This article will thoroughly guide you about two-strand twists and how long they take to mature. In addition, you will find some pros and cons of getting this hairstyle that can help you with your decision. Continue reading to gain deep insights into this hairstyle before starting your loc journey.
What Are Two Strand Twists Dread ?
Two-strand twist dreads are an everyday hairstyle popular among influencers and naturalists. It is easy to start on your own without any professional guide. Two strand twists are achieved by crossing two hair strands opposite. When you first twist your hair, it looks like regular twists, but it grows into beautiful locs thicker than braid locs and other types of dreadlocks.
This is one of the most effortless hairstyles you can start by yourself at home without any worries. You can begin this hairstyle with short hair as low as 2 inches, depending on your hair length. Most people start their two twist dreads with short hair that grows and develops beautifully with time.
Be aware that when the locs start to mature, they swell up and get a lot thicker than other dreadlock types, which also shrink. People don’t consider this factor while choosing this hairstyle and end up unhappy with their loc journey. Moreover, two-strand twists contain pre-twisted sectioning of hair depending upon your hair to create even larger twists with this intricate design. It doesn’t result in very a very sleek hairstyle. So, if you want a clean hair look, you need to reconsider this style.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Getting Two Strand Twist Dreads
All the crochet hairstyles come along with minor variations for styling purposes. From different partying systems to other locking techniques, all are different and unique in their way. Likewise, there are some advantages and disadvantages to hairstyles. Hence, it is better to complete your knowledge and research before starting any dreadlocks. Consider the following merits and demerits of the process so that it helps you in the future and saves you from any hassle.
Advantages of Starting Your Locs with Two Strand Twists
If you have ever tried any twist hairstyle, you may know how protecting dos is advantageous for your hair. Here are some advantages of getting two-strand twists dreads:
Quick hairstyling:
The hairstyle is relatively quick as compared to other traditional hair locking styles. Moreover, the best part is that you can get the dreads at home without any external assistance. The hairstyle is quick because you can start it with as low as two inches of your hair. Short hair length is the real-life and time saviour in this locking style.
Convenient:
Two-strand dreads last long as they are easy to maintain. Although this hairstyle may take a long period to mature enough initially, the style is intact for 2–6 weeks. It is a low-maintained hairstyle to wash, condition, and detox your locs worry-free.
Versatile:
The hairstyle is incredibly versatile with its thickness and other properties. The locs can vary in size from micro-twists to chunky twists and can be done at any hair length. Moreover, once the hairs are twisted, they can be styled in different ways, such as loose hair or wavy hairstyle. Easy to fit other hairstyles, such as a ponytail, bun, or a Mohawk.
Protective:
The hairstyle is highly protective for hair as it detangles the hair effortlessly. Additionally, it counts as a potential protective hairstyle because it causes no damage to the hair. The looser twists minimize the stress on your hair with some simple braiding and twisting techniques. Hair protection drives your hair growth.
Resemblance:
One of the advantages of getting two stand twist dreads is that they resemble other hairstyles named mini twists. If you don’t want to reveal your two-strand twists earlier, you can style them to look for mini twists while waiting for the dreads to grow.
Maintenance:
The hairstyle is easy to start and maintain as well. Even you can begin this hairstyle from the comfort of your home. You will need to follow some simple and easy aftercare tips and tricks to keep your dreads healthy, fresh, and alive. Keep your dreads last long by taking extra care of them while sleeping and washing. Get the retwists as soon as possible.
Disadvantages of Starting Your Locs with Two Strand Twists
For every hair treatment or hairstyle, some demerits are attached with either technique or process. Likewise, there are some disadvantages of getting the two strand twist dreads, such as:
Unraveling
One of the disadvantages is that being thicker in diameter, the locs quickly unravel compared to other hairstyles. In the beginning, some people suffer from separation, and the process requires constant mending of the hairstyle to get the final results. The hair unravels and splits open, which results in ill-formed hair locs, also called two-headed dragons. A good way is to make a knot at the end of the dread to keep them away from unraveling.
Disappearance time:
As this hairstyle is easy to start, it is not easy to get rid of this style quickly. It has some additional disappearing time. For instance, one of the demerits of this process is that it takes somewhere between 6 months to 2 years for the twist patterns to disappear. Although, people have different hair growth times and different twists disappear time depending on many other factors.
Thicker locs:
Some people offend by the fact that this hairstyle leaves the locs thicker, and it means the hairstyle will not look neat in the beginning, but in different phases of the loc journey, your hair locs get thinner and develop into beautiful twisted classy braids.
