Locked-up at last!

Hi everyone,

I’m so glad to have embarked on the micro-locks journey. So far it's been great. I can't keep my hands out of my hair and my face out of the mirror doing the mirror mirror on the wall, how do my locks look? Usually I get a positive response! It's amazing how my locks change from day to day and how my hair behaves. On a windy day, it flies everywhere, something I wasn't used to but am enjoying every minute and so's my hair.

I was a sisterlocks fan for years; I didn't go for it sooner coz of the Paris to London trips I'd have to make. I couldn't see myself taking the eurostar every eight weeks for retightening, but one day last February I had a change of heart - it wasn't such a big deal and I have two friends who braved up and made the trips to London. So I booked for consultation, got my sample locks done in mid-March and the full head installation from 24-26 April 2009. So am getting the hang of taking the Eurostar from Gare du Nord, Paris, to St Pancras International, London. I've done it four times already and it’s not bad and at least the weather's ok and I get to see family.

My consultant Marie is simply wonderful and I pride myself for choosing so well. But of course there are lots of other consultants equally good out there but it’s a plus when there’s good chemistry with your consultant. Marie guided me through the microlocks journey i.e., what to expect at different stages - the pros and cons etc., she did this so professionally and I felt assured that I was in good hands. Actually her website Cammalocks was what drew me to her - it was just spot on, no bla bla, but just to the point. Marie gave me all the advice and tips on how to care for my locks and am following them to the letter and so far I’ve had no problems coz I need to have the 'near to perfect' locks so that I can convince my family, friends and Zambian women that this is the solution for those who're tired of perms, braids, cornrows and all that other stuff black women do to their hair.

My locks two days after installation

Three weeks after installation I dared to pull them back and hold them with scrunchies. I was going to a wedding and my freshly done locks with my scalp showing weren't giving me the desired look. So I came up with this style wich actually worked quite well. I wore the same hairdo to work and when my two friends with sisterlocks saw me they were appalled and said it was too soon to tie it and it would not increase in volume. I panicked and emailed Maire who promptly responded and she said as long as I didn’t pull the ends it was ok. And yes it was ok.

I waited six weeks before I returned to London to have my first wash. Yes six weeks of no washing. I tell you where there's a will, there's a way coz I didn't think I could do it. I itched and itched. The evenings were worse and sometimes I got into bed early coz I couldn't stand it. I avoided french bisous as much as possible and I made sure to dab some perfume under my ears. Thankfully I had my two friends with sisterlocks who sympathised and told me the itch was normal and it would get better. It actually did get better after three weeks and for some reason I didn't get that much dandruff during that period! Bizarre.

30 June: I hopped onto the eurostar to London for my first wash. I wanted a clean scalp badly and to see how my hair would look after. Marie showed me how to braid and band and how to gently wash my hair. I was hoping she'd give me two or three washes since I had a dirty head but unfortunately she said only one wash sufficient especially at this early stage.