Newbie saying hi with 1 day old 'dreads'

Well, not really dreads yet, more like a bird's nest of fuzz, but you've gotta start somewhere eh? I've lurked on here for a few days so I just thought I'd say hi now I've taken the plunge. I couldn't get a very good pic but I'll upload what I got (I turned it B+W as the colours are terrible on my camera), if you can make head or tail of it could you tell me what you think and whether you think it needs more doing to it right now? I did it myself with backcombing, no wax or products besides the residue free soap I washed it in. I put the beads in temporarily just so you could vaguely distinguish the separate locks, if I kept them in would they stop it from locking up properly? So what now? Everything I read seems to be about how to get them going but I can't find much about what to do then (and I don't really wanna take advice from sites trying to sell me stuff...), play with them? Leave em? Keep backcombing more? When should I wash? Sorry for so many questions, anyway hi again everyone :2thumbsup:

 

Oh crap excuse my retardedness. Ok here is the photo -

 

just wait

maybe go for a walk

 

Give it a year then re assess!

 

don't backcombed ever again and wash them whenever you feel like it, just make sure they are clean. And rip them once in a while if you don't want congos

welcome and good luck

 

what they said! read my thread - http://www.hipforums.com/newforums/showthread.php?t=351050 - itll give you an idea of what happens next

 

What they all said, and if you haven't read through the faq yet, have a look, there's useful info there.

 

seriously do NOTHING but rip them apart if you want them separated, or let em grow together to get fatter locks/congos. wait. wait some more. forget about your hair. your hair naturally wants to dread, so let it. it may look great some days, and shit some other days. dont give up! way too many people start threads with 1 day old/month old w/e dreads, then theyre never seen again. stick with it and you'll be happy! check out my thread w/ pics of mine neglect at 2.5 years, wash with whatever shampoo you want to, it reaalllyyy doesnt make too much of a difference, and usually those who tell you otherwise dont even have locks, or crappy ones at that. not all though. do what you want, just stick with it they will be beautiful in no time

 

as far as your question about the beads, they may inhibit locking in one way or another. they probably do restrict the movement a bit, so the areas around and under them may not lock up, or may look different than the rest. if you're worried about it, just wait till you locks are more mature to put them in.

 

i have a feeling these are going to be some amazing dreads

 

are they pockets on your shirt I see?

If so do you ever use them?

Also are you going to finish eating that banana? I've got a hankering for some banana

 

Not A Problem, There Are Lots Of Gay Clubs And Saunas In Adelaide....



Cheers Glen.

 

mmmm bananas

 

Classic Glen, always thinking of wang

 

Far From It Josh, You Should Be Reassured, GLEN Always

Has Your "Wellbeing" At Heart...



Cheers Glen.

 

lmao glen.

mmmm banana chips

 

Seems covered.

Especially covered in wangs.

But no one mentioned: ripping in excess becomes a cycle, where the more you rip the more you need to rip. It roughs up and breaks hairs at the base of locks, and they require more and more ripping, because the more you rip the more stuff there is to sort of velcro itself together. So much so that someone I knew who was neglecting recently shaved his head out of frustration, because he wanted a hairstyle that took no work, and he was spending lots of time ripping every day. If you get started, you feel like you can't stop or your locks will bind together for ever. They won't. You can go weeks or even months between ripping, and the longer you wait the better, to a point. Less time wasted, less damage to hair, same outcome. And you can trial congos that way, decide if you like them, and still remove them for quite some time after they get started.

 

I did have a read through the FAQs, having been highly irritated by "What aftercare is best?" questions on tattoo forums and "Do you think I might be pregnant?" questions on parenting forums (my usual kind of haunts) I figured you guys would have an equivalent, didn't wanna risk being flamed after all. ;-)

Why thank you, I wish I shared your confidence!

Until this I never noticed the shirt had pockets, but yes, yes they are and no, I don't. And it was one of my kids bananas, eurghh I hate the things, you're welcome to it I'm sure it'll still be lurking in the bin.

Sooo day whatever, I know I know I can't expect to see real progress for months yet (this is a big test for me as I've always been one for instant results with just about anything) but is it supposed to be looking worse before it looks better? Everything is a lot looser, I've palm rolled a few times but nothing else. Just leave it to do its thing? Am I alright to wash it every 3 days? I'd wash it every day if I could, I hate not washing it but I'm guessing that'd be too much.

You may be amused to hear that I have a friend trying to persuade me to "lather them up with beeswax" and "use straighteners to burn the wax in" because when her partner got his done "professionally" they told him that was the way to "hold the dreadlocks together". She thinks the fact that they got gross and needed shaving off after 18 months is unrelated btw

 

don't palm roll. Doesn't do anything good for them.
They will look worse before they look better... "better" is usually a few months off
wash when your hair feels like it needs a wash.

Bananas here are way expensive so I will rummage your bin later.

 

ooooh where in the UK are thee from?

also.. mate avec beeswax & straighteners can do the other