**READ ME** - Dread Newbies FAQ/ PLUS Basic Care and maintenance Guide

I need more help!! I got my dreads in a couple days ago, and yay!, but they're supper frizzy which I expected and the baby hairs won't go into the dreads, also expected that a little, but the bases seem to be coming out a little. Any advice?? Please and thanks!

 

how do you care for the dreads as they grow out? do you keep back combing at the root?

 

oh yeah i also forgot to ask. i started just one dread under my hair about a week ago. i have a wooden bead at the base instead of a rubber band and a rubber band on the tip. this way works just as well, right?

 

loose hairs should go away...give 'em time, a couple days is very short in dread-time...same thing with the roots, it'll work itself out, just let it be

 

a few things. my dreads are a mess

iv bin through hell and back the past 2 days so to chill out and sober up iv bin readin through these forums for 4 hours and well im going to stop using wax straight away.

now iv had dreads around 3 months and havent washed my hair because my dreads are kinda falling apart and arent locking atall and most are totally flat. shuld i try and wash my hair with dreadheadhq non residue shampoo? if i do wash my hair ill be putting a nylon stocking on my head and spundging them i think that should work but i need advice on how to do this.

and my roots...i think ill keep back-combing my roots because they dnt seem to be growing into my dreads very well. any advice on that?

cheers for any advice (yes i may sound very rude but its 5 am....im tired and hav to get up in 4 hours.)

cheers again

 

good thing you found us!
first of all, I (and I am sure we too) hope that you are doing alright and (this might seem a bit weird) are here to listen to you if you want.

now to the main idea. good just stopping using wax. To get it out of your hair get really really REALLY hot water, hot enough to not burn your head though...and ACV(apple cider vinnager mix) and wash with that again and again and again.

next, wash your hair!!! if you don't have a safe shampoo (everyone will tell you no residue) then resort to vinnager or lemon juice cut with water, that will get rid of a ton of oil and really make your head feel better.
OH, one more thing on washing, do this TODAY (http://hipforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=136945) you should mix that into 3/4 gallon of water. If you don't have tea tree oil then that's okay, but if you do then definitely include it.

don't backcomb anything anymore. If you backcomb the roots then it will pull the hair that is already dreading and you be contributing to the paradox =).

When you wash, scrub the shampoo all over each dread, then scrub the scalp. when you wash it out make sure it gets out. dry with a towel by squeezing each dread dry and somepeople use a hairdryer, I probably should too...

Thanks for joining us =) I really hope that this helps, if not then well...sorry

 

Thought i would post in here just everything that i have done and my questions aswell. I have posted small questions in other threads and most of the time they were answered. Firstly, i have had my dreads now nearly 9 weeks i think. Someone backcombed them for me and then did some wierd wrapping hair round hair thingy. They told me not to wash them for 6 weeks, so i didnt wash it . I then went back and she did a "tidy-up" and she told me not to wash them for another 6 weeks. I thought forget this so went out and brought some tea tree shampoo from holland and barretts the next day and washed it. Felt soooo much better. Since then i have brought some huge bottle of Dr Bronners tea tree. I try to wash my hair about once a week. I have recently brought Dreadhead accelerator spray and KnottyBoy gel. Should i use these or which one is the best? I'm not too sure about the gel as fear it may stay in my hair or something. ALso my tips are just curly and are sooo annoying. Is there anything i can do with them? People say they look cute but are doing my head in. hehe. Lastly, i have a very dry scalp, well like the top of my forehead. It gets quite bad and flakey there and so i have to wear a headband to try and cover it up. I have tried many things on it but nothing works. Any help please? Sorry bout all this, but you lot seem to know what you are talking about. Also i will post some pictures up tomorrow!

 

is there a true right way to take care of dreads? i have read and talked to many people and they all say different things?

 

thanks alot erizoe ill keep that advice in mind people on here are so kind and helpful its a great community. ill stop using wax and i hav non residue shampoo so whati was going to do was give my hair a backcomb to keep my dreads together because theyre coming out so much. then i was going to put bands round the roots and tips and wash my hair with my non-residue shampoo, then dry thoroughly.

when i backcomb my dreads i could leave out doing the roots because you said not toback-comb the roots.

im just scared alot of what i do incase my dreads just fall apart completely because theyre already falling apart...

well get back to me if this would work thanks so much.

 

I wouldn't use the dreadheadhq shampoo, i've heard alot of bad things about it.........try some other residue free shampoo, like doc bronners or knottyboy. You just need to concentrate on getting all that wax out of your hair, and its going to be HARD........just keep soaking your hair in scalding hot water (dont let it touch your skin) and try the ACV rinses. People are always trying to force their hair to dread up but the harder you try, the less it works. Your better off just getting all of the wax out of your hair and leaving it alone (do nothing but wash it) backcombing does not create dreadlocks, it only allows you control over their cultivation, everytime you backcomb your going back to square one. Good luck little brother.

 

Oh, and you need patience, lots and lots of patience. It can take years before you have full, tight locks....but its a journey worth taking.

 

cheers alot rob for the advice. im going to give my hair 1 more back-comb because i NEED to go back to square 1. then wash my hair in boiling water (with bands at base and tip). then take the bands out dont worry im not leaving them in. then im going to make that mix of sea salt, tea tree oil etc etc etc....wash with that then leave my hair. i wont be able to do all of those things for a long time but hey like u said time is all i got to hope for my babies.

cheers again for you kind advice

 

also is it natural that my dreads are very squidgey? i can squeeze them completely flat and quite alotof them have acually just flattened and stayedlike that its only when i back-comb them that they puff out again.

meh...the list goes on lol

 

yeah thats normal, it will work itself out as it tightens up.

 

ok great. i just took some retarded pictures i just need to find out how to attach them to a message then i can show u my mess of hair.

 

crap nvm pics are too big and not too sure how to make the sizes smaller unless i just crop them or something but cant be bothered ill do it another day lol

 

use imageshack they'll resize it for forums

 

cheers m8

 

heresmy dreads although theyre retarded photos...







stupid pics but they all i got

 

I see nothing wrong there, just be patient man.

Take the rubber bands out, i never saw the point in them other than make you look kind of goofy =p

and if you really really want to redo them then brush them out, wash your hair really good to get the wax out, THEN redo them and just backcomb starting like a few CM from the root(this is only to prevent sideshowbob syndrome, other than theat ther is no real reason)