How often should you retighten your locs?

There is no single correct interval

The honest answer is that it depends on how fast your hair grows, how thick your locs are, and how you wear them. Most people land somewhere between four and eight weeks, but we have clients comfortably on ten and others who genuinely need four.

What matters far more than hitting a number is the tension used, and whether your scalp gets a rest between appointments.

The real risk is tension, not timing

Traction alopecia — thinning at the hairline and temples caused by sustained pull on the follicle — is the most common problem we see in clients coming to us from elsewhere. It is caused by retightening too tightly, too often, or both.

If your scalp is sore, tender or bumpy after an appointment, that is not normal and it is not a sign the job was done thoroughly. It is a warning.

Signs you have left it too long

New growth matting together at the root, locs beginning to join at the base, and a noticeable difference in thickness between the root and the body of the loc. None of these are disasters, but they take longer to correct than to prevent.

Between appointments, oil the scalp regularly — our Iminent oil is formulated for exactly this — and keep locs separated by hand as they grow.

What we do about it

We charge retightening by the hour at £60, which means we are not incentivised to rush you through or to bring you back more often than you need. We will tell you honestly if you are coming in too frequently.

Send a photo when you book and we will give you an estimate of the hours involved before you commit.

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Important: this article is general well-being information, not medical advice. It does not diagnose, treat or cure any condition. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking prescription medication or managing a health condition, please speak to your GP or pharmacist before changing anything.

Last reviewed: 28 July 2026 by the Mundo Fit Natural practitioner team. We review our articles at least once a year.