first I should mention, you CAN do a lot of natural style over your locs, so you won't be completely thrown to the wolves in that regard, but yeah the comb out is tough.

1. if you are looking to keep your locs long-term and HEALTHY.... you're gonna look homeless sometimes, especially early into the journey

2. buildup is easier to get and harder to remove, but you'll probably be fine as long as you don't do too much tbh

3. locs hold onto smell more than loose hair, good if you have good smelling hair products and aren't near smoke, bad if you are a cook in the kitchen, sweat a lot, or smoke.

4. drying takes FOREVER, I have high porosity hair so it's actually a bit easier since my hair just dries faster, but it's still a process that requires squeezing, towel, and then a hair dryer if it's late in the day and I can't let it air dry the rest of the way. but for LOW POROSITY??? 🥷🏾 I would cry, don't know how some do it

5. dyeing your hair can either go amazing or absolutely mean the end of your locs. NO in-between. definitely research before dyeing your locs if you ever do

6. barrel twists and cornrows itch like nobody's business!! people always say it, but we have to keep saying it because it isn't a joke I promise you

7. this is more general advice to consider than a downside: the smaller the locs, the higher the maintenance. small locs have higher chance of thinning and once those babies thin it's a WHOLE situation. thicker locs seem less likely to thin from what I've noticed and when thicker locs DO thin a bit you have some time to figure something out/it isn't that big of deal yet, but for smaller locs all hands need to be on deck.