Can anyone give me one piece of SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN evidence that dread wax fails?

I'm about to start some dreads. Firstly I would like to say.. If you're the type who say they aren't "real dreads" if you use products then just leave, that's not the point of this thread. I have no interest in neglecting my hair to achieve dreads, and I already know there are a few products I'm going to use. But wax has taken so much heat I'm still unsure about it.

The problem is.. I've never actually heard anyone who is anti-wax give any actually reasons why wax is bad.. It's all things like

"You're gluing your dreads together with wax" False, the makers of the wax SPECIFICALLY say not to do this, so people that say that just overwax.

Some people say it's bad just because if you use wax to get your dreads started to lock faster and in the way you want, they aren't "real dreads." That's like if someone broke their arm and then put a cast on it for support while the bone was weak, but it wasn't natural so their bone isn't real.. Wax is just to support the dreads.. Dreads are NOT supposed to rely on wax.

People say "If you use wax your dreads are just candle sticks." They are obviously using way too much.

People say "Wax is impossible to get out and so it'll build up and ruin your dreads." Well last time I checked wax melts when heated... Any good dread wax washes right out in a hot shower because wax melts with heat..

So there are all these things people are saying, and it's been such a huge and relentless argument over the years, yet still after browsing probably 20+ forums and watching tons of youtube videos about wax, I STILL have never heard ONE actual scientifically water holding piece of evidence as to why wax is actually bad. So after reading my mini novel go ahead and answer.. Why is wax "bad"? And I said WHY. Don't just say it is bad. Say WHY it is bad.

 

because they keep your hairs from actually knotting.. it gets between your hairs and makes it harder for your individual hairs to sex each other up and knot. it may not completely stop them from knotting, but it probably slows the process down a great deal.

the main problem we have around here is we aren't really in to uniform perfect 0 frizz dreads.

go with crocheting or twist and rip if you are so opposed to natural

I'd go with the testimonials... a lot of people here had wax in the beginning and pretty much all of them regret it

 

I'm not opposed to natural it's just not for me. And I'm using backcombing. From what I've read it's not to get between the hairs but it just is to keep it non-frizzy and sort of keep the hairs in close proximity so they can actually sex each other up more. And maybe the testimonials here are negative but there are thousands of people that use wax and love it. I don't know. I might just use a bit for the first month and then toss it.

 

Well, if you are really so convinced, what's up with the thread?

I reckon go for it, use wax ... and then once you are done with your experiment you will have all the scientific evidence that you need.

Seriously though, a Bro of mine back home just cut his locks after around 10 years. When he started them his hair was shoulder length and he used beez wax ... I'll never forget, we were in a band together for years and every time I got to the jam room, which was literally virtually every day / night of the week, he would be sitting with his head between his legs or at a weird angle to the side and rubbing the heck out of his locks with beez wax.

After about 3 months he stopped and that was the end of him mission’ing ... don't think he even bothered with maintenance. Still don't know if it was his big plan all along or if he just got sick of messing with his hair in those first months, but I tell you what, he had absolutely amazing locks throughout the years

So anyway, it’s your call and your hair.

 

I think most people try it for a month then spend a couple more months trying to get it all out when they find that they don't want it.

I've never actually felt waxed dreads, but I can't imagine that they feel very pleasant. People say they stink a lot more because dirt will get stuck in the wax and will not get washed out when you wash, leading to smelliness. I personally like having fresh, clean smelling, soft dreads.

From what I've read here and elsewhere, most people that wax are bound to keep their dreads for a shorter time than one who does not use such products. I'd say if you want perfect uniform dreads because you think it will be fun to try, wax on.

Thousands of people probably have used wax and liked it, but maybe that is the only experience they have had with dreads. I'd bet that they would like their dreads way more if they made a 2nd set not using products. not as much hassle waxing, varying sizes, unique look, better feel.

 

It's not really a matter of me being convinced or not I'm just trying to figure out why there's such a controversy on the subject. You even just said he virtually every night would rub the heck out of his dreads with wax which is obviously using a ton. I have no intention of relying on wax.. I don't want nasty candle-like dreads. But I might use it to start them.. If the come out great I'll be happy and feel tingly inside.. If they look like complete and utter crap I'll hot rinse the wax out and accept that wax is bad. But from what I've heard, including what you just said, the problem isn't wax.. It's people using way too much. I guess I'll find out.

 

Point taken..

 

Pandy summed it up but I'll add the scientifics as best I can.

Yes wax melts when heated but heating wax into your hair embeds it into the heart of your dread because the hair is held tightly together meaning that the wax cannot come out of the dread as opposed to just melting.. Dreadlock "experts" recommend you hair drying the wax to get it deep inside

Wax is insoluble therefore it does not mix with water. Water will run straight off wax similar tow how water glides off a ducks back. However while wax is technically insoluable it does get damp. This also means that because the wax gets damp it never dries properly. Now companies say that when dreads are new you need to wash your hair ever 2-3 days. By washing your hair as instructed by companies you are never allowing the wax to fully dry.

