I really enjoyed this post...it's only been 3 days of no combing for me and I can see the potential but a friend who hasone backcombed dread discourages me every time she has seen me saying I can grow natural dreads because I don't have the hair for it and then offers to crochet mine...I shudder at the thought and I just know if I keep my heart in it she'll be inspired to stop the torture
updated by @gabrielle-inez: 07/23/15 02:39:40AM
It's not a race
good you show her the truth is undeniable when she sees the results
everyone can grow natural dreads
--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1
Well, I loved this entrance. I just wished I found dreadlockssite before getting dreadlocks done. Actually, before even get them done, I did a bit of research about methods and so on, and read already that putting strange things on the head was not a good idea, so thought that crochet or backcomb it was not thaaaaat bad, since was "natural".
I had to experience myself that even doing that kind of methods was a bad idea (at least for me), I can't tell about everyone else, since I think it depends on lots of factors but most important is probably the type of hair. At least from the girl I read who had her dreads crocheted after 3 or 4 years of having them, to my eyes they looked good, so I kinda trusted in the method... But afterwards I read she wrote she got them from time to time "fix" on salons (thing I never did, I just got them crocheted once and that's it).
My dreads started "nice", but as Baba wrote, after washings and time they changed a lot (you might see some timeline I still have on my profile page), some roots got thin, dreads got on my opinion overly compacted I could barely bend them, major shrinkage, my hair in general looked like a rat nest... So, because I didn't know if they would sometime recover from that, I decided to comb them out. After combing out my 6 months and a half dreadlocks, I found my hair damaged so I decided to cut everything short... I even thought about shave my head at some point.
Now, after 2 years, my hair has grown again... And because of some changed happening in my life and so... I decided to start a new journey, this time... freeform. I don't even care now about the time it's gonna take me.
I think, if I let my hair just do its thing and dread on its pace, it's gonna grow healthy and happy dreads. This journey is gonna teach me patience. I think is gonna teach me lot of things, to be true to myself, to see myself in the mirror beyond the hair appeareance and that I have to embrace them in all the stages. I maybe can't call it a spiritual journey, or maybe I can... I don't know, but what is true is that is gonna challenge myself, make me realise lot of things about myself and perhaps my environment, I don't know. For that reason, I want this journey now... Back then I guess I "got them" from the wrong reason and maybe that's why I had to comb them out so now I would be able to have a fresh start.
I guess people can do whatever they want with their hair. If I have the chance to spread the knowledge I now have, I do it... If they wanna listen and take advice, is nice, if not... then is their choice.
I think after all that's all about. And now I think I kinda understand better the deep reasons lot of people have with their dreads, the connection with them and all... And it's really a journey that every single person who grows dreadlocks for sure learns valuable lessons.
Thank you for the photos! I came in to this journey with the expectation of it taking at least a year and probably closer to two for my dreads to mature. Funny thing is that they are progressing as well as (and even slightly better) than anticipated. I'm finding that people I know who are observing were of the mind set of "It's taking much longer than I thought" and I have to remind them that it's going to be a while before my dreads look closer to what they are waiting for and that it is not going to look the same as rolled and backcombed dreads. It's a good reminder for me as well. 
Its hard because even "experienced" dreadies have an opinion on what you should do!
well on this site, we weed out the opinions on what you should do and give you just the facts..... and the consequences that result from listening to opinions
anyone that tells you you need to be doing something, with the exception of washing and maybe seperating, should be considered as opinion till you fact check it here...
there will be alot of people telling you u nbeed to wax, crochet or twist, but they will all have damaged dreads at the very least, and may end up bald..
locticians are the worse, you can have the nicest dreads ever strong, healthy, hell 45 years old and 20 feet long, and a loctician will insist on saying they look like crap and you need to let them 'fix them" ..every few weeks for a fee, you waste 20 grand and end up bald... and yes many do waste 20 grand at locticians only to endup bald
dreads need absolutely nothing but to be kept clean...thats it. seperations a good idea in most cases, but isnt essential
thats it...then juswt let them dread..simple, free.. and it happens naturally, theres no opinions on that its just a fact that if you let it dread..it dreads...
you should _____ (backcomb, crochet, wax, interlock, twist, etc) are opinions..other peoples opinions on what youshould do
a fact is, you do not need to do anything, and it will dread..
a fact is hair dreads best when kept clean and thats basic sanitation...
a fact is every thing those with opinions tell you you should do, does have a damage toll wether minor (likepalm rolling) or extreme like crochet
sure you will run into alot of opinions out there
but here... we try to stick to facts.
theres been things we have had wrong and learned from, and updated our facts based on new information, but we strive hardto only provide thereal info that leads to healthy long lasting dreads you can be proud of a lifetime
--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1
