Newly dreading, fine hair, lots of questions!! (Sorry - I'm going to be such a bother, I am sure of it!)

Hi all you helpful folks! I have many questions, as I'm trying to start new dreadlocks on very fine hair and have thus far been only misinformed from other sites. So grateful I found this one and such friendly people with such absolutely gorgeous locks! Mine are actually staying together through a shower and coming along much better than I expected! (about a week along). I am trying to go as natural as possible but I know my hair type is going to need a little "help," plus I'm fairly impatient! Thus, I am also gently twist & ripping. Anyway, here goes:

1. Already found answer on shampoo & care while forming, but what do you think about the liquid shampoo on your shampoo link that's supposed to help them form? Is it recommended; does it really help? I do have hard water. Been using natural bar soap & it feels pretty good.

2. When I first started, I did one backcombed dread (recommended by other sites and even people I know). Should I comb it out and restart it? Won't it just look way different than the others, and not in the good way? Or should I leave it. Some have said it's their favorite one. Weird.

3. If you do t&r a little, do you twist always clockwise or (what makes more sense to me and seems to look better) twist away from the face on both sides, but make most that you can clockwise?

4. Are there some hair types that simply will never lock together? (I was more worried about this before than now).

5. I have had a problem with my hair falling out a lot (a whole lot really) even before starting these. Should I still try or could it cause a big hair loss problem? It may be hormonal, or because I never use conditioner, I don't know, but it falls out a lot.

6. Any tips on how to look halfway decent when I have to go out while in this beginning phase? I look pretty grungy & weird with this approx. 1/5 of my hair in what doesn't really seem like a dreading process just yet. Just scarves? Is it too early to use aloe?

That's about it for now. I'm sure it's plenty to keep several people busy! Thanks in advance for any tips. I'm excited, even though I know it won't be beautiful for a couple of years probably.

Hey, just one more: any tips on styling it in the early stages? Thanks so much!

Renee Stewart

updated by @renee-stewart: 02/14/15 07:57:42AM

Hey Im a new dreader aswell and I have very fine straight hair aswell and mine was only like 4 inches when I started. Ill try to answer questions best I can because having a similar hair type Ive done some research but other experts would be able to give better advice...

1. I have hard water aswell and the main problem Im facing is washing them as baking soda has to be done in a special way using bottled or boiled water and all this stuff otherwise it doesnt wash out properly and alot of other dreadlock shampoos arent suited to hard water. The dreadlocksite shampoos are highly recommended. I cant afford them at the moment but Ive seen others have great results from using them.

2. Since youre only 1 week along its your choice if you want to undo the backcombed one. 1 week isnt like youre undoing years worth of 'work' so yeh. I initially did tnr but then a month or solater decided to undo them because it personally felt like I was missing out on part of the journey and I didnt want any regrets. I sure the difference in appearence wont matter so its really your choice.

3. The way you twist really doesnt matter. By the sounds of it though youre retwisting? If so, stop right now! Let them do their own thing. Make sure the tnr isnt too tight because the idea is the tnr is just the blueprints of the dreads, they just outline the sectioning so them, they will unravel and they should unravel so they can knot up and form proper dreads. If theyre too tight this will never happen and theyll just be like braids. Its likely that some will comeout completely but dont do any more tnr just leave them they will section and knot up naturally whatever your hair type its just a matter of time.

4. All hair types will eventually dread with love, care and patience.

5. Since youve done tnr you really need to make sure that the roots are loose, you want about 1 inch atleast of free hair at the base to avoid tugging on the scalp that could cause further hair loss. Also make sure your sections are no bigger then 1 inch across at the scalp as this will be the thickness of the mature dreadlock and fatter ones will be heavier, again causeing more tension and cause hair to be pulled out.Ive heard people with mature locks say about how they rarely find hairs that have fallen out because when the hair ages and falls out naturally for whatever reason the hair just stays in the lock.

6. Yes its too early to use aloe you only want to consider that when your locks are really mature or prehaps if you have a special event that you need to look extra smart for but even then be careful. Otherwise be proud of your dreads and let them be free the wind will cause knots to form they need to move about to progress. If you really feel uncomfortable though you could wear a very loose wool tam, that way the wool rubbing against your hair will help a bit.

As for your extra question, like I said before its best to let them be free. Since my hair now is only like I dont knot 5.... 5 and half inches there isnt much I can do to style anyway but if you want to have them up Id just say to have them very loosly tied back.

