WELCOME HOME


Nappturality has been online since 2002. Dedicated to all the women in the diaspora who proudly wear their highly textured hair naturally. Nappturality.com is the place to find photographs,, forums, information and links about the care, maintenance and politics of natural hair. Natural napptural hair. Here you will find photos of all natural styles, comb coils, two-strand twists, afro puffs, afros dredlocks (dreadlocks), locs and many other natural styles. Styled by natural napptural haired women on their own hair.

Blogs

3 minutes reading time (672 words)

Musty Loc Syndrome- Freshen up your Scalp

Combat Musty Loc Syndrome

Funky sour musty danky sticky loc scalp. You best get onto that before it gets out of hand. Not enough thorough cleansing of your scalp is going to cause this problem –but it's a mistake that can be fixed yourself, if you catch it early enough.

I know I have written about scalp issues a lot. Like here, and here. But it's importantFor those who insist on not washing your locs for extended periods of time, I'm going to tell you the real deal. It's unhygenic, stinky germy and nasty. Your scalp is your body and you need to wash it. Think you may have a problem? Do you have musty locs? You can ask a friend to sniff your head. If you don't want to do that, take a cotton makeup remover pad and rub the scalp at back of your head with it -- hold it there for a while to absorb, then bring it to your nose. If what you smell is neutral or sweet, you're good. But if you smell something funky, it's not good. And everyone else next to you can smell it too. (horror of horrors).

Well-maintained locs are beautiful things to behold. They are supple, soft and consist of interwoven, entangled structured strands. It doesn't matter how you wear your locs, cultivated or freeform, healthy locs are not maintenance-free and require you to pay attention to hygiene.

Sebum is good. Sebum buildup is not. 

No matter what loc style you wear, your scalp continues to protect and balance itself by producing sebum, a waxy substance that repels bacteria and dirt for short periods. This sebum is meant to be washed away regularly, as your follicles produce it daily. If you don't remove it, it will build up and trap bacteria and dirt. It will also trap any product you use on your locs and bind it up... doing the opposite of what it is supposed to do.

This process can cause scalp irritation, itchiness, dandruff and eventually it will begin to produce a musty smell as it builds up. This bacteria-laden wax will then migrate into your locs and grow mildew or mold, causing funk, damage and breakage.

If you are just starting locs, get into the habit of using a dry shampoo or ready-made scalp cleanser like witch hazel, tea tree or apple cider vinegar to cleanse your scalp between washings. Take special care to get deep into the hair at the base of your locs, to dissolve all buildup at that base. If you pinch and rub the base of your loc between your index finger and thumb you will feel the slippery texture of buildup (if it's there). Work it out and rinse it out as completely as you can.

If you have already made the mistake of allowing your sebum to migrate into your locs and build up inside, you will need to employ more drastic measures to rid your locs of this buildup. 

 The process is simple.

Start with a strong, lathering clarifying shampoo and give your scalp and locs a decent soaking.

Squeeze the shampoo through each loc. Rinse and press the water and out of your locs with a deep, deep warm water rinse until the shampoo is gone then check the water. Is it cloudy? If it is, great! You have removed some buildup. But you need to do more. Check by squeezing a wet loc between your fingers and see if any cloudy water is squeezed out. If it's clear, you may have removed it all. 

If you see cloudy water, shampoo it again and until the water runs clear when squeezed out of your locs.

Allow your locs to dry either naturally in a warm environment or using a gently air flow dryer to speed it up or if you are in a cool environment. Do not pull your locs together in a bun or ponytail while wet, just let them dry loose, fully and completely.

Now enjoy your fresh, clean locs and start a retwist and tighten if you cultivate. 

I Think I Damaged My Hair
Bleaching question, my scalp is now orange!

Related Posts

 

By accepting you will be accessing a service provided by a third-party external to https://nappturality.com/

Nappturality Shoe 300 faded

Your Natural Hair is NOT a Fad

Wearing natural hair is not a fad. It is not a fashion trend. It's the natural hair you were born with. So why can't you wear it?
Don't believe the negative hype..

