During the process of immersion water must be able to reach all parts of the body at the same time, including each strand of hair. If the hair is worn in locs, this is not possible. Therefore, it is normally prohibited to immerse in this manner.
A woman with locs who is planning to get married, or to begin observing the laws of mikveh, should approach her rabbi, mentor, or kallah teacher for individual guidance.
Immersion with braids is not usually permitted, since a braid could block water from reaching the inner hairs.
In some communities, such as among Jews of Ethiopian descent, wearing hair in narrow, long-lasting braids is common and helps keep hair from knotting. For a woman in this situation who always braids her hair, immersing with braids can be permitted, as long as there are at least two hairs in each strand of each braid, and as long as all elastics or fasteners have been removed.
Please see our article on Hair and Mikveh for more on this topic.
This response was updated on 12 June, 2025.