Hey, Ok, so hands down, whilst i've done my research, i'm completely lost by the dreads process, there is SO much contradicting information out there you know? So i need some help, originally i was going to get my hair dreaded by a hairdresser, like, backcombed into dreads but professionally. This seemed to make sense, and i like the idea of the back-combing method. However, A large amount of people online seem to think that doing it with your friends is the way forward, now, i can see this, and that's cool, but i seriously don't know ANYONE who either knows how, or who i would trust enough to do it, you know? I can see all of the advantages and such, and i know, it's a long road, but i'm prepared for that, wanted dreads for years, and i've got the support of family and friends. But i just don't know how to go about it, because i really don't want to cock up my hair you know? And as i said, i really don't know anyone who either can, or i trust to do it, but i do know a african hair salon? Please, some advice would be immensley appreciated! I'm 5ft 8 and my hair currently goes down to like, half way down my shoulder blades at the back, and past my collar bone on the front. It's very frizzy, and VERY curly, which is apprently good for dreads. Thankyou! Jye
if youre into locks for the long run and you got the support of your friends and family then letting your hair lock by itself has to be by far the best method for you all you do is stop combing your hair and start using a residue free shampoo in the coming weeks your hair will start to form small sections depending on what size locks you like, you can start to separate those sections from each other in time they start to knot, lock and form into locks now you have a head of locks that you didnt have to mess with at all or worry about anything. your hair is healthy, happy, strong and it happened by itself.
I don't think that'd work though, because, i've tried like, not washing my hair for a very long time, and i never brush it, but my hair never really seems to do anything you know... I guess i run my hand through it quite a bit lol, but, it's never got to what i would say is somehting remballing dreads. I mean, the curls have made big curls, but it's not like stuck together or matted or anything, just curls together, and that's quite normal curly hair, lol :S
if you have curly, frizzy, long hair, you should see progress very early. you still need to wash it, you have to keep your fingers out of your hair. brushing your fingers through your hair is the same as combing any knots out with a hairbrush. the curls form together and in time they knot and make locks. thats how locks happen, even if you backcomb, crochet or any stuff like that. back combing or crocheting is basically a forced lock and a forced section. doing those ways you will have these tight, sausage lock-things for a while, but they get loose and get tight again by themselves. thats because the stuff you force will undo and lock into a way it likes. people who "remaintenance" are basically undoing the locking progress every time to keep the hair the way it looks. people with thin straight hair can get locks by simply not combing their hair. you with your hair should have no problem.
I see, thankyou very much for all of your help, how should i go about washing it, (sorry, i really am completely inexperianced to this whole process) i mean, if i'm washing my hair, presumably i'm not to do it like, you would normall,y running your fingers through it? And also if your locks are forming in the curls, and you don't like the size, can you change it whilst they're forming? Thankyou for all your help, seriously
you didnt wash...u want to wash ..dreads happen best in clean hair..without residues too were u oily or using conditioners? youyr hair lkength and type will drewad fine stop combing stop running your hands through it wash weekly at leasst with something like dr bronners dilutesd 12-1 or any non residue natural soap or plain ol baking soda wear a wool hat as much as u can it will promote knots and keep your hands away from your hair use a sea salt spray or rince to get the hair to dry and knot easily no african american hairdessser..or hairdressed period will give u good results if they dont just twist and cake in wax they backcomb and cake in wax or gel (or even glue..eek) then charge up to 400 to make a mess and tell u to come back every 2 weeks at over 100 each time for maintanance and tell u not to wash for 4-6 months basicly they create a gross mess and u pay a ton to let them if u try the natural way with the hast and all asdvice above tfor 6 weeks opr more with no progress at all u can backcomb all byu yourself or with the help of suportive freinds and family but if u go 6 weeks and theyre seperating even if not fully locked thats progress..go 6 more and the progress doubles..im betting though that in 6 weeks u see locks not just sectioned curles but either way time will give u mature locks if u do backcomb dont use elastics dont section too ridgidly (perfect squares) and dont ever use wax or gels or any so called drewad products..just residue free shampoo and time..thats all drewading isnt confusing or complicatred unless u make ut so when i started mine nearly 20 years ago all i knew was if u dont comb thery happen..that simple lil thing was all i needed to know to dread and if i ever lost line to cancer and had to start again its the only way id ever go pure simplicity..do nothing
Thankyou very much soaring eagle, i've always loved the idea of the natural method, i mean, a large part of my wanting dreads is a sort of personal, and spiritual thing, and the natural method seems so much more appealing, but, i guess i never quite understood it you know. Thankyou for your help
that is precisely when you would want to adjust their size. when they are older it becomes unproductive to try to make them smaller, but making them bigger is still possible, it just becomes more difficult the older they are. when you wash your hair becareful not to untangle knots, focus more on your scalp and let the water do the work of getting the soap out of your hair. it will become easier when most of the sections are locked. how often do you wash you hair? if strip your head too often you may be overworking your scalp, producing uneeded oils. adjust if that is the case.
