Microlocs

Microlocs are very small, fine locs – typically the diameter of a piece of yarn or smaller – installed across the entire head. They give locs a softer, more flowing appearance than traditional thicker locs, and allow more styling versatility while keeping the strength and longevity that defines a loc journey.

Microlocs are a significant commitment. A full install can take 12–24 hours and cost £400–£1,200 or more, but the result is a head of locs that sits closer to free-flowing hair than to rope-like traditional locs.

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About Microlocs

Microlocs are locs installed in much smaller sections than traditional locs – usually 200 to 500+ individual locs across the head, compared to the 60–150 typical of traditional loc styles.

The smaller section size means each loc is finer and more delicate, which gives the overall hair greater flexibility, better movement, and a wider range of styling options. Locs created using this techinique can be worn loose, braided, twisted, updone, or styled in ways that thicker traditional locs simply can’t move into.

Most microlocs in the UK are installed via interlocking, where each tiny section is threaded through itself at the root. This produces a uniform, neat appearance from day one and a permanent lock structure that holds well through washing and movement.

Microlocs are sometimes confused with Sisterlocks, which is a specific trademarked microlocs system requiring certified consultants. The term Microlocs is the broader category — Sisterlocks is one specific approach within it. Both produce similar fine-loc results; sisterlocs involves a particular tool, parting pattern, and certified loctician training.

Microlocs are a long-term commitment. The starter appointment is one of the longest and most expensive in the loc world, and the maintenance interval (every 4–6 weeks) doesn’t relax as the locs mature in the way traditional loc maintenance can.

Typical cost

Microlocs cost more than most loc services because of the hours involved, not because of the product. A full head is a few hundred individual locs, each parted and formed by hand, so an install runs eight to sixteen hours and is often split across two days.

Published UK prices, July 2026:

  • Starter install: £350 to £800, with most people landing between £450 and £650
  • Retightening: £50 to £150 per session, every 4 to 6 weeks
  • Loc extensions added at the start: roughly £150 to £200 on top, plus the hair
  • Consultation: £20 to £49, sometimes deducted from the install

What moves the price:

  • Grid size. The biggest single factor, and the one to ask about. One Reading loctician charges £450 for a medium-large grid and £750 for a small one on the same head.
  • Method. Twist starts are cheapest, braid starts sit in the middle, interlocking costs most and holds best through washing.
  • Hair length and density. More hair is more hours. One Peterborough price list runs £400, £600 and £800 for short, mid-length and long.
  • What’s bundled. Some quotes include the consultation or the first retightening; some don’t.
  • Location. Less than you’d think. Across four published lists from Reading to south London the gap is about £100 on a comparable grid, well under the gap between grid sizes.

Budget for the year, not the appointment. Around ten retightenings a year at £60 to £150 means maintenance costs between one and two times the install, every year, for as long as you have them. A realistic first-year total is £1,000 to £2,300.

Sisterlocks is a separate, trademarked system installed only by registered consultants, and it prices higher: UK establishment starts around £800 and runs past £995 before per-inch surcharges.

Who this is for

Microlocs suit people who want the long-term commitment of locs but with the styling flexibility and softer aesthetic of finer loc sizes.

The right candidates usually share several characteristics:

Comfortable with long appointments. A 12–24 hour install, even split across sessions, is a real time commitment. Some people enjoy it as a self-care marathon; others find it gruelling.

Willing to invest in maintenance. Retwists every 4–6 weeks at £80–£200 is a meaningful ongoing cost. Microlocs aren’t a low-maintenance hairstyle.

Want movement and styling versatility. If your reason for choosing locs is the styling possibilities, microlocs deliver more options than traditional thicker locs.

Have at least 4–6 inches of hair. Microlocs need adequate length to be installed cleanly; very short hair limits the loctician’s options.

Have generally healthy, undamaged hair. Microlocs reveal hair condition. If your hair has significant breakage, dryness, or chemical damage, those issues will show up in the finished locs. Address hair health first.

People for whom microlocs are usually wrong: anyone wanting a quick install, anyone unwilling to commit to frequent retwists, anyone with fragile or severely damaged hair, and anyone wanting the chunkier traditional loc aesthetic.

Showing 1-15 of 33 results
Locs By Eve

Locs By Eve

Islington, London
Loc Extensions Microlocs Retwist
Locking methods: Backcombing, Crochet, Interlocking, Palm rolling, Two-strand twists
Also offers: Consultations, Kids' locs, Loc repair, Occasion styling
from £75

What to expect at the appointment

The microlocs install is the longest single appointment in most loc journeys.

Consultation and parting plan. Before any installation, your loctician will spend 30–60 minutes assessing your hair, agreeing the parting pattern, and confirming the loc count and size. This is your moment to confirm everything before the multi-hour install begins.

Sectioning. The head is parted into the precise grid pattern that will become your locs. Microlocs require small, even sections — typically 5–8mm squares depending on the desired loc size. This sectioning alone often takes 1–2 hours.

Installation. Each section is interlocked through itself to create the starter loc. The loctician works systematically through the head, usually starting at the back. Most microlocs locticians take short breaks every 2–3 hours; some build longer breaks into the day.

Splitting across sessions. Many specialists prefer to split the install across two appointments (a back/sides session and a top/front session, usually a few days apart). This is easier on both client and loctician and produces better results. Expect this as a possibility when booking.

Final styling and aftercare. Once installed, you’ll receive detailed aftercare guidance — when to wash, what products to use, when to come back for the first retwist, and what’s normal in the first months.

The first months. Microlocs lock more uniformly than traditional locs but still go through a budding phase. They’ll look finished from day one but may shift in appearance as they mature.

Microlocs FAQs

How long do microlocs take to install?
Most microlocs installs take 8 to 16 hours of working time, and many locticians split that across two appointments. Longer, denser hair and a finer grid both push it towards the top of that range, and some specialists book a full two days as standard.
Are microlocs the same as Sisterlocks?
SisterlocksTM is a specific trademarked microlocs system requiring certified consultants and a particular tool and parting pattern. Microlocs is the broader category. Both produce similar fine-loc results; the differences are in the methodology and certification requirements.
How often do microlocs need retwisting?
Every 4–6 weeks throughout the loc journey. Unlike traditional locs, microlocs maintenance intervals don’t extend significantly as the locs mature.
Can I install microlocs at home?
Self-installing microlocs is technically possible but extremely difficult and time-consuming. Most loc-wearers go to a specialist for the install and consider self-maintaining only after several years of experience.
How long do microlocs last?
Microlocs are a permanent hairstyle in the same way traditional locs are. With proper care they can last decades. Combing them out is possible in the first few months but becomes impractical as they mature.

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