So you have decided you want locs.
That is the easy part. Now comes the question that stops a lot of people in their tracks. Do you want soft locs or do you want permanent locs. And if you are not fully sure what the difference is or which one is right for you, you are in exactly the right place.
This is one of the most common conversations I have in my salon. People come in knowing they want the loc look but not fully understanding that there are actually two very different paths to get there. And those paths have very different commitments, very different timelines, and very different outcomes.
In my last post I talked about How Long It Actually Takes to Get Fully Mature Locs and one of the things that affects your timeline significantly is which type of locs you choose. So if you have been thinking about that post and wondering how it applies to your specific situation, this one is going to give you a lot of clarity.
Let us break it all down.
Choosing between soft locs and permanent locs is not just a style decision. It is a lifestyle decision. It affects how much time you spend on your hair. How much money you spend. How long your commitment lasts. And what your hair looks and feels like on a daily basis.
Getting clear on what each option actually involves before you sit in that chair is one of the best things you can do for yourself. So let us start from the beginning.
What Are Soft Locs
Soft locs are a protective style. They are not permanent. They are created using extensions, usually a combination of braiding hair and faux loc hair, that are wrapped and crocheted around your natural hair to create the appearance of locs.
The result looks incredibly similar to permanent locs. When done well, soft locs are genuinely beautiful. They have texture, movement, and a very natural appearance. From a distance most people cannot tell the difference between soft locs and the real thing.
But here is the key thing to understand. Your natural hair is still underneath. It is braided down or twisted as a base and the extension hair is wrapped around it. When you take the soft locs out your natural hair is still there, essentially unchanged.
How Soft Locs Are Installed
The installation process for soft locs typically takes anywhere from four to eight hours depending on the length and thickness you are going for and the experience level of your stylist.
Your natural hair is first sectioned and braided or twisted down in small sections all over your head. Then the faux loc hair is wrapped around each braid from root to tip using a specific wrapping technique. The ends are sealed using hot water to set the style and give the locs their soft, slightly unraveled appearance at the tips.
Some stylists use a crochet method to attach the faux loc hair. Others wrap manually. The technique varies but the result is similar. A full head of beautiful locs that did not require months or years of waiting.
How Long Soft Locs Last
Soft locs are typically worn for four to eight weeks. Some people stretch them to ten weeks with very careful maintenance. Beyond that the new growth at your roots becomes significant enough that the style starts to look less neat and the tension on your natural hair increases.
After removal your natural hair needs a thorough detangle, deep condition, and a period of rest before another protective style is installed.
Permanent locs are exactly what they sound like. They are your actual natural hair that has been guided through the locking process over time until it forms solid, matured locs. There are no extensions involved. No wrapping. No installation that gets taken out after a few weeks.
Permanent locs are a lifelong commitment in the sense that once your hair is fully locked, reversing the process is not really a realistic option. The only true way to remove fully mature permanent locs is to cut them off.
As I talked about in the previous post, reaching full maturity with permanent locs takes anywhere from eighteen months to three years depending on your hair texture, starting method, and how consistently you maintain them.
How Permanent Locs Are Started
There are several methods for starting permanent locs. The most common ones are two strand twists, coils, interlocking, and braids. Your loctician will recommend the best starting method based on your hair texture, your desired loc size, and your lifestyle.
The starting appointment typically takes two to six hours depending on how much hair you have and how small your locs are going to be. After that you return for regular maintenance appointments, usually every four to six weeks, to have your new growth retwisted or interlocked into the existing locs.
Over time, through consistent maintenance and the natural locking process, your locs mature and become the permanent feature of your hair that you have been working towards.
Soft Locs vs Permanent Locs: The Real Differences
Now let us put them side by side and talk about what actually matters when you are trying to make this decision.
Commitment Level
This is the most fundamental difference between the two options.
Soft locs require a short term commitment. You are committing to a style for four to eight weeks. If you love it you can get them reinstalled. If you change your mind you take them out and your natural hair is right there waiting for you. There is very little risk involved.
Permanent locs require a long term commitment. You are committing to a journey that takes years. You are committing to maintenance appointments every four to six weeks indefinitely. And you are committing to the understanding that once your hair is fully locked, cutting is the only way to start over.
Neither commitment is wrong. But they are very different. And being honest with yourself about which level of commitment you are ready for is important before you make any decisions.
Your Natural Hair
With soft locs your natural hair is protected underneath the extensions. As long as the style is installed correctly, without too much tension, and removed carefully, your natural hair remains healthy and intact throughout.
With permanent locs your natural hair is the loc. Everything that happens to your locs happens to your actual hair. The health of your locs is the health of your hair. This means that the decisions you make about products, maintenance, and care have permanent consequences rather than temporary ones.
The Look and Feel
Soft locs and permanent locs look very similar from a distance. But up close and in terms of how they feel there are noticeable differences.
Soft locs have a specific texture that comes from the extension hair used to create them. They feel softer and lighter than permanent locs, hence the name. They also tend to have a more uniform appearance because the size and texture is controlled during installation.
Permanent locs develop their own unique texture over time. No two sets of permanent locs look exactly alike. They take on the characteristics of your specific hair. They become yours in a way that a protective style simply cannot replicate. Many people describe the feeling of mature permanent locs as deeply personal and deeply beautiful for exactly this reason.
