Locs should generally be retwisted every four to eight weeks depending on your hair growth rate and loc maturity. Starter locs often require maintenance every four weeks to establish parting lines, while mature locs thrive with visits spaced six to eight weeks apart to avoid root stress and thinning.

A standard loc retwist appointment takes between two and four hours depending on loc count, length, and degree of new growth. Starting a new set of locs from natural hair can take three to six hours to ensure uniform sectioning and precise starter coils or two-strand twists.

Starter locs are commonly begun using comb coils, two-strand twists, or interlocking depending on hair texture and desired loc size. Comb coils create cylindrical shapes well suited for shorter hair, while two-strand twists provide a sturdy base for longer textures that helps prevent unraveling between initial maintenance visits.

Sleep with a satin or silk bonnet, durag, or scarf nightly to prevent friction and keep lint out of the locs. Lightly mist the scalp with water or rosewater to hydrate roots, and avoid applying thick, heavy pomades, butters, or waxes that cause buildup inside the loc shafts.

Mature locs can be washed every one to two weeks using residue-free shampoo, always followed by complete drying to prevent trapped moisture. Starter locs require gentler care during the first few months, often utilizing a mesh stocking cap during washing to preserve partings and prevent unraveling before budding occurs.