Potential Reasons For Sister Lock Breakage

You’ve noticed that your sister locs are getting thinner or feeling weaker. Then suddenly, it breaks off. Seeing your precious locs in your hand can be a distressing feeling. You’ve invested your time and effort to lock and maintain your sister locs after all, so sister lock breakage can be concerning.

Hair breakage occurs when the shaft is damaged or becomes so thin that it detaches from the scalp or along the loc. If one or more of your locs have broken recently, here are the common causes, prevention, and maintenance tips you need to know.

Are There Specific Signs My Locks Are At Risk Of Breaking?

Sometimes, your locs can break suddenly. Or perhaps, you may have missed the signs that they could break soon. Sisterlocks that break may look thinner than usual a few inches from the scalp. You can see a clear difference in thickness compared to the rest of the locs.

The ends may appear frayed, or split, or you may notice multiple weak spots along the loc. Some individuals experience more shedding than usual. Hair shedding is normal but excessive hair loss from your locs can signal weakness and potential breakage. Finally, if your locs feel too tight during styling or maintenance to the point of mild discomfort, they may be at risk of breakage.

What Causes Sister Locks Breakage?

Sister locks are beautiful thin locs that need an expert loctician to install and maintain them (at least for the first year). Over time, they grow into a beautiful, yet versatile protective style. At the same time, there is the risk of multiple sister locs breaking. Possible causes include:

Too Much Tension

Tight locking, especially during the initial stages can lead to breakage later. Sister locks need the right balance of tension to ensure there is not too much tension on the scalp. Hair is at risk of developing a condition called traction alopecia. With traction alopecia, chronic pulling or force applied to hair causes the follicles to weaken and become inflamed, eventually breaking and leading to hair loss. Traction alopecia can move down the shaft, leading to thinning locks and breakage.

In other words, anything that pulls on the hair can be a potential risk factor for sister lock breakage. This includes using heavy extensions, hair jewelry, and tight ponytails. or uncomfortable hairstyles.

Too Much Manipulation

Could it be that you are combing or detangling your hair too much? The constant pulling on your locks from combing or other accessories can create tension that leads to breakage. Even frequently detangling your hair over time can weaken those strong bonds that form a powerful sister lock. Other examples include frequent re-tightening and rough handling during your wash days.

Too Much Poor Locking Techniques

Using inconsistent methods to lock your hair or not depending on a loctician can lead to breakage. For instance, the wrong interlocking methods create gaps within locs. Those areas may weaken over time, leading to breakage.

Too Much Product Build-up

Are the products you love so much causing breakage? Some oils, gels, and other hair care products can stick around in your locks, weighing them down and leading to breakage. Some products may contain ingredients that may damage your hair over time. Committing to proper cleansing, especially a pre-cleanse with our BLCK Lux Scalp Detox Hair Serum, helps remove buildup that contributes to breakage.

Too Much Dryness and Brittleness

Our hair needs an adequate amount of moisture to prevent dryness and brittleness. Dry, brittle locks are more likely to break. Lack of moisture can come from not using the right hair care products or from simply being dehydrated. Exposure to some elements like sun, wind, or chlorine dries out your hair, leaving it more prone to breakage.

Too Many Health Challenges

Did you know that there are health circumstances that cause breakage? Hair thinning and breakage, for instance, are common signs of nutritional deficiencies. Some autoimmune disorders, including Hashimoto’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and Lupus, can cause hair loss. Perimenopause or menopause comes with many symptoms, including hair loss. Some medications may be necessary to treat a chronic condition but have unpleasant side effects, including symptoms of hair loss.

How Can You Prevent Sister Lock Breakage?

Experiencing even one of the causes mentioned can increase the risk of sister lock breakage. But there are some steps you can take to prevent sister lock breakage. For starters focus on gentle manipulation. Avoid hairstyles that require excessive pulling or tugging. Let your hair breathe for a moment. Minimize combing or detangling unless when needed. Use a wide-tooth comb to gently comb or part your hair when styling.

Cleansing your hair the right way also limits the chances of breaking. Use gentle, sulfate-free shampoos, as some ingredients can thin your sister locks, potentially causing breakage. Properly cleanse your hair on wash days to remove product buildup, while doing deep conditioning to restore moisture. Stick to styling products or oils that add moisture without leaving a heavy buildup known for breakage.

This may take trial and error, so ask your loctician for some recommendations. When you’re done, wear your hair in styles that minimize manipulation and tension.

If the environment is an issue, find ways to minimize exposure. Wear a scarf or hat to reduce sun or wind exposure. Chlorine can strip your hair and cause breakage. Get filters for your showers, which can reduce chlorine exposure long-term.

With these in place, all you can do is maintain a healthy lifestyle so you have the vitamins and minerals necessary for hair growth and strength. These include vitamins A, B (especially biotin, B6, and B12), C, D, and E, as well as minerals like iron, zinc, and magnesium. There are supplements like Nutrafol that contain many of these nutrients to protect your hair.

Are There Any Fixes For Sister Lock Breakage?

So you have one or more broken sister locks. What’s next? First, understand that sometimes, it’s unavoidable and may not be your fault. Health conditions and even childbirth can lead to breakage. Next, know that this is not the end for your precious locks. Hold on to them and talk to a professional. Send your loctician some pictures and ask for advice.

They will recommend the appropriate action, which is likely to reattach or re-lock the broken section. Once your hair is still healthy, you can use the same interlocking technique to weave your broken lock with the original one as long as you have a couple of inches of healthy hair to work with. If you have a health condition causing breakage, you should probably address it first to prevent future hair thinning.

You can attempt to reattach the lock yourself as there are online guides, but we recommend letting your loctician take the wheel during your next appointment. Once it’s back, avoid tight hairstyles or behaviors that can cause damage. Focus on maintaining the health of your hair. Know that the occasional sister lock breakage is common but fixable. Address or limit the root cause and get your lovely locks fixed as soon as possible.

Don’t Break Up With Your Sister Locks

Sister locks can break and there are many possible reasons. Some may be down to maintenance, environment, or hairstyles. Other reasons, like your health, may be unavoidable in the short term. You can be a bit peeved that your locs are breaking but have no fear. You can turn it around. Speak with a loctician and focus on achieving healthy hair. From there, take steps to reattach the locs so you can continue on with your sister lock journey.