Is dreadlocking feasible for me?

Hey, so I'm considering getting dreads and have wanted to for years. I've read the FAQs and such and I know all the different ways that you can make dreads and I know that it has been stated that 'everyone can get dreads,' but I just was wondering if it was actually realistic for me?

I have fairly long hair, and it is EXTREMELY thin and straight. I'd have to say its honestly the straightest, thinnest brown hair I've ever seen. Also, I care alot about keeping my hair long. I just really hate having short hair, it makes me extremely self-conscious. So I'd really rather not go about this if theres a high chance that it won't work and that a lot of my hair will fall out.

Also, I don't want to use the neglect method or the wax method. I'm moreso looking into the twist and rip or backcombing..

Here's pictures of my hair:

Length




Texture




So you can see my hair has just a little wave in it, but this is if I don't comb it. By the way, my hair isnt combed in any of the pictures, and it looks even thinner when it is combed.

So can any dread experts give me a diagnostic of how it's most likely to turn out? Also I'd say my hair is not really oily, not really dry. My hair takes about three to four days of not washing to start to look somewhat oily, and it only gets dry if I wash and comb it too often. I can have some problems with dandruff but not really.

Thanks for any help!

 

Yes, absolutely, go for it, now! (That's an order)

Don't forget to keep a picture log of the progress!

Jim

 

Your hair will def lock up. It might take longer but I doubt it. Prolly be about a year before you see any real significant progress. Unfortunately it will shrink. I dunno how much, everybody's hair is different.

Twist n rip that shit up. Both the tnr and the backcombing method are just kinda jump starts, basically just creating sections instead of letting it naturally happen. It will look like a mess for a while. All your hair will try an make whoopi with all ya other hairs. Rip them apart if your not wanting big fatties.

And keep ya shit clean. Needs friction to actually lock up.

Any others questions just assume time is the answer and embrace the mess.

 

Long hair dreads quicker than short hair (so I've seen) and the t&r method works best for long hair (so I've seen) SO DO EET

You+your hair are gorjuzz ... + dreads = x 10

 

It's gonna take a long time to put them in, get movies, beers and friends!

 

Aren't those the same thing? :cheers2:

 

Lol thanks for all the comments guys! Alright, well I think I'm gonna go for it!

Also, one last question. I'm off to college next year, does anyone know how acceptable girls with dreads at colleges are? I don't want to be alienated or anything like that by all the non-dreaded people o.o

 

Yes you're going to be stared at. You're hair is literally going to look like a birds nest for about a year.... Probably longer.

But don't worry, if you really want to grow dreadlocks it's worth it.... At least it was for me.

You could always just wear a beanie.

BTW: You're good looking enough for guys to still pay attention to you even though your hair will be messy.

 

you will notice the looks the first month or so, then you won't even realize
in my experience having dreads has been a huge confidence push

 

Yea you will be looked at differently. Cause your hair looks way different than everyone elses. Have some confidence, it's all what you make it.

I've heard "he needs to redo his dreads....they're coming out, he should put some wax in, groooooosss." but whatever, most people just seem to be interested.

 

Fuck everyone else. If you want dreads, get dreads. You definitely won't be alienated, you'll probably be able to push all the fake ass people away from you and discover true friends that see you for you and not judge you on the degree to which you look like media models and plastics!!! You are a beautiful young lady and dreads will only add to that!

 

If you get alienated by yo collerg fools, make new awesome friends who appreciate the art of dreadlingsgins.

 

Yeah that all seems right. I'm not really too worried about it, I was just wondering. I'm going to a liberal college anyway so I shouldn't be the ONLY one.

I'm hoping dreads will be a huge confidence boost I've always liked my hair better messier anyway

 

Some people are saying you'll have a birds nest on your head like its a bad thing haha! That was probably one of the funnest experiences when getting dreads. Mess is fun

And hey. If they matter, they won't care what your hairs like, and if they care, they don't matter



Edit: and you're gorgeous!

 

I feel the need to say that in the end, neglect will look about the same as mature backcombs, only a little bit faster, and they will probably lock up a bit more (closer to the tip, etc) and you won't have that strange looking line between the backcombed or tnr'd texture and your natural lock texture, when they start growing.

Also, if you're able to stand having the same mess on your head, you might as well do it the right way. AND lots of people will ask how you do that to your hair, and explaning "making" and "maintaining" locks to them would just feel fucking silly, in my (oh so humble) opinion, while explaning that you didn't do anything brings awesome looks of disbelief and awe onto their faces....

That's just me, representing the "fascist neglect club", as wild-flowers would call it

Also, your hair would lock naturally quite quickly, because of the type and length. And you can always let it do its thing, and if it doesn't you can use another method. My original plan was to tnr after 6 months if it didn't lock, because I couldn't really imagine it locking, and within 8 all my hair was locked....

 

The right way is simply the way that works best for you.

 

From the things I've seen you say, I think you'd realize the same thing would happen to your hair and you'd be just as satisfied, if you didn't worry about it. You don't need methods to make locks, you don't need bands, you don't need any of that... Natural friction, and ripping if you feel the need, do the same damn thing.

 

I don't deny that. But the simplest way isn't always the right way.

In my case I couldn't get away with neglect dreads in my office, so for me, it's not necessarily the right way to go.

 

That does make sense in some cases, but for someone who's not even in college yet (where you can look like whatever the FUCK you want, anyway) There's no reason to scare them into "making" locks, when in the end, they'd have the same (or better) results, in about the same time period. If you don't have to go to a job where it would be unacceptable, there's no reason to spend hours upon hours on a hairtstyle based upon spending NO time on your hair.

OP, if it makes any difference, if you neglect now, by the time you're in college you'll have close to mature locks.

 

At 3 1/2 years. I have no such line and cannot tell where the backcombing/TRing stopped and the new growth starts. Only maintenance is ripping.

Just sayn'