No more dreading.

After 2.5 years of neglecting (cut it out once after about a year and a half, left 4 locks) I've decided to lock it no more. I'm sick of looking for ways to stay residue free, and none works. I've tried baking soda, baking soda + tea tree oil, shampoos (only one all natural though), bronners (bar and liquid), water only, rosemary soaks, aloe vera + jojoba oil, aloe vera+jojoba+a pinch of baking soda, ACV deep cleanses, lemon, and they all leave some film or residue in my head, causing dandruff.

Detergents leave my head pretty messed up, I guess because it leaves it too dry. My head is excessively greasy and probably it's that and/or the sebum that my scalp produces that's causing all this trouble, but i'm just sick of it.

I already combed my hair (with my fingers only) and undid some baby dreads. I am willing to make a comeback if I find something that works for me though, hopefully I will. Is there any other methods to remove sebum from your head? Right now I'm only washing with aloe vera and jojoba oil, but I guess it doesn't remove all that shit. Also, the 4 locks that I left I guess they're full of this because the babies I undid had lots of it. Meanwhile I'll just grow my hair. I'd appreciate any new solutions for me to try. Thanks to everyone.

 

Have you got hard water in your area? It seems odd that all those different methods still left residue. But as your dreads must be fairly mature by now, I don't think a normal anti dandruff shampoo would hurt. I think it's only really important to keep residues out when they're young. Have you tried any anti dandruff shampoos?

 

I guess I do have hard water. I don't have mature dreads, only 4 haha (do you think these would have residue inside? I think they do :/). The dandruff, I guess is only present when I have tons of residue in my head, which I've kinda removed with ACV, but not completely. The aloe has helped too, I think.

 

Bawls man. Jump back up on that horse! Neutragena daily clarifying, Baby Shampoo or Dr.Bronners (diluted).

 

"there any other methods to remove sebum from your head?"

cut your head off?
its a natural oil - your scalp keeps producing it cuz you keep washing it away..

 

Break out the head n shoulders.

 

yeah, im wodering if you had dandruff problems when you didnt have locks. also, how often are you washign your hair. it's normal for it to become a bit oily after washing.

 

These.

Now I've had my dreads for over three years, I really don't get the whole residue debate, fair enough if it's for valid reasons, but if it's just because you want to be residue free, then I don't get it. I speak from experience, I tried the residue free route for a while, I can honestly say I didn't notice any difference.

If you are suffering this badly with dandruff and a messed up scalp, maybe it's time to get diagnosed for psoriasis?

 

try to break your addiction to any sort of soap/cleaner. I'd say dilute down some sort of shampoo (or whatever you wash your hair with), and then slowly try to add one day more between washes.
So like, if you wash your hair every three days, try to aim for every 4 days and so on. And once you hit about a week (probably take a couple months), dilute your shampoo a little more, and a little more until you're just using water.
People have been using water to wash their hair for thousands of years.
if it grosses you out too much try using exclusively water for the majority of your washes and then once a month or so do a sort of "deep clean" and wash your dreads out really well with soap.
That should help a lot with your residue problem

 

this stuff is amazing. if you do end up using it, just use a little bit at a time until you figure out if your scalp is sensitive to it - if i used a lot it would make me itchy.

right now i'm using a coconut milk bar from lush and head and shoulders, switching between them, and my dandruff is gone.. no build up anymore.

the whole 'no residue' thing makes sense in terms of common conditioners, but even then i don't think using them every once in a while will destroy your dreads. you should choose a shampoo for your scalp before your hair - hair is dead, your scalp is not haha.

 

I wash my hair with regular shampoo once ever 1-2 months. Dreads are around 3years I think.

 

I don't see why people think your hair wouldn't lock when using shampoos with residue and conditoner. I'm not even growing locks and washing my hair with normal shampoo and conditioner and my hair is still locking up if I don't comb ofen enough.

 

I Don't Understand Why Your Laying The Boot Into Your Dreads..??...

If You Have Scalp Problems, You Are Going To Have Scalp Problems Regardless

Of Wether You Have Dreads Or A Buzz Cut.

Stop Losing Sleep Over It And Just Get On With The Dreading Process....



Cheers Glen.

 

yeah, that would suuuuck to find out that you're still having the same scalp issues after cutting them. damn lol.

 

If you wash your hair with residue filled shampoo while trying to grow dreads or if you use it on your already made dreads you will end up with residues in your dreads. Most people want to avoid that, so they look for residue free soaps.

This is not directed at the OP but the others promoting residue.

 

If you just wash your hair thoroughly it doesn't leave residue..

 

*woosh*

Not just you, a lot of people.

RESIDUE is shit that's left behind. If you frequently use the same shampoo, that leaves the same residue, on dreads for a long time (as dreads tend to last a while) you will have dreads full of oily waxy palm shit from your shampoo.

The conditioning effects of any shampoo that makes your hair smoother or lie flatter will slow or reverse locking, and the residue leaving effects of just about any shampoo will leave shit in your hair, if you don't switch up methods. How's this hard to understand? I see soooooo many people who are talking about "residue" but obviously have no idea what it is or why it's bad.

"residue" isn't code for "makes your locks fall out", it's the technical word for "leaves nasty shit in your hair, if you don't use it wisely".

Of course your locks didn't fall out the first time you used shampoo that leaves residue, just make sure that your hair agrees with that shampoo (ie, your hair texture doesn't have a particular affinity for sticking to it's residue) and you might consider switching between brands every now and then.

Everything leaves SOME residue, my locks had assloads of dr. bronners in them, which had also stuck to fucktons of lint. It didn't HURT anything, and you couldn't see it unless you chopped them open, but there was a lot of it. And I always rinsed until the water ran clear and clean, and then some, with lots of squeezing and whatnot. (and until it didn't taste of bronners........... don't ask)

If this looks a bit charged, I've been saving it up since before I registered as a member, when I first saw dickwads talk about residue making their locks fall out, here and all over the rest of the web :2thumbsup:

 

Angry Young Man, Is Very Angry....



Cheers Glen.

 

You don't even know, glen, you don't even know

Probably has something to do with having to chop off my own ugly but loved residue filled chunks.....

 

I Realise It's Too Late Now, But Had I Been In Your Position I Would Have Opted For

A Neat Bun, Or A Plain Bandana That Matched Your Clothing....

Cleanly Shaved, Well Dressed, And Tidy Hair For The Win...:2thumbsup:



Cheers Glen.