Dreads have been misbehavin.

I started dreading back in April started with the backcomming method with wax and rubber bands. Then a month in, I found this site per Soaring Eagle's advice I removed the rubber bands about a week ago. Some dreads became undone after the first washing. I only used wax only thhe first done I had them done and never again did I use wax. Well today I started feeling around my head and noticed that in the back of my head that a few are very loose and straigh. By the way I do not have straight hair my hair is naturally wavy. So I am trying to figure why doI have staright hair now after I washed it and some undreaded and some are starting to join. What shouldI do?

updated by @dee4: 02/14/15 09:20:36AM

seperate the ones joining

remove wax

what did you wash with?

u dont got to worry bout them loosenig or falling apart they will dread fine

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

The wax, even the little that was used leaves a film that you might not be able to feel on some of the loose hairs. That is probably what is making your hair straight now. If you get the wax removal stuff from dreadlockshampoo.com, or use dawn soap and warm water to get rid of the wax, your hair should go back to being curly again.

But you NEED to get the wax out.

I did a hot water wash a week after I got them in. I wash with dreadhead HQ shampoo. The once on the sides look great but the once in the back are totally wild. I guess its just a waiting game. When rubber bands came off some became un raveled and wanted to be individuals so i just went ahead and seperated them. They sure have a mind of their own. On some that wanted to seperate it is just a very thin strand how do I join them into the nearest dread?

it will join itself if u let it

i wouldnt use that shampoo or anythung from them it will cause dandruff and psoriasis ..and cancer..and even hair loss

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

You have to remove the wax, it takes a lot of effort to remove it even if you use it just once. That might be one of the reasons some of them aren't progressing as well as others. But it can also be cos you sleep on your side. The ones in the back and left side dreaded the quickest for me, but I guess you sleep differently. Either way, different parts of your head will dread and different times, so just a case of being patient. As for how to get some loose hair to join a dread, you can put a bead on them so they stay together and sooner or later it'll join the dread.

Is it ok or not ok to sleep with a tam or or something to keep my hair together at night? I have been wearing an under armour to sleep since day one. For the past 3 night I have been going to bed with out it.

i think its best to just sleep normally. no tam or anything

No need to sleep with one. If you do, you'll find that you have to separate more often because they will get more tangled together at night. But there's no rule. There's not even a better or worse arguement. It's preference. If you want to have to maintain them more often by separating, then go ahead and sleep with a tam. If you just want to take it easy and let your hair to it's natural thing, and only separate when they need it, sleep without one.

Hi Dee,

I just read your profile and you are just 1 week ahead of me on starting your dreads. At just 2 months they are definitely going to be messy and a lot of them will likely be loose (as with my own) because it takes a while for dreads to really knot up and get solid (mature.) Also, whe using a starter method such as backcombing or TnR you are giving your hair a guideline for sectioning that it may not naturally want to follow.. in which case, some will come loose or separate on their own and this really shouldn't be fought with since it will set back progress to continually mess with them. Loose hair will eventually get sucked into neighboring dreads over time.

Everyone here is right when they say that removing wax is a lot harder than just not using it. There have been some members on this site who only used wax to start their dreads and many years later found hard chunks inside their dreads (since wax can harden over time - think candles) or over time a waxy residue starts to surface on the dread looking gross. The wax is not water soluble so you need to really strip the hair. It also keeps the hair from actually dreading properly, slowing down the process. Sometimes when you finally remove the wax it's like starting all over again but you end up seeing somewhat quicker results.

On your profile you say you only wash 1/wk as needed... I recommend 2 - 3 times/week because oils in from the scalp can slow down the process as well in the beginning year. Do a little bit more research on cleaning products for dreads. Some people swear by Baking Soda with Apple Cider Vinegar, some by Dr. Bronners and others by dreadlocks shampoo (advertised by SE and on the side bar of this forum.) But everyone has different hair, scalp, habits and environments that will play into what shampoos work best. I can't personally vouch for DHHQ shampoo but I have definitely NOT heard good things about this company or ANY of their products... and not just from this website. Also, consider essential oils for whatever shampooing method you end up using. Some oils added to a rinse can really change up how happy or sad your scalp is.

You also say you constantly spray water in your hair... are you just using plain water or are you using a sea salt solution (sea salt and water?) The sea salt solutions are good for helping dry up the hair and dreading but you don't want them to sit on your head all the time or it can be over-drying. I wash my hair 3 times per week so the night before I wash I spray some sea salt water throughout my hair, let it dry up, then sleep on it and wash the hair in the morning.

Just some advice and food for thought.