No more maintenance.

My dreads are 2 months old now and up until this point I have used crochet hooks, I've palm rolled, and I've used a loose hair tool. I am stopping all of it. The crochet hooks kept breaking, palm rolling does nothing for the long run, just for the 20 minutes until you need to do it again. And the loose hair tool just undoes everything i tried to fix by crocheting. I never spent this much time on my hair before. It's starting to get ridiculous. All I'm doing from now on is washing them. Which I actually don't know if I should even do anymore. I keep hearing that it's okay to not wash it but then I hear clean hair dreads faster. If your curious, I just rinse with the baking soda and oils. Once that's rinsed out I do the ACV that I add a few drops of lavender and rosemary to.

I started my dreads using the T&R method. Since I've had my dreads, I'm noticing how I am starting to love the look of natural dreads more and more. The way mine are growing in are awesome so I would hate to take them out and start over with neglect. BUT I am thinking about taking a few out and letting them do their own thing. I have thick curly hair so it couldn't be any easier.

When it comes to sleeping, I don't know what to wrap my hair in. Or if I should even put it up at all. I've tried tams, bandanas, t-shirts and they are never on when I wake up. Should I even bother?

updated by @shannon-friedel: 01/13/15 09:16:28PM

no you shouldnt bother but all that maintenance backfires you do extreme damage cause more loose hairs (the loose hair tool should be called a loose and broken hair creation tool) all that work slowed progresss did lots of harm and defeates the purpose of dreading completely

yes you should wash with the bs/acv or dread shampoo but you should wash a couple times a week

all the rest..just stop it u never should have done it at all

but now u got to recover which can take a good 6 months to a year

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

When you first start you should be washing your hair 2-3 times a week for the first 6 months to a year. Once they really start to mature, you can back off to once a week. But never do less than that. I know it happens sometimes, but if you can help it, you should wash your hair regularly. I do it on friday mornings so they have the weekend to dry completely. That's the key too. You need to make sure that they dry fully before you get them wet again. Otherwise you run the risk of growing mildew and mold in there.

When you sleep you don't really need to wear anything. I used to wear a tam, but like you said, it just keeps coming off. I just gave up, and so should you. As you sleep they will rub around and knot up on their own. There's no reason to hold them in a tam unless you are going somewhere that you need to contain them. Tams help, but only when necessary. It's better to let them hang free. Hats can cause damage to your scalp any way, if you wear them too much.

I've still not tried the BS and ACV rinse, but it's probably the easiest method and the easiest products to get hold of.

I'm glad to hear that you are giving up using any maintenance tools. They cause so much damage. As you will see, your hair will start to fix itself over time from all the poking and ripping you did.

Good luck. Keep us posted on how your new journey is going

dont bother at all..im almost half a year into crochet recovery now, and dreads are feeling great

ill give you a heads up though; your dreads are gonna be so frizzy and can be frustrating.

best thing is avoid mirrors and just stopthinking about it, like everyone say

goodluck!!

Well, it's good that you don't wash every day. However, you should wash every other to every third day.

And for the kinky hair. Locks are naturally kinky hair. I wouldn't look at it as being cursed with it. I'd say you were blessed with hair that will lock up faster

Even before my dreads I only washed my hair maybe 2 times a week. And I only brushed it after I washed it. My hair is super thick and curly so brushing it wasn't an everyday keep up.

I have a friend whos dreads are about 2 weeks old now and she tells me that mine already look like they've matured. I never see the back of them so when she took pictures I couldn't believe that my dreads look the way they do!

Thanks everyone for all the advice!

I attached a picture that was taken last night. I can't believe these are my dreads!

Wow. They look great. I can't believe they're only 2 months old. They do look mature. I'd just let them go now. There's no need for you to do anything else to them

Those are so gorgeous. I love your color!

These are amazing! An only at two months. I have very curly thick hair also! Started 2 wks today with a lil backcombe but nothing since except washing. I truly hope mine look this cool after two months. Loving the colour and the lil wraps also!