All you need to know about the protective style sisterlocks

Sisterlocks were created a little over 20 years ago by Dr. JoAnne Cornwell and are a smaller, modern twist on the traditional style.

Who invented sisterlocks?

The woman who developed Sisterlocks is an African American Studies professor named Dr. JoAnne Cornwell. She wanted to provide a way for black women to do their hair in a way that didn’t involve the use of chemicals or extensions.

The brand is trademarked and protected under a patent, so you need to book an appointment with a certified Sisterlocks consultant if you want these particular locks.

Dr. Cornwell invented the hair styling method in 1993, and it remains popular today among naturalistas.

If you're considering Sisterlocks, you should first find a certified consultant who can guide you through the process to ensure optimal results. Certified Sisterlocks consultants have been approved officially by the creator of the technique, Dr. Cornwell. Since Sisterlocks are so thin, improper installation can lead to severe hair breakage and even baldness.

Sisterlocks are tiny, stylable locks that are formed using an interlocking method. Interlocking is where you use a tool to create the locks instead of using a palm roll or a two-strand twisting technique. Sisterlock technicians, or “Sister Lockticians,” make the lock from the ends to the roots, so there is very little pulling at the root or damage to the hair follicle.

The Sisterlocks website has an exclusive list of certified Sisterlocks technicians from the U.S. and international locations. The hairstyle comes with a heavy price tag, but you can justify some of the cost by considering how much you would save on product and styling. Sisterlocks cost anywhere from $500-$2000, so they’re not cheap.

But you may be able to find a trainee Sisterlock technician who can do the style for $300-$400.

However, once you’ve made the initial investment, you’ll probably find them easier to maintain on a daily basis. Proper maintenance is crucial to the survival of your sisterlocks. You must have them re-tightening every 4-6 weeks or risk having them thin and break you hair off altogether. This makes sisterlocks quite a high-maintenance and pricey investment.