Thankyou very much again, i've got this all natural shampoo with charcoal in it, which removes all of the oil out of my hair, and i tend to use it between 3-4 days. I've been trying to roll the hair in sort of the sections i would like, in my hair, would that help too? (it doesn't stay for that long, but presumabley it's a long process, much like dreading). Cheers for all the help XD
if you roll your hair into sections, and the sections dont fall completely apart then great, but if they come out dont re roll them. it means your hair is trying to grow and lock into a specific way, trying to go against the grain is not neccasary.
Ahh, that's cool, i see where your coming from, the two ones at the front went together quite nicely, (don't get me wrong, they're NOT dreads but you know how i mean) but some of the side ones were awkward, i guess what you said kind of explains that
Is very important to keep your hair clean, wash at least once a week. If somebody tells you that you should stop washing your hair to have dread is an ignorant, thereis a believe that dreadlocks are knots of dirt in your hair and that is simply gross. Dreads need a healthy hair and a healthy scalp, after wash your hair you can spray a solution of salted water and let it dry, that helps a lot, once in a whil alo use a solution of green tea, because your scalp tend to get too dry. If you go natural is better but only if you are patient enough, this process take a couple of years to finally see results. There is nothing wrong with backcombing, I started that way when my hair was just 3 inches, I backcombed myself, it was exausting but it paid off, Im so happy with the results. soaringeagle is wright, no hair dresser, they dont care about your hair, they are there for business, they are going to make a mess of wax in your hair and charge a load of money for something that can be done at home by yourself. I read somewhere there is no wright or wrong on doing dreads, every haor is different and dreads will find their own way no matter what you do. Just STAY AWAY FROM WAX - wash at least once a week - stop combing - backcomb if you lose patience - dont use rubber bands - use only natural products - take care of your scalp - use a wool tam - keep the roots separated - and forget about your appearence, you will look like a complete mess for a while but it worth the effort. Good Luck!
dont let that "takes a couple years to see results" fool you that is very rarely the case i dont remember how long mine took but i doubt it was a monthor 2 many have founbd they had dreads in weeks ive seen dreads form naturaly in a week some though may take up to a year..even 2 but thats rare most will take a few months
I've done a few heads around town, natural and backcombing methods, and later.. one strayed and used wax. Salt water has played a good part in most of the locks and mine, it showed huge benefits in maintaining a bit of the frizz and fast beginners growth. It can tend to get a bit itchy after a day or two, but washing hair is a big part. I've also come to brew rosemary tea's with a small part of tea tree oil and wash, it helps repel bugs and calms the scalp. Really useful in the woods, next to the scalpy tingling sensation that everyone loves. Peppermint tea bases are kinda nice too. Bah, rambling.. anyhow Backcombing is the quickest way to get fast results, though, can be painful. I've seen a few heads thats taken a few days to complete a full head with backcombing, even this chick that wanted near 60 little guys hanging off. It can lead to bumps though later on with locking if done in a haste manner, so you really have to go through a few bowls and both victim and hair tangler be in a slow, patient manner. It all leads to good times though, plus a story for you're antenna's to grow on. Natural forming takes a bit of work with just rolling into sections, ripping hair back in a few places to force a knot. One buddy went shows all month and stuck in the mosh pits, allowed dirt to take in place for that month, sweat (he wasn't too cleanly to begin with), whatever else he contracted, and the dreads formed themselves. Then just went to rolling and his 3 month old dreads look a years in growth. The thing though with locks, is you have to go through the ugly, to really appreciate you're new found love. They grow on their own, they'll do weird things that may look out of place or messy, but its all part of the evolution process. Within usually six months you'll start to see midas'es touch to them, maybe even a year.. but either way you grow to love them. Wash weekly, use organic soaps if you can get them, stay away from laurel sulfates soaps. No conditioner.. none, what so ever. Use oily stuff sparingly for the first few months. You want to allow the kink in and oils just allow it to slide. Allow you're head to air dry, don't wrap it up or stick it in a hat while its wet, nor even tie it in the back with other dreads. it promotes incubation for molds. Specially if you're a lazy bones that couch surfs and never moves.. even if the mold is washed out, it'll stain that spot.. bad for blondes. Rap on wax, is it's no good. It shows best results, yeah.. but the wax gets to the center of the dread later on and collects everything. Sometimes can lead to a fowl oder when it gets real serious. My ex-wife still to this day cutting tips off and finding the wax she tainted herself with. Six years of her incident and it still attacks. My best friend is a hair dresser and she's done a few heads as well. Most of them don't know what their doing, but you find you're local all-bran girl (helps if they have dreads too) and sit down and do it. She uses ocean water and backcombing, and has had quite the success and doing a grand job. Friends are you're best bet to helping out in the process, it makes the time enjoyable. Even if they don't know what there doing, after the first couple of locks they have the premise down and they start doing a better job. Just things to learn to love, and good for forming roots in whatever town you're in. Bah.. battery is going.. Loving all, Sand Dollar a.k.a. rhetorical pink blanket
