Hola / Hello everybody!

I just stopped by to say hi and tell you a bit about my dreading journey.Ive always loved dreads but due to people in my family being a bit too conservative, it wasn't until about 8 months ago that I decided Ill get them myself. I was a bit concerned about my hair breaking though, because the only methods I knew at the time were backcombing and crocheting (my dreaded friends can't believe my hair is doing this all by itself!). Then I found out about natural dreading and this site and threw away my comb! So, although this is my first post, Ive been following some of the discussions and timelines from members and I want to thank you for contributing to this wonderful site, hope my story may help someone in any way,this travel may test your patience, but every change your hair and yourself experience through it is precious.So, Im about seven months and a half in, no combing, wool tam on and off,wool pillowcase, sea salt spray, washing 2-3 times a week mostly with baking soda, but sometimes with bar soap too. I already have 9 dreads, 4 at the upper back side that have been there since month two, two which are what my fringe was, though they are really thin, one at the right side close to my forehead (these three formed about month 4) and 2 at the top which are still a bit loose at the tips and roots. All of these are quite thin, but I love them anyway. I have a lot of little knots too, and i know they will become dreads eventually. So its being a bit slow and kind of progressive for me, but I'm a bit worried because it's been 7 months and I still have a lot of hair with no sign of dreading at all, like the lower back and the left side. I know it may be perfectly normal and that all I need is more patience, but Im a bit baffled by the fact that I have these pretty well defined dreads since the first months and then I have a lot of hair which apparently has made little progress other than a bit of sectioning, and I was wondering if anybody had/has the same situation going on. I'm worried I may be getting...how do I put this...like a "web" of knotting hair close to my scalp rather than knotting locks (hope that made some sense) I try not to touch it much, but that's what I feel when I do it. I think beads could be a solution for me, but I think I may screw things up if I force together sections of hair that have already knotted with different sections closer to the roots. I think Ill use the beads to try to accelerate the dreading in sections that have already little knots and loops closer to the tip and wait to see what happens with the rest through the next months. I'll post some pictures soon, try to make a timeline.To say a bit more about me I'm from Spain, I love art, play drums in a band called Nebula Tango, and I love nature, hope to make some new friends around.Thanks again!
updated by @vis-margon: 01/13/15 09:01:06PM

hello to you! and welcome to the site (family), youll meet so may beautiful people here, and learn so much. i agree maan, the journey and the things that happen in ones life while on the journey are sooo precious, memories that will last a lifetime and keep you appreciating your dreadies throughout the journey its quite beautiful. and good to hear about your friends! maybe they will be influenced by your wise decision and re-dread naturally! (some of my friends thought the idea was completely taboo, they claimed onlyAfricanhair dreaded! HA!) but anywhooo, i too am going through this "webbing" process, i fix this withseparating. maybetossin a couple beads in there ( if they just wont stop webbing together). if the problem is worse than im making it out to be perhaps talk to Soaring Eagle. But again welcome, and i wish you very well through the rest of your journey!

-b

u definately want to seperate to prevent that web from becomming congos

it is dreading in its ownway but needs the seperating to help define the individual dreads

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

Ahh, webbing. what a great way to word it. I know exactly what you mean when you say that haha. I sectioned them off and its helped a lot! i continually check them to make sure they arent in huge clumps or anything. good luck!!

there will come a point where u wont have to seperate as much but takes time


--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

Thank you so very much for the welcome, the good wishes and the good advice!

Brandy, I think it may be a little late for my friends to re-dread, they crocheted, but they already have beautiful waist-long dreads, they have stopped doing as much maintenance though.

Amanda, I was afraid that separating could slow down my progress, but after seeing the pictures of the back of your head I'm going to start separating right now!, nice progress!

AlwaysByourself, I'm happy it made sense and I could make myself be understood xD good luck to you too!

And soaringeagle, thank you because you have helped me since the day I discovered this forum, if not directly, through your good advice to other people, you truly are an inspiration. By the way, I use two spoonfuls of BS dilluted in 1 litre (I think that's more or less 5 cups) of water. Let it in for at least half an hour, then rinse with just a lot cold water, as I found the ACV let my dreads a bit too soft and kind of loose (would use it again if dandruff appeared, which is fortunately not the case). I tell you just to make sure I'm not doing anything wrong. To get it dry, I press the hair against the scalp with a towel, then sun dry if I can, at night I use a blowdryer, could that be slowing down progress?

So, I'm gonna start separating in the back of my head, and get some beads as I said, I will be glad to share my progress and will be glad to read from yours! Thanks again, you are all too nice people! Gracias!

what a beautifully thoughtful thankyou letter your welcome!

Vis Margon said:

Thank you so very much for the welcome, the good wishes and the good advice!

Brandy, I think it may be a little late for my friends to re-dread, they crocheted, but they already have beautiful waist-long dreads, they have stopped doing as much maintenance though.

Amanda, I was afraid that separating could slow down my progress, but after seeing the pictures of the back of your head I'm going to start separating right now!, nice progress!

AlwaysByourself, I'm happy it made sense and I could make myself be understood xD good luck to you too!

And soaringeagle, thank you because you have helped me since the day I discovered this forum, if not directly, through your good advice to other people, you truly are an inspiration. By the way, I use two spoonfuls of BS dilluted in 1 litre (I think that's more or less 5 cups) of water. Let it in for at least half an hour, then rinse with just a lot cold water, as I found the ACV let my dreads a bit too soft and kind of loose (would use it again if dandruff appeared, which is fortunately not the case). I tell you just to make sure I'm not doing anything wrong. To get it dry, I press the hair against the scalp with a towel, then sun dry if I can, at night I use a blowdryer, could that be slowing down progress?

So, I'm gonna start separating in the back of my head, and get some beads as I said, I will be glad to share my progress and will be glad to read from yours! Thanks again, you are all too nice people! Gracias!