loctician dreading techniques

Hello all,

I am new to the forum, but have been visiting the past month, so I might have already miss a thread discussing the techniques that locticians use to make dreads. The reason I am asking is because now that my eyes have been open by this forum about the usage and damage of wax in dreads, I am just realising if the technique used at the salon I go to has contributed to my buildup.

My locs were started by a salon and since then I have been visiting them to have retwist, with my last visit to the salon in November 2011. Usually they begin with washing the hair and then begin the re-twisting whilst the hair is wet. They section it out, part off some of the loose hair that is tangled within the dread and then begin the process of waxing, back-combing and palm rolling. Then the hair is dried under the dryer.

I began noticing buildup a few months back, but didnt pay much attention to it back then. I am not a heavy user of products and keep product usage in my locs to a minimum. I would also cover my hair at night to prevent lint or place a non-cotton/silk cloth on my pillow. I finally did a thorough search of my locs and discovered to my horror, tons of build up. Mainly at the ends, some in the middle and few near the top of the loc. That is when I started to do my research and found this site.

I had been trying to work out, what had caused this and seeing some of threads/post made me realise that it is wax buildup. Its current state in my loc is white/grey, hard and some look like glue. I was thinking that perhaps it was the process of applying wax to the wet hair and then put under the dryer. My own fault is that I haven't been washing my locs as regularly as I should or perhaps this wouldnt be so bad.

I have recently began the process of the baking soda and ACV rinses, which seem to be breaking down the wax, making some of it less hard, although it seems abit more visible now in some of the locs. Perhaps the rinses are bringing the wax more to the surface where it has been embedded deep inside the loc? I have emailed the owner of salon to see what explanation I receive from them and have yet to hear. I will not be visiting them until I get a reply, but in the meantime I am abit lost as I have never done my locs myself. I tried to twist and rub the new growth on a few locs which seems to be holding, but have stopped to research more as I am a novice. I will continue with the rinses to get this wax out and I know I have to be patient which can be very hard with this process.

I do feel abit alone in this, although I know that I am not as there a many people on this forum and others who have gone through a similar experience. I hope a few posts on here will lift my spirits, so that I will not cross the path of wanting to cut my locs, as I was thinking beforehand. I willpersevere and try not to let the wax rule me. It is just so heartbreaking looking at them each morning and seeing that horrid sticky buildup.

Anyway thanks for listening.

UK Dead :-|

updated by @uk-dread: 01/13/15 09:17:31PM

stop twisting and rubbing the only thing u do want to do is remove wax and wash them

unfortunatly its pretty likely u got mold too putting wax on wet hairs ..well..incredibly dumb! that seals in the moisture so they begin to ri=ot

dont pannic we can help u with dread rot as well

ok step 1 stop everythung the salon told u to do and demand a refund

step 2 the bs acv wash is great but wont get all that wax iut

start by undiluted acv soaks 10 min and then squeeeze the wax out the tips squeeze root to tip like miklking a cow or squeezing out toothpaste

then move on ti=o very hot water and lots of dawn or fairy dish soap scrub like crazy and repeat this long after u believe all the wax is gone cause if u see buildup theres way more u cant see

when the dreads are soft keep removing wax abnother month or 2 to be sure

step 3 leave em alone wash and seperate thats all no twisting no rubbing

twisting weakens the roots and damages the scalp and can even make you go bald..permenantly

salons screwed u

they tend to do that

once the wax is gone u dont got to do a tyhing they will take care oif themselves

how much do u think you wasted over the years?

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

Well I was putty in their hands. That pretty dumb method is actually being incoporated into a course for the salons new academy.....*shudder*

Well if I have to start cutting my dreads, then that would be a total waste. At the end of the day, I do have dreads....not perfect natural wax free ones....but dreads all the same. I think as long as I pursue with the cleansing process of getting rid of the wax, then the "wax years" would be seen more as a big learning curve than a waste. Shame some of us learn the hard way, but it is what makes you stronger.

Thanks for your time and advice.

Oh god that is just heart breaking to read. Now I ralise why you get so worked up SE, your doin a great thing here man dont ever stop. And good luck uk dread, you got a great attitude, it'll all workout, and welcome to the community.peace

Aw thanks Sambo,

Your encouraging words has put a ickle smile on my face =)

even after the 1st couple wax rekmovals they will be soooo much better

juist dont fool yoirself and think its all gone cause thwy are alot better its very hard to get it all out so keep removing it long after your convinced its gone

but after a few removal sessionsd u will be very happy with the results

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

Hey dude,

Try not to feel bad, I am a victim of so-called lockticians too. They f my head up and took my money! I had a irritated scalp and I am allergic to beeswax. I was lied to by another salon who could fixthem--horsedoodoo! I want dreads, nice ones and was even considering going back to one. I noticed a lock forming in the back of my head--YAY! I am curious to see if my other hair will do the same. Hang in there. Oh yeah, I had to chop my hair---Lots! I cant wait for it grow long.