Because the wax is constantly getting wet every 2-3 days it causes the dread to become permanently wet. This in turn causes mould to form deep inside the dreadlock. Generally with wax, mould is not detected until it is too late because it works from the outside in. Your hair will stink to high heaven of mould

Do you have any wax on you? If so, put a little bit on your hand the same amount as YOU would put into a dread. Now rub it into your hands really good. Now go and wash them. Can you see the water running off your hands and not washing the wax out completely?

Here is an example video of wax not coming off hands watch from about 3:15 in

https://www.youtube.com/user/ladyjeebus#p/u/4/56J0I0ZZDis

Edit If you type into google "beeswax solubility" you will find a shit ton of scientific articles. Here is scientific proof that wax is insoluable in water. It is however soluable in chloroform.

By all means use wax if it makes you feel better just don't come near my hair with that shit.

 

LOL, Ive heard about wax being contaigous before, nasty stuff

 

sAvE mY dReAdS BrOtHeR MaTt PlEaSe YoU hIpPy

 

Hmmm, I think I worded that badly, the Bro used beez wax regularly for the first 3 months, but not like clumps every day ... it was the rubbing the heck out his hair that was every day .... but anyway, his locks were awesome.

If you wanna mess with your hair for a month or two or whatever, hey go for it, sooner or later everyone has to let go, because ongoing abuse to one's hair month after month will eventually cause some serious problems ...

Thing is, just so you know, there is a big difference between your hair parting into locks naturally and unnaturally.

 

HDH, This seems logical. It just seems like when you're using such a tiny amount (companys recommend half a gram per 3 inches which is almost an insignificant amount) it would run out when heated, whether water soluble or not. If I put wax on my hand and wash it with cold or maybe even warm water, it won't just come off. If I wash it will hot water the wax entirely becomes a liquid and in that form it loses it's stickiness and will run right off with the water.

I'll decide pretty soon.. I'm starting the dreads early next week. I suppose if I don't use wax I'll be back to notify you that I wussed out, and if I use it, I'll give updates on how it's working (or not working as it very well may be).

 

To me, no matter how insignific the amount you use it's still insoluable. If you leave a week between washes there's still going to be wax in your hair. If you wash every 2 days the tiny amount is still going to become damp and cause mould. The only thing that helped me get the wax out was to bleach my hair.

Unfortunately, healthy tidy dreads cannot be achieved from the get go. It takes at least 18 months - 2 years. Anyone telling you that their dreads matured in x amount of months has confused the hardened locked up hair with clumps of wax.

 

The only scientific evidence I can give you is my own experience. I started using wax, and I did not use very much. One problem that I had is that while I slept and my hair was rolling around, the wax would get on my scalp and I would wake up super itchy. Also, I washed my hair but despite what the ads claim, the wax did not come out and eventually I just combed all my dreads out and even then it took months to get all of the wax off of my hair. So it definitely does not just 'melt out' in hot water.

 

Wax inhibits knotting. Hair needs movement to knot. Wax prevents natural movement due to it's stickiness. People who use it like the sticky because that's what makes their locks look smooth and not messy but they usually don't realize that it inhibits knotting until a few months down the road when their locks still look like straight hair glued together.

When I first started out I had a job where one of my coworkers had dreads of about the same age. She waxed. After a month or so her dreads looked kind of candle-ish. Her shiny black asian hair now looked almost grey. And she used to be baffled that her dreads didn't progress much, while mine with minimal maintenance were coming along nicely.

I was kind of a ****. I could have told her about the evils of dread wax but I knew she wouldn't be open to hearing it and I sort of wanted to see how bad the train wreck would get before she cut.

Choo Choo! Next stop Grossville. Population: Her.

 

2 points basically

1-Peer reviewed scientific studies on the long term effects of dreadwax are a bit thin on the ground so we'll have to make do with anecdote, speculation and personal experience. In which case OP is outnumbered about 50 to 1

2-Does anyone know how to spell Astroturf?

 

Sorry hellodreadhead, your case Is terminal, your going to have to cut, might want to shave to, just to get the really deep wax out

 

i love you pypes.

astroturf is spelled a.s.t.r.o.t...............

 

The companies that make dread wax also say to palmroll each dread every day. There's some movement right there maybe.

Another thing I think worth mentioning.. I'm sure a lot of you know that back in the olden days people used cow dung in their hair to help with dreads... How is it that nobody ever complained about people putting shit in their hair to help dreads for, but then dread wax is invented as basically a more civilized alternative and suddenly everyone claims now that putting things like that in your hair inhibits movement? Good wax is not gooey, but it's not a lubricant either. It's just a bit tacky.. I have some and I've examined it and it's not thick and sticky enough to really glue the hair together and stop movement unless you really gooped it on good. Which with a .5 gram per 3" of dread amount, it doesn't seem like it would be bad.

Maybe I'll actually just go ahead and buy some synthetic hair and backcomb it and wax it and see what happens.. That would be an interesting experiment. I could get a few fake dreads and put different amount in each one and see what happens.

 

What brand of wax did you use?