Jennifer Bass Leslie Blakely6 Dominique Truthfairy Williams Watt Destiny Hawkins Michelle Hudson Karmen B. Jones Angela Watkins Adaleia Coultman3 Daniella Cardoza Trina Smith 3 Star Bullard Leah Prater Adrienne Lifeisgolden Skinner Sasha Stoute Lorraine Gray Denise Billings Latanya Coverson LaJoia Hamilton Raticka Scruggs Keia Parker Khady Didi Sow Shadi Shukuma Maepa Tiara Shinae Hairbyjuanibless3 Natanya Jones2 Emmanuelle Key Dickerson2 Candace Montgomery Maya Mj James2 Gema Ebanks Selena So Blessed Mckibben Talishia Robins Queena Beenblessed Williams2 Monica Evans3 Kaynisha Renee Martin Jagged Edge2 Tamara Hinkle Moore Gloria Obruche 2 Andrea Cantrell 3 Princess First'Lady Briggs Yasmeen Cookngd Ali Brown Sarah Moore Mysteek NaturalHair2 Juanita Simmons Jaunene Jones Hairbyjuanibless4 Jariel Deanna1 Debra Chatman Monique Colon Notm Pressed Jariel Deanna3 Princess First'Lady Briggs4 KaRen JackSon2 Jagged Edge Iman Whitmore 2 Jewel Grant EJ Thompson Raticka Scruggs Mary Wells Adrienne Lifeisgolden Skinner2 Betty Alexander McGriff Ayesha La Vonia Boyd Heeyy Jessie Princess First'Lady Briggs3 Solange Campos Gilly Dee Marilyn E Lowe Jariel Deanna2 Sasha Stoute2 Essie Dodson Cynthiakim2 Jariel Deanna Sonjia Murphy Abigail Boyce Troya Sowell Urecha Dunn2 Tammy Mariano Chara Harris Kim Lewis Heila Da She Serumula 2 Adey's Natural Hair Tips Curley N Cynthia Simpson Shekera Combs Nicki Wade Jillijoy Holloway2 Leslie Blakely4 Da OC Saundrea Arila Mendez Mary Wells Lysa Davis Courtney Davis Jacqueline Parker Raticka Scruggs2 Vanessa Agee Monique Colon2 Kenita Mitchell Divinity Starr Leslie Blakely7 Monique Wilson Carolyn Parker Kimberly Montague Monica Evans2 Samantha Jordan Tammie Elkerson Mcgill LaShawn Sonya Makeba MrsNohaterallowed Taylor2 KaRen JackSon Bella Negra1 Daniella Cardoza2 Toma Thornhill KaRen Nikki Poole 2 Mysteek NaturalHair Sharea Twymon Summers Natanya Jones3 Chelsea Patterson Sanders Leslie Blakely9 Tonyelle Bennett Jillijoy Holloway Sheila Da She Serumula2 Monica Evans4 Cheryl Freemon Watts2 J LaKayle Jones2 Eiimariiee Rosee Lynn Ashley Erica Holmes Hale Maya Mj James Gilly Dee Tiffany Smith Adrienne Lifeisgolden Skinner3 Jay Roge3 Adaleia Coultman4 Tracy Gary Jillijoy Holloway3 Richeau Breland Chenay N. Bryant Emmanuelle Key Dickerson Urecha Dunn Nikki Poole Marenda Eison Trina Smith 2 Jay Roge6 Frankie Monroe Jazmine J. Boss Bella Zambezie Bokua Adwoa Bray 2 Iman Whitmore Regina Ellis Livingston Shalari Drakes Jay Roge Kennedra Tucker Melinda IzsoDivine Michele Washington Lisa Amos Wilson Akeisha Msincognito Shades Miz Jones Frankie Monroe 1 Kaleta Battle Naiesha Howell Frankie Monroe 2 Kathy Terrell 2 HairbyJuanibless Hairbyjuanibless5 Raven Nacole Madison KaTina Smith Walker3 Solange Campos 1 Ann Brown Jay Roge4 Bryanna Knight KaTina Smith Walker2 Angela Watkins3 Heeyy Jessie2 LaCharla Figgs Leslie Blakely2 Talishia Robins2 Kathy Terrell 4 Tammie Braggs Melody Dark Monica Evans Adaleia Coultman2 Sophonie Bien Aime Kathy Terrell Brandi Murphy Kathy Terrell 3 Leslie Blakely8 Natanya Jones ShaRon Hicks2 Sylvia Randi Carroll Gloria Obruche 1 Antoinette Jeaninne Lekeytha Dukes Shaw Leslie Blakely5 Vicky Hightower Lakishia Brown Nadia Newton Rhonda Littles Hairbyjuanibless2 J LaKayle Jones3 Lauren Foster Walls Amanda Flowers Peterson Sarah Moore 2 Irena Shipley Ednasia Green Adaleia Coultman Cynthiakim1 Angela Watkins2 Diamond Mull Linda Brown Campbell Notm Pressed3 Bokua Adwoa Bray MrsNohaterallowed Taylor Angie Knight2 Jagged Edge3 Cheryl Freemon Watts Alnita Reaves Vaught Sheila Da She Serumula Leslie Blakely3 Princess First'Lady Briggs2 J LaKayle Jones Daphanie Brooks KaTina Smith Walker Monique Colon Nikki Poole Andrea Cantrell 2 Nyree' Allen Leslie Blakely Katrina Stallworth Sheila Da She Serumula3 Sheila Da She Serumula Queena Beenblessed Williams Shannon Bell KaRen JackSon Chasity Williams Andrea Cantrell Angie Knight Kayla Bush Trina Smith