Maintenance Requirements
Soft locs require relatively simple maintenance during the time you are wearing them. A light spritz of moisture, gentle washing if needed, and a satin bonnet at night. Because the style is temporary there is no locking process to support and no long term root maintenance required.
Permanent locs require consistent, ongoing maintenance for the entire life of your loc journey. Regular professional appointments. A proper washing routine. Scalp care. Moisture management. Buildup prevention. These are all things you commit to for as long as you have your locs.
This does not mean permanent locs are high maintenance in the traditional sense. As I talked about in an earlier post, locs can absolutely fit into a busy lifestyle. But they do require consistent care. That is just the reality.
Cost Over Time
Soft locs cost more upfront per installation. A full set of soft locs typically costs significantly more than a retwist appointment because of the time and materials involved. However because they are temporary, that cost resets with every new installation.
Permanent locs cost less per individual appointment once they are established. A regular retwist or interlocking session is generally less expensive than a soft loc installation. But those appointments happen consistently for years. Over the long term the costs are comparable.
It is also worth factoring in the cost of the hair itself for soft locs. You will need to purchase new extension hair each time you reinstall unless you are using a reusable faux loc method.
Who Are Soft Locs Actually For
Let me be direct about this because I think it helps people make clearer decisions.
Soft locs are a great choice if you love the loc aesthetic but are not ready to commit permanently. Maybe you are still figuring out if locs are right for you long term. Soft locs let you live with the look for a few weeks and see how it feels before making any permanent decisions.
They are also a great choice if you want the loc look for a specific occasion or period of time. A wedding, a holiday, a season where you want something different without a long term commitment.
Soft locs work well if you are currently growing out your natural hair and want a protective style that gives length and fullness while your hair catches up.
And they are a genuinely good option if you simply love rotating your protective styles and do not want to be locked into one look indefinitely. Some people wear soft locs regularly as part of a protective styling rotation and are completely happy with that choice.
What Soft Locs Are Not
Soft locs are not a shortcut to permanent locs. Your natural hair does not start locking underneath the extensions. When you take the soft locs out your natural hair is in the same state it was when you put them in.
They are also not a commitment free option in every sense. Tension from improperly installed soft locs can cause traction on your natural hair especially around the hairline. If you are getting soft locs regularly, making sure your stylist is not installing them too tightly and giving your hair proper rest periods between installations matters a lot.
Who Are Permanent Locs Actually For
Permanent locs are for people who are ready to commit to the journey. Not just to the finished look but to everything in between. The budding stage, the ugly stage, the teenage stage, all of it.
They are for people who want something that is truly theirs. That grows with them. That tells their story over time. There is a depth to permanent locs that a protective style simply cannot replicate and for the right person that depth is everything.
Permanent locs are also for people who are done with the daily manipulation of their natural hair and want a style that simplifies their routine in the long run. Yes the early stages require patience and consistency. But mature permanent locs are genuinely one of the most manageable long term hair options available for natural hair.
They are for people who feel a connection to locs that goes beyond aesthetics. For many people, starting permanent locs is a deeply personal and sometimes spiritual decision. It is about identity, about embracing their natural texture fully, about making a statement about who they are. If that resonates with you then permanent locs might be more than just a hair choice.
Being Honest With Yourself
I want to say something here that I say to clients in my salon regularly.
If you are considering permanent locs because you think they are going to be easy and require no effort, please reconsider. Permanent locs are low manipulation. They are not no maintenance. The people who struggle most on their loc journey are the ones who went in expecting to do nothing and then felt blindsided by the reality of consistent care.
Go in with realistic expectations. Understand the commitment. And if after all of that you still feel called to permanent locs then go for it with everything you have. Because it is genuinely one of the most rewarding hair journeys you can go on.
Can You Start With Soft Locs and Then Get Permanent Locs
Yes. Absolutely. And honestly this is a path I recommend to people who are on the fence.
Getting soft locs first gives you the experience of living with the loc look. You learn how locs feel in your hands. How they move. How people respond to them. How you feel about yourself in them. That experience is genuinely valuable information when you are trying to decide whether to commit permanently.
After your soft locs are removed and your natural hair has had some rest time, you can start your permanent loc journey with much more confidence. You already know you love the look. You just have not seen it on your own natural hair yet.
The one thing to keep in mind is that soft locs do not give you a head start on your permanent loc journey. Your permanent locs will still need to go through every stage of the maturation process from the very beginning. But you will go into that process more prepared and more certain than you would have been without the soft loc experience.
My Honest Recommendation
As a loc technician who has worked with both styles on many different clients, here is what I genuinely think.
If you have any doubts at all about whether you are ready for the permanent commitment, start with soft locs. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Use that time to really sit with the decision. To see how your lifestyle works with locs. To imagine yourself five years into a permanent loc journey and see how that feels.
If you already know in your gut that you want permanent locs and you are just nervous about the process, do not let that nervousness stop you. Get your consultation, find a loctician you trust, ask all your questions, and take the leap.
Both paths lead to beautiful locs. The right path is simply the one that is right for you specifically.
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