Forum Activity for @tia

Should I shave/cut hair short before growing natural dreads????

Dreading Methods

I would recommend just starting where you are. I started from very short (because that is how short my hair was at the time, not because I wanted to start my dreads that way). The frizz/mess was no different, just took longer to section itself in places (the back of my hair did not start dreading for over a year because it just wasn't long enough). The other thing I noticed is that it didn't seem to matter that I started mine super short and another person starts theirs longer, after a few years, they end up the same length because the longer the hair, the more shrinkage there is. Welcome to the journey

mess at work

General Talk

I wore a bandana anytime I went out of my home for the first year or so to hide the messiness. Once it was long enough to pull into a ponytail, I did that as well. As soon as I got home, it was let free. I didn't have any problems with it not dreading. Good luck!

The Power Of Chia Seeds

Dreads Hair and Scalp Health

Zachary, have you tried your local co-op? I found trying to buy chia seeds anywhere commercial was very expensive. At my local co-op, I can buy as much or little as I need and they are fairly priced as well.

BTW, thanks to NaturalDreads01 for the spirulina suggestion for protein! I'll check into that!

The Power Of Chia Seeds

Dreads Hair and Scalp Health

MMmmm Chia seeds are the best! I didn't really like them in my smoothy, so I have Chia Fresca instead during my workout. 2 TBSP Chia Seeds, lemon or lime juice, Big container of water and stevia to taste. Add ice, shake it up, give it 5 minutes, and NOM NOM NOM!!!! However, Castaway, I question the protein amoun. I'm showing one ounce of chia seeds have about 4 grams of protein. It's a good amount(and it's a complete protein-AWESOME!), but not as much as we need(although, we get protein from pretty much everything).

And yeah, all through my school years, I was called "Ti Ti Ti Tia!" or "Tia Pet" Sad but true LOL

Is this shampoo is ok for my new dreads??

Dread Products

If there is any regular shampoo that is non residue, you can use that as well. I have a reaction to BS, so I can't use it so I just use Tresemme Deep Cleansing and it has worked great for me. No build up, no residue, just nice and clean. I know there are a few other shampoos out there that do the same, but I only have experience with this one.

updated by @tia: 07/23/15 03:19:39PM

The back of my head -- it refuseth to dread.

General Questions

I'm a side sleeper and I have had the same problem. It took over a year before the back slowly started up. I'm over a year and a half in and I still have some loose hair back there, but it's just doing it's thing and now the parts that are dreading up are giving me problems with wanting to congo with one another. It's always the same ol answer... patience :/

Scalp stench.

General Questions

I started with really short hair and have always scrubbed the shit out of my hair. I backcombed to start and those fell out, re-sectioned themselves, and are dreading up just fine. Yes, it may stunt your dread growth a tad bit, but all in all, you'll have great smelling awesome dreads instead of smelly ones that may be moldy and have to be cut off.

So, scrub scrub scrub just like the rest have told you! And if in doubt, ask someone you trust to smell em and tell you true I worry about mine smelling bad (the way we smell ourselves and others smell us are different), so every week or so I have the hubs do a check just to make sure

combing out 4 month TnR dread, abandon mission?

Dreadlock Styles and Dread Styling

I'm glad we were able to help Happy Dreading!

combing out 4 month TnR dread, abandon mission?

Dreadlock Styles and Dread Styling

SE is right. My previous time having dreads, I decided to take them out instead of cutting them. I had had them for about 6 months, so I had 6 months of hair that shed stuck into those dreads. When I was combing each one out, some of the hair that came out actually looked like the wefts of hair people use for clip in extensions. It was A LOT of hair that came out, but the hair that was attached was still thick, full, and healthy. The hair that came out of the dread was just what would have ended up in my brush had I not dreaded. If you cut that dread apart like the video (I believe I have seen the one you are talking about), I do believe it will cause you major problems down the road and you will end up having to wrap it indefinitely for damage control. However, from what I have learned about brushing/combing out dreads is that you should not NOT do it while they are wet with water or conditioner. Condition the dread you want to remove, and then rinse it out and let it dry before you start combing it out. Hair is elastic and brittle when wet and can break very easily, especially after conditioning.

You possibly could separate from the root if you don't mind having the rest of your dread connected and just have it split into two the rest of the way if you are still weary about combing it out... I'm not sure how that would work out but I am considering trying it on one at the back of my head that is just way too big lol

Best Dryer For Dreads

Dread Maintenance

Sham-Wow?! haha If she does use it and it works, she got a good one then because the ones The Hubs' boss bought him work for crap :D

I haven't tried a microfiber towel. My routine is about the same as yours though. I wring out my dreads in usually about six sections and then I have a few other hand towels that I wrap around them and squeeze more water out until the towels are soaked. After that I proceed to alternate the hair dryer and air dry for the next few hours but they are still highly damp at that point...

I have the problem that I am always cold no matter what I do (Thyroid condition side effect) and the damp head is not fun and neither is the hair dryer. I'm starting to wonder though if I were to use a portable heater like I have in the past to keep warm, if it might work like or better than a hair dryer... Hmmmmmmmmmm