Recently one of my loc’d friends asked me about hair steamers. This is something I had heard of in the past but never really looked into. 

I did some research and read so many positive reviews that I figured it was something worth trying, especially considering that winter is finally over and my locs could use a boost of hydration. 

In my research I realized there’s an overwhelming amount of information on steamers so in this article, I will narrow down everything I learned including what steaming does for locs. 

I will also show you the steamers I tried and share my experience using them. For the curious, I’ll just say the results have been nothing short of amazing! 

Prepare yourself for some cringy photos of me and let’s get into this. 😉

Is steam good for locs? 

Yes!

If you’ve been or lived in a humid environment, you can definitely tell the difference it has on your skin and hair when compared to a dry environment, right? 

Well, steam is like getting a super concentrated dose of humidity on your locs.

Benefits of steaming locs

Steam provides a lot of benefits for your hair and scalp, such as: 

• Conditioning locs by opening up the hair cuticle and moisturizing the inner layers of each strand

• Helping to retain moisture, which is highly beneficial for colored hair

• Detoxing the scalp 

• Alleviating dryness, itchiness, and dandruff

• Softening the locs 

• Increasing hair elasticity which makes it more flexible and less prone to breakage

• Improving blood circulation to the scalp

• Promoting hair growth

Steam treatment options for locs

There are hundreds of steamer varieties and brands out there but generally speaking, they all fall into one of three categories: hair steamers, facial steamers, and clothing/ garment steamers. 

The good news is that any of these can be used on your locs regardless of what it was originally intended for, but in order to choose the best steamer for your needs, you should consider the following factors. 

1. Your budget: You can find hair steamers as cheap as $20 and as expensive as $700 or more. What are you willing to spend? If you’re getting it for personal use only, I don’t think a professional-grade machine is necessary.  On the other hand, if you’re a hair stylist or locitcian, investing in a higher quality machine could be a great upgrade for your business and you can offer it as a service.

2. Size and weight of the steamer: Just like there’s a huge variation in prices, there are variations in size. There are portable and travel-friendly options as well as heavy-weight machines.

3. Heat and steam features: Some steamers, like hooded steamers, generally have a temperature and time control, whereas others like handheld steamers usually don’t. There are also devices like heat caps that do not emit steam itself, but instead provide heat that stimulates blood flow and improves moisture retention on the scalp. 

Pros and cons of these steaming options

Hooded steamers

PROS

• It’s hands-free.

• It lets you multi-task. You can sit and read a magazine or do things on your laptop/phone while the steamer is working its magic.

• Heat output is controlled by the click of a button.

CONS

• Generally serves only one purpose, which is hair— obviously that is what we need when considering locs.

• Standing hooded steamers are bulky and expensive.

• Heat caps (i.e. hair steamer caps) are the most travel-friendly option but they do not produce steam, just heat.

Handheld steamers

PROS

• It can be used in multiple ways. Apart from your hair, you can steam your face and clothes.

• They’re affordable. 

• Travel-friendly options are just as effective as non-travel-sized options. 

CONS

• It doesn’t allow you to multitask, so the time that you dedicate to steaming will be for just that.

• It can hurt your arms after a while. Not everyone will have an issue with this but since you’ll be holding a 1-3 lb machine for a straight 10 or 20 minutes, your arms will likely get tired at some point. 

• Heat and steam output cannot be regulated, and the steam comes out pretty hot! So be careful not to burn yourself. 

I hope this information makes it easier for you to decide which steamer to get. If you’re not ready to commit to any of them yet, continue reading to learn a few ways to steam your locs without buying a hair steamer.

How to steam your locs at home

There are multiple ways to steam your hair at home. Here I’ll discuss two ways you can do it with a steamer and five ways to do it without.

How to steam your locs with a steamer

I can only speak from experience about the two steamers I tested, but I believe the process is similar if you’re gonna use a variation of the products I’m demonstrating here.

Hooded heat cap

I bought the Ingeware Thermal Cap on Amazon for roughly $20.

To use it, you’ll first want to wash your hair and towel-dry it to the point that it’s damp. 

You can apply a blend of essential oils and water to your scalp for maximum effects but this is completely optional. If you want to use carrier oils, use a minimal amount, or it might leave your scalp oily after your locs dry. 

Put the shower cap on (two come with the kit). Plug in the steamer cap and turn it on. Adjust the temperature (from 1 to 10) and the time to 20 minutes. Read a book or relax while it works its magic. 🙂 

Keep in mind that if the cap reaches 150F it will automatically stop heating and will start up again if the temperature drops to 113F.

Once finished, take the heat cap off, clean the shower cap, and air dry your locs.

PS. The first time I tried this, I was able to tuck all of my locs into the shower cap. Since I have way too much hair, I don’t think it had the effect I was looking for.

The second time around, I tried it with my locs down so that the heat would reach my scalp evenly. I feel like doing it this way worked best for me.

Clothes Steamer 

The other steamer I got was the Clevast Foldable Travel Steamer for roughly $30.

I chose this because I travel a lot and want to have the option to steam my hair consistently, however, it’s a little bulky in my opinion. 

Nevertheless, the process of using it is easy! 

Again, you want to start with freshly washed damp locs. 

Then, fill up the water reservoir with filtered or distilled water. Do not add anything to the water or it can clog the steamer. 

Then, plug the machine in and give it a few minutes to heat up. The light on the power button will light up when it’s ready. Click the power button once for intermittent steam or twice for continuous steam. It will run for around 10 to 12 minutes straight before you have to fill it up again. 

With an “up and down” motion, steam your locs evenly from the top of your head to the ends. The steam comes out pretty hot so don’t get too close to your scalp or you might burn it. 

Only steam your locs for 15 to 20 minutes, then let your hair air dry.

Hooded cap vs. Handheld Steamer: My preference

The overall experience using each of these was great. My hair felt soft, hydrated, healthy, and shiny for at least 4 days after each treatment.

I preferred the handheld steamer over the hooded cap because it allowed me to steam all my locs evenly.

The cap is way too small if you have long locs like me, however, it is a perfect tool for hot oil scalp treatments, so even though it’ll serve a different purpose for me from now on, it’s still a good investment in my opinion.

Either way, for less than $30 USD, you really can’t go wrong!

How to steam locs without a steamer

Shower or steam room method

To steam your locs in the shower, turn on the hot water and allow the steam to fill the bathroom. Once the bathroom is steamy, step in and let it envelop your hair for a few minutes.

You can massage your scalp and hair gently to help the steam penetrate better. As an alternative option, you can go into a steam room or if you’re fancy, build yourself a steam shower. 

Hot towel method

Get some fresh herbs of your choice and steep them for a few minutes in a large glass bowl filled with boiled water. Take a clean microfiber towel and soak it in the water, wring out the excess water, and then wrap the hot towel around your recently shampooed locs, covering them completely.

Leave the towel on for 15 to 20 minutes. This will allow ample time for the steam to penetrate your hair.

Bowl of hot water method

Boil water and pour it into a large heatproof bowl. Place the bowl on a stable surface. Lean over the bowl with a microfiber towel draped over your head to trap the steam.

Be cautious to avoid getting too close to the hot water to prevent burns. Stand over the steaming bowl for 10 to 20 minutes. 

DIY steam cap

Dampen a microfiber towel with warm water and wring out the excess moisture. Microwave the towel for about 1-2 minutes until it’s warm but not too hot.

Wrap the warm towel around your head, covering your hair entirely. You can use a shower cap over the towel to trap the heat even better.

Boiling pot method

Boil water in a pot on the stove. Once the water is boiling, remove the pot from the heat. Carefully lean over the pot, keeping a safe distance to avoid burns, and drape a towel over your head to trap the steam.

After steaming your locs, using any method of your choosing, let them air dry to retain the most amount of moisture and prevent heat damage. 

Tip! Be cautious when using hot water or steam to avoid burning your scalp or skin. Always test the temperature of the towel or steam before applying it to your hair or skin.

How often should I steam my locs?

Everyone’s hair and environment are different so there’s not a one-size-fits-all answer to this. 

Steaming your locs sporadically might not give you the long-term benefits you’re looking for, whereas over steaming your locs can damage them. 

I recommend starting with the following guidelines and adjusting your routine accordingly. 

• If your locs are really dry, steam your locs once a week for 15 to 20 minutes.

• If your hair is not too dry, you can steam them once every other week for 10 minutes. If you live in a humid environment, you may need to steam them even less than this.

What happens if I over-steam my locs? 

If you over steam your dreadlocks, there are a few things that can happen. 

• Heat damage: excessive heat can cause breakage, dryness, and split ends, which can result in weak locs in the long term.

• Loosening of locs: Excessive steam can loosen the structure of your locs, causing them to unravel or become frizzy. This can delay the maturing process if your locs are under a year old. 

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I hope you found this article helpful! 

If you’ve ever steamed your locs, I would love to hear about your experience in the comments below!