Retwisting:
As the hair locs keep on unraveling in and off, it becomes inevitable to retwists them repeatedly. Although other hairstyles also require some retwisting sessions, they are mandatory when choosing this hairstyle. If you fail at retwisting your locs at home, be ready to bear retwisting sessions charges with your loctician.
How to Care for Two Strand Twist Starter Locs?
Like many other deadlock styles, the less you bother about your locs, the longer they last. Two-strand twists are easy to maintain as they don’t require any special treatment after installation. You will only need to follow some basic and simple tips and tricks for low-maintenance dreads. Follow the following tips and tricks to keep your locs in shape.
1: Washing
Some people think that washing the dreads will unlock soon, but it is not the fact. You can wash your newly installed dreads once a week, keeping your locs neat and clean. Generally, locticians don’t allow washing the dreads every other day. Although two-strand dreads can endure a lot of manipulation, frequent washing can wash off your natural hair, which is essential for your hair growth.
If you need to clean your double-strand twists, you can ask your loctician about hair washing. Depending upon hair scalp and locs condition, a hair expert can guide you better.
2: Protect twists while sleeping
Always cover your head with a satin scarf or satin cap at night to protect your twists from dust, lint, and other environmental factors. Moreover, it helps retain the moisture and avoid extra frizz, and covering the locs also reduces unraveling to some extent.
3: Don’t over-moisturize
Getting the dreadlocks can result in dry scalp and brittle locs. To keep your head well moisturized, you can use essential hair growth oils such as castor oil, almond oil, etc. Additionally, you can trap the moisture in your hair after head wash. But don’t over-moisturize your hair as it can result in mold formation in the locs or fungal infection. Dry your locks after hair wash using an air dryer or a blow dryer.
4: Tie the ends
Another way to maintain the shape of twisted locks is to tie them at the end to avoid their early unraveling. Use rubber bands to tie your twists if they slip and unlock quickly. It will keep them fixed and prevent hair breakage in the starting phases.
5: Retwisting
Retwisting is a general practice for people with dreadlocks. In two-strand twist dreads, the locs being thicker unlock quickly. So, they require retwisting from the beginning of the process. You can retwist your dreads by the palm rolling technique that gets the dreads back in shape.
How Long Does It Take for Two-strand Twists to Loc?
Twists locking is one of the most effortless hairstyles you can efficiently perform at home. But the fact is that it is a time-taking process, and you must be patient to get the final results. It takes six months to 2 years to develop the locs into their original look.
Hair growth and other factors also contribute to the locking, such as hair texture, hair length, hair volume, and maintenance. The lines that are developed in the early phases of the loc journey fade away when the locs get mature. This is the sign that your locs are getting into their shape.
How to Keep Two-strand Twist Starter Locs From Unraveling?
Unraveling is a common issue with the dreadlocks, but it is frequent in two strand twist dreads due to some reasons such as:
· Loose curl pattern
· Thickness
· Ineffective hair care products
· Straight ends
· Incorrect twisting techniques
To save your twists from unraveling, here are some practical tips and tricks that you must consider. These include:
1: Coiling:
Try to coil your ends when you start locking your hair. Twist your hair around your fingers for good coiling. Moreover, you can use elastic rubber bands to tie the locks instantly after twisting.
Some locticians suggest using hair gels or hair wax, but they can have some side effects, so you must consider them. Additionally, you can use some bobby pins to fix your locs and save them from untightening.
2: Cover your twists
To avoid retwisting sessions, you must cover your locs with a satin cap or head scarf while sleeping. It preserves your hair locks shape and prevents them from unraveling.
3: A hair wash
Be gentle while washing your hair. Try to avoid hair washing every single day. Instead, comb them regularly with a metal rat comb to get rid of dust and residues. Moreover, use hair residue products to keep them clean. Your twists will be in the baby stage for the first nine months, so avoid detox treatments.
If you are still confused about how to save your dreads from unraveling, then you can ask an experienced person. But you can expect that your hair may behave differently, so you must treat them accordingly.
Pro-tip:
One pro tip is that every person experiences the loc journey differently. If you are afraid of starting two-strand twists, you need to complete your research about the procedure, types of getting the twists, maintenance, aftercare, and issues associated with the hairstyle. It will help you make your decision in no time.
Hopefully, this article will be a good guide for you to start your loc journey and you will be prepared to deal with some common side effects of the twists.
