{VIDEO+PICS} WORLD'S LONGEST DREAD LOCKS (GUINNESS WORLD RECORD}

Asha Mandela, 50, has the world's longest dreadlocks.

Asha Mandela has a lock on a world record that others might dread: The world's longest dreadlocks.

The 50-year-old Atlanta resident has earned the name "the Black Rapunzel" because she holds the Guinness World Record for "World's Longest Dreadlocks," which she has owned since 2008.

Her dreads were officially measured to be 19 feet, 6 inches long, but an unofficial measurement found one of the strands measured a whopping 55 feet, 7 inches.

Mandela first started growing her lovely locks 25 years ago, after she moved from Trinidad-Tobago to New York and decided to have a more "natural" hairstyle.

“When I first started, it was more of a spiritual journey -- It wasn’t anything to do with a fad or style in fashion,” Mandela said according to the International Business Times. “After 25 years of growth, my hair has really become part of me and I feel that if I ever cut my hair I’d really be taking away my life.”

But greatness like this isn't easy: She washes the dreads once a week, using up to six bottles of shampoo at a time. Then it takes two days for the locks to dry -- and they weigh 25 pounds when wet.

She says the extra weight of her hair makes her doctors very concerned.

"The doctors seem to think I have a curvature of my spine and that it's the length and the weight of my hair that's making me curve," she said, according to the Mirror. "Some have said my neck has collapsed at the back and that I need to be careful because I could start having spasms in my spine and probably be paralyzed."

That problem is mitigated, she says, by the effect her locks have on the men in her life.

"My hair has never caused a problem with intimacy. I think it adds a little spice on top," she said.

A spokeswoman for Guinness World Records says the company retired the "World's Longest Dreadlocks" record in 2009, and will no longer be monitoring attempts at the feat.

"The reason for this is that it's impossible to measure the authenticity of the locks due to expert methods employed in the attachment of hair extensions or re-attachment of broken off dreadlocks," the spokeswoman told The Huffington Post. "Effectively, the dreadlock can become an extension and therefore impossible to adjudicate accurately."

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Comment by MC SMILEY on December 5, 2013 at 6:35pm: DAMN I KNOW THS HEAVY WHEW HMM DO IT FOR U NOT NO 1 ELSE

Comment by ROGUE on August 26, 2013 at 12:51am: GOD BLESS HER.

Comment by dave st hill on August 25, 2013 at 12:58pm: Impossible go grow that long in just 25 yrs, i have known people who have been rasta-fari longer than that and their hair reach to the bottom of their feet.

Comment by REV.TERRY on August 23, 2013 at 10:06pm: wow very beautiful JAH Bless

Comment by Big Woman on August 23, 2013 at 1:40pm: She is beautiful.Jah bless her!

Comment by Dr. Phillip Valentine on August 23, 2013 at 12:49pm: Her locks are reminiscent of the lengths achieved by the Shamans of India, who live to the ages or 200 years or better, reside in temples in the hills, and have 5 to 6 or more helpers to carry them when they a mobile. Their hair has been said to reach lengths of 20 to 30 feet!!! Amazing...

Comment by Kamilah M on August 23, 2013 at 8:25am: Ms. Patterson y wud u even say its beautiful but u must have clean hygiene? U see the woman meticulously washes her locs weekly, so y pree?

Comment by Anthony on August 23, 2013 at 3:12am: As you can see.... The Lord All Mighty has given us all the ability to grow hair on it's natural state without the need of weaves! Put down the weaves and go natural. Stop making the Asian shop owners wealthy by wasting your money on fake hair!!!

Comment by ThrzJusMe on August 22, 2013 at 7:11pm: I seen her on a tv show on ppl with addictions.. or hoarding i dont remember (nevertheless). Her friends were pointing out to her on how the weight of her locs was going to damahe her nerves and spine. So she went through the consults and was confirmed, yet she has this commitment to her hair (that she gave a name) and refused to at least trim a few feet off. however, my locs fall below my waistline and there are days i get headaches from the weight. The washing process is a workout within itself. She is getting older, and i dont see the point to injure myself over hair that your carrying balled in a sash on ya back.