quick background... in jan. I got dreads done with a dread perm, paid a good chuck of money and walked out 5 hours later with dreads. Now don't give me shit for doing this. I have wanted dreads forever and was too lazy to do them myslef and I wanted it done professionally so they would turn out ok. I have dreads now and I love them. They tell me I should come in every few months to have them "maintained" I don't want to pay that money sooo... I just got back from FL spent time in the ocean and pool (tried to avoid the pool a lot b/c of chlorine) so I hear the salt water is good for them and chilled at the beach. Umm... now that my dreads are coming in my hair isn't growing into the dreads, and I know this takes time, but how long? Maintaining my dreads is just to tie them up and roll them in hardening gel, right? I'm scared b/c they aren't growing into dreads it looks like regualr hair near my scalp. So do I need to pay for a stupid "maintainence" or can I tie them myself and just roll them. If so, what do i use to tie them. and how long until it is just dreads?
Whoa...number one...don't freak out... You don't need to go to a salon to keep your dreadies maintained. I haven't stepped into a salon since I started mine last August. There is no way you can "mess up" dreads, unless you use wax...although some claim you aren't even messing up that way. It will take time for your dreads to form. I've had mine almost a year and I still have stray hairs and flyaways...but that's what is great about dreads! They have their own personality and character. I like my little skinnies and my single big phatty in the back... Don't stress so much, just let them develop at their own pace...in all reality, you don't even need to TOUCH them or do anything with them to keep them growing. You may have to rip them apart a few times a week to keep them from growing into one massive phatty, but otherwise - STOP WORRYING AND DON'T GO TO A SALON! Also... Dreadies will not come right out of your scalp...that's why the roots are loose. It has to knot up on its own. Some use a crocheting method, which I'm not too familiar with...but I never have and my roots are working themselves together pretty well.
Right firstly hardening gel doesnt help the dreads... the reason your dreads get "hard" with hardening gel is because it build up in the dreads making it feel hard... theres not much knotting going on. Also by 7 months your dreads SHOULD only just be forming nicely so if you hair isnt used to knotting itself it wont do it automatically. Mine is quite loose atthe roots... they have to be to be able to knott. just chill. The reason we say going to a salon and using wax etc is bad is not because we like having a go at people, it just because we kind of know what happns in the long run, wax ultimatly means mould. Also when people want dreads a lot of peope do it for "image" which is why they go to the salon...they dont understand it is a commitment, disslike the dirty waxy dreads they have and cut them off... tell others "i had dreads once, they were disgusting and icky" and dreads get a bad reputation :S
