An Intro and a Question...

Hey all! Came across this site not too long ago and decided to join because of all the greatness.

I've wanted dreads for awhile and used to have long hair (pass my shoulders), but then decided to cut it off - I'm regretting that now. I kept it short for awhile, but now have decided to grow it back out and begin dreading. So here I am.

I have a question though. When I grew my hair out last time, I would trim it up every so often to keep it looking nice. This time, however, with the intent to dread so length is more important (right?). So do I ever need to get it trimmed? It's maybe 3.5/4 inches long now and I'll grow it out for another 8-9 months or so before I begin. Just curious if I can save money by skipping out at the barber.

Hope to see you all around the site!

PS - love the pictures here, truly inspiring!

updated by @greenblayza: 01/13/15 09:10:03PM

Yep'] just grow it, don't trim it or brush/comb it. keep it clean, keep it separated and you are good to go, start now'] Oh! and Welcome, hehe

Start now?? I was thinking it would make more sense to grow it out. I've heard people have had a hard time when it's short (I'm completely inexperienced myself, so I'm just regurgitating what I've read). But if it's best to start now then right on! I was thinking I was going to have to wait those 8-9 months.

skip the bardber skip the combing begin today let it dread as it growwes

trimming is neeeded when u comb combing is damaging (backcombing even more so like way more) combing causes split ends that need to be trimmed

stop combing no need to trim

just let it dread as it grows

it probably wont dread till u reach about 6 inches tho

some do dread shorter tho

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

your page says "thinking bout backcombing"

thats why ppl have trouble short backcombinfgs not the best method..at all and tends to fall apart especialy when short

just go natural starting today

no need to wait to start just wait for the dreads to foerm by themselves

greenblayza said:

Start now?? I was thinking it would make more sense to grow it out. I've heard people have had a hard time when it's short (I'm completely inexperienced myself, so I'm just regurgitating what I've read). But if it's best to start now then right on! I was thinking I was going to have to wait those 8-9 months.

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

Wow, thanks for the responses guys!

I'll get started soon then. Like I said, I'm new so let me see if I got this straight:

get some non residue shampoo.

wash once a week or so(?).

Am I missing anything? I do have thin, soft, pretty wavy, very oily (as in I can wash it at let's say 6 o'clock p.m., go to bed later that night and wake up with it pretty greasy) hair.Will this take awhile to begin dreading? Be honest, I won't get discouraged I promise!

By the way, thanks for the advice!

If you look at my time line album, you'll see what short hair does'] (you'll also see that I've lost a good deal of weight, YAY!) I started with a bit of backcombing & t&r and even bought a crochet hook (all before I found this site) When I stopped touching my hair and "making it dread" (I have a count clock on my profile) it all fell out of what sections I had put it in, then it decided where to section and now I have the whole top of my head dreading up, I get a diff number whenever I count, haha but it's between 25 & 35 just on the top (from ears up), my back was shorter and isn't dreading as quick, but now it has started dreading too...I think it'll be as well off as teh top by Christmas. So that'll give you an idea'] My hair was about 4" to start

overwashinmg makes it oilier stripping oils make u over produce

so does exzcessive acidity

so the best option

wash with baking soda no acv start every 2 days then every 3 then every 4 if u can go 4 or more days without being oily yu are good

wash hot rinse cold heat removes oil better cold seals oil into cuticles and sealsup pores so you produce less

add thyme tea or oil and you will get less oily slowly (if pil only a couple drops to a cup)

(essential oul only)

when it shifts from oily to to dry introduce a very weak acv rinse to compensate and shift the scalp back to slightly acidic

many find they are less oily in a month this way and since u got a couple months growth ahead of ya this is a good time to start the adjustment

oily hair will dread slower but u can get less oily and then it will dread

add sea salt to the mix too

greenblayza said:

Wow, thanks for the responses guys!

I'll get started soon then. Like I said, I'm new so let me see if I got this straight:

get some non residue shampoo.

wash once a week or so(?).

Am I missing anything? I do have thin, soft, pretty wavy, very oily (as in I can wash it at let's say 6 o'clock p.m., go to bed later that night and wake up with it pretty greasy) hair.Will this take awhile to begin dreading? Be honest, I won't get discouraged I promise!

By the way, thanks for the advice!

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

Alright SE I heeded your advice! Just had a wash with baking soda and so I'm claiming today the official start of my journey - all natural!!!

I attached a pic of my hair from today. It's right at 4 inches so it'll be interesting to see what happens in the next couple of months. Besides not messing with it and letting it do it's thing, is there anything else I can/should do? (I think I know the answer but thought I'd ask anyway

In about a year I'll be doing a lot of SCUBA diving so if it hasn't made much progress by then I'm hoping the sea will kick it into gear haha!

@ExaltHimx7 congrats on the weight loss!