Good luck on your journey hope my answers have helped a bit =]

Yes, that definitely helped a lot! Thanks so much for responding. After looking at your photo, I think your short dreads are really cute! Also, the two of us look oddly alike - weird, huh!? (Really, that could almost be a picture of me - one of my better ones though! haha). When my breakout clears up, I'll upload a picture to my profile, on a 'good day'!

Hannah Moore said:

Hey Im a new dreader aswell and I have very fine straight hair aswell and mine was only like 4 inches when I started. Ill try to answer questions best I can because having a similar hair type Ive done some research but other experts would be able to give better advice...

1. I have hard water aswell and the main problem Im facing is washing them as baking soda has to be done in a special way using bottled or boiled water and all this stuff otherwise it doesnt wash out properly and alot of other dreadlock shampoos arent suited to hard water. The dreadlocksite shampoos are highly recommended. I cant afford them at the moment but Ive seen others have great results from using them.

2. Since youre only 1 week along its your choice if you want to undo the backcombed one. 1 week isnt like youre undoing years worth of 'work' so yeh. I initially did tnr but then a month or solater decided to undo them because it personally felt like I was missing out on part of the journey and I didnt want any regrets. I sure the difference in appearence wont matter so its really your choice.

3. The way you twist really doesnt matter. By the sounds of it though youre retwisting? If so, stop right now! Let them do their own thing. Make sure the tnr isnt too tight because the idea is the tnr is just the blueprints of the dreads, they just outline the sectioning so them, they will unravel and they should unravel so they can knot up and form proper dreads. If theyre too tight this will never happen and theyll just be like braids. Its likely that some will comeout completely but dont do any more tnr just leave them they will section and knot up naturally whatever your hair type its just a matter of time.

4. All hair types will eventually dread with love, care and patience.

5. Since youve done tnr you really need to make sure that the roots are loose, you want about 1 inch atleast of free hair at the base to avoid tugging on the scalp that could cause further hair loss. Also make sure your sections are no bigger then 1 inch across at the scalp as this will be the thickness of the mature dreadlock and fatter ones will be heavier, again causeing more tension and cause hair to be pulled out.Ive heard people with mature locks say about how they rarely find hairs that have fallen out because when the hair ages and falls out naturally for whatever reason the hair just stays in the lock.

6. Yes its too early to use aloe you only want to consider that when your locks are really mature or prehaps if you have a special event that you need to look extra smart for but even then be careful. Otherwise be proud of your dreads and let them be free the wind will cause knots to form they need to move about to progress. If you really feel uncomfortable though you could wear a very loose wool tam, that way the wool rubbing against your hair will help a bit.

As for your extra question, like I said before its best to let them be free. Since my hair now is only like I dont knot 5.... 5 and half inches there isnt much I can do to style anyway but if you want to have them up Id just say to have them very loosly tied back.

Good luck on your journey hope my answers have helped a bit =]

Haha thanks and no problem =] I think the only picture I have up of me is the one I took after I took out my tnr so dont have any dreads in that pic but Im not nearly at one month after taking them out and I have like 2 big knots and few small knots forming which is good considering my hairs still short and so thin =]

Would you mind me adding you would be nice to follow your journey?

Your questions have already been answered but I thought i would add a few things. We lose on average of 100 hairs a day. It is perfectly normal and as Hannah said...hair that is in a dread stays in the dread when shed.

It does not matter which direction that you TnR as long as you are going the same direction on the individual dread.

Some of my individual dreads were started with backcombing. Some by TnR. A couple by braids.The majority of my dreads now were formed from neglect. The starter methods may differ and look different, but when they mature you won't be able to tell which method you used. My mature backcombed dreads looks like the neglect ones. But each dread has it's own personality.

My hair is very fine thin and straight...I had no problems knotting on any of the methods I used.

I wrapped a scarf around my head like a headband most of the time during my 1st year ...it was my best friend lol. Just make sure that when you are home to leave it hanging free...it dreads better when moving around. And don't put the scarf on too tight.

Aloe is very conditioning so an occasional use won't hurt...but an everyday use will keep knots from forming or will cause knots to slip out....conditioner is not a friend of baby dreads.

1 yup its awesome

2 no need to restart it its fine the main reason to tnr over backcomb is the damagbe backcomb causes (and the fact it sticks straight up in shorter hair) once the damage is done restarting would just add more damage

3 the direction things a myth based on flaweed logic hair spirals around the crown clockwise or counterclockwise but like left handedness 1/4 or so spiral the opiosite direction (interestingly enough homosexuals tend to spiral the oposite way as do some with certain personality disorders (from birth ofcourse) but thats just a matter of percentages lu=ike homosexuals have a 17% chance of spiraly the oposite way..additionaly a spirals only a spiral at its center ..on the crown anywhere else on the heads a curve and 51% will be twisted with the grain 49% against the grain

4 no well extremely short wont however some hair types may take much longer

5 dreading will retain those lost hairs but hairs fall out every day bout 100 a day in the healthiest of hair..nothing to worry bout

6 pull em back or wear a scarf or tam..or beter yet rock em like your proud of the crazy mess u wear em with pride and others will love the way they look

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

I have hard well water and started using the DreadlockShampoo at my first year mark and have used it ever since.....love it....I use the BS wash/ACV rinse once a month now just to exfoliate, used that for my whole first year.....peace

Hannah,

Yes, of course that would be great. I have not been online here since then, so apologize for taking so long to reply. I still haven't had a chance to upload photos, do anything - I've had an awful tragedy in my life. It was odd to see the date of my question and all the kind answers, (I had been reading a lot of the site but I guess I didn't officially join or post until that day/middle of the night before) because it was later on July 2 that I got the worst of news, and haven't been back since then. I thought I might make some kind of post on a general forum (or this discussion?) to apologize and explain my sudden absence after receiving so much support here. Didn't want anyone to think I just took advantage and split! I'm not sure what's appropriate. I felt the warmth and kind support here, yet hadn't had long enough to form closer friendships, so not sure what to do. But, I still have the baby dreads! Now it has been by total neglect for real, simply due to mental state! ha.

Anyway, thanks again for the advice & replies. BTW, I love your hamster picture. My daughter used to keep hamsters - they can be so sweet. Who knew? I also didn't realize you were from the UK. Normally I would be accosting you with questions about what it's like I've always been interested in real lives of people in other countries. Sorry for the length of this! Jeez I can sure go on . . . And I just realized this isn't a message anyway, since we never became 'friends'! so, I sent you a request, and I'll just post it as a reply - hope you'll see it! Renee

Hannah Moore said:

Haha thanks and no problem =] I think the only picture I have up of me is the one I took after I took out my tnr so dont have any dreads in that pic but Im not nearly at one month after taking them out and I have like 2 big knots and few small knots forming which is good considering my hairs still short and so thin =]

Would you mind me adding you would be nice to follow your journey?

I have very fine hair as well! Mine are dreading quite quickly, i was surprised. I'm only about 3 weeks in but if you look at my picture, you can see that they're sectioning nicely and starting to shrink up a bit :3 Oh and if you do look at them, don't be alarmed by the sparseness of them XD That's less than half my hair since i have super short layers up top.

Im sorry to here about your bad news I know youbarely know me atall bar a few questions and answers but if you ever wanna just talk to someone who isn't involved or.. yeh.. welcome to message me or whatever.

And yeh my hamster literally is my baby you couldn't wish for a better/tamer/cuter/fatter/perfect/fluffy.... hamster don't get me started on him or it really would be an essay xD

Ill just accept your request now and still hoping to see a pic of you especially now you've had sometime to start yourjourney =] unless you've already posted them ill have a look when I go to your page=]

Renee Stewart said:

Hannah,

Yes, of course that would be great. I have not been online here since then, so apologize for taking so long to reply. I still haven't had a chance to upload photos, do anything - I've had an awful tragedy in my life. It was odd to see the date of my question and all the kind answers, (I had been reading a lot of the site but I guess I didn't officially join or post until that day/middle of the night before) because it was later on July 2 that I got the worst of news, and haven't been back since then. I thought I might make some kind of post on a general forum (or this discussion?) to apologize and explain my sudden absence after receiving so much support here. Didn't want anyone to think I just took advantage and split! I'm not sure what's appropriate. I felt the warmth and kind support here, yet hadn't had long enough to form closer friendships, so not sure what to do. But, I still have the baby dreads! Now it has been by total neglect for real, simply due to mental state! ha.

Anyway, thanks again for the advice & replies. BTW, I love your hamster picture. My daughter used to keep hamsters - they can be so sweet. Who knew? I also didn't realize you were from the UK. Normally I would be accosting you with questions about what it's like I've always been interested in real lives of people in other countries. Sorry for the length of this! Jeez I can sure go on . . . And I just realized this isn't a message anyway, since we never became 'friends'! so, I sent you a request, and I'll just post it as a reply - hope you'll see it! Renee

Hannah Moore said:

Haha thanks and no problem =] I think the only picture I have up of me is the one I took after I took out my tnr so dont have any dreads in that pic but Im not nearly at one month after taking them out and I have like 2 big knots and few small knots forming which is good considering my hairs still short and so thin =]

Would you mind me adding you would be nice to follow your journey?