Having good looks is a dream of every one of us, having good looks means that you look attractive therefore can gain attention and influence among people.
We all mainly focus on our hairstyle to look good as hairs contribute the most to specifying our face shape. Having a good hairstyle that is perfect for your face shape makes you look attractive and also boosts your confidence.
You might have seen pictures of people who have grown their hair way too long and have braided it.
This type of hair can either be a Dreads or Locs depending on the growth condition and other characteristics. Both of the hairstyles Dreads and Locs are pretty similar which makes them difficult to differentiate.
There are many differences between Locs and Dreads which indicates that dreads and locs are two different types of hairstyles.
Dread hairstyle is made by sculpting hairs into ropes of different width and are kept messy and unkempt. Whereas, Locs hairstyle is made by coiling, breading twisting hairs on the palm,it is made by hairstylers and are kept neat and tidy.
This was only one difference between dreads and Locs, to know more about Dreads and Locs and their differences stick with me till the end as I will be covering all.
What are Locs?
Locs are an African hairstyle that is made by coiling, breading twisting hairs in the palm. When loc hairstyle is being made during this process hairs are not combed. Locs are well defined from their roots and you can easily see the root of each strand.
Locs are usually made artificially by professional hairstylers. This hairstyle is easy to make on the hairs that are locked naturally. Once a person’s hair is locked, it’s difficult to unlock the hair and is a tough task. This hairstyle is easy to make on African-Nubian hair compared to straight hair.
Having Locs is considered to be a sign of warriors and religious leaders in Africa.
What are Dreads?
Dreads or dreadlocks are hairstyles in which hairs are sculpted into ropes of various sizes. This hairstyle gained popularity during the commercial evolution of reggae music. Hairs in dread hairstyle are mostly kept messy and unkempt.
Some people also regard this hairstyle as Rasta, indicating Jamaican Route it took to enter Western civilization.
Some people relate the term ‘dreadlocks’ with the trade of African slaves in the 18th Century. African slaves were brought after long journeys on ships during, these voyages grooming practices of African slaves were not possible. African slaves arrived with untidy hairs which were packed and Locs were made in them naturally. The slave owners regarded the African slaves with natural locks and dirty hair as ‘dreadful’ and their hairs were regarded as ‘dreadlocks’ or ‘dread’.
The dreadlock hairstyle can also be traced to Ancient Egypt and Greece, many statues kept in museums depict people styling their hair in the same way.
Some people consider deadlock as a sign of spirituality therefore it is worn by people belonging to different religions.
The style is worn by some dervishes of Islam, Sadhus follower of shiva in Hinduism, and is respected by the Rastafari movement.
The Guinness Book of World Records rested its “longest dreadlock” category after the hair inspection of the titleholder Asha Mandala. It is impossible to check the authenticity of dreadlocks as expert methods were used for the attachment of Locs.
Are Dreads and Loc the same?
Dread and Locs are two similar hairstyles and are often used interchangeably or conjoined as dreadlocks.
Dreads and Locs are slightly different from each other which makes them difficult to differentiate.
| Dreads | Locs | |
| Made by | Coiling, breading, and twisting hair | Sculpting hair into |
| Made | Naturally | Artificially |
| Kept | Messy, unkempt | Tidy |
| Roots are | Not visible or well defined | Well defined |
Dreads are usually grown naturally and are made by sculpting hair in ropes of various sizes. Whereas, Locs are grown naturally and are made by coiling, breading, and twisting hairs, Locs are mostly styled by hairstyle is.
Dreads are kept messy and unkempt, their roots are not well defined. Whereas, Locs are kept tidy and their roots are well defined therefore can be seen easily.
If you’re still confused, check this video out and see more insights into how these two hairstyles differ from each other.
Can dreadlocks be undone?
Now you might be thinking that if dreadlocks are locked then is it possible to undo or unlock them?
Dreadlocks can be undone by combing especially when they get proper care, which may include regular shampoo and conditioning.
On the other hand, if you try to undo it without proper hair care, you are likely to experience hair loss and might see the shedding of hairs that aren’t a part of hair but are still locked. You may also have to cut some amount of your hair. But be patient and stay calm as it’s very important during the process. With the help of the right tools, you can undo dreadlocks.
What are 3 types of dreadlocks?
Dreadlocks or dread are of many types that a person can try.
Jata
It is one of the most common types of dreadlocks in which a person lets his hair untied.
In Jata, hairs are grown naturally and are untied which makes the hairs to bound naturally, creating a natural hairstyle. It was very popularized by late musician Bob Marley.
In Hinduism, this hairstyle is referred to as ‘Jata’ meaning “long locks”. Hindu Sadhus and mythic commonly have this type of hairstyle.
Jata which Sadhus have are very long and sometimes Jata is that much longer, that they can even touch the ground.
Braided dreadlock
In this type, one braids together his individual locks to form a thicker one.
Long dead deadlocks can even be made as a single bun by pulling hairs like a ponytail and twisting the hair together. This hairstyle is perfect for formal occasions.
Sisterlocks
This type of dreadlock is referred to as sister locks as it is thinner than dreadlocks.
Regular dreadlock styles have an average lock of 10 to 50 of hair but sister locks have around 400 locks of hair. One great thing about sister locks is that it is bulky and are perfect with shoulder hair.
These are only a few types of dreadlocks, other types of dreadlocks include:
- Wavy dreadlock
- Twisted dreadlock
- Long hot dreadlock
Wrapping it up
A hairstyle is very important as it shapes your face and boosts your confidence. There are many hairstyles but dreads and Locs are two unique hairstyles.
As dreads and locs are pretty similar people often use these terms interchangeably. Dreads and Locs are two different types of hairstyles with a slight difference between them.
Dreads are naturally grown and are made by sculpting hairs into ropes of various sizes. Whereas Locs are made by professional hair stylers, the process of coiling, breading, and twisting hair is involved to make locs.
Roots of dreads are not well defined and dreads themselves are also kept messy. Whereas Locs are kept tidy and their roots are well defined and easily visible.
Dreads also known as dreadlocks have many types but these most prominent types include Jata, Braided deadlock, and Sisterlocks. All of these types provide a natural look and are pretty simple.
There are a lot of hairstyles to try but you must try a hairstyle that grooms your personality and gives you a charming look.