September 2005 Journal

Greetings Lynda's Locs!

How was your hair styled before you went natural or grew dreadlocks?
I went through the usual drama with my hair * hot combs, relaxers, Jheri curls, African hair braiding (which snatched me bald), teeny-weeny afros.  Short natural

What did you like/dislike about your previous hairstyle?
The upkeep was easy, but I got tired of being called, "Sir."

How long have you been natural?  How long have you had dreadlocks?
I wore a natural on an off since I was a teenager. I've been locking for over four years.

Why did you decide to go natural?
I live in Brooklyn, the unofficial lock capital of the world, so I had plenty of role models.

Why did you decide to grow dreadlocks?
I had admired locks on other people for years. I wanted to lengthen my hair to soften my look.

How did you start your dreadlocks?  Why did you choose this method?
My hair was short, thin, and wiry, so I wore a hat for several months until it was long enough for comb coils. They would last for two weeks; then I'd go back to the hat. My hair is soft, so it took over a year to start locking. It grew well for two years, then half of the locks broke off due to its texture, the fact that it had thinned at the roots, dryness and stress (I lost a baby midterm in 2003). I didn't want to start again from square one, so I opted to have the broken ones "repaired" by a well-known, reputable natural-care salon in NYC. Having mastered the fine art of being able to laugh at myself, I always giggle when people remark on the dramatic hair growth that I have experienced since the beginning of the year.

Who maintains your dreadlocks/natural hair (you or a stylist)?
I had two loctitians for a while until I learned to maintain them myself.

How did your family/friends/lovers react to your hair initially? How do they react now?
If anyone dislikes my choice to lock my hair, they haven't told me. I was inspired by a cousin whose locks reach past his shoulder blades. My older relatives don't quite understand the concept of locked hair and refer to it as "braids."

What problems with your hair have you encountered in the workplace/social settings?
None. I am a physician and I deliberately postponed locking my hair until after I had passed my last set of certification exams. I personally know of three other physicians who have locks * two of whom have freeform locks. A former president of the NMA * an organization of Black physicians * has locks. I have chosen to work in hospitals that serve African Americans and Latinos primarily, so that has helped. One of the nurses once told me that she preferred my hair in a French roll because it looked "tidy." Basically, if you have the skills, you get the job. I may have had a different experience if I worked for a conservative bank on Wall Street. I think that society is a lot less concerned about how we wear our hair that we think they are.

What do you love most about your hair?
I like being free from the toxic effects of chemicals. I like the growth that I have experienced along with the attention I get from all types of people.

What bothers you most about your hair?
It is very time-consuming to retwist my hair, which causes me to wait longer between shampoos than I would like to. (If anyone knows someone who is good at interlocking new growth in NYC, please email me.) I am waiting to see how my thinning roots will play out. I may end up having to start a new set of locks.

Have you ever colored your natural hair or dreadlocks? Do you still color it? What were the results?
Now that I have crossed the threshold of middle age, I'm not sure if the gray hair makes me look distinguished or just ages me. I have bought two bottles of temporary dye, but I haven't talked myself into using them yet.

If you could grow dreadlocks all over again, what would you do differently?
I would have started years earlier and I probably would have chosen Sisterlocks.

What has having natural hair and/or dreadlocks taught you about yourself/others?
Locking my hair has shown me that if you wait long enough, even the most challenging goals can be achieved. Time elapses very quickly. One day you look up at the calendar and ten years have gone by. The time that it takes to lock your hair will go by in a flash. My great desire is for Black people to show unconditional love to each other regardless of what hair texture, skin tone, eye color, economic/educational status or hairstyle the other person has

What's your advice to those interested in going natural or growing dreadlocks?
Research the internet and talk to people whose locks you admire.

The sooner you start, the sooner you will reach your desired hair destination. If you are reluctant about looking a little wild in the beginning stages, wear a hat, wear a wig, wear a wrap, or get two-strand twists. Learn to turn a deaf ear on people who insult you in a feeble effort to bolster their own self-esteem.

Keep your hair clean and moisturized. Don't pull your hair into a ponytail too tightly or you'll get a receding hairline. Believe in God. Be blessed.

What's "good" hair?
I never liked the term "good hair" because it assigned a value to someone's texture. I think good hair is healthy hair, no matter what texture it may be.

What's "bad" hair?
I also dislike the term "bad hair" for the same reason. I have bad hair days when my hair won't cooperate with me.

How do you feel about the words "nappy" or "kinky" as they relate to Black hair?
I don't like the term "nappy" because of the bad connotations that have been associated with it in our community. Rather than taking a negative word and trying to make it  positive, why don't we just start fresh? The word "kinky" doesn't bother me because as far as I'm concerned, it's just a description. Some people don't like the term because they consider kinky hair to be bad hair. Why can't we just focus on more important issues in our community, like  solving poverty, illiteracy, teen pregnancy, drugs, gangs and high rates of incarceration instead of splitting hairs over someone's hair texture?

If your hair had a name and a personality, what's its name and describe its personality.
Wild Child

Additional Information:   I am a Christian, not a perfect saint, but a sinner saved by grace. In spite of my formal medical training I believe in divine healing. I am in the process of writing a layman's approach to Christian healing, eight pages worth. The journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step.

Having once been in debt for tens of thousands of thousands of dollars due to borrowing for my education and a failed business, I have paid it all off. I learned the importance of not spending so much on depreciating consumer goods, minimizing credit-card purchases and saving. I also took on a second job to accelerate payments. I highly recommend books by Suze Orman, Brooke M. Shields, and  money-management websites on MSN.com  and AOL. The internet literally puts the world at your fingertips, so use it to your advantage. Always chose owning a home over buying a car.

You can protect yourself from most medical problems by doing a few things. Check your blood pressure often and take your medicine if the doctor says you need it. Cut down on salt, sugar (high fructose corn syrup) and fat. Keep your weight down. Don't smoke. Use alcohol minimally. Get your cholesterol checked at least once a year. Get a yearly mammogram and pap smear or prostate exam. After age fifty, get a colonoscopy.