ Long locs often get in the way…

This is true for many reasons… Locs might get heavier (especially when wet and when going swimming), they might take longer to maintain (to wash, dry, twist etc) and they cost more to take care of when you use products (more shampoo/hair dye/oils/etc). It makes complete sense that the longer our natural loose or loced hair is, the MORE of everything it becomes. Even though locs are probably the most minimal and easiest way to have our natural hair, it still does mean more effort.

Leading an active lifestyle with locs has many advantages… I never really worry about them, they offer a truly easy wash and go option. But I have seen time and time again that when my locs get long, they start to literally weigh me down when I am doing yoga, dancing, swimming etc. I have tried many different styles to try to keep them in place, yet their defiant nature means that I always have them getting into my face and getting me annoyed! My recent trim from hip to bra-strap length has made a huge difference. From day 1, I feel much lighter when I am active. I love that freedom!

✂︎ I like even ends when they get longer…

This is personal preference – I prefer having even loc ends when they grow longer than shoulder-length. Shorter than that, I love having layers because my locs look fuller, with more volume. I slowly trim my locs over time so they become very even in length. I have found that having even ends when locs are longer offer many advantages, especially with loc styling.

Some people also like to trim to have their ends in a loc style. A classic example is seeing many locers with a short sharp bob style after trimming their longer locs. Another example is seeing how many locs are trimmed in the front into layered bangs or straight bangs. I have thought about doing this many times, many in the next trim! So, if anyone tells you that locs give you less styling options, don’t believe them! We are only limitted by our own imagination.

✂︎ A huge energy release…

It feels so liberating to trim! This is the only way I can describe it… Like energy has been lifted in some way. Our Crown (Chakra) holds so much energy, through our locs too. It always feels like a detox when a big part of my old locs are released. This has been my experience every time I trim, even when it was just a few cms…. Its amazing how much our Crown is sensitive to these changes.

Hair, in many cultures, has a deeper meaning. I know some people say hair is just hair (which I totally respect) but in my own journey, I see how hair can also be a form of Self-transformation. If we look deeper into metaphysical health and ancient traditions, we can see that hair has also held the energy of our ancestors and the way we connect to the energy. This is especially true when we have been oppressed in expressing our true Self by loving what is naturally part of us. Learning to love what we naturally have, which includes our hair, is not always easy because it is still attached to many negative false assumptions/stereotypes that we still experience. On the positive side, it has been amazing to see how the natural hair community has evolved over the last 20 years online – It finally feels like there is some release!

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