Comparison: Backcomb/Crochet/Wax vs. T&R/Neglect/No Products

Hello fellow dreadies!I'm new to the site but have a few words to add to the mix about the differences between backcombing/crocheting/waxing your dreads vs. a little twist & rip & neglect.I started my first set of dreads back in March 2010. I didn't know a lick about dreadlocks other than the fact that I wanted them BAD, & I wanted them FAST ("Quick, before dear Mr. Husband changes his mind!"). I had a friend with dreads, & she & her sister helped me out: they sectioned, sprayed, backcombed, crocheted, waxed & palm-rolled the crap out of my hair. It took 6 hours. I had a headache for days. My dreads stuck up on end ("clown dreads" like SE says somewhere on one of the discussions here, or "cat poop" like my hilarious husband called them). They eventually laid down, but I was doing maintenance constantly. They fell out a lot, & as far as I was concerned, that was bad. So I crocheted (ripped & tugged & rolled & poked)them back into place. They LOOKED like dreadlocks, they really did. Over the next 10 months, my hair grew, but my dreads looked...the same. They felt solid, they were pokey, uncomfortable, & with all the root twisting I (thought I) "had" to do, I had a sore, sad, itchy scalp.& then I couldn't take it anymore. So I COMBED them out. Yeah - combed them. 10-month-old "dreads"......they COMBED out. Easily. Except for all of the gooey, hideously disgusting wax & dirt inside of each & every one of them. Ew.Anyway, I knew I wanted to get dreads again but I was a little disturbed by my previous experience & still didn't know that I'd gone about it all wrong. I figured I'd wait a while till my hair was longer, assuming that most of my locking (or lack thereof) issues stemmed from the fact that I started my dreads with such short hair. & then a friend directed me to this site. & I realized there was hope!& that brings us to right now! I chose to randomly section & twist & rip my hair. I'm only about a week in, but I have experienced a huge difference already. First of all - no pain. I always believed that dreadlocks could only be acheived with pain - how wrong I was! I sectioned/twist & ripped my own hair (with the exception of sectioning the back - I had a friend help with that) over the course of two days. There was no anxiety, no false belief that I was creating "InstaDreads." I loved it. My little boys ran around my feet as I worked, cheering me on & asking to touch my hair every once in a while.I've been using SE's baking soda/essential oil wash with the ACV rinse & my hair is happy, healthy, soft & clean. No, there's no true locking yet (there won't be for a while), but what I've done is set my hair up to do its thing. All I need to worry about now is separating (to prevent congos), washing, neglecting those sweet dreadies & pouring myself into loving the people who surround me without worrying about my hair.There is such liberation in letting go - no products, no constant maintenance, no stress.So there you go =)
updated by @mamaemmelia: 01/22/20 09:33:16AM

congrats and i expect you to find they are more dreaded at 3 months then the 10 month old set and the constant dchangeing will give you urtmost satisfaction..even entertainment when u wake uo and find some new thing going on (at 1 point the ends of 1 dread formed a dragon head)

isnt it easier to just he happy go with 6he flow then to always be frustrated and trying to force em to behave

this set...will last

congrats

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

I myself am on my second set and share the same story. I crochet my dreads in the begining of my journey and they do not change. However my roots are beginning to dread up and the root end of the dread and it's kind of a wavy patch and I'm digging it. Of you don't do anything they become nice.I wish I had never crochet!!

eventualy they will recover and behave like normal dreads just takes a long time

Chelsea LookWhatTheCatDraggedIn said:

I myself am on my second set and share the same story. I crochet my dreads in the begining of my journey and they do not change. However my roots are beginning to dread up and the root end of the dread and it's kind of a wavy patch and I'm digging it. Of you don't do anything they become nice.I wish I had never crochet!!

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

I'm starting to loosen the crOchet job and hope it will dread within a few months. If o had been patient I'd be all set and on the right track.

soaringeagle said:

eventualy they will recover and behave like normal dreads just takes a long time

Chelsea LookWhatTheCatDraggedIn said:

I myself am on my second set and share the same story. I crochet my dreads in the begining of my journey and they do not change. However my roots are beginning to dread up and the root end of the dread and it's kind of a wavy patch and I'm digging it. Of you don't do anything they become nice.I wish I had never crochet!!

So many loose hairs!

yea thats typical crochet recovery how longs it been your doing the right thing


--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

im gonna feature this and hope u update as youyr dreads progress

really want to see the difference at 10 months

and track your attitude throughout too

experience is as important as end results

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

Great to hear! It is enjoyable to just let go and watch them grow!

Thanks, man! I'll definitely update. =)

soaringeagle said:

im gonna feature this and hope u update as youyr dreads progress

really want to see the difference at 10 months

and track your attitude throughout too

experience is as important as end results