How to get dreads like this?

Hi,

I've been wanting dreads for a while but have been waiting patiently for my hair to grow longer because it's still too short for my liking (a few inches past my shoulders). However, I have some pictures of dreads that I love and was wondering if you guys could help me figure out the methods used in making them and how old the dreads look to be. I know this is probably a lot to ask because I'm new here- I seriously just signed up for dreadlockssite about five minutes ago- but I'm very excited to learn and hope that someone will be willing to help me Oh, and if you don't really know how to answer my questions for some of the pictures but you do for others, please just help me with the ones you can!

Here's the first picture: Also for this one, should I dye/bleach my hair before dreading?

The second:

Thank you for reading and I hope that you can help me!

updated by @charlotte3: 02/14/15 03:12:54PM

Those are all beautiful. If you want to dye/bleach your hair, I recommend you do it before dreading, this way it would be easier to get the dye all throughout the hair.

Dreads take a while to form until they get all neat, like in the last pic. So you can start off with the neglect method, which I believe is fastest & most effective.

The third pic looks like it was done with twist and rip, but would probably come undone once you wash it. So like I said, try doing neglect method or possibly even back comb.

At the beginning stage your dreads will probably have a lot of loops, but they will look amazing and much neater once they turn about a year or so old.

To me, the bottom two pics almost look like temporary locks..

but the top two look either to be natural/ twist and rip

Most people on this website will just tell you to stop combing your hair or use the Twist n Rip method, no wax, no crocheting, no tools!! Just washing 3-5 days with non residue shampoos and separating dreads to prevent congos (unless you want some)

The top pic looks like it was TnR'd, and are probably about 1-3 years old. I can't tell from how small the second pic is, but it was probably TnR'd as well. But from how those few are poking out, they might have been back combed. I can't guess how old they are. The bottom 2 are either temporary, or brand new. Most don't even look like they were TnR'd. They look like they were just twisted and probably held with some type of gel. They don't look waxed, to me.

Like everyone's said so far, your locks won't look like those in any of the pics. Locks are unique to the person. There are 1001 factors that go into how your hair locks up. Texture, length, thin or thick hair, how you wash/dry... etc.

But to add to what was already said, you want your hair to grow to a certain length before you start, right? That's fine, but be prepared, because when they start to lock, you'll lose between 1/3 - 1/2 your original length. If you have shoulder length hair, in a year, when they are mature, your locks will only be about 4-5 inches long. That's what's nice about the neglect method. As your hair grows out naturally, it locks up on its own, so you appear to lose a little less length.

Thank you so much for all of your replies!! I didn't expect to get this many, and so quickly!

One thing I have been wondering is whether or not the use of rubber bands is required in forming a dread or not. What do you think? I can't find any where I live and I actually want to dread my hair today. I'm so tired of waiting and I'm okay with having short dreads. I'm not planning on doing my whole head, just a few sections. Do you think I could do it without rubber bands?

If you click this link, it will explain " Neglecting method " Better.

http://www.dreadlockssite.com/forum/topics/natural-dreadlocks-or-neglect

start today by throwing yoir comb in the trash thats all thats needed to tart and to grow the most amazing dreads possible

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

Yeah the last 2 photo's are temporary locks, for which girls like to just twist chunks of hair, back comb a little bit to make it stay and then spray the separated "locks" with hair spray. This video might help you, I liked this girls dreads and it helped me start mine, but like others said before you gotta let go of controlling the outcome or dreading wont be a good experience for you. It's all about letting it go free and seeing what happens. If you try to cut corners and make your dreads look more mature than they actualy are (by backcombing, felting, crocheting) chances are you''ll end up with unhealthy, "dead" locks that dont feel nice. Natural locks are really the way to go. Just switch to ACV wash, stop brushing, and separate/rip the locks apart once a week or so. You'll have beautiful locks in time and the journey will teach you alot aout yourself and patience! HAPPY DREADING

so this girl did backcombing (carefully without ripping hair!):

and then this girl did the all natural neglect method (she has more recent videos of her locks they are over a year now and look great)

I hope these videos help you

Oh and one more thing I have to add is don't get attached to the length. Initially, for the first year or so, your dreads will get tighter and shrink in length on their own. They will be getting knotty and therefore will lose length. My hair had just gotten to a point where I really loved the length when I decided to dread. It was at about mid back, and now after 4 months of neglect my dreads are right at my shoulders. Im just happy I can put them back when I need to I hear once they are done forming and knotting up after the first year the length starts coming and they seem to get length faster than regular hair cause the ends arent breaking off like they do with loose hair.

Wow, thank you for all of this information! Using the twist and rip method, I dreaded five dreads into my hair yesterday. I have really thick wavy hair and I think it looks good the way it does right now (basically a quarter dreaded and three quarters wavy). What I'm wondering is how I should maintain my dreads. Will the care for them be any different now from if my whole head was dreaded? I want to keep it like this for a while. I'm doing this 'no shampoo do' thing in which you only use natural things on your hair (for shampoo I use baking soda and for conditioner, apple cider vinegar). Are these okay to use on dreadlocks? Or, when I wash my wavy hair should I cover up my dreads and